Glenmalure; a fortress of the United Irish men during the 1798 rebellion due to the access problems for British army, a steep sided valley with a scattering of trees with the Avonbeg river flowing down the middle - some call it hell, some call it heaven.
My experiences with the valley are many, the first been my Wicklow Way attempt with Niall Ewen back in 06'. Got a meal and a bed and we were out of there. The valley is also home to two of the most feared climbs in Wicklow - the Shay Elliot and Slieve Maan.
Basically its one hell of a valley, used to seeing people suffer on its slopes.
The Circuit of Avonbeg, brain child of Paul Nolan was race three in the Leinster Championships and race two in the Long Distance Challenge.
Originally I didn't know about this race until I came home from college on Wednesday in a really bad mood. I had a puss on me that would make milk turn sour. Niall asked what my plans for the weekend were, response - study.
His look of shock was pretty surprising. He began to ramble on about this circuit of avonbeg race. I was sceptical thinking it was another bog standard imra trailly run. None the less we whipped on the maps and laptops and had a gawk.
First glance, I was stunned. Second glance, - think young child receiving exactly what they wanted at Christmas...but better!
The maps came out, phone calls got made, satellite images downloaded. It was game on.
Jump forward to the weekend. Friday night I got a text from Roar saying that Niall was still eating. I whipped out the pot and lashed on my extra pre race meal - pasta and rashers. I began to fuel up for a battle of attrition.
Apparently Niall planned to sit on my shoulder during the race and wait until the final climb and then burn it past me. I played along saying he was dreaming etc but deep inside I knew it was possible. He had serious mileage in his legs and unlike me, was training his ass off!
Woke up Saturday morning at 7, ready to completely bate the food into me. I said I'd take 5 and rolled over.... 9am (woops) out of the bed - porridge, 2l of water (with glucose), coffee the usual. I had that sickly nervous feeling. I knew I'd be battling for the win.
Changed and ready to lock and load. This was it. Epic race of the year number 1.
Start line - Paul explains the story. I half pay attention. We wait. 12:00:00 and we're gone.
Niall, Peter and myself sit at the front. I tense up, waiting for someone to make a break from the line. No one does anything crazy and we get into a rythem running up the switch backs, its only the warm up. Chat chops and changes. Peter drops back to chat to one of the other lads. I keep an eye on him - waiting for him to take a different route.
No one does anything nuts and we continue to climb. Niall looks very comfortable, I can feel the pace ramping up but I keep it cool. Track keeps rising and we hit the open mountain. Across the terrain and Niall gets a small bit in front. We hit the control at Arts Lough (25:52, 4.11km 360m)
Punch the control and we head towards the ramp. I jump in front of Niall and up the anti slightly. I want some breathing space between myself and Peter. We walk up the ramp hard and search for the track. No dice. We back track and head up a sheep path. (After, Peter assumed we were going for it, he seemed happy we reappeared)
The serious climb to Clohernagh began. I sat in behind Niall. He led the way. We continued to climb. I felt the burn as Niall got a gap. I waited and bid my time. As we climbed, I saw Dons bright top. Headed in his direction. I ran at him. Niall yelled over, I looked up and realised the cairn was to my left, I turn and leg it over. On touching the cairn I decided its time to leave the party and go for it (18:51 1.84km 300m).I get a gap on Niall and Peter and just put the head down. The mountain is covered in hikers as I continued to drive up the highest mountain in Leinster. I can smell the summit, the summit of victory, two stone cross to lug titles. The Circuit of Avonbeg title has a nice ring to it I think. As I climb a hiker asks is it an IMRA run, I resist the urge to say what I really feel and nod as I hammer it. I reach the cairn. The crowd look horrified as a skintly clad manic touches the piller and turn tails to leg it down off the mountain. (15:05 2.83km 122m) I flack it down the spur in the direction of Camenabologue. Its a beautiful descent. I take on a wee bit of liquid and glance behind me. I've increased the gap on Niall. I don't have a visual on Peter. I know he's there, he's always there, waiting... waiting to pounce.
