The Fallows Mountain Race 2022 Preview

The second race of the 2022 NIMRA championship begins on Saturday 19th March at 11am in the tranquil setting of Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor with the Fallows Mountain race hosted by Newry AC.

The race last year was able to proceed taking place on 31st July from its usual spring slot with restrictions delaying it by a few months. Just a fortnight prior many of the participants will recall running (hallucinating) in the furnace that was the Spelga Skyline in near 30C heat, however conditions returned to somewhat normal on an overcast but calm day for the Fallows. Timothy Johnston (Mourne Runners) claimed victory in 1:14:55 with teammate Jonny Scott 4 minutes behind in 2nd & Jared Martin (Ballydrain Harriers) taking third another minute afterward. The ladies’ race last year was a real nip and tuck battle all the way between Esther Dickon of the host club and Martsje Hell (North Belfast Harriers) with Esther pushing hard on the final descent to win by 30 seconds at 1:29:26, Debbie McConnell (Jog Lisburn) completing the podium in third place.

Falling under the medium category (10k-20k), the race begins at the ranger’s hut just above the main entrance of Kilbroney Forest Park. Approx. ten miles in length, a straight enough first mile near the Fiddlers Green is followed by the turn left steeply up through the trees on the infamous Badgers Claw climb, this will eventually lead to the open mountain following the fence line around Slievemeen and over to the trig checkpoint on Slieve Martin at 485m (highest point of the race). A gentle descent brings the runners through heathery ground bordering the notorious Crenville for another checkpoint, before meeting good forest track again for the next 5km or so, directing over to the turn at the Fallow stream, meandering back down the forest to the bridge below the zigzags. The last sharp climb here towards Slievemeen is a tester, then leading all the drop off Ballynagelty very swiftly to meet the initial track near Fiddlers Green and a sprint finish back to the ranger’s hut!

Full race kit is required including body cover (waterproof trousers, coat, hat & gloves, survival blanket), map of the course, whistle, compass, emergency food, and trail/fell shoes. The race route will be marshalled and at the checkpoints too but not fully marked. Please bring your own water & pins for race numbers. Online entries only (available on website). Closing date is Wednesday 16th March @ 11pm, entries will not be available on race day.

*To enter the championship series please sign up to 2022 NIMRA membership on the website www.nimra.org.uk and our Facebook & Twitter pages will also regularly update you to links to the online entries to each race once they go live, as well as results & photos later on the day of the event.

*NIMRA are delighted to announce hosting a round of the British championship which is the classic Mourne Seven Sevens race on Saturday 9th April, please follow the links on the website to enter, entries are selling fast for this one!

*Another race entry currently open is the Slieve Gullion race (Saturday 26th March) which is hosted by Armagh AC. Again, follow links on the website to enter & more info

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