Glenariff Mountain Race 2022 – the ‘Spud Run’
Saturday 12th March 2022 saw the opening race of the Northern Ireland Mountain Running Championships take place in Waterfoot. This race sees athletes take in 6 miles and over 1,000 feet of climbing in the queen of the glens - Glenariff.
The superbly promoted and organised Glens Runners event saw this year's race sell out at it's maximum capacity of 150. This is testament to the amateur ethos that still remains with this race - £7 entry, chip timing, a bag of spuds and only lingering covid preventing the legendary Glens hospitality.
The first race of the 2022 NIMRA championship at Glenariff mountain is also known as the “Spud Run.” The nickname is the result of the continuing sponsorship of this race by Glens of Antrim Potatoes, who supply each runner with a bag of spuds and a packet of crisps. Not a bad set of goodies to bring home post-race.
Nigel, Konrad and Nigel
The event itself is an ever present on the calendar around early spring, and weather usually holds out well for the participants with no major drama. The last of which was on 14th March 2020, just being held in time before the lockdown kicked in. Then runners were under the cloud of expectation that same race was to be the last for a fair while. Seamy Lynch (Newcastle AC) was first man home in 44:20 followed in by Jonny Scott & Adam Cunningham in 2nd & 3rd (Mourne Runners) a couple minutes behind. The ladies’ podium was Esther Dickon (Newry AC) over the line in 52:39, 3 and 6 minutes ahead of Karalee McBride (Mourne Runners) and Alison Stocks (Ballydrain Harriers). Unfortunately, the event was not able to take place in 2021 but has returned to start the series off for 2022, much to the relief of all looking forward to a full calendar once more.
Falling under the short category (sub 10k), the race started at the Glenariff community centre at the Oisíns GAC field in Waterfoot village. Approx. 6 miles in length, runners followed the nearby Ulster Way path directly beside the Glen river for 2 miles (and over a few stiles), before crossing the road to continue steeply on the northern face of the glen. The climb is around one mile uphill to the high checkpoint topped at 370m, then turning on a very fast descent back down and onto the trail returning towards the pitch.
The decent is definitely one for the ‘speedsters’ and the descent down off the glen tested even the hardiest.
Ballymena Runners has a long and proud tradition of fielding mountain runners at this race for nearly 20 years. This year was no different with 7 runners toeing the line.
First to finish in overall 14th place was Mark Alexander with an impressive time of 0:52:37. Mark was closely followed by Duncan Millar (0:57:59) and Tim Lowry (0:58:47).
Tim, Duncan and Mark
Tim
The top three were followed by Stephen Reid with video camera in hand (1:07:50). Relative newcomers to the mountain running scene Nigel Davidson (1:08:06), Konrad Walder (1:09:07) and Nigel Bonar (1:10:24) took on the challenge and finished well up the field.
Konrad
The tired legs were cured with a dip in the sea at the nearby beach, before the guys collected their spuds!