Inter-Counties 2025 Race Report
Friday the 13th June, saw 8 of the 10 loyal Northern Irish folk gather at George Best Belfast City Airport. Although we failed to do the airports namesake proud as the strongest beverage bought between us was a latte. Being the oldest man, I took it on myself to take on the organising of the trip, from the flights, accommodation and car hire. I think I took fathering role too seriously as I couldn’t check in online so had to get a paper ticket, I also started complaining about the price of the previously mentioned latte at £5.55. Starbucks seen me coming.
After a rough landing we made our way to the car hire where Karen used her charm to blag a free upgrade for the girls. Not through lack of trying by myself for the boys, we had to take what we were given. We squeezed into our Renault capture and made our way to Malham YHA to meet the two missing members of the team and fill them in on the trip so far. Like the price of coffee in Belfast airport these days. Catriona arrived shortly after we did, but Jared was nowhere to be seen, opting to travel with the NI teams’ number one supporter Catriona’s mother Fiona.
After check-in, we went for a quick ‘shake out’ run. Knowing my place I let Ashley (Bull) Crutchley and Tom Crudgington go do their own thing. While myself, Joshua Mcatee and the girl’s team complete went out together. Still no sign of Jared Martin at this point. On our loop we came across a lovely waterfall with pools deep enough for a swim or dip. Post race recovery sorted. On arriving back to the hostel, it looked as though Ashley had already been for a dip, as their shake out consisted of a run up to the highest hill they could see and back. I made the right decision not to join them.
Around 10pm the average IQ in the boy’s room doubled or tripled when Jared arrived. Our earlier discussions of preferring to fight a horse sized duck or 100 duck sized horses quickly changed to something a bit more relevant to today’s world. I just nod and smile when I don’t understand things and hope no one asks my opinion on it as my answer will be an awkward, yes. In bed by 11pm the boys that were on last year’s inter counties trip, took a while to settle, checking the door was locked in case, mad man Ryan Stewart would burst in waking the room with a mighty YERRROOOOO and unveiling the NIMRA flag. But Ryan was back home fixing smiles in Newcastle and charging his phone to capture snippets of video of Flagstaff to Carlingford on Sunday for his social media. (unfortunately for us he couldn’t write this race report)
8am wake up, as it was a later than we are used to race start, with the ladies out at 1.30pm and 2pm for the men. Emails received from the race organisers the night before warning of thunderstorms. The men trying to be men acting unfazed by this, with Crudgington saying he was hoping it poured down. (possibly to keep his core temperature down to avoid laying in a heap with a foil blanket round him at the end of the race which he does a little too often)
Registration went smoothly, with plenty of time before the start of the race to sort out any final admin. Which included watching the local farmer make a month’s wage in car parking fees. For man that looked to be in his 80’s, he had eyes on him like a hawk, as we watched taking money in one hand and eyeing anyone trying to sneak the car in without the £5 entry fee.
Up until 1pm there was a mixture of sunny and overcast back and forth. We thought we had gotten away without the rain. The agreement was 1.15pm to get the team photo Anne had requested. All but 2 were kitted out ready for the photo, with ‘The Bull’ Crutchley seen practicing tensing his legs as we waited for the two missing girls too arrive. Sprinting up the field they came, we tried to wave them over, using the same arm movements the farmer performed to great success trying to get the attention of the entering cars, but they keep running into the registration building. A last wee nervous one before the race started. The team photo was rescheduled until after the race.
At 1.20pm the race organisers called the girls in for the final safety/race brief. I’m now beginning to think our efforts to wave the 2 girls down was more of a rain dance, as the heavens opened. The girls having to get their final instructions in the heavy downpour, then off they set. At the same time the hardy men unfazed by the warning of a thunderstorm were conducting their warmup like a WKD advert with the heat on inside the Renault capture. Crudgington true to his word continued his warmup in the downpour. The rest of us… ‘saft’!
