Slieve Martin

Hill and Dale Race 3

Thursday 19th April 2007

Déjà vu as McKibbin & Maxwell return to challenge the rest

With the previously unused in 2007 ‘number 1’ on his back, Newcastle AC’s Alan McKibbin arrived at Kilbroney Forest Park to the dusty dry conditions to remind all the pretenders that he is still in the race to make it his 4th Hill & Dale title in a row.

Similarly, Mourne Runners’ Fiona Maxwell, last year’s convincing winner, was making Slieve Martin, the 3rd race of the Blue Lough (www.mountainandwater.com) Hill & Dale Race Series, her first race in the defence of her title – how would she perform in the face of the two early victories from Newcastle AC’s Martina Hawkins?

These two were among 139 competitors who turned up to take the challenge. The Slieve Martin race is, in most ways, tougher than the first two with a climb, very steep at times, in excess of 1,700 feet almost double that of the first two races.

The climb is back breaking at times, but most of all it goes on and on and on. Rising initially through the forest from near to the entrance of Kilbroney Park, it levels out and then steepens again to arrive at the famous Cloghmore Stone. Without even as much as a glance, the route climbs steeply once more alongside the ruined fence before topping out on the summit of Slieve Meen. At this point the views across Carlingford Lough are spectacular (although how many in their exhausted state actually noticed it?) and remain so as the route winds its way through more climbing and some small descents to the ultimate summit – Slieve Martin. At this point the runners have covered half race distance or just over two miles and then proceed to close the loop back via the Cloghmore Stone – a similar distance but covered by most in well under half the time.

Fiona Maxwell produced a great race at the beginning of April over Donard Commedagh, the first round of the British Championship, where she came in 7th in company that included winner and World Champion Angela Mudge from Scotland and all of England’s top runners. She then chose to sit out the first two races of the new Hill & Dale season and make Slieve Martin her first.

This was also her first win of eight towards her title win last year. This year Newcastle AC’s Martina Hawkins had won the first two races. Maxwell’s intention and her fitness level were soon in no doubt as the field climbed steeply towards the Cloghmore Stone. By the summit, she had left 124 runners in her wake and reached Slieve Martin in a fantastic 15th place and well inside the 4-year-old record of Sharon McBurney’s.

Having climbed 1,700 feet or so in just outside 2 miles, one of the key talents of a good mountain racer is being able to turn around and then descend a similar distance at almost twice the speed that has been achieved on a climb that in Maxwell’s case had lasted nearly 26 minutes. Maxwell descended in breakneck style in just over 12 minutes to come home in 16th place overall in 38 minutes and 6 seconds, an amazing 4 minutes inside McBurney’s record.

Behind Tish McCann made it a 1-2 for Mourne Runners (and helped secure a Mourne victory over Newcastle) with another very fast descent to come home in 41minutes 45 seconds, also inside the old record. Hawkins was third and with her first two forest victories holds onto her lead for the time being.

Meanwhile, McKibbin had turned at the summit with a good lead from club mate McNeilly, who had demonstrated his continued competitiveness by catching and passing Carty on the undulating route across the tops from Slieve Meen to Martin. McNeilly feared, however, that his 20-metre lead on Carty would not be enough. Carty is quick on the descent and all the top men are covering much of the 2-mile descent via the Cloghmore Stone back to the start in something between 10 and 11 minutes.

As the leaders approached the finishing stages, Carty had indeed passed McNeilly and was close to getting onto the tail of the tiring and possibly even daydreaming McKibbin. What happened next is surrounded in a little controversy. McNeilly shouted to warn McKibbin that Carty was right there. Accelerating, McKibbin held on to win by three seconds and in the process knocking 16 seconds off McNeilly’s 4-year-old record. Used to being the bridesmaid and ever the sportsman, Carty, didn’t even raise an eyelid – some would say McNeilly’s shout was bad sportsmanship, others would say it’s all in the game and team mates should look out for each other – the record books will show a new record and one win each for Graham, Duncan and McKibbin after three races - two seconds and a third for Carty put him in the Series lead so far.

It is also interesting to note that 7 of the first 10 runners were over 40-years-old, whilst in 11th place Albertville’s Billy McKay is vet55, with his best race in a few years, and 12th was Ballydrain’s Dominic McGreevy, as first vet50 also eclipsing his best at Slieve Martin by nearly two minutes. From where is the younger blood challenge going to emerge?

Speaking of Billy McKay, he has regularly ‘treated’ fellow competitors and the gathered spectators with his pre-race attempt to be sick at the side of the star line. It is, to be fair, not a pretty sight. Well the swelling crowd of spectators and officials were in for a further treat at the race finish this week. To cap off his excellent run and despite the lack of oxygen as he crossed the line, or maybe because of it, McKay proceeded to retch at max volume, bringing a tear to many an eye –nice show Billy.

Just in front of McKay at the finish was Mourne Runners’ Andrew Stevenson aka ‘Corky’. Regular readers will remember Corky’s exploits from the 2006 Series where his main talent is to entertain his fellow athletes during the race, despite the scarcity of breath brought on from the race pace. Endless chatter is the best way to describe it, with an, as yet, untapped talent still desperate to get out. Not having commented enough during the race, in his impromptu post-race interview, he declared that he ‘had given up the fags’ as he was in training for the Belfast Marathon and that this was ‘giving his fellow runners a feel for what it would be like across Northern Ireland after the 30th April’ – 10th place on fags, is this a future winner?

Old man McBurney, one of the Series’ organisers and one of the stalwart competitors of many Series, returned to race this week ‘sneaking’ in to register. You heard of the trend in ‘man bags’? Well McBurney was sporting what can only be described as a ‘man garter’ positioned just below his knee – only below one knee, mind you. Not sure what it was for, but maybe simply an early sight of a new piece of retro-fashion.

Maybe there will be a little less scoffing at BARF’s Fred Hamond’s severely tilted running style in the future. He finished 4th place in the vet55 category and that in itself is not something to merit a mention, however, with one eye admiring the evening sky (just as well the sun is quite low by 7.30 in the evening) and the other fixed to the ground, it is perhaps a wonder that he gets round so fast. Anyhow, he gained a bonus this week as on the climb he spied a runner’s watch lying in the grass – great spot – and snatched up into his hand in one fluid movement, another advantage of what is becoming the legendary tilt.

Clare Galbraith saved some energy and breath as she was out sprinted by North Down’s Stephanie Hambling to come home 2nd lady vet40. Just as well she did so she was able to sip the champagne without retching (maybe that’s what McKay needs?) and blow the numerous candles out in one go, as she celebrated the birthday before she moves into a new racing category in some style.

Finally, many bright ideas and indeed not so bright ones are dreamt up over a pint of stout. It’s up to yourself to work out which type this one is. This season’s silly old man’s game is for the Over-50s to try and beat their age in finishing position – this week only three managed it – we’ll keep a close eye on this one as the Series progresses.

Race four is the one many like to hate – all the pain of the climb and none of the exhilaration of the descent. It’s the 2,000 feet Binnian ascent finishing among the summit tors. Please try and register before 7pm at the field near the top of Brackenagh East Road – off-road field parking is available adjacent to the start is obligatory and no parking is allowed along the side of the road. One final note, the Series enters the serious mountains this week and so all runners have an individual responsibility to ensure that they carry the appropriate gear to make it to the summit of one of the Mourne’s highest peaks and get back to the start again.

BOGBOY