Mournes Seven Sevens challange

blacklilly

Hi All,

So myself and some friends completed this at the weekend. It was our first time so we weren't entirely sure what to expect.

Speaking with others leading up to the event, many were very negative about it and insinuated that it was too big a challenge, thankfully this didn't deter us.

We put in plenty of practice and this really stood to us.

Weather was perfect for it, somewhat dull but mostly dry and cool. It took us 12hours 55 minutes. Looking back, we could have saved roughly an hour by taking different routes but we were happy to just finish it.

Toughest section was boggy part from Meelbeg to Bencrom (which was the 5th peak), it took every bit of energy to get to the summit of Bencrom but from there onwards to the finish was doable, possibly helped by knowing the end was in sight.

All in all a very enjoyable day and would really recommend it.

Anyone else do it at the weekend?

blacklilly

blacklilly wrote: »

Speaking with others leading up to the event, many were very negative about it and insinuated that it was too big a challenge,...

Well done!!

“People tell you that you cannot, because they do not.”
― Tim Fargo

BeardySi

Tough route, I did roughly half of that a few weeks ago and was wrecked afterwards! Fair play and well done!

Ran it. Was doing great up to Binnian and on Ben Crom Dam at 2.42. Slow ascent up to Meelbeg across bog and over heather, and on to Meelmore. Bearnagh was...well Bearnagh, a grinding slog. Was standing on Bearnagh after 4.19 thinking it'd be a nice handy jog down to Newcastle. Got that wrong! 80 mins of torture with sore heel, cramping, a couple of wrong routes, the realisation that I had done the first half too hard and not taken enough sugar and salt. Ended up on 5.39, about 20 mins slower than I should have been. But great experience and training.

blacklilly

Wow well done Conor! That was a great time. Very difficult to prepare for it, especially when it comes to running it in terms of hydration, salt etc.
Agree on the slog from the 7th home, it was never ending, that part took us 2hrs40mins.
Met quite a few runners who pulled out and walked the rest of the course, one man in particular who seemed to be having a really tough time with cramping.

Will you do it again?

blacklilly

blacklilly wrote: »

Will you do it again?

Oh yeah!

Tbh, wasn't really going for it as a target race, did the Mournes Skyline last year so this was more a training exercise for the same run this year, which is about 5km longer and has 3,500m of ascent. Most of my runs are the 1 to 2 hour classic IMRA up and down ones, where you don't really think about conserving energy or what food to take. Had forgotten how different they are. I really should try hiking it some year so I can take it all in, the running has the advantage of getting through it quickly but treats it as a purely physical test, you don't really get to appreciate the surroundings.