Irish Mountain
Running Association

Carrauntoohil

Forum Messages

AuthorDateMessage
Swiad WormsMay 19 2013, 8:26pmHi,

I am an interantional student from Germany currently enrolled at UCC in Cork and I would love to do the Carrauntoohil race on the second of June. Unfortunatly I do not have a car here in Ireland. Is anybody driving up from Cork or passes through Cork on the way to the race and is willing to give me a race?

Thanks a lot for your help.

Swiad
Sam ScrivenMay 22 2013, 10:18amSwiad,

I'm not definitely going yet, but you are welcome to a spin if I am.
I'd suggest posting again here the week of the race, or check out the Munster Trail Running page on Facebook.

Sam
Vivian O'GormanMay 23 2013, 5:31pmHi Folks,

We're on the road to Kerry again. I need a couple of volunteers.

Summit Marshalls: One for the top of Carrauntoohil
One for the top of Caher
One for Curraghmore
So anyone who doesn't want to run the race but wouldn't mind going for a walk give me a shout.

Also a First Aid Person and a Laptop Operator. The Laptop person can run the race unfortunately First Aid can't.

3 more for race registration.

There is a kit requirement for this race which is listed on the events page. Please have a look at this NOW! This is NOT a beginners race and a map and compass is essential.

Don't forget to bring your own water.

There is absolutely NO car parking on the road. All cars must be parked in the yard provided at a cost of 3 euro.

The race is at 12pm sharp so race registration will start at 10.30am and finish at 11.45am.

Early start is 11.00am Just let me know before you go.


Laura SchwirzMay 23 2013, 8:44pmHi Vivian

Happy to help with registration. Depending on the weather that day I might do parts of the race so don't want to put down my name for sure yet as summit marshal.

Laura
John AhernMay 26 2013, 2:25pmI'm out of action at the moment with back trouble but still plan to go down to Kerry to help. Cant commit absolutely to anything just yet but I will hopefully be able to marshall part of the route but deffo not the summit.
Will post again later in the week when I see how my back improves.
Daniela BoehmMay 27 2013, 9:00amHi Vivian, I put myself down for laptop operator but would like to take advantage of the 'laptop operator can still run the race' option ;) Thanks, Daniela
Sinéad DunphyMay 28 2013, 11:28amHi All,

I was thinking of heading down to Carrauntoohil for next Sundays event.

Anyone heading from Dublin on Saturday want to carpool?

I have no firm plans made, but I was thinking it might make more sense to travel down Sat and hostel /camp - head back Sunday afternoon.

Anyone got any ideas about where is good to stay / camp?

Thanks

Sinead
Conor MurphyMay 28 2013, 9:45pmHave done mountain running off my own bat, and have hiked around Carrauntoohil plenty of times - live in sight of it - so know the route well, but have compass and maps anway and can navigate around no problem. Know it's rated a 10 and fully appreciate the challenge. If I turn up on the day with IMRA membership will I be registered there and then or must I do so in advance? Given its one of the toughest ones, is there any requirement to have entered other events to compete in this.
Mick HanneyMay 28 2013, 9:48pmIdeally yes Conor but as you have nav skills and Carrauntoohil knowledge you should be in good stead. Registration for the race is straightforward on the day. Have the mandatory kit for running and you are good to go. Good luck. Hope you get the weather for it.
Swiad WormsMay 29 2013, 9:18amHi lads,

I would love to do Carrauntoohil but have no car to get there. I did a mountain run earlier this season and got hooked, well after I could walk down a flight of stairs without pain. Is there anybody going out to the race that is from Cork or comes through Cork?

Hope it works out.

Swiad
Turlough ConwayMay 29 2013, 9:49amHi Swiad

There is a contact for the Munster President on the contact lists here. He should be able to give you a few contact points. Many Munster runners may not be regulars on this forum so might be a better way to get in touch.

If all else fails a return bus journey to Limerick would put you on the route of the travelling Leinster runners.
Sam ScrivenMay 30 2013, 9:51amSwiad, I'm driving down from Cork City on Sunday morning.
o87 2l36574
Space for one more if anyone needs it.
Robbie WilliamsMay 30 2013, 7:45pmHi guys

I will be traveling down Sunday morning about 9 and can take 1 Or 2.
Swaid, I run the Munster trail running site so this is my response.

