Race 2: Tollymore Mountain Centre

14th April 2005

Record turnout at Hill & Dale in atrocious conditions

Despite the fact that winter is still with us, 150 brave souls turned up at the Tollymore Mountain Centre for the 2nd race of the Blue Lough (www.mountainandwater.com) Hill & Dale Race Series. Persistent drizzle with heavier showers refused to stop all day and as race time approached the ground was already very soft underfoot; the sun made a few appearances, but it continued to rain and it was cold. The one comfort was that the runners had the shelter of the trees as snaked their way through the forest in this 5 miles race with 900 feet of climbing.

The usual cavalry charge followed the starter's whistle as the large field winded its way down to Parnell's Bridge and the first climb, in three stages, to the top of the New Park. Last week's winner and defending champion, Newcastle's Alan McKibben was first to show again at the front, closely followed by his twin Dave. Club mate Deon McNeilly was also showing strongly along with North Belfast's Neil Carty, in his first Hill & Dale race of the season. All four are previous winners of the Series title. In the ladies race, once again it was a fast start from Newcastle's Kerry Harty, with club mates Anne Sandford and Martina Hawkins not far behind.

As the leaders dropped off the first summit, the leading group approached four-minute mile pace as they almost literally flew down the greasy track. Once into the second climb, Alan McKibben, who had been closed slightly by McNeilly on the descent (McNeilly with the advantage in the power to weight ratio, that is, he had the weight and McKibben had the power), once again started to pull away. Behind brother Dave was having a great tussle with Carty.

The climb to the second top on the Long Haul trail saw positions much the same and the runners plunged from there to the Lake and onto the two miles run for home. Crossing the Shimna River on the Footstick Bridge, the runners then climbed steeply for the Mountain Centre and the finish. Alan McKibben cemented his strong start to the Series with another victory coming home in 29 minutes dead, 13 seconds clear of McNeilly who went one better this week in second place. Dave McKibben made up the first three in 29 minutes 33 seconds, 25 seconds clear of Carty.

In the ladies race, Harty too strengthened her claim for the title with a second victory, coming home 36th overall in 35 minutes and 19 seconds, nearly two minutes ahead of club mate Anne Sandford, who claimed the Lady Vet 40 win. Sandford was winner in record time of the first Northern Ireland Championship race of the season in March over Slieve Gullion and is in the best shape in years at the moment. Fast finishing junior, Michelle Sturm from Omagh Harriers caught Hawkins on the last run in to the Mountain Centre. Sturm was part of a big crowd of eleven runners led by Hazel and Bill McCausland who made the long trip from Omagh to the race. It is great to see the effort from people travelling from so far away to make the race and there were some great performances as well as Sturm's with another junior Noel Collins leading the way in 19th place overall to take second placed junior.

Another distant traveller, Mid-Ulster's Jonathan McCloy was 15th overall and took first place junior. McCloy is starting to return to the form seen last year, as is local Adam Mitten who showed an impressive improvement over just one week to finish third junior in 26th overall.

The veteran categories were once again strongly contested. Richard Rodgers was 5th overall and first vet 40. Dominic McGreevy of Ballydrain was 22nd overall and first vet 45 in 33 minutes and 41 seconds. Albertville's Billy McKay took first vet 50 in 29th place in 34 minutes and 11 seconds. Willowfield's Des McHenry, fresh from the Queens 5km race the previous evening, took the vet 55 category in 45th overall in 35 minutes and 58 seconds with Larne's Billy Magee making it two out of two in the vet 60 category in 91st overall in 40 minutes and 18 seconds. Hugh Young of North Down took the vet 65 category in 129th place overall in 44 minutes and 9 seconds.

Once again Newcastle AC won the team race with the perfect score of 6 and contributed 31 runners to the race. ACKC was second with 36 points and the second highest number of runners with 18 and Team Purple and Albertville shared third with 64 points. A record number of 11 teams finished at least three runners including Physio&Co (could well be some services to be rendered there), the reincarnation of last year's U4EA.

A special mention is due to Team Purple, the excellent and witty team from the South Mournes, with many of them more at home on two wheels rather than two legs. This week they supplied ten runners, with one of their number facing more staff room embarrassment having finished 56 places and 5 minutes behind his colleague. No greater motivation is needed to see him improving between now and the last race in Donard Forest.

Race three takes the Series to the South Mournes and the beautiful location of Kilbroney Forest in Rostrevor for the Slievemartin race. The race consists of one good climb this week with some 'real' mountain thrown in for the first time this Series and fantastic views over Carlingford Lough for anyone looking from the top of the climb. Please be there before 7pm.

BOGBOY