Unknown

28 November, 2009

The forecast was for a clear and warm day and despite the fact that it was neither 34 runners arrived in Laragh for the first extended spell of open mountain running of the season. The Circuit of Glenmacnass is the longest run in the Lienster Championship and provides a great mixture from the gradual climb up Brockagh , to bog holes and hummocks along the ridge, to the steep climb and descent of Tonalagee, an interesting stream crossing and finishes with a long run in on a track (providing you choose the right
one - see Desie Shorten's sub-standard result) where those with the speed (and remaining energy to use it) can make a lot of progress. With the absence of serial winner John Brooks, the event also provided the first real competitive race of the year

The mist was down on Tonalegee , as the 34 entrants headed through the decimated woodside on the east slope of Brockagh. Unlike the slow start of past years, the usual suspects set off at a substantial pace up the grassy
lower slopes and Bob Lawlor had quickly opened up a noticeable lead on Eoin Keith. The rest of us spread out in the normal formation along the ridge from Brockagh to Tonalagee, which loomed massively ahead in the mists.
Though there was some wet muddy spots but the running was quite good, the grass was low and on the whole it was fairly dry.

Tonalagee is Irish for wind from your back (or perhaps backside) and that extra propulsion would have helped as we each suffered in silence up the steep slope. In the front Killian Mullett was demonstrating his climbing
strength as he surged towards the lead. Peter O'Farrell joined the lead group for the fast descent and actually was first to the checkpoint at the waterfall.

With the mist down it was essential that you took out the compass and headed from the summit on a 67 degree bearing. When Mike Long tried to share this with his fellow runners he was met by a crude remark about mountain safety from a hill walker - probably cranky after his long walk up under a rucksack. Unlike past years just about everybody found their way down correctly. The unfortunate exception was Cormac O'Ceallaigh, (who had
scouted the run on Monday) who found himself going in a bit of a circle off the summit and got some directions from hill walkers, but in the process lost almost an hour.

I took a bit of a southerly route towards the summit (I swear I saw Brian Bell gain time by doing that) to no great gain and ran into my M50 rival Graham Porter on the summit. Unfortunately, with the very fast M50 visitor
from Limerick, Thomas Turner (father of junior international Colm Turner) out on the course , on the day we were rivals for second place in M50.

As the leaders swapped the lead numerous times on the climb to Scarr, a group of 5 of us in the middle of the pack sped down the slippery slope to the waterfall where Louisa O'Sullivan had set up a wonderful oasis with chocolate and water and pre-pealed banana pieces. A big thank you to Louisa for her hours manning the station and recording halfway times.

Eoin Keith finally took control on the top of Scarr and sped off to a hard-earned victory. In out little group , after leading Graham Porter and Liam O'Rian to the top of Scarr, they showed their ungratefullness by speeding off and leaving me staggering in alone. At least I followed the right track, which could not be said for Desie Shorten , who went down too soon and rather than using his speed on the finishing track, he ended up running on the sides of his feet on the sidehills to try to recover from his mistake.

Killian held on for second place and Bob Lawlor took third and first over 40. Beth McClusky continued to show her class with a confortable win in the women's race, 12th overall. Roisin McDonnell survived a major equipment failure when the glue in her Walsh's gave up the ghost seperating the sole
from the shoe, but showing she is made of sterner stuff, Roisin still finished strong as second woman and first over 40. The afore mentioned Thomas Turner had a great run and finished way ahead of Graham Porter in the
M50 category and Jane Porter kept the family name on the result chart with a first in W50. Mick Kellet came flying through just under the 3 hour mark to win the M60. A special thanks goes to recuperating Charlie O'Connell who
handled the finish and stayed out there until the last runner came in, more than 2 hours after the first. I think the race was best summed up by Graham as we negotiated our way off of Tonalagee : "what else would you wanna be doing on a Sunday afternoon.."