World long-distance mountain running championships

climbhigh

At the half-way point, Brian MacMahon is 9th out of 3,250 competitors in the World long-distance mountain running championships. An Austrian (Markus Hohenwarter) and Kenyan (Tuei Hosei) are leading and are 4 minutes 17 seconds ahead of Brian. Two Ethiopians are 49 seconds behind him. The hills are starting so the second half could take around 30 minutes longer.

The race finishes at the base of the Eiger mountain and it is promoted as the most beautiful marathon in the World. The marathon has 1,829 metres of ascent with a flat first 10 miles. That makes pace judgment difficult and you really need to be consciously holding back over the first half.

At 30.3 km, Hohenwarter and Hosea are still leading. Mitja Kosovelj (SLO) is third around 2:20 behind but he has gained 20 seconds in the last 9 km. American Sage Canaday is fifth and one of the early leaders Huw Lobb (ENG) has dropped to seventh. Brian Mac Mahon has moved into 8th at 5:25 behind the leaders and the two Ethiopians are now 9th and 10th. One hour of racing left with all of the last six kilometres as the steepest section.

For live updates, see
http://www.datasport.com/m/?racenr=14106&m=rl&k=32&p=-1&r=-1&t=30&o=-1&n=&pl=&te=&b=&dt=20120909101952000&dtc=0&rc=0

climbhigh

At Wixi (37.9 km), the two leaders Hosea and Hohenwarter are still together and only Ethiopian Berhanu Meleyo Kassa has a remote chance of catching them. He is almost six minutes behind but has a 2:12:29 marathon. He has moved into fourth and is moving at the same pace. MacMahon is in eight and looks set for a tremendous performance as he should survive on the very steep last six kilometres. Scot Robbie Simpson has moved into 13th and is moving at the same pace as MacMahon.

climbhigh

Sixth for MacMahon

The leaders have finished and Brian MacMahon moved up to sixth. Markus Hohenwarter (AUT) won from Mitja Kosevelj (SLO) and Tuei Hosea (KEN). Robbie Simpson (SCO) had the fastest last segment to move into ninth. For MacMahon this performance is a major breakthrough after many years of hard training.

1. Markus Hohenwarter (AUT) 2:59:42
2. Mitja Kosovelj (SLO) 3:00:47
3. Tuei Hosea (KEN) 3:01:27
4. Patrick Wieser (SUI) 3:03:11
5. Sage Canaday (USA) 3:06:47
6. Brian MacMahon (IRL) 3:07:44
7. Gerd Frick (ITA) 3:08:17
8. Paul Maticha Michieka (KEN) 3:08:41
9. Robbie Simpson (SCO) 3:10:23
10. Marco Sturm (GER) 3:10:52

Slogger Jogger

Great result.

And sub 3 for the winner despite the climb. Fair dues.

climbhigh

Worth a trip for the scenery:

Enduro

That's an incredible result from Brian. Possibly the best Male Irish result in international hillrunning since the great John Lenihan?!