IMRA season 2012

Peterx

it's both impressive and just plain wrong that the results of a race that started at 7.30pm are on the website at 9.20pm
especially considering the percentage time of the last finisher!

Mothman

Well the last finisher started early and had already summitted (is that a word?) by time I got there.
But its great to see so soon that this is my highest finish in a summer league race, although its only my 15th race.

Weather, while blustery wasn't particularly bad and underfoot conditions was fairly good as well though I still took it carefully coming down, so much so that I lost a minute to someone just ahead at beginning of descent.
Glad I went!

earlyevening

Deffo was stupid of me to go around in regular runners. 2 mins slower than last year thanks to having no grip on the downhill. Lesson learned.

A good turn out I thought given the conditions. Gluttons for punishment.

The wind was incredibly strong when we turned at the summit. I think I was faster going up hill with the wind than downhill with it against me!

metamagical

Grand soft day for it - just the kind of balmy weather you expect for the summer league. Given the ferocious headwind on the return leg, my "old lady going downstairs" descending style actually worked a treat - everyone else was as slow as me!

Slogger Jogger

Surprisingly large turn out. I reckon it was wilder early in the evening. Didn't want to get out of the car!

If I'd known that John my boot had a selection of runners to choose from.

Poor old John Brennan. I think he was running well until a bad case of leg cramp had him hobbling home still in a very respectable 4th. Good win by Tristan who crossed the line with laces open. You don't really want to be running down Bray head with laces open.

Mothman

I was wondering about JB, was leading on the return

by the way, the turnout was 100 less than last year.

earlyevening

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Poor old John Brennan. I think he was running well until a bad case of leg cramp had him hobbling home still in a very respectable 4th.

Were you full of excitement and getting your bandages out when you saw somebody hobbling??

Slogger Jogger

earlyevening wrote: »

Were you full of excitement and getting your bandages out when you somebody hobbling??

Ha, I nearly was!

DogSlySmile

Didnt know there would be team results for this race.

TEAM RESULTS

MEN
1. Boards AC 55 (14 Angus Tyner, 20 John Ahern, 21 Fergal Connolly)
2. UCD 68 (7 Zoran Skrba, 15 Niall Fox, 46 John Kirwan)
3. Rathfarnham WSAF 254 (4 John Brennan, 25 Mike Long, 125 Kevin Grogan)
4. Glenasmole 260 (62 Cillian Stewart, 74 Thomas Galvin, 124 Ercus Stewart)

Well done Boards AC

Ar Strae

Fun race! The wind wasn't so bad after all, we were fairly sheltered. Barring the comical "running into a wall" once we turned at the far summit.

Completely bottled it coming down from the cross though..lost 20 (yes 20) places from there to the concrete steps. Need to do something drastic about the downhilling...like practise maybe :rolleyes:

Ro

ThisRegard

Ar Strae wrote: »

Barring the comical "running into a wall" once we turned at the far summit.

That was eh, interesting I think the word is. I remember on the way back when you're closest to the cliff edge looking down and thinking thank god the wind is blowing me back into the hillside.

The wind was also a beneficial in that you could hear the rustling of numbers/jackets behind you so nobody could sneak up on you ! Helped some lad out of the gorse just at the cross, I think he was ok though.

Mothman

ThisRegard wrote: »

I remember on the way back when you're closest to the cliff edge looking down and thinking thank god the wind is blowing me back into the hillside.

My thinking also

Mebuccaneers

Hi Guys
Bray Head last night was my first IMRA run and I really enjoyed it!! Especially the wind, rain and the slippy downhill bits!! I was delighted with the spread the MARTELLO BAR put on afterwards very nice.
Even though the weather was a “bit bad” I think it added to my enjoyment of it apart from running into the wind on the way back from our turn around point.
On the downhill section through the wooded part with the mud and tree branches sticking out and a guy went to pass myself and another runner on the left, as he did he lost his footing and fell onto his back and slid about 10 feet down hill past me over a small hump and stopped!!
I asked him was he ok and the next thing I knew he was gone again like a bullet....hard as nails them mountain runners
So after last night I am getting hooked and really looking forward to next Wednesday night!!

Slogger Jogger

or, RunforestRun you could get down to Annacurra on Sunday. A non-IMRA race but very suitable for hill runners.

Kurt Godel

We've got a very good Boards team for the WWR, but unfortunately we've had a few key drop-outs. The aim is still to have a team that will be fighting for the gold, and make a race of it for Rathfarnham and the other top teams, so we're looking for a couple of fast M's. (Fast meaning you hit podium in IMRA, or sub 34 10k road, at least). The core of the team is very talented, so if you fancy applying your talent to a medaling relay team (race is Saturday 26 May), please PM me your details, cheers!

Peterx

Kurt Godel wrote: »

The aim is still to have a team that will be fighting for the gold, and make a race of it for Rathfarnham and the other top teams, so we're looking for a couple of fast M's. (Fast meaning you hit podium in IMRA, or sub 34 10k road, at least). The core of the team is very talented, so if you fancy applying your talent to a medaling relay team (race is Saturday 26 May), please PM me your details, cheers!

fighting talk, I like it!

Slogger Jogger

I've 2 vacancies on my team too. I was pencilled in to run but an old injury has returned. We have a solid team for legs 1 though to 6. An M and M40 needed as things stand.

Kurt Godel

We have one good speedster stepped forward, still looking for a couple more! I'm confident though, that we'll have a full complement ready to fight for the medals, come the day

Peterx wrote: »

fighting talk, I like it!

