Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association
www.nimra.org.uk

 

McNeilly a fine third on New Years Day

Sun 2 January 2005 - Simon Taylor

New Year?s Day dawned dull but with no real signs of the fury of the weather to be unleashed on the 215 runners who gathered for the 5.5 miles ?race over the glens? at Glenariff Forest Park.

Right from the gun, pre-race favourite and defending champion Jarlath Falls of Ballymena raced away from the rest of the field down the steep descent. A fast start at the best of times, but forty minutes before the start of the race, the heavens had opened with first torrential rain and then sleet and finally snow. The ground was treacherous and the turns dangerous but that didn?t stop the lead runners reaching four-minute mile pace as the descended the initial 400 feet drop. Behind Falls Newcastle AC?s Deon McNeilly had settled in third place.

Where there is a drop in a one-lap race, there are always climbs and the next ten minutes running involved a couple of steep climbs sandwiching a steadier pull along mucky and icy ground. As the runners reached the top of the forest the views opened up over the Glens of Antrim closely followed by the icy blast of the gale force winds and the rush of the snow and sleet battering already cold faces and legs. This part of the course was most exposed as the runners fought their way along the top.

In the ladies race Lagan Valley?s Northern Ireland international runner Jill Shannon had established a lead over Newcastle AC?s Kerry Harty, who in turn was pulling away from Shannon? club mate Maria Skelton. Other Newcastle runners well up the field were the Rodgers brothers and Dermot McGonigle with Anne Sandford in a nip and tuck battle with City of Derry?s Hannah Shields for the Lady Veterans? win.

There was even more snow as the race turned for home and at the very summit of the course about one mile from the finishing line a lone piper played an eerie lament across the bleak glens. Falls won from City of Derry?s Alan Bogle by 14 seconds with McNeilly a further 16 seconds back in third place, securing first veteran. Newcastle AC?s Paul Rodgers is fast returning to fitness and posted a fine seventh place with McGonigle coming home fourth veteran.

Harty also demonstrated her improving fitness coming home in 2nd place, 37 seconds behind Shannon and 40 seconds ahead of Skelton with Sandford taking second place in the lady veterans to Shields. Suffering from the extreme cold, ladies Turkey Trot record breaker Newcastle?s Martina Hawkins demonstrated her guts and determination to come home as 8th lady overall in a big field.

All in all, this was a fine way to spend the first day of the New Year and a lesson in preparing for the weather conditions. How tough they were was demonstrated that in a short race there were 17 non-finishers.


BOGBOY