Irish Mountain
Running Association

Ben Gorm

Authors

Dermot MurphyPeter O'FarrellRene Borg

Dermot Murphy

After the dust settled from Croagh Patrick, who would be fit enough to take part in the Ben Gorm race on the Sunday? There were a few cut knees in evidence at the start line today and I suspect most were not quite 100%! I suffered from blistered feet on Croagh Patrick but a few glasses of wine the night before to dull the pain and I was ready to go.

A passing shower just before the start had us all contemplating just running back down to the cars as the race and leaving it at that! But the rain stopped just as we were setting off and that was the last we saw of it. It was a nice sunny day after that, if a bit windy up along the ridge. The initial climb is very difficult in this race - steep with long grass which hide lots of holes to trap the unwary. Although I think the grass was a bit shorter this year than previous years which made it a bit easier to read the lie of the land.

Brian Furey took up the pace early on with Diarmuid Collins in close pursuit and Peter not too far behind. The rest of us were stretched out in a line behind as we struggled to come to grips with the steep climb. Then a brief respite as we descended down to the stream before we started on the long slog up to the ridge. This part of the race is longer than the initial climb but not as steep which means its runnable in parts. Then on to the ridge which for me seemed to go on forever - just when you think you have reached the plateau, you realise there is another steep part of the ridge to climb - and then another! I finally reached the plateau just as the leaders were passing by - Brian was looking strong at the stage and Tom Blackburn was to have a great descent to come in second - he was forth when he passed me. The run to the cairn of stones is quite long but at least it is runnable at this stage. A quick hello to Melanie - who was jogging on the spot to keep warm! - and it was time for the descent. A couple of runners passed me along the ridge on the descent - including Rosalind as she had a super descent to be the first lady home and also the Connaught Champion!

I eventually got down to the final descent - at this stage I was level with Jeff and I turned to say to him - "this is were the fun begins". However Jeff was in no mood for talk though as he promptly flew down the last descent and nearly picked up another place. There was no one else close behind me at that stage so I picked my down and I was very relieved to finally finish. As well as recording the finish times, Turlough has a cam corder out to record some of the comical finishes - anyone in ordinary runners had a hard time on that final descent and numerous slips and falls were recorded.

It was then back to the Delphi center for tea/coffee and sandwiches and the prize giving - Brian Furey who won on the day was also crowned Connaught Champion and as mentioned earlier, Rosalind Hussey was first lady and also Connaught Champion. But a give well done to all who managed to run both days - an achievement in itself!

Peter O'Farrell

Day two of the Connaght Championship found a small band of hardy annuals huddled under a boggy bank of finest Connemara cut turf with an impressive rain shower further softening the ground. Tom Blackburn had a glint in his eye and was targetting this one, when Turlough called the assembled 33 out from the hollow many shuffled sheepishly towards their imminent reacquintance with aching leg muscles but the bould Tom sprang like a startled gazelle eager to see the start of the endurance part of the weekend.

The rain passed over leaving a clear fresh day which was just as well as the two main contenders for the Connaght Championship had never done this race. Rarely has a race director's words received such rapt attention as from the two bucks. In horse racing parlance the going was soft (to very soft) and I was astounded to see a pair of road shoes on the start line, Eoin Brady88 take a bow!

Up the first climb and Brian Furey and Diarmuid Collins duly set the pace(ditto Orla McEvoy and Rosalind Hussey), I'm shuffling along behind a pair of Asics wondering about the vagaries of personal choice and then with a bolt of perspective I realised where I was and what I was doing on a Sunday afternoon and resolved to think a bit less about personal choice.
Brian and Diarmuid set the early pace before I once again found myself cast in the role of hapless leader as the two lads took the opportunity to let me take them to Turlough's mysterious "ridge notch" Once a better looking option approached (Niamh) Brian upped the gears and set off towards point Melanie. This is where I thought I was going to be a bit of cute hoor and take a direct compass line to Melanie letting the two lads hug the longer clifftop route but sadly for me my navigation was crap and I ended up 100m to the left of both Melanie and the summit and watching the lads round the stones instead of leading them a merry dance.
All the dancing cards had been reserved by Tom Blackburn (ditto Rosalind Hussey who soon passed the uphill leader Orla with a blistering descent) who twinkled his way from 4th to 1st along the rocky ridge before the softer ground back along to the river allowed Brian back into it to secure his second victory of the weekend.
On my way back from my latest naviagation lesson I saw Eoin Brady slipping along ahead of Mick Hanney and sure enough by the end of the slippery descent the positions were reversed, a triumph for Inov8 technology! On Turlough's video this should be abundantly clear as one battle on the descent found a grippy shoed exponent making huge inroads into a sleeker road shod runner. G'wan the technology
Yet again, great craic!

Rene Borg

TEAM RESULTS

Men
1. Boards AC 35 (7 Mick Hanney, 13 Eamonn Hodge, 15 Jeff Fitzsimons)
2. UCD 38 (5 Zoran Skrba, 9 Eoin Brady, 24 Stuart Scott)