This year’s race hosted by Settle Harriers, was a slightly longer race route this year than their normal annual race, measuring just over 12km. Although still about 4km shorter in distance than last year’s inter-counties race in Keswick. The ladies race took off along the road at a very fast pace. A relativity flat start for the first almost 2km until it turned off the back roads to begin the climb up through Limekiln Pastures. Catriona setting the pace for the girls followed by Tanya along a well-maintained stone slab path, into more mountain trail. The girls running well in a tight group with little positions between them coming onto the ridge where a very steep scramble breaks through the southern crags to the summit of Pen-y-Ghent and the first check point, where Tanya feels is a good time to take an energy gel, and the photographer feels is a good time to take a photo. Karen had settled into the race on the fell and had overtaken several runners including Tanya and Catriona to be the first NI girl to the top. By the time the girls had made it to the summit the rain had stopped, and conditions turned better, but the grassy decent still had surface water unable to run away as fast as it came down which made the decent that bit trickier. Rebecca and Meadow both either holding or gaining positions on the decent down the fully flagged 4×4 grassy track that leads down to the Pennie Way and 3 Peaks Path where racers had to navigate around hikers. This path leading to the 2nd climb of the day, up towards Whitber hill and the 2nd check point. Karen with one eye on the spine race on Tuesday was still first of the girls, closely followed now by Tayna, Catriona, Meadow and Rebecca. Staying on the 3 peaks footpath towards Pennie way, the track was a little more narrow than higher up the mountain path with a 4×4 track with walls either side. Hikers also on the track making their way toward the finish of their Yorkshire peaks walk, making any overtaking that little bit more difficult, but the girls kept pushing to the road and held on to their positions past the pub round to the football pitches to the finish. Possibly the hardy or the two teams, the girls never let the rain slow them as they finished 5th team!! The highest ever for the Northern Irish woman’s team. A result to be proud of considering the top athletes from across the UK toed the line. Also to be noted is Karen winning her age group. Tanya coming 3rd in hers. Well Done to the Girls team.
As the girls were finishing, the boys were still up the mountain, wishing for a down pour. The clouds cleared and the heat made the climb tough going. Possibly also something to do with each of the NI men doing their first mile sub-5.30. Easy to get sucked in with the talent at the race. Early on Tom was leading for the NI team first to the top closely followed by Jared, not far back ‘The Bull’ Crutchley and Mcatee back and forth with each other, and Johnston 5th NI man at the top. (5th sounds better than last) The decent had dried a lot since the girls passed. Still wet, but enough time for the surface water to run down the hill. Somewhere between the first and 2nd check point on the decent Jared Martin had passsed Crudgington, who lost a little energy in the 2nd half of the race, but was still high up the field of runners. Crutchley and Mcatee were still back and forth at this point, and somewhere on the decent Crutchley hurt the underside of his foot on a rock. Myself trailing behind but still in the top 80odd, looking up now and again to see if I could spot a NI vest in the distance. Nothing to be seen. On the way down to the road and past the pub, crowds started to reappear after the rain, with claps and cheers pushing along the road to the finish, Martin coming in 21st for the 3rd year in a row. Followed by Crudgington, Mcatee, Crutchley and Johnston. Seconds after crossing the line, while trying to get a wee lie down, I was helped to my feet and told, ‘It’s Picture Time’ 9 of the team looking recovered and myself still catching my breath. But team photo achieved. Men finished 10th of 25 teams.
Good effort from the boys.
Jared blagged a lift back to Oxford with one of the other runners. With an exam on Monday, hanging out with us four fellas would have been to no benefit to him for revision. Hope all went well Jared.
After prize giving, we made our way back to the accommodation and some of us went for our recovery dip at the waterfall. Crutchley taking his time to take the plunge from waist to shoulder deep, until a young girl with armbands on, out with her family was laughing at him and told him to hurry up so down he went. After the 10min recovery dip, down to the local for our evening meal and a Guinness for Mcatee. We headed up to the accommodation for some decaf tea, a bit of a chat and into bed.
Relaxing Sunday morning, with a recovery run (another dip at the waterfall for Mcatee) check out, say our goodbye to Catriona, then to the airport. A 25minute flight delay but back in Belfast in good time. Off the plane and we went our separate ways. Car sharing Crudgington, Crutchley and Mcatee were standing in the lobby waiting on their lift, which was making its way from Belfast international airport. Either Ashley gave directions or Navigational skills run in the Crutchley family.
Another great weekend representing Northern Ireland for the team. The team grateful for the opportunity and the ability to take part.
Next race out for the NI team is 48th International Snowdon race, Saturday 19th July.
