Irish Mountain
Running Association

WMRA Long-distance Challenge

Forum Messages

AuthorDateMessage
Gerry BradySep 8 2012, 11:12amLive feed on women's race on Datasport: http://www.datasport.com/m/?racenr=14106&m=rl&k=20&p=-1&r=-1&t=30&o=-1&n=&pl=&te=&b=&dt=20120908120631000&dtc=0&rc=0

Brian MacMahon runs tomorrow. Kenyans and Eritreans the favourites for men's. American Stevie Kremer looks to have won the women's.
Gerry BradySep 9 2012, 9:31amAt the half-way point, Brian MacMahon is 9th out of 3,250 competitors in the World long-distance mountain running championships. His time at hallway was 1:16:02. An Austrian (Markus Hohenwarter) and Kenyan (Tuei Hosei) are leading and are 4 minutes 17 seconds ahead of Brian. Two Ethiopians are 49 seconds behind him. Hohenwarter has a marathon best of 2:15:34 from April 2012 in Linz. The hills are starting so the second half could take around 30 minutes longer.

The race finishes at the base of the Eiger mountain and it is promoted as the most beautiful marathon in the World. The marathon has 1,829 metres of ascent with a flat first 10 miles. That makes pace judgment difficult and you really need to be consciously holding back over the first half.

At 30.3 km, Hohenwarter and Hosea are still leading. Mitja Kosovelj (SLO) is third around 2:20 behind but he has gained 20 seconds in the last 9 km. American Sage Canaday is fifth and one of the early leaders Huw Lobb (ENG) has dropped to seventh and lost two minutes on Brian in that section. Brian Mac Mahon has moved into 8th at 5:25 behind the leaders and the two Ethiopians are now 9th and 10th and one of them is running faster than Brian. One hour of racing left with all of the last six kilometres as the steepest section. The next time check is at 37.9 km.

At Wixi, the two leaders Hosea and Hohenwarter are still together and only Ethiopian Berhanu Meleyo Kassa has a remote chance of catching them. He is almost six minutes behind but has a 2:12:29 marathon. He has moved into fourth and is moving at the same pace. MacMahon is in eight and looks set for a tremendous performance as he should survive on the very steep last six kilometres. Scot Robbie Simpson has moved in 13th and is moving at the same pace as MacMahon.

For live updates, see
http://www.datasport.com/m/?racenr=14106&m=rl&k=32&p=-1&r=-1&t=30&o=-1&n=&pl=&te=&b=&dt=20120909101952000&dtc=0&rc=0
Gerry BradySep 9 2012, 11:29amSixth for MacMahon
The leaders have finished and Brian MacMahon moved up to sixth. Markus Hohenwarter (AUT) won from Mitja Kosevelj (SLO) and Tuei Hosea (KEN). Robbie Simpson (SCO) had the fastest last segment to move into ninth. For MacMahon this performance is a major breakthrough after many years of hard training.

1. Markus Hohenwarter (AUT) 2:59:42
2. Mitja Kosovelj (SLO) 3:00:47
3. Tuei Hosea (KEN) 3:01:27
4. Patrick Wieser (SUI) 3:03:11
5. Sage Canaday (USA) 3:06:47
6. Brian MacMahon (IRL) 3:07:44
7. Gerd Frick (ITA) 3:08:17
8. Paul Maticha Michieka (KEN) 3:08:41
9. Robbie Simpson (SCO) 3:10:23
10. Marco Sturm (GER) 3:10:52
Dermot MurphySep 9 2012, 12:56pmGreat run Brian, on a tough course - well done!
Eoin KeithSep 9 2012, 7:56pmThat's an incredible result from Brian. Possibly the best Male Irish result in international hillrunning since the great John Lenihan?!

I've adventure raced in the area and had to cycle up the final climb of the race. It's a big big unrelenting climb. Those times are amazing.
Brian FureySep 9 2012, 9:32pmWell done Brian, great running.
Barry MinnockSep 9 2012, 10:01pmSome great scalps there! Impressive result - top 3 for sure in store for Brian in world long mountain running champs ...
Tom HoganSep 11 2012, 6:58amGreat running Brian.
Peter O'FarrellSep 11 2012, 6:59pmChapeau