That elusive 3 in 6 months – Journey to the Mourne 500
(Report by Ciarán McAleenan, from successful round on 25 July 2020)
2019 was a much different year! Pre-pandemic everything was open, and all was to play for. And so that is how 2019 panned out for Stephen and I as we strived to meet mountain challenges that only a year earlier would have been beyond our wildest dreams. And as 2019 drew to a close we had conquered the Denis Rankin Round, been persuaded to and completed Cassie’s Challenge (1 minute outside of the FKT for the round – at that time at least) and late in the year had taken on the Mourne 500s round to, as we had hoped, complete the trio of Mourne mountain challenges within 6 months of each other. But alas that was a step too far – 33 miles and 30 summits in we called it a day on the Mourne 500s. Never mind 2020 was looming and the opportunity would present itself again. Or so we thought. Who knew then that in the early part of 2020 the mountains would be off limits to all but the lucky few, whose back garden is the mountain range?
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| Strange little stone monuments on Muck |
3 months of road running (wow that took me back a long way – all the way back to the Dublin marathon in 1983). Still! slowly and steadily the body adjusted, and the legs played along. Virtual runs, marathon distances that took me no further than 2km from the doorstep, even a spell of barefoot running and the miles were clocking up. But, living near the shores of Lough Neagh, probably one of the flattest parts of the island, 500 kms of running barely equated to half a Slieve Donard in elevation. Would the legs ever get their climbing capacity back, would the mountains ever open, will 2020 be the year of the Mourne 500s at all? Too many questions, too many hours on the road with too much thinking time.
As the lockdown eased the mountains became accessible once
again and a quick jaunt round the Mourne Skyline, just to see how the legs were
proved that with a slow and steady build-up all was not lost. The mountains
called and we answered. A Spelga Skyline, a bit of a DRR and a few sections of
Cassie’s Challenge (support crew for Dale and Billy as they set the new FKT for
the round – 2020 champions) and we were ready. This time a new member joined
our crew and at 3:00AM; 25th July on what promised to be a ‘hit and miss’
weather event David Bell, Stephen Bickerstaff and I headed out from Ott car
park up over Slievenamuck and into the dark mist on a trek that proved to be
both challenging and epic in its execution and in its delivery.
Clocking an average moving speed of 2.9 mph with a maximum of 10.7 mph (that has to be that final sprint off Ott) we met Rick’s challenge with a few hours to spare racking up a 16:50 completion. Clearly the influence of our new crew member and veteran mountain runner David Bell was abundant. Thus, this most handsomely executed and pleasantly imbued embryne vanquished the demons of last years failed attempt (sorry for channelling my inner Jane Austen); if you can call 33 miles and 30 summits a failure that is.
And so, to some of the highlights…
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| Finding the Meelmore spring giving forth the ‘water of life’ (not the ‘Uisce Beatha’ that you Gaels
might be thinking – but the literal translation). A glorious and uplifting moment where you suddenly
realise how much liquid sustenance it takes to complete one of these challenges. |
Off Finlieve and down through Attical, all the while looking
out for a lost rain jacket that mysteriously ousted itself from inside a zipped
up running vest a week earlier – curious! But it was nowhere to be seen. A
possible trip down the Red Moss River to the sea near Greencastle. Surely a
possible pollution incident even it wasn’t intentional. Hmm!
Taking stock and nourishment on top of Crossone before the assault
on Sliabh Donard, with timing good and many hours still on the clock.
Finding the Meelmore spring giving forth the ‘water of life’
(not the ‘Uisce Beatha’ that you Gaels might be thinking – but the literal
translation). A glorious and uplifting moment where you suddenly realise how
much liquid sustenance it takes to complete one of these challenges.
And so then to the penultimate and the final summits:
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| Ott – It's all downhill from here |
As we approached Ott (the final summit) the thought that we could break the 17 hours barrier came strongly to our minds, well initially Stephen’s and mine first, so we upped the pace towards this final summit before the long grassy, exhilarating descent to the finishing line. Then we thought to tell David our plan and I believe he bought into it because after a quick stop to get the last ‘selfie’ for the day off we went at a hare’s pace towards Ott carpark and the welcoming crowd waiting in the rain (now falling quite hard) to greet us. And as it turned out well under the 17 hours. And so Mourne 500s complete, a little later than originally planned but given the year we are having no harm done in that regard.
I opened this discourse lamenting the lateness of completing
the Mourne 500 challenge and in so doing becoming first people on the planet to
have achieved the highly coveted position of having completed all 3 of the
Mourne Challenges. Having missed the 2019 target the scene was set for a strong
series of training over winter to meet the objective in Spring 2020 – Easter
week to be precise, but along came the pandemic and the lockdown and things
moved along – March, April and May a washout – though not literally since 2020
probably has had the driest and warmest Spring in years. So anyway a few weeks
preparation in the mountains (June and July) brought the three of us to 25th
July’s performance and that jaw-dropping 16 hours 50 minutes round which for
three men whose combined age totals 179 I remain impressed.
So, reflecting on 2019, with its Denis Rankin Round and
Cassie’s Challenge I would have to say that failure is never an option. In
fact, not completing is not a sign of failure (unless maybe you give up) it’s
more a chance to learn how for you can push your body and when that limit has
been reached take time to reflect, learn and get on with finding the ways to
get even further.
Ultra-runners (and I think I can probably call myself that
now) don’t fall down (well they do sometimes) but that isn’t the point. It’s
not the falling down it’s the willingness to get right back up that makes a
runner great and a great runner. Don’t be fooled into thinking only the big
names in the sport are the great runners, rather it’s the dedicated many who
run the mountain ranges here in our country and around the world who are the
sports true greats. And for ultra-runners it’s the supporters who help make the
‘ultra’ dreams a reality.
Now as Rick is quite strict; that is this is an unsupported
run (no stashing stuff out on the course neither) there isn’t a support crew to
thank this time.
But I am extremely grateful and appreciative of Patricia who
came out to Ott at 3:00AM to wish us well as we started and who was there at
the finish line, complete with bright red and white (spotted) umbrella in hand
and a welcoming smile. She is my constant inspiration and support.
The welcome home crowd; Patricia, Ronan & Lyn, Pia &
Ryan, Ricky & Sarah, Sam & Beverly, Stewart & Mary, Harry &
Edna. Thank you all for braving the heavy downpour to welcome us safely home
and to take time to listen to our adrenalin filled stories of the day that had
just passed. Until next time… Ciarán
Mourne 500s Stats
- Challenge completion date: 25th July 2020
- Challenge completion time: 16:52
- Challengers: Ciarán McAleenan, David Bell and Stephen Bickerstaff
- Weather: Damp, with occasional showers, sunny spell mid-afternoon, heavy rain at the finish
- Average Pace: 23:04/ mi
- Average Moving pace: 21:01/ mi
- Average Speed: 2.6 mph
- Average moving speed: 2.9 mph
- Miles covered: 43.8 miles
- Elevation Gain: 17,598 ft (0.6 of a Mount Everest)
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| David Bell, Stephen Bickerstaff & Ciarán McAleenan |
