Running Mangerton Mountain

I haven't posted for a little while mainly because I haven't really done anything of any great interest. That's not saying that there isn't a lot going on at the moment but I haven't really gotten out into the hills lately. I have been feeling a bit sorry for myself as well because a planned Alpine trip didn't happen mainly due to the fact that we are in the painful first throes of a house extension, with all the disruption and niggles that that entails. However it is also exciting and seeing the excavations happen and the foundations go in is pleasing as well. The clock is ticking and we are hoping that the rapidly approaching winter will be benign in its infancy and let the work advance without too much disruption. Anyway, enough about my domestic bliss. I have a couple of adventure races coming up in the next few weeks and I have been a bit lax in my preparations as you would expect with all that is going on, so I have tried to get a few runs in over the past week. A good brisk eight miler on my local lanes broke the legs in nicely and a lovely nine mile trail run on Bweeng Mountain a couple of days ago worked out very well. Yesterday was so lovely that after work I decided to drive the forty or so miles to the foot of Mangerton Mountain near Killarney for a proper mountain run.

Mangerton is a big broad lump of a mountain with a near flat boggy plateau that slopes gently away to the west but its northern flanks end abruptly in 300mtr cliffs that drop into the huge and spectacular L shaped "Horses Glen". It also has a decent track that runs from the road-head to the summit which makes it ideal for a run. I brought Ruby with me and she is a delight to run with, she never needs coaxing or minding and she happily gambols along ignoring all and everything we encounter on our way (including sheep). I set off along the flat initial section and the effects of the previous days run were immediately obvious but I pressed on and I was pleased to manage to run as far as the fence which is about half a mile from the start. This section involves a fair bit of height gain and it was almost with a sense of relief that I arrived at steep ground that I was unable to run so I reverted to a fast walk. This isn't really much easier and my heart rate took quite a while to drop as I pressed the pace. Eventually I did recover and after a fairly long steep section the trail levels off and a lovely traverse of Mangerton North follows where you get the first stunning views into the "Black Valley". I managed to run almost the entire section as far as the "Devils Punchbowl" a beautiful tear shaped lake at 670 mtrs nestling under the summit plateau. Here I took the left path and ran in a clockwise direction around the lake and climbed the final steep 100 mtrs to the plateau.

Now at over 800 mtrs the real fun begins. All the painful pumping of legs and lungs are now rewarded by a stunning run along the plateau and then it seems to happen that suddenly, when you begin your descent the views across to the "Reeks" and into the "Black Valley" and of course everything further afield seem framed in such a perfect way that I can honestly say that despite all my travels to some of the most beautiful places in Europe I don't think I have seen any view better. If I wasn't already running I would say that they were breathtaking but you know what I mean. I was pleased at how the legs were coping on the long technical descent. My knees which have been giving me some concern of late were holding up well and I was able to enjoy that exhilarating sense of freedom and well-being that  only comes with great downhill running. I was sad to turn and leave the stunning views of the Everagh Peninsula behind but the views towards Killarney and the plains of north Kerry were a worthy compensation. The descent is a fairly long one and once you leave the traverse section the ensuing long steep section requires full concentration. Towards the end my legs were feeling the effects of the descent and the occasional hint of cramp emerged. However I soon reached the car and after giving Ruby a quick wash in the stream I was off home and basking in the afterglow that comes from a hefty bout of exercise in glorious weather in marvelous surroundings. It isn't an overlong outing, just about three miles up and back but it is pure quality and has almost 700 meters of height gain. I must do more of the same again soon. I didn't take any photos whilst running but here are a few old ones that perhaps capture in a tiny way this great spot.

The final section to the plateau from "The Punchbowl"

The view towards the  Everagh Peninsula

A view to the "Horses Glen"

From Stoompa looking into "The Glen"

Fanore Half Marathon, Once Again

I went back to Fanore with the irrepressible Kevin to run the Fanore Half Marathon once again. It gives me the opportunity to camp in the Burren and experience one of the most beautiful places in Ireland. Frank was off on his travels so he wasn't able to make the trip this year and Kevin whose wife is heavily pregnant with their second child was able to manage only the one nights camping so this year there would be no rock climbing involved. Still it is special to drive down the hill and round the bend in the road and all of a sudden you are by the sea shore and the most wonderful wild-camp spot I know hereabouts. We drove in and soon busied ourselves setting up camp. It is such a luxury to have the car nearby and we soon had our tents up and the barbecue was afire and we were sipping a beer. Life is good. After a tasty and very welcome dinner we strolled about and enjoyed our surroundings and chatted and relaxed. Darkness is coming earlier these days and we retired to bed fairly early to try and get a good nights sleep and rest before tomorrows run.

