Running 48:59 [5] 10.15 km (4:50 / km) +524m 3:50 / km
IMRA Glasnamullen - 4th
Was conscious that this race shouldn’t suit me as much as bray or Scalp, but who knows. Started very steady up the fire-road, sitting back in 8th or 9th, but on ruairi’s shoulder which worried me slightly.
As we got higher up it was still feeling pretty chilled, so I moved through with Ruairi into 3rd & 4th in the later sections of the forest, with Diarmuid Collins & Brian Furey up the road.
Coming into the open Furey looked to be struggling a little, and Ruairi and I both went by, with me a little back. Not long later it flattened out and I ended up going by Ruairi too. Knee this wouldn’t be lasting, but was grand to have a little gap on the inevitable chasers for the moment.
As it got steeper, a few came by 1 by 1, first Ruairi, then Furey. A couple of others too, but they stayed around my level. On the next flat bit before the boardwalk I moved ahead of them again to 4th. Only to surrender 2 places back on the boardwalk as Flannely and another went by, and then another 2 on the very last steep section. But I kept it strong enough, put a little effort on the last bit to stay in touch and summited at the back of the pack. 8th, but maybe 10-15s off 4th.
Made quick work of the trickiest descent at the start and was on my own in 4th all of a sudden. Struggled a little along the climb back the Wicklow way, but was working hard so reckoned I was alright. Knew I had a gap and furey was too far ahead, so started cruising a bit on the grassy descent, and after the final little climb I knew the gap was big, so I could cruise down the fire-road at a tempo without worries.
Happy with that. Climbing legs improving, so must be getting back to shape. Definitely stronger than recently. Legs a bit sore after 2 hard days, but couple easy now. Good stuff.