As I reach my trail of pain, the one I usually suffer up as I attempt in vain to break 2hours for Stone Cross to Lug... I'm flying down it - the first dodge route choice also comes my way as I accidently contour around the small summit. None intentional. I clip along as I hit the "track" and continue on. Just keep the legs ticking over. I reach my decision point. I can follow the track up (directly to the cairn) or I can veir off and be a beast and do it along my route from S2L. Its an easy choice as I leg it off the track and head directly for the summit. Through the peat hags, feeling strong. Up across the the first rise, not feeling as strong. Deep heather. In a world of pain. I look down at my watch and read 12.75km - my heart plummets. Not even half way and I'm in bits. I pull out my magic water and I feel better as I climb. As I reach the long flat summit, I see a white hat bounce up along towards the cairn from my left. The person is wearing a red singlet. PANIC! Who the hell is that I wonder. It looked like Lawlor... I begin to freek out and up the anti. He's an ould lad. The thought occurs that I have just made a MASSIVE route choice error. I begin to curse myself as I attempt to re focus and not panic. I wonder how far ahead Peter and Niall are. This is not goina be fun coming back over Lugduff if I have to chase hard. I run around the cairn (26:32 4.87km 130m).
With that minor glitch sorted I gave chase and went low and straight to Conavalla. Peter went around. I dropped low and went for it. When I hit the slope I began to go backwards. I put my hands on my knees and pushed on. I didn't know where Peter was, it didn't matter. I reached the flat surface and hung a right and legged it for the cairn (19:57 2.87km 150). I yelled at the hikers if any runners had gone past. Apparently one in black or white had. They pointed back in the direction I came from. I assumed it was some other random person out for a run. Surely no IMRA runner would have wussed out and gone around a second time....
Onwards to Lugduff. I descend down and up through the blasted peat hags. Lucky enough the ground was dry enough. I got onto the spur and was happily motoring along. Views were amazing. A cloud had covered the sun and there was a slight breeze in my face. Perfect day in the mountains. At this point, I assumed Niall McA was long gone and I had no idea where Peter was. I was just enjoying the run.
As I ran along, I saw a glimps of white through the hags. I did a double take as Peter was clipping along about 60m to my left.
"How the hell did he end up over there!!
What the hell!"
It was game on... again
We got chatting and we discussed how we ran the routes so far. He was pretty horrified at the time gain I got by going straight. Advantage Colm.
He then upped the anti or perhaps all my breaks applied. Advantage Peter! I had run completely empty! I looked down and it was bang on 19km. I was gutted. I looked down at my map where I had cunningly written lots of stuff to keep me going. Choice pieces were
Relax, HTFU
Everyones hurting, stay strong
Focus, SFUA
Never give up
but the one that got my eye the most was "they'll come back to you, they always do". Heading for Lugduff I was hurting but I knew Peter had to be is well. He's human. He has two legs, two arms and a set of lungs just like everyone else. I put the head down and kept going. Hit Lugduff, the gap was the same as Camenabologue (23:10 4.15km 100m).
The hunt began in ernest. Head down, keep the legs turning over. I was closing the gap, inch by inch. He hit the climb for Mullacor and he didn't look too healthy. I cut the gap further and just kept plugging away. The gap was closing. He upped the pace as he reached the flat. I ran past the first cairn and ran at Peter. He turned and headed for me. "Your route choice to win it" he says smiling (he's always bloody smiling in the mountains). I hit the cairn (15:30 2.63km 100m) this was it. The route choice to win or lose it.
This was the big gamble of the day. I said I wouldn't do it if I was winning but I had nothing to lose by taking it now. I went straight for the forest. Head directly for the ride. My compass was taped for this win or lose route. I stumbled down through the rough grass. I was nearing the forest but I couldn't see it. I kept running. I knew it was there, somewhere! I say a slightly wide gap. Bingo! Into the forest onto a motorway. I was at my limit coming down it. I could see the road. As I neared, Peter ran along it. I had him. There was nothing in it. I dropped across the road and onto the ride on the far side. I had him. It was mine for the win. I was at my limit coming off the mountain. Down the ride. My vision was going blurry with the water leaking from my eyes. I popped out onto a small felling track. In front of me was a wall of green. My heart plummeted. And then I plummeted straight into it. I fought and cramped, ducked and dived as I tried to get through. Limbs and equipment got caught as I forced through it. I kept forcing my way down. I knew Peter was well gone. I was now in a position to lose further places. I reached a track. I knew where I was. The river. 350m above the last control. I cursed myself and went for it. It was horrible. If I took this route in an orienteering course I'd nearly dsq myself for been a muppet. It didn't matter. I reached the road and was on top of the control 3mins later. I just cruised down the rocky track to the finish.
(click for full image)
Finished up 2nd in 2:42:20 26.13km and 1370m climb.
Niall McA crossed the line in 3rd - turns out he didn't have the lead after all. According to him, he was hunting me down heading up Conavalla.
EPIC course. Definitely a keeper in my books. Even as a training loop it would kick ass. It had everything. Climb, heather, bog, descent and even a bit of forest. A proper mountain run.
Paul should design more exam time races! Good hussle :)
(more photos where they're up)
No comments:
Post a Comment