Race 4

Binnian to the Top

29th April 2004

Race 4 (of 11)

McKibben twins turn up the heat

The 4th race of the Hill & Dale Series is unique – it finishes at the summit of the mountain – people hate it – for a lot of people the thrill of mountain racing is not really about getting to the top first, it’s about the exhilaration of descending at speed. Yet 118 people were tempted to the South Mournes, the Head Road to be precise, on Thursday night to tackle Slieve Binnian.

It’s a beautiful mountain, but the race route is wicked. A couple of years ago, for erosion reasons, the start was moved from Carrick Little Car Park to further along the road, leaving 100 less feet to be climbed – 1,800 – but in almost less than half the distance – less than 2 miles. A gradual start up the quarry track to the quarry – for the leaders the quarry is reached inside 7 minutes. Then, keeping the wall on the left, the gully is climbed. Basically it gets steeper and steeper until the Mourne Wall crossing is reached, before the even steeper finish – less than 5 minutes of thigh burning climbing to the craggy summit.

No visibility problems this year, but a north wind was keeping temperatures down to below zero on the summit with the wind chill. Straight from the gun, McKibben was off, actually they were both off, Alan, the current series leader and his twin brother Dave, a stranger to the Hill & Dale for some time; it was great to see him back. Dave was series winner in both 1998 and 2000, second in 2001 & 2002 and third in 1999, but was absent in 2003 and appeared for the first time in 2004 tonight. Defending champion is North Belfast’s Neil Carty, winner in one of the first three races this year, but absent this week. Alan, for that matter, was third last year and has signalled his strong desire to win this year.

Alan led from start to finish coming home in 22 minutes 42 seconds, 19 seconds ahead of Dave who made it a family double. This gives McKibbin three wins out of four and has turned up the heat on Carty. Ballydrain’s David McNeilly, getting stronger by the week as he recovers from injury, came home third 35 seconds further behind. Behind, having gained his first Northern Ireland vest the weekend before Annalong’s Stephen Cunningham was climbing strongly and a great tussle had gone on all race between former Series title holder Newcastle’s Deon McNeilly, Mid-Ulster’s junior protégée, 16-year-old Shane Doherty, and Albertville’s Steve Begley. It finished in that order.

Newcastle’s Kerry Harty had won three out of three, but club mate Anne Sandford had come home first Northern Ireland lady at Knockdhu at the weekend. Hart set off, as usual, fast and led Sandford for the first 15 minutes of the race through the quarry and onto the steeper slopes. Sandford, a former Series winner and Northern Ireland champion excels at climbing, the steeper the better. She has been returning from injury and is starting to regain her old form.

As the ground steepened, she passed Harty who, this week, had no answer. Sandford pulled away to come home in 28 minutes 38 seconds, 96 seconds inside the record. Harty was 68 seconds behind by the finish, but also inside the old record, with another former Series winner, Roma McConville in third in 30 minutes 53 seconds.

First veteran 50 was Albertville’s Billy McKay, 24 minutes 43 seconds, in 10th place over all. First veteran 55 was Newcastle’s Jim Patterson in 25 minutes 58 seconds, 23rd overall with Castlewellan’s Charlie McAlinden first veteran 45 in 27 minutes 34 in 33rd. Larne’s Billy Magee continued his excellent form to come home 72nd overall and first vet 60 in 31 minutes 22 seconds.

One of the fantastic aspects of the Hill & Dale Series is that whilst it takes place exclusively in and around the Mournes, the runners travel from far and wide to escape on a Thursday night from the normal routine. The three-month period from April to June is the growth season with the days lengthening and the season full of hope. Cathal McCauley, who runs for Ballymena, is one such runner. Cathal lives in Carnlough and he cycles each Thursday evening to Ballymena (20 miles) to catch a lift to the race. An hour and a half (or more) in the car later the main objective is to get out and stretch the legs and get ready for the lung busting start at 7.30pm. This week the Ballymena men had the planning well rehearsed and arrived in time for Cathal to take some quality snaps before turning his attention to the race. Steep climbing is not his best ground, being more of a speed merchant, but he reached the top in 28 minutes and 10 seconds and 7th Vet40 in 38th place overall. Back at the start and cleaned up, it was back to Ballymena and the 20mile cycle home to Carnlough – nearly midnight – fantastic.

The Hill & Dale organisers are keen to hear from anyone who has completed 100 Hill & Dale races over the years. The man to contact is Marty McVeigh on martin.mcveigh@osni.gov.uk - with evidence of course!

Race five is this coming Thursday at the Deer’s Meadow to Moughanmore and back. The ground is drier than in previous years, promising a fast race, however, the hills are as high as they have been for millions of years and they don’t get any easier. Race is, as ever, 7.30pm sharp, arrive by 7pm and enjoy the challenge.

BOGBOY

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