I am 0eight7 nine2267five0

Robbie
Munster President
John AhernMay 30 2013, 9:43pmSorry, have to withdraw my offer to help out. My back couldn't tolerate more than 15 mins in a car. :(
Vivian O'GormanMay 30 2013, 10:41pmThanks for volunteering in the first place John sorry you won't make it. Hope you get better soon.
Vivian O'GormanMay 30 2013, 10:48pmNeed a few more volunteers - running or not - especially a First Aid person.
Mick HanneyMay 31 2013, 1:39pmHi,

I'm travelling down to Kerry staying in a B&B the night before near the race start. I'm leaving from south Wicklow but would be open to hooking up with people from a car pooling perspective if they were heading down for the one night, coming back soon after the race.

Regards,

Mick
086-8539554
Mick HanneyMay 31 2013, 1:40pmVivian - if you are okay with a running first aider I can help you there.
Brian FennessyMay 31 2013, 1:50pmHi viv
can you stick me down as a running volunteer

Many thanks
Brian
Eimear Nic an BhairdMay 31 2013, 4:54pmSinéad are you still thinking about heading down?
Gerard CunninghamMay 31 2013, 7:53pmVivian

you may have enough running volunteers by now but if not you can add me to the list
Conor MurphyJun 2 2013, 8:04pmThanks for telling me to go for ut.

My first proper mountain run, snd loved it.

Pleasantly surprised at my time as felt like I was going backwards at times, misty so guess knowing the area helped as some veered a little to the right on the descent. But loved the atmosphere, the camaraderie, calling out when people picked up the right track, sharing food and drink during the race, people encouraging each other rather than running against each other. Even though clearly is a very serious run with remarkable athletes vying at the front, there was a wonderful feeling at times that the competition was not about measuring things out in minutes per mile, it was all of us mucking in to face the mountain and times were not critical.
Jason KehoeJun 2 2013, 8:20pmProvisional results have come in from our Race Director Vivian O'Gorman via the wireless:

Both a new ladies and a men's course record were set on this route today.

Ladies:
1. Diane Wilson - 1:45:43 (new course record)
2. Becky Quinne - 2:05:12
3 Hazel McLoughlan - TBC

Mens:
1. Tim O'Donoghue - 82:57 (new course record)
2. Brian Furey - 86:57
3. Rob Cleary - 88:17
4. Stephen Cleary - 88:18
5. Bernard Fortune - 89:04

Diane (Lagan Valley) managed to shave 1:21 of Jo Meeks (Tavistock) old course record of 1:47:04 and also improved 3:01 since she last raced this course in 2011.

Adventure Racer Tim (East Cork A/C) managed to take 2:12 off Brian Fureys (Rathfarnham A/C) course record of 85:10.

The Cleary brothers were neck and neck and Rob just pipped Stephen on the very last turn at the finish, a real family battle by all accounts. Reports say conditions were very changeable and went from sunny at the start to misty, wet, very muddy and slippy in places. A few also went astray before finding the right track again.

With 82 entries in the race its appears to also have been a record turnout. The previous best having been 81 runners in 2008 going by site records.

Expect full results up tomorrow when WiFi can be found Down in the Kingdom.

Well Done Viv and volunteers on Ireland's most magical of Mountain races. I'm told there are many pints being sunk in the Climbers Inn as I type!
Brian FennessyJun 3 2013, 8:34amBig thanks to viv for organising such a great race yesterday the craic was suberb and very relaxed also thanks to all the other volunteers. Well done all looking forward to next years race already.
pat barryJun 4 2013, 12:38pmis this the same course as the John Lenihan era?
John J BarryJun 4 2013, 1:58pmGood Question Pat..

I was thinking the same..

Adventure Racer Tim (East Cork A/C) managed to take 2:12 off Brian Fureys (Rathfarnham A/C) course record of 85:10.

But John ran it quicker according to the history tab..

Jeff FitzsimonsJun 4 2013, 2:06pmThis is a different course to the record time listed for John Lenihan.
pat BarryJun 4 2013, 2:11pmDifferent Longer or Different Shorter
Jason KehoeJun 4 2013, 2:13pm"Both a new ladies and a men's course record were set on this route today."