Nothing I do better than trash talk when its not my neck on the line! We wouldn't want Rathfarnham to think its a cakewalk, hopefully there will be a lot of excitement right down to the wire.

nerraw1111

Re tomorrow's Three Rock race. Is it the same route at Ticknock winter?

i.e. this one: http://connect.garmin.com/player/3299520 (taken from Events GPS thread)

Looks like it's a bit of a tester?

Micilin Muc

nerraw1111 wrote: »

Re tomorrow's Three Rock race. Is it the same route at Ticknock winter?

i.e. this one: http://connect.garmin.com/player/3299520 (taken from Events GPS thread)

Looks like it's a bit of a tester?

Nope, here's the map

Ar Strae

I'm on the door carpark. So don't no boardsies turn up without full cars or we'll send you around for another loop!

The RD says 4 to a car so we'll be looking for a bit of this action:

http://images.original.popscreen.com/clYxXzdSXzNjWEEx_o_madness---driving-in-my-car.jpg


Enjoy the race though..looks like a cracker!

Ro

jahaco

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

I've 2 vacancies on my team too. I was pencilled in to run but an old injury has returned. We have a solid team for legs 1 though to 6. An M and M40 needed as things stand.

The team I have organised (Rough and Ready) may have an unanticipated need for an M40 runner too. Looking potentially for someone to run leg 4 (10k) between Oldbridge and Glendalough, but can be flexible.

Mothman

Weather was vastly different for the better last night. A tough run with various underfoot conditions ranging from sloppy ascents to tarmac descent :eek:
Also a lot of rocky paths as well which claimed some casualties.
All in all a great course which measured 9.5k on my garmin.

I wore ankle braces for first time and got round unscathed but weight wise they are another half shoe on each foot and feet felt heavy. But its that or the much higher potential of serious injury.

Surprised by a relatively high finish considering amount of places lost down the bone shaker and walking the 2nd and 3rd uphills.

Peterx as usual directed a tight ship which included having to contend with some pre start entertainment in the form of a logging truck exiting against the run of traffic :eek: and through the 250 runners gathered at the start.
Did anyone give the driver an IMRA race schedule

nerraw1111

Great race last night on a fairly tough course. Had everything in it, tough climbs, fast and furious descents, a nice amount of slop and a last gasp sprint through a dark forest, dodging trees.

Had a decent race myself, probably went off a bit too quick. Decent position going down the bone shaker, that’s a great descent, looped back around and up another climb. Barely managed to get the legs going after 2nd climb but hung on until the never ending fireroad where I started to lose touch with a group. Last climb was pure sufferfest. Great views though as the sun was setting. Final descent was ridiculously good fun, puddles, mud and rock. The short road section was painful, legs went to jelly on that.

Cut through the forest again for last push and almost ran head first into a tree.

Sure where else would you be on a Wednesday. Well done to Peter and all the volunteers for a great evening in the hills.

Ar Strae

Mothman wrote: »

I wore ankle braces for first time and got round unscathed but weight wise they are another half shoe on each foot and feet felt heavy. But its that or the much higher potential of serious injury.

Another option you might want to consider is taping? I know Hazel Thompson tapes her ankles for every race (incidentally she went over on the ankle and switched to the short course last night and reckons the taping stopped anything nastier happening!)

Personally I think life is too short to spend on endless taping so I use the ankle braces!

Ro

Mothman

Thanks Ro, I tape in the serious races, the hill runs aren't!

Also I don't know how the braces are when wet, though they were fine yesterday, but they didn't get absolutely soaked

Peterx

The whole Ticknock Foestry area really could do with being turned into a national park.
It's in a perfect location at the edge of a city, beside and yet remote from a motorway junction, has pubs close by and is large enough to support 3 massive parparks, hundreds of runners, bikers, motocrossers, horsey folk, orienteerers and possibly even airsoft lads.
A full Welsh Coed y Brenin style cafe, bike shop, bike wash, shower could (would?) be economically feasible up there.

I really like 3 rock...

ocnoc

Peterx wrote: »

The whole Ticknock Foestry area really could do with being turned into a national park.
It's in a perfect location at the edge of a city, beside and yet remote from a motorway junction, has pubs close by and is large enough to support 3 massive parparks, hundreds of runners, bikers, motocrossers, horsey folk, orienteerers and possibly even airsoft lads.
A full Welsh Coed y Brenin style cafe, bike shop, bike wash, shower could (would?) be economically feasible up there.

I really like 3 rock...

Pretty fantastic idea

Peterx

Cheers but it is not remotely original or even my idea. It is a solid commercial reality in Wales and Scotland, no reason it can't work here apart from the usual bogeymen of insurance and other surmountable fears.

Raighne

Peterx wrote: »

Cheers but it is not remotely original or even my idea. It is a solid commercial reality in Wales and Scotland, no reason it can't work here apart from the usual bogeymen of insurance and other surmountable fears.

Very right and the Lake District is probably an even more impressive example of how you can both safeguard the national environment, though clever use of National Park schemes and clear agreements encouraging rights of passage. The amount of amazing trails and other facilities available for all outdoor enthusiasts is one thing. But it is quite something to see how the entire area has profited from the industry they have created from it with the majority of towns, roads etc. being in perfect condition, extraordinarily tidy and with houses built only to standards that doesn't ruin the attraction of the area in the first place.

Kerry is the closest we have in Ireland to this standard, Wicklow could be brought up to it but it would require a lot of work. At the moment it is mainly grass-roots such as the local groups in Glendalough planning trail extension, clearing of the old walls leading into town etc. Perhaps it is a sad indictment on society that the best way to develop and protect and area is to make it a profit-making machine, but it is undeniable effective up there.