Carty Sidesteps Marty For a Monumental Party

URGENT :   Help required at Slieve Donard Race – please contact Martin McVeigh at mcveigm@nigov.net

And so it came to pass last Thursday night that the umpteenth Hill and Dale Series, this year sponsored by ‘Up and Running’, drew to a conclusion under showery Tollymore skies. With Eddie Hanna and Charlene Haugh (both Mourne Runners) already confirmed as series winners, all that was left to be decided was the unofficial team winners. With Newcastle and Mourne both on 5 race wins each it was going to prove a tight one. To make it more exciting, it was quietly declared a ’12 to score’ race with Newcastle showing great strength in depth to clinch it. Only kidding, Bart, it was Mourne Runners who snatched it 6-5, see you next year when we’ve worked on our youth policy.  Rowallane Ramblers closed their three runners in with 375 points and the finish funnel team were heard to ponder if club stalwart Martin McVeigh was basing his recent weight loss programme on the Rowallane weekly points total – obviously a bad (good) week ahead.
Back to the individual race – and a tight one ensued, with only a few seconds separating each of the first six. At the top of the White Plains, the highest point on the course, series winner Eddie Hanna emerged from the gorse slightly ahead of the evergreen and ever-consistent  Neil Carty of North Belfast Harriers. A wrong turn from Hanna left Carty ahead, a lead he maintained to the finish as he strode smoothly up the ‘Green Rigg’ to declare himself delighted with his first race win since August 2006. The runners were now lumbering up the final hill, thick and (not so) fast, doing their best to avoid the aforementioned McVeigh who was lying legs akimbo in the middle of the track snapping what could only have been very compromising pictures.
 Hill and Dale debutant and Newcastle’s Flying Scotsman ‘Big’ Alan Strachan declared himself happy with his first ‘Fell Race’. In a post-race interview Packie ‘Pockie’ Toner declare that Strachan had been let down by poor advice from his so-called coach. So obsessed has Strachan become with ‘the Wall’ after his recent marathon exploits that he followed the stone one on the mountain far too closely, completely missing the turn for the White Plains and losing several places in the process.
The Monument Race always encourages tight sprint finishes and this year was no different. ‘Blayney boy Conal Nugent showed a hitherto hidden burst of speed to accelerate past Elaine Hall of Larne with nary 50 metres to go, only to step aside in true gentlemanly fashion as they approached the line.
Mary Knight was delighted to have finished her first race of the season after injury troubles but was exhausted as she crossed the line and heard to ramble about “…van…on edge of mountain… giving lifts to ladies”. Further inspection failed to find a portly, curmudgeonly Celtic Soul legend anywhere in the forest.
And so the stories continued to be told well into the night at the post-race and series presentation in the Avoca. See you next year for more of the same, or maybe you fancy tackling Donard next Friday eve’ … but keep your eyes open for black panthers or a white, balding Belfast musical icon looking for Coney Island!

BodgePodge