George Best Belfast City Airport security staff are to be placed on alert on the first Friday of September 2008 following a series of incidents prior to the departure of the Inverness flight on the eve of the Ben Nevis Race this year. First, personnel were engaged in prolonged negotiations with three Armagh AC members following the attempted confiscation of almost the entire stock of shower gel, deodorants and shampoo from the Boots Aughnacloy branch.  If the men from the Orchard County could not be the fastest runners on the Ben then at least they would be the most fragrant.

 

Then, seconds before the flight closed, a Mourne Runners contingent burst into the airport and several prominent travellers, including a World Snooker Championship Finalist had to give priority to the Kilkeel men as they got some early sprinting practice across the tarmac.

 

Some 22 Northern Ireland athletes eventually arrived at Claggan Park Fort William for the race up and down the highest peak in the British Isles, at 4404 feet a formidable challenge for any runner.  Few races can match the atmosphere at the start of the Ben with Lochaber Pipe Band in fine form as they led the 407 nervous runners to the line where the official starter, a sprightly Alec Macdonald who finished 6^th in the race in 1951, was waiting to unleash the hordes onto the slopes.

 

Roy Donaldson, Mark Alexander and Sam Herron led the local charge along the mile of tarmac Towards Achintee, reaching the Inn within seven minutes.  In a steady drizzle and strengthening winds the climb became tougher as the long grind towards the Red Burn began.  Ricky Cowan (yes, Junior) was the leading local at the river crossing with Herron close behind.  Following the rocky climb to the summit, one local runner who improved dramatically on his 2006 time denied rumours that his improvement was down to his close scrutiny of the climbing technique of Bingley Harriers? Sharon Taylor observed from a jealously guarded position three paces behind her.  No one was quite sure though what he meant when he described the magnificent views from the mountain given the fact that in the swirling mist visibility was at 20 yards maximum.

 

As the mere mortals toiled towards the summit, they could only watch in awe as they met the front runners on their headlong descents with the aptly named Ricky Lightfoot literally within one yard of eventual winner Ian Holmes on the upper slopes and Angela Mudge in the top 15 as she left the summit on her way to a time of 1.48.

 

The welcome sight of the summit marshals guarding the 1000 foot cliffs of the Guardaloo gulley and the first stage of the descent over the frost shattered granite of the summit plateau were soon followed by the less pleasant prospect of the dreaded green bank, four to five minutes of greasy, near vertical grass, guaranteed to reduce quads to jelly in moments.

 

Sam Herron, having reached the summit in 1hour 14 minutes made short work of the descent, so much so that the normally indestructible Mudclaws were cut to ribbons as he raced back to Claggan Park over 11 minutes faster than his previous outing on the Ben.

 

Clive Bailey had a superb debut, finishing just two seconds over the elusive two hour barrier, if only he hadn?t hesitated in the start pen to hear the punchline of yet another Darren Herron story.

 

Specialist Armagh descender Padraig Muldoon had a fine run home gaining five minutes on Mourne?s David Bell who reached the summit four minutes ahead of Muldoon only to see him streak past just below the aluminium bridges.  There was evidence of some serious summer training with Richard Hanna improving on his 2006 time by eight minutes, Roy Donaldson by seven, Chris McCann and Mark Alexander by six and Paul Fegan by three.

 

Mike Barton, fresh from a consultation with his orthopaedic surgeon 24 hours before the race when he solemnly looked the doctor in the eye and promised to avoid all high impact sports and to take particular care of his dodgy knees, proceeded to hurtle off the mountain to finish within seconds of his previous time.  Newcastle stalwart Noel Douglas had a steady run modestly failing to mention that even though there were some excellent performances from the local athletes, they all have some way to go before they can hope to match his time of 1.41 set in 1983.

 

 

The delights of this event have to be experienced to be believed with wonderful Scottish hospitality, support and applause from the walkers and spectators on the mountain and flawless organisation from the Race Association.  Next year?s race will be a round of the Sky Running World Series so competition for places will be even more intense and with this year?s entry list complete by December 2006, be sure to get your application in early for 2008.  Forms are due to be available on the BNRA website from 8^th September.

 

Sheuhghopper

 

 

 

Richard Cowan    Willowfield Harriers   1.50.57

Sam Herron          Mourne Runners         1.52.30

Roy Donaldson    Mourne Runners          1.53.58

Mark Alexander   Ballymena Runners     1.56.30

Clive Bailey         Mourne Runners          2.00.02

Jonny Steede        Ballymena Runners     2.00.23

Mark Kendall       Newcastle AC             2.05.30

David Newell       Mourne Runners          2.09.35

Padraig Muldoon  Armagh AC                 2.13.17

David Bell            Mourne Runners          2.14.36

Richard Hanna      Mourne Runners          2.15.22

Chris McCann      Mourne Runners           2.16.21

Jason Shevlin       Armagh AC                  2.20.01

Mike Barton         Mourne Runners           2.24.04

Andy Bridge        BARF                            2.24.23

Paul Fegan           Newcastle AC               2.26.28

Cormac Muldoon     Armagh AC                2.28.44

Darren Herron           Mourne Runners       2.33.14

Brendan O?Boyle      Ballymena Runners   2.51.00

Jim McCormick            North Belfast             2:51:00

Noel Douglas             Newcastle AC           2.51.59

Ricky Cowan             Willowfield               2.53.08

 

 

 

1 Ian Holmes               Bingley Harriers        1.32.57

2 Ricky Lightfoot        Ellenborough AC       1.33.54

3 Danny Hope              Pudsey & Bramley    1.34.07

1 Angela Mudge         Carnethy                      1.48.28