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

 

Slieve Donard Race

Sat 5 July 2008 - Ian Taylor

The classic Slieve Donard race takes place this evening, with the start and registration at the Newcastle Centre on the main street.  Some of you will have realised that the web & calendar start time is 7:30 pm but its 7:00 on the Newcastle AC web site.  The promotors would like to start a little earlier than 7:30 pm if possible so it would be helpful if you can enter before 7 pm, with the race starting sometime between 7 and 7:30.

The race is the 8th in the 11 race Grand Prix series, with the further races being the Seven Sevens or Lurig (9 Aug) and Slieve Gallion on 27 September.  The latter race is also the final one of the junior Championship series, with Lurig and Scrabo (on 13th Aug) also still to come.

The Slieve Donard race is the oldest mountain race in Ireland, starting in 1945.  The current course, from Newcastle Centre by any route to Donard summit and return to the centre, has a fastest time of 53:34, set by Scottish athlete John Brooks.  However in 2000 Ian Holmes set a record from the Centre to the summit and return to Donard Park of 50:10 and this would be judged to be easily a faster time. 

Despite what the calendar says, since Sl Donard is listed as 5.5 miles (actually slightly less than this), its a short category race so race organisers are free to determine gear requirements to be carried on race day.  Hence you should come prepared to carry whistle, compass, map and full body cover but, to judge from the weather forecast, are likely to only need to carry a whistle.