Askanagap Hill
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Mick Hanney | Feb 15 2025, 8:52pm | Thanks to the early volunteers on this one. Askanagap Hill is a new IMRA event. Its a lovely route and a nice challenge overlooking the Wicklow way (Shielstown). It has something for the climbers or the descenders or the all-rounders! - A series of 3 climbs, the first of which is the longest. 2.5k with 300m of climb averaging 12%. 2 other shorter climbs, the 2nd one over open ground. - A no. of nice descents, including the 2.5k -300m downhill from the top to the finish, at the tail end of the loop. We will have prizes for the first 3 Men and Women and 1st Junior F/M. While prize winners will be called out after the finish, the prizes will be vouchers emailed to winners after the race. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 2 2025, 12:37pm | A couple more volunteers for this race would be great please, inc. someone you can do summit marshal. For those who took part in the Annacurra race, if you did the long course and looked west you've have seen this hill. A nice challenge awaits. The location Ballymanus has a limited amount of parking at the GAA and the community hall, so car shares appreciated if at all possible. |
| Andy owens | Mar 4 2025, 8:36am | I'd be happy to do summit marshal Mick. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 4 2025, 9:16am | Hi Andy, I have a volunteer for the summit but happy if you can be a helper on the day at ground level. Cheers, Mick |
| Andy owens | Mar 4 2025, 10:52am | No problem Mick. |
| Joe Lalor | Mar 5 2025, 4:22pm | Askanagap the site of the infamous avalanche. https://staging2.wicklownews.net/2017/03/locals-mark-150th-anniversary-of-tragic-wicklow-avalanche/ |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 5 2025, 7:11pm | Thanks for posting Joe. A tragic history. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 7 2025, 7:22pm | One more volunteer, running or not please, and we have a full quota. If you are aiming to do this race try to link in with someone for the drive as parking is not extensive, so every car share will help. Pls use the carpool if necessary. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 7 2025, 9:28pm | Thanks all. Good for helpers now. If interested in helping out there are loads of other events coming up. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 8 2025, 7:36pm | Route description. 1. 500m of fire road to forest edge. 2. Single track, opening out to wider track hand-railing a fence all the way to the top, c. 2k. The first 2.5k has 300m of climb. 3. 2k downhill, first handrailing fence beside forest then onto fireroad down along Wicklow way in Sheilstown. Nearly 200m pf descent. 4. Steep 600m climb thru forest to fireroad, followed by slight downhill fireroad. 5. Last climb(s) of the day. About 120m of climb over .5k, starting on a track then a section of open mountain/clear forest. 6. 2.5k downhill to the finish - same as 1 and 2 but in reverse. Short course does 1 and 2, then turn at summit cairn and back to start/finish. . |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 9 2025, 2:33pm | Watch this space, I may (more than likely) be confirming a change in start time to12 noon, to avoid any potential clash with local mass earlier. I'll confirm before shop opens. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 9 2025, 7:55pm | Confirming that I have updated the event details for the main race to start at 12 noon. Registration will open after 10.30 in the local community centre. I have enough volunteers. Email will be sent to them in the next day or two. Fingers crossed we get a day like today. The route is looking fab. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 10 2025, 11:27am | If its possible for people to carpool that will help. Recognising that its not always possible. But if you can add your journey on the event it will assist.. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 10 2025, 1:18pm | If driving from Dublin I'd suggest you make tracks from Aughrim as Askanagap is more straightforward to navigate to from there. Google pin for registration is on event and I have added a photo showing a highlight map via Aughrim. |
| Paul Mahon | Mar 11 2025, 11:54am | Asknagap is another Mick Hanney "Unknown A Hills of the Aughrim Area" Special with a littlie bit of an "everything for everybody" route that is more runnable than Annagh but steeper than Annacurragh. Never heard of the peak before but an enjoyable recee recently has whetted the appetite for this event for sure |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 11 2025, 7:15pm | Thanks for the mention Paul. If you are new to IMRA or haven't ran this year have a look at this link which has useful information for runners. https://www.imra.ie/news/view/id/673/ I will confirm the mandatory kit items on the evening before the race. The minimum requirement, if its a fine day, will be a jacket. A packable / pouch type jacket is fine. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 14 2025, 10:36am | Shop open til Saturday evening on this one for anyone still considering signing up. Please consider carpool option if you can. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 14 2025, 11:48am | Louis Bussy - If you contact Andy (details on carpool) you may be able to work out a carshare journey? |
