Moughanmore

Hill and Dale Race 5

Thursday 4th May 2007

Shannon Smashes Another Record

Moughanmore was the 5th race of 2007 Blue Lough (www.mountainandwater.com) Hill & Dale Race Series with local Mountain Rescue expert Dave Goddard organising his first ever race. In years gone by this centre of the water catchment area of the high Mournes has greeted the runners with its strength sapping bog and even driving snow. Not this year for the beautiful weather of April has left the mountains literally bone dry and provided the opportunity for record times.

Newcastle AC’s Alan McKibbin was never going to break the record for this is the race where he likes to wait for other runners to lead the way. He has limited confidence in his own direction finding, even on a crystal clear night like this one and so he likes to ‘tease’ the opposition. True to form, he set off fast and then settled in letting first club mate Deon McNeilly keep him right and then North Belfast’s Neil Carty dictate the pace all the way over to Moughanmore itself. For the record, McKibbin and Carty crossed the Pigeon Rock summit wall in 6 minutes 55 seconds with the last runner passing in 13 minutes and 10.

Descending at breakneck pace from Moughanmore McKibbin pulled slowly away from Carty and lengthened his lead further as he climbed back up Pigeon Rock. As he plunged to the finish, panic set in and he amused the waiting officials and spectators by shouting from a quarter mile out “where’s the finish?”

Well if the two 4-metre high BLUE LOUGH banner flags and crowd of officials and spectators are not a clue, then this is clearly a really bad case of the jitters. Despite his best efforts to disbelieve, McKibbin crossed the line in 28 minutes 53 seconds to win, just over a minute outside Robbie Bryson’s 1995 record. Carty was second only 12 seconds back and McNeilly made it a 1-2-3 for the over-40s. The ‘Stephens’ (Duncan from Omagh and Cunningham from Annalong) were next, followed by Don Travers from Armagh ‘fresh’ from his fine London Marathon performance.

At race three, Newcastle AC’s Alwynne Shannon took one second off the record for the climb of Binnian and this week returned to Moughanmore chasing the joint record of 38 minutes 51 seconds held by Tricia Sloan (1996) and Shileen O’Kane (2002). Never overly confident Shannon set off at great pace and never slackened to storm home to win in 36 minutes and 36 seconds and knock more than two minutes off the record. Even then she felt it was more down to conditions than being in ‘good shape’. Behind her, club mate Anne Sandford is confirming her renewed form and was also inside the old mark in 2nd in 38 minutes and 8 seconds, 15 seconds ahead of Shalene Ward in 3rd.

Dry the mountain might have been, but runners always seem to have an ability not just to sniff out the water but also to lie down and roll around in it. Larne AC’s Peter Howie (thank you doctor) has been participating in the Hill & Dales for many years and now his son Geoff also competes. You know what it is like – fathers are there to provide inspiration, a guiding hand and the odd lesson or two. By the colour of Geoff’s language at the finish, there has not been too much teaching in descriptive prose by the doctor. But why was Howie Junior so irate? Nothing serious, it’s just that he lost both shoes (yes both) in a stretch of muck on the climb of Pigeon Rock – a passing walker remarked too at his colourful language – “that’s not the son of a clergyman” – indeed correct, the son of a doctor. Later at the finish line, Howie Junior explained to Howie Senior about his shoes coming off. So what was the doctor’s advice? “Well, son, you better learn to tie them tighter”. A simple, but effective lesson – this is what makes the National Health Service great. For the record Peter came home in 23rd with Geoff in 39th – much more work to do to catch his dad.

After longing for the real mountains for weeks, Mourne Runners’ ‘boss man’ Mike Barton turned up at Moughanmore with bandages on knee, finger and head, but determined to compete nonetheless. Close examination of the results will show that he was a ‘did not finish’ – he was forced to pull out with an ankle problem – seven steps to mummification.

Thoughts this week also turned to previous Hill & Dale stalwarts and if any of you have been wondering what has become of Mael O’Hare since he founded Newcastle’s Boxing Club, worry no longer. On Sunday last, the flames from the latest gorse fire lapped dangerously close to Tullybrannigan houses and caravans in

Newcastle and the fire service battled in the dense smoke to bring it under control. Then suddenly, there he was blazing the trail (oops), out of the smoke emerged O’Hare in running gear, Rocky on his iPod, on his way back from a long run in Tollymore Forest and in an instant he was gone. Next stop Hen & Cock?

Race six takes the runners slightly southwest of this week’s race to the craggy mountains that are Hen & Cock. Again please DO NOT PARK ON THE ROAD. It is a dangerous hazard. Thanks and be there by 7pm.

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