Mourne Skyline Race (Skyrunning UK - 35k/3300m)

When the Mourne Skyline race was announced, I certainly couldn't pass up the opportunity to run in what is effectively a home race, especially as it rounded out the Skyrunning UK calendar and would attract a strong field of local and (inter)national runners.

I came back home being now based in Edinburgh and wearing the Carnethy HRC vest with no real expectations as to how I would perform. Aside from a great week of training in Chamonix in August (65 miles with 25k+ of climbing) I hadn't done any significant longer runs. Gave myself a bit of a shock on Friday morning as I had to search back to early September on Strava to find the last double digit mileage run. Nevertheless I had been running to and from work most days so I was running consistently. On top of that, some good runs with the club at fell relays meant I went into the race with the same strong mental approach as always that I would relish in the climbs and try and hang on in the descents!

World and British champs, and some great local runners (Photo: Mickey Shields)

On the start line as a relative unknown given the field, but having received an incredible amount of encouragement from some of the local runners pre-race, I was quietly confident and looking forward to running a course I had covered many times. The pace at the start was quick as expected and a pack of 9 soon formed off the front. I sat behind the leading 4 up the quarry before having to yell at them to come back after they headed up instead of back down to the Glen River. Turning left at the river and up to the Saddle I felt so comfortable and was happy to sit on the shoulder of Allan Bogle and Kim Collison as we climbed into the mist and eventually into the first exposure to the brutal wind that battered us all day! 

Up the Glen River path (Photo: Ian Corless)

As expected the section from the Saddle to Hare's Gap along the Brandy Pad was run at a fast pace as we skipped along this very runnable part of the course, and got the amazing views of Bearnagh and Ben Crom to the left. Bearnagh is by far my favourite climb in the Mournes, as both sides offer incredibly steep scrambling and tricky descending. By this stage we were joined by American and Dynafit team runner J Marshall Thomson on the climb to the North Tor. Reaching the checkpoint at the South Tor and descending the NW side was a mission given it was into a straight wind and I struggled to get a gel down as I needed both hands to stop being blown over (funnily not the worst wind I've experienced on that summit!). Onto the descent and Kim and Allan showed their strength as they opened up a wee bit of a gap which was maintained up the technical climb of Meelmore and down to Happy Valley. While it hadn't rained all morning any rocks were extremely greasy, which coupled with the wind, made for an extremely interesting descent off Meelmore. On the track down to Happy Valley I was pushing on trying to close the gap a little and in my mind I thought about how it wouldn't be the best time to fall over, and almost instantly I caught my foot and slid and rolled. Luckily it was on a fairly grassy section but I had banged my knee on a rock and it was cut open.

(Photo: Jayne Bell)

Rounding the corner to Fofanny I could see the leading pair had opened the gap but I was content to sit where I was. Out of the aid station at 15k and up the road I never lost sight of them and I began to reel Allan in. Passing him before we rejoined the Mourne Wall, Kim had enough of a gap that any gains I made on the climbs to Loughshannagh, Meelbeg and Meelmore would be cancelled out on the descents. While I keep telling myself I'm a horrible downhill runner (which I am!) I was feeling great at this stage and really able to push the descents. Plenty of encouragement from the marshals, course director and good friend Justin on Meelbeg, and a surprise greeting from Billy Mol on Bearnagh really spurred me on, and while a friendly face in the right place can make all the difference I was feeling really upbeat and having such a great time trying to chase down the leader! In saying that I was feeling a bit of a twinge in both inner quads so a cup of water at Hare's Gap and the thought of getting to the 'magic' water pipe (the best water source in the Mournes!), along with a real runnable section along the ridge to Commedagh meant I could push on. 

Awesome photo looking toward Ben Crom Reservoir (Photo: Ian Corless)

Again it was a case of battling the wind, trying to stay upright and trying to avoid having the race number ripped off my vest to the foot of Commedagh. Always a tough climb I set a good pace to the water pipe, and drank about 300ml of water before the checkpoint close to the summit. I had wanted to cross to the other side of the Wall out of the wind but was directed by the marshal to remain on the south side - and while this meant feeling the full force of the gale, the slope was much more runnable than the other side so I was able to descend quickly to the Saddle. I could see Kim climbing into the mist, and I knew if I was to catch him and win the race I would need a sizeable lead coming off the highest point of the race, Donard. I was able to put in a bit of a push, but as I saw him start his descent on the other side of the Wall I knew he'd be flying down, so I gave a thumbs up and pushed on the the summit at 850m. Never usually a fan of the 5k descent from the summit to the sea but during the race it was thoroughly enjoyable! I hadn't looked back in the last 10k or so thus I had no idea if there was anybody close behind me, so I just pushed on regardless. The upper section of the path down the Glen River was very greasy so I took it fairly easily, but once into the trees I was having a whale of a time hitting sub-5 min/mile pace as I just *had* to finish under 4 hours! Out of the trees and into the finishing chute safe in the knowledge I had secured 2nd place was a great feeling!

Feel like I earned that! (Photo: Jayne Bell)

All in all a fantastic race - a very challenging course full of ups and downs, with a ringing endorsement from Stevie Kremer as the hardest race she's done, it should certainly go from strength to strength. Credit to Ryan Maxwell (NiRunning), Justin Maxwell and the rest of the race crew, great work all round!

Male:

Kim Collison - 3.57.09

Eóin Lennon - 3.59.42

J. Marshall Thomson - 4.08.38

Female:

Stevie Kremer - 4.24.45 

Jo Meek - 4.30.32

Diane Wilson - 4.45.41

Strava Race File

Kit:
Inov-8 X-Talon 190
Salomon S-Lab Advanced Skin Belt
High 5 & Torq gels