| Louis Bussy | Mar 14 2025, 12:34pm | Hi Mick, yes I send him a message this morning thank you ! |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 15 2025, 1:28pm | Hi, Forecast is looking good for tomorrow. Mandatory kit will be Jacket - to be carried or worn throughout race. Other items optional. Plan your journey and give yourself the time you need based on whether you intend doing main or early start. Short course starts with main race at 12. Regards, Mick |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 15 2025, 5:12pm | I am just back from marking the route and its looking well. The ground is firm with a handful of muddy/wet bits. The views around from the hill are brillant. I have added a photo - please look at it - to illustrate the parking in the village. Outside the GAA pitch and outside the community hall/church where race registration will take place. There is limited parking at the trail-head at the race start c.1.3k away. Race volunteers will need these spaces so pls do not drive to the race start. It makes for a nice little warm-up. If the obvious parking areas are full please park with consideration for locals, ensuring you are not blocking access etc. There will be a key bag at the start/finish line. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 15 2025, 5:35pm | We will have refreshments at the finish line. I baked some date bars but I wasn't expecting so many entries so first come first serve. If anyone wants to bring any baked or non-baked goods that would be fab. |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 16 2025, 8:05am | Hi, Reg. for main race will close around 11.40 to allow runners and volunteers get to start line. If required we'll do any last min registration at the start line. As this is a SEL race we are not using chip timing but you bring your IMRA race no. if you have one this year. If you don't yet have a race no. we'll give you one at registration. Don't forget a jacket. Regards, Mick |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 16 2025, 3:11pm | Thanks to the volunteers for supporting todays race - the first time IMRA was on this hill and hopefully not the last. Thanks too to the local community for hosting us in this lovely part of Wicklow Full results will post in due course. Podium spots. Long Course M 1 Zak Hanna 38:41 2 Emmet McNamara 3 Mark McAdden L 1 Caroline Harney 2 Becky Quinn 3 Deirdre Galvin Short Course Junior boy 1 David Ayton Junior girl 1 Mathilda Ayton |
| John McCann | Mar 16 2025, 4:38pm | Thanks to Mick and his team of volunteers for a great race today. Lots of challenging and fun sections and an amazing spread of food and drink at the finish. |
| Amanda Fitzgerald | Mar 16 2025, 4:40pm | Liam has uploaded all photos from the summit. Happy tagging everone. Thanks Mick for another great loval race. Really enjoyed that today not so much the uphills but that downhill was just the icing on your cake for the finish. |
| Deirdre Galvin | Mar 16 2025, 5:00pm | What an epic route. You were either going up or going down; minimal horrid fire roads! Thank you so much to the organisers and the marshalls. A great spin. I look forward to returning the favour at Brandon Hill Half on April 19th. This is a different route to last year's race; that mucky climb at the end has been taken out. I can't say that the route is necessarily easier, but it is definitely more scenic. There will be an early start option. |
| Andy Keeling | Mar 16 2025, 6:44pm | Cheers Mick and team. Lovely fast and tough race today. ike a rollercoaster without any seatbelts. |
| Deirdre Burns | Mar 16 2025, 7:04pm | Super event today, thanks to all the organisers, if you want to find out more about the Mullhall family avalanche tragedy check out episode 5 of this podcast from Irish History Podcasts https://www.irishhistorypodcast.ie/podcast-series/preban-a-living-graveyard |
| Rob Tobin | Mar 16 2025, 7:34pm | Thanks to Mick and all the A-Hill A-Team. Three savage climbs packed into 9k. I thought I'd never get up to Liam and the lads... twice! |
| Declan McInerney | Mar 16 2025, 7:58pm | Thank you very much to Mick and all the volunteers for an epic route today! Very enjoyable and the weather cooperated too. Who knew the epic climbs that awaited us in scenic and historic Askanagap, historic home of Billy Byrne of Ballymanus. Hope to see this route again! |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 16 2025, 9:01pm | Well done to all runners. It was a tough challenge, long or short option. Great racing through the field and its brilliant to see the juniors out on the hills. The weather was on our side. With all the buzz of the finish line I totally forgot to do a 'winners' announcement, so note-to-self for next time. I avoided a raffle draw for spot prizes by selecting finishing positions at random for spot prizes crossing the line, just in case anyone was wondering. The feedback from runners for the event has been really positive. If anyone would consider putting up a race report that would be super. Next RD gig for me is in a couple of months with the Lug Race via Ballineddan. So make a date in your diaries. |
| Andy Keeling | Mar 17 2025, 8:37am | Report up. Cheers again Mick |
| Jeff Swords | Mar 17 2025, 10:12am | Results are up, any issues email IMRAResults at Gmail dot com |
| Mick Hanney | Mar 17 2025, 12:26pm | Thanks Andy and Jeff. Appreciate that. Any other takers for a report? I have added a batch of photos that were taken by my remote nature camera on the hill. It captured that very rare phenomena of hill runners in the wild. Often spotted hiking with a grimace. Occasionally spotted running uphills. Usually happiest when cantering downhill in pursuit of their target prey. Often those pursuits are in vain and they are left to wait another year before they can try again. At the finish they will console themselves with stories what could have been. |
| Ailbhe Donnellan | Mar 17 2025, 1:16pm | Uploaded a few photos taken at the bottom of the single track before turning out onto the final fire road. It was great watching all the mountain goats navigating that section! |