Chillaxin

Wild shores

Rough Seas

Wash and spin...never dry

The stiff breeze of the previous evening had died down but the weather was a little more overcast and there was a promise of rain in the air. By the time we had had breakfast and had packed up our tents there was a rain-front approaching across the ocean. We headed up into Fanore with nearly two hours to spare but we went to look at the beach and explore the sand-dunes and just relaxed. We eventually returned and registered for the run and waited about. It was a bit disappointing to see that the numbers this year were down on last year and there wasn't really much of an atmosphere about. Still I was looking forward to it and soon enough we were off. Kevin (now that he had been released from the shackles of running with me) was soon into his stride and was off in the distance in front with the leaders. I was feeling good and was able to keep a good pace and was keeping to the seven minute mile mark for the first few miles. The ground then becomes more difficult and eventually there is a stiff climb onto the "green road" which leads delightfully around to the church from where another uphill road run leads to the toughest section where another off-road section climbs 600 ft. Now unfortunately the heavens had opened and where in other years the views were glorious all was now a leaden grey. I was still enjoying myself though and while understandably tired, once I was on the top of the hill I still had enough in the legs to run well all the way to the finish. I finished in sixth in 1 hour 46 mins which was a minute faster than last year so I was well happy. Kevin had finished in fourth in 1 hour 37 minutes and was also pleased with his day. We enjoyed the soup and sandwiches and after a lovely treat in the nearby Cafe we set off on the return home. Another short but great little adventure.

Perfect balance required

A Circuit of Lough Leane Killarney

Sometimes I wonder why I do it, especially on the last few miles when even walking hurts not to mind the shuffle that I try to pass off as running when I am near the end of a long outing. Yesterday was a case in point. I had run a six kilometer trail race the evening before and for some reason I when I got up in the dreary wet morning I reckoned it would be a good idea to head back on the train to Killarney and try to run around Lough Leane. There are plans afoot to make a walking route around the lake but this is still some way off but recently a long section that was impassable due to the proliferation of Rhododendron has had an old track reopened so I reckoned it would be worth a look.
The first objective was to get out of town and after I had left my bag in the station I set off in the rain, dodging cars and people and made my way to the start of the "Fossa Way" near the cathedral. From here a fine path leaves the hustle and bustle behind and you are running across open parkland, which on a better day would offer superb views towards the mountains. Today in the mist they were hardly visible but I was still enjoying myself as I actually like running in the rain. The path passes by a couple of golf courses and as I neared Fossa I had to join the busy road. Perhaps its my poor route finding or poor signage but whatever the reason I couldn't find the resumption of the path and I ended up running on the road all the way until Tomies Wood. I now had eleven kilometers done and had kept up a nice pace of about 12kph. Once I entered the wood I stopped for a drink and a bite to eat and then continued on. The trail is now a little undulating with lovely views both left and right and it continued in this vein for another five kilometers with the last kilometer having a steady climb to about 200 mtrs. Eventually the trail turns back on itself and here a very unpromising track leads off towards wild territory that looks totally impassible with rhododendron. I wasn't over confident but to my delight there was a passage through the bushes that while not runnable was an enchanting place to be. It was tough going but I was really enjoying myself and even the by now torrential rain couldn't dampen my spirits. In places it was like travelling through a green mossy tunnel but all the leaves and debris on the floor meant that great caution had to be taken to avoid a slip. This continues for about two kilometers and after a long drop you reach the lake shore and some ruins of a large old building. Now the trail is a bit convoluted and eventually you emerge at Glena and the impassible "Long Range" river.

Now comes the worst section and over the next kilometer I had to cross wild and terribly wet ground where walking and making any progress was difficult. Walking at times in knee deep water at least meant that when I emerged onto better ground at "Brickeen Bridge" my runners were nice and clean (well you have to try and see the bright side). All that now remains is the nine kilometers back into Killarney. This I have run many times and it spectacular as it goes between Muckross Lake and Lough Leane and then on through the Muckross estate before finally reaching the busy road back to town. I was quite tired on this stretch but it passed and when I finally arrived in town I had a good bite to eat and it was great to be able to change my clothes etc. In total it had taken me three hours twenty five minutes but there are several kilometers where progress is slow. The total distance was 29 kilometers and its fair to say that I felt as if I had done a marathon. Waiting for the train I had a long sit down and I must have made an interesting sight as I struggled to unlock my seizing legs. As I said earlier I sometimes wonder why I put myself through this, but I suppose I get a sense of achievement and satisfaction when I'm done. Of course I do actually enjoy the running as well but its fair to say that towards the end of big runs like this one enjoyment isn't a word that springs to mind. Now though at this remove I am glad I did it and I have no doubt that I will probably do it again in the not too distant future. Perhaps doing it in a clockwise direction would be preferable as it gets the roughest section of ground out of the way earlier. When the new trail is done it will be a superb outing for runners and walkers alike.