This is the 3rd year of this new route beginning on the Kerry Way. The older route went up the hydro road. There was a dispute with access rights with the landowner and blocking of gates / road. Unless we can reconcile with the landowner (locals and the committee have already tried very hard unsuccessfully) Johns great record will remain unchallenged. One of the reasons why it's so important for IMRA to have a parking plan for each race lest we lose access to more courses.

Jason
Pat BarryJun 4 2013, 2:23pmWith the higher numbers withing the FRA community car parking is a significant issue. There is a long running thread here about that very issue.

http://forum.fellrunner.org.uk/showthread.php?18701-Too-many-cars

Turlough ConwayJun 4 2013, 3:03pmSome of us had a discussion about this in the climbers Inn afer the race. According to the site the old course is 1.2k longer at 13.7 vs 12.5, although this description (paste url) on the old IMRA site pust the old course at 12.4k : http://www.iol.ie/~imra/index2.html .
The old site has about 50m total height gained according to these figures.

The old course had an easier climb: concrete Hydro road climb and a fast gravel track for 2.1k and the first 300 metres of climb. Then you climbed a bit up onto teh Caher ridge, and then it was a progressively steeper climb up Caher. A long fearsome climb, but it did what it said on the tin.

The new course has the moderately difficult grassy Kerry way for the first 200m gained but that is easily the easist part of the entire course. The climb from here tp the summit mound of Curraghmore is extremely difficult. For every steep boggy rise up, you seem to drop halfway down again the far side. After that its the relative relief of the Curraghmore slopes and the steep climb to Caher is one of the easier sections of the new route while being the most difficult climb of the old.

The descent on the new course is probably physically easier without the huge quad buster that was the Caher descent but it is potentially no quicker for that. A strong descenderw ould probably make the old finish line from Caher's highest point quicker than the new finish.

In the early 2000s, Lenihan and Bryson were climbing Carrauntoohil in 48.5 roughly and Lug in 33.
I think Peter managed 35 on Lug in 2009 and Brian has done 35-36.
That would give the recent boyos roughly a projected climbing time of 51-3 mins for old Carrauntoohil if they kept the same proportions as the class of 2000's.
Brian mentioned on Sunday that he managed 54 mins for teh climb which was his best. That might put the new climb at 1-2 mins longer and the new course subjectively at 1-3 mins longer.

Someone who has ran well on both might be able to say more definitavely?

Brian FureyJun 4 2013, 11:13pmReport up.
Sinéad DunphyJun 5 2013, 2:53pmHi Eimear,

Sorry for the delay in response. I didnt make it down in the end. Decided to rest my dodgy leg. Give me a shout re: training plan though !! 0860454223.

Sinead
Turlough ConwayJun 6 2013, 10:33amChatted to a couple of people since about both courses including Bernard. Bernard reckons old course was harder, but time to run both courses is alomost identical. Having run consistently well every year on both (more consistantly than anyone else perhaps) thats about as accurate a comparision as your likely to get.
Alan AylingJun 6 2013, 12:45pmIt's a good debate alright, I'd pretty much go along with Bernard's thinking on it. I've consistently run the new route quicker than the old, but that's probably down to me not being quite as slow as I used to be...
Sam ScrivenJun 6 2013, 4:46pmA couple of excellent race reports from Diane Wilson and John Tollitt.

http://www.nimra.org.uk/index.php/records-set-in-carrauntoohil/

http://www.tynebridgeharriers.com/2013/06/04/carauntoonhil-mountain-race-report-2nd-june-2013/

Fair play to all who made the trip from Northern Ireland and further afield. Hopefully see ye in Connaught!
pat barryJun 7 2013, 1:42pmJust read this comment

One person worth a mention is Hazel McLaughlin, who on the way down came across 8 lost runners who didn’t have a compass or map between them! She pulled out her map and compass and consequently guided them down to eventually meet the fence and head in the right direction.

Do you not have kit check over there? I would not be allowed to even start an FRA event without the basic kit list.
Mick HanneyJun 9 2013, 3:37pmPick up the Sunday Times today which has a feature on Irish mountain running and in particular the race from last weekend by Richard Oakley who took part in the race. A nice read. Thanks Richard.
Mick HanneyJun 9 2013, 4:55pmArticle link: Behind a paywall, but might persuade you out to the shops :-)
http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article1270692.ece