Race 4

Binnian to the Top

24th April 2003

Race 4 (of 11)

Bryson sets another amazing record

The summer has ended and it's only the 24th April. Weeks of drought, which had led to many arduous hours around the Mournes for local firefighters, ended on cue on Easter Monday and after two days of further respite, the rain lashed down on the slopes of Slieve Binnian for much of Thursday. The views from Binnian are stunning, but not tonight and with visibility down to less than 10 metres in places the runners could have been anywhere, most of the time.

Bart had done the runners proud and with Roy Donaldson, his ligament damage keeping him from racing so far this year, he set off up the mountain half an hour before the race started and with red tapes strategically led the runners up onto the upper slopes of Binnian, where Larne doctor Peter Howie's daughter blew a whistle for more than half an hour to guide the runners to the finish line. On top of the mountain, as runners collapsed across the line, it was below 5oC with 100% humidity, the rain was over but the cloud was very low and a wind that would have cut mere mortals in six.

The start to the Binnian race was moved from Carrick Little, to avoid the main tourist path, which has become very eroded. Instead, the race started at the top of the Brackenagh Road and climbed quickly on a rough track to a disused quarry. The leaders arrived there inside 8 minutes, where the mountain then begins to rise very steeply, keeping a wall on their left, the leaders took only 12 minutes or so to reach the Mourne Wall before turning left to climb, even more steeply, onto Binnian south summit and the finish of the race.

Thankfully, a stalwart of last year's race series, Willie Marks only this week returned from his long absence in Australia and New Zealand, not just to compete, but also to provide race parking at the family farm close to the start. Runners, though, are clear creatures of habit and despite Marty McVeigh donning bright yellow jacket and insisting on drivers moving steadily to the hallowed field, many insisted on parking on the grass verge and causing obstruction to passing traffic. McVeigh's response was, to many observers 'in the know', much mellower than might have been expected. Thanks anyway to the Marks clan for providing use of their field and to race favourite, Robbie Bryson, for finally showing the rest the way to the field (obviously he was more popular than the aforementioned road marshal).

Down to the serious racing and record holder over the old race route, Mr Bryson, was out to set the record on the new route, but, initially at least, he didn't have it all his own way. Deon McNeilly, as usual the fierce competitor, set off at a very fast pace and stretched the field right from the start. Making a welcome first appearance for the year, Ally McKibbin, a competitor without peer, was also in the leading group of three.

What happened next is a mystery to most. Suffice to say that on the steeper slopes current World Masters Champion, Bryson, opened his climbing legs, showed his class and pulled away and was first to appear at the whistling summit, an amazing 4 seconds inside 21 minutes, and 1 minute 25 seconds ahead of McNeilly, who was, in turn, 29 seconds clear of McKibbin.

Other notable performances, in this unusual uphill only race, came from Alwyn Shannon, first lady in 40th overall, 14 seconds outside 30 minutes with Violet Linton second lady 21 seconds behind and 43rd overall. Local runner, Adam Mitten led home the juniors for the first time in a great 13th place overall in 26 minutes 30 seconds and will won his first vest for his country, competing in the Knockdhu Junior International Race near Larne two days later. Ever improving Mid-Ulster's Jonathan McCloy was second junior, 57 seconds behind and 21st place overall.

In the vets stakes, after the immortal 40 year olds, Bryson and McNeilly, Johnny Davis was the first 'real' vet 40 in 14th place, beaten by a fantastic 6th place overall for veteran 50 Billy McKay and 10th place overall for Francis Cookie O'Hagan as first veteran 45 with Des McHenry in 18th overall and first veteran 55.

Ever present, now 75 races in a row dating back to 1995, Trevor Wilson, has every excuse for being a couple of minutes down on his best, having finished the London Marathon in under 3 and a half hours a couple of Sunday's ago.

Meanwhile, with only 82 runners toeing the Binnian start line this week, the popularity stakes look bad for this week's race organiser, Bogboy himself, who, so far, steals the crown from the ever present Deon McNeilly, whose popularity reached an all time high last week at Rostrevor with 111 participating, 29 ahead of Bogboy. However, there is more to this than meets the eye. It turns out that it wasn't McNeilly but the Beauty Queens (they know who they are) who were really responsible for the big turn out at Rostrevor.

This week is Moughanmore with the climb from Deer's Meadow, over Pigeon Rock to Moughanmore and back, 7.30pm as ever.

BOGBOY

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