Ticknock – IMRA Winter League
Sunday, January 24th was a perfect day for hill running. It was sunny and the sky was clear so we could enjoy the scenery but it was cold enough not to get boiled at the ascent.
At 11:00 after registration and quick warm up over 130 runners started to race. The course was a 10k loop with 417m climb. The first half was a long climb to the summit of Three Rock Mountain. Later when it leveled for couple of meters there were patches of wet snow which was a tiring surface to run on. Snow which has already melted turned paths into streams that we followed at the descent. There was also a tricky section where the logs and many branches were sticking out of water and you could easily slip. All these made the race challenging and exciting.
Paul O’Connell was in a leading group from the start and won the race comfortably one minute before Eoin Brady from UCD. Another well experienced mountain goat Paul Mitchell (17 hill runs finished last year) began this hills season very well and finished 7th overall and 2nd in his age category. Together with Jakub Splawski in 23rd place Sportsworld won 3rd place in the team event.
John Fitzgerald was 5th in M50 and Charlie O’Connell won M70 category.
Sportsworld women Brid O’Higgins finished 2nd in F40 and Claire Rowley had a very good debut hill run too.
Next hill run in Annacurra on February 6th. All welcome!
More details on http://www.imra.ie/
Report by Jakub
Sunday, January 24th was a perfect day for hill running. It was sunny and the sky was clear so we could enjoy the scenery but it was cold enough not to get boiled at the ascent.
At 11:00 after registration and quick warm up over 130 runners started to race. The course was a 10k loop with 417m climb. The first half was a long climb to the summit of Three Rock Mountain. Later when it leveled for couple of meters there were patches of wet snow which was a tiring surface to run on. Snow which has already melted turned paths into streams that we followed at the descent. There was also a tricky section where the logs and many branches were sticking out of water and you could easily slip. All these made the race challenging and exciting.
Paul O’Connell was in a leading group from the start and won the race comfortably one minute before Eoin Brady from UCD. Another well experienced mountain goat Paul Mitchell (17 hill runs finished last year) began this hills season very well and finished 7th overall and 2nd in his age category. Together with Jakub Splawski in 23rd place Sportsworld won 3rd place in the team event.
John Fitzgerald was 5th in M50 and Charlie O’Connell won M70 category.
Sportsworld women Brid O’Higgins finished 2nd in F40 and Claire Rowley had a very good debut hill run too.
Next hill run in Annacurra on February 6th. All welcome!
More details on http://www.imra.ie/
Report by Jakub
