Irish Mountain
Running Association

Carrick Mountain

Authors

Mick Hanney

Carrick Cruelty & Fun

A fabulous day in Wicklow. Thankfully by the time evening came around the temperature had gone from hot to warm / cool, all the better for running in. I made a special effort to get out and run this, being on the proverbial doorstep and all.

I reminder the early trail and winter league races on Carrick. Lots and lots of marking tape for its copious amount of trails and twists and turns and despite that lots of people doing various route options, intended or otherwise.

In recent years the routes have become a lot more straightforward - one and down with very little messing.

A nice leisurely registration at the local pub in Glenealy. Easy warm up along the entrance road. All set to go at 7.30.

It starts with a mass gallop along the fire trail. Everyone knowing that position is crucial as you reach the wall of a climb and it is easy to get boxed in. From my viewpoint I was one of the boxed-iners :-). From the photos I can see that Diarmuid and Turlough has particularly good climbs ahead of the pack. Its a tough climb, there is no doubt. It being so dry in recent days the trail was soft and dusty which is most unlike the usual mucky Carrick trails. Toiling away, way behind I was in my own battle ahead of Theo Mooney, trying my best to keep the legs turning over.

Paul Mahon was marshalling near the top, giving much encouragement to the weary and taking some nice photos for good measure. A tricky section through a felled section of forest followed next before we were climbing ahead over the Rocky section that marked the transition from front to back of the hill.

A lovely descent followed through the trees next. More of that sort of thing.

Next a single track and fire-road section to test us out to see if our legs could recover any legspeed. Not really was the answer.

It was around here somewhere that the race markers added some distance to our route. I was head down concentrating on the tape that if you asked me to run it again I probably couldn't. Safe to say the marking was spot on.

Rising ahead we reached Paul Mahon's marhalling point again this time from the other direction before, as Warren says it, gracefully falling down the hill as fast as we could. Alan Ayling took his opportunity to pass me on this stretch and had enough in him to keep me at bay on the fire road to the finish.

A tough but great run on a lovely route. Post-race route war stories were swapped. I note from the results that a FJ runner finished ahead of me. Under 16 someone remarked. Fab run. Starting to feel my age now!

Thanks Tanya, helpers and in particular the markers. Well done to Diarmaid and Aoife, respective winners on the night. Strava shows that Warren and Peter had pretty excellent fearless descents on the night, fair play lads.