Lovely stuff.
I’ve always wanted to give this a go but never quite got round to it mainly because The Bro would never commit to it. After a weekend’s paddling and camping in Fermanagh I hatched a cunning plan – take Mrs BS. After convincing her that there were hot showers and toilets she said OK.
Which class? Only a question between C or D really. Dipping our toes into the world of mountain marathons for the first time we decided to go for the novice D class. With 6 weeks to go there was plenty of time to research kit. I enlisted the help of mountain marathon champ (also LVO m35 champ) MTC.
“Save weight my boy” was the mantra. There were tales of drilling holes in plastic spoons and eating from polystyrene plates. The virtues of pocket rockets and jelly babies were extolled – what else can you with virtues? OK, I thought he was mad but I was secretly enjoying the science of this, evidenced by the kitchen scales that were now a fixture on the kitchen table. Consequently, I am now imbued with knowledge about things that I thought I would never need to know. Did you know that Tesco sandwich bags weigh less than Tesco freezer bags? Some folk even delete texts of their mobiles to save weight. I thought about shaving my legs but realised that if Mrs BS shaved hers we would even more weight!
Meanwhile BB and his friend, the African, decided to join in the fun. Now BB is a meticulous chap and probably knew the relative weights of plastic bags before he even thought to engage in this madness, strange then that I hear him say “We’re not going to sacrifice comfort for weight, I reckon I can squeeze it all in to a 35L sack”. Hmmmmm OK BB – don’t forget a bath sheet and a bar of soap!
Jacksons Sports took a hammering. Of course this kit would do us a lifetime. Rucksacks, sleeping backs, inov8s, stoves and the like. Having your Mrs as a partner simplifies this process. We found a neat ME tent on flea-bay and we were all set. Just the training to do.
I had done the Trailblazer MTBO series and knew I could keep going for a few hours but this would be longer. We had hopes of long days in the Mournes but we opted for the Cavehill Massif. Grand old Duke of York came to mind as up and down we went. In horrendous conditions we were out. Even under the gaze of the television cameras, we never let up. Ok, so we went out twice. After all, we didn’t want to tire ourselves out at our age.
The day arrived. We slipped into MM mode easily. We chatted away, glancing at wristband colours. All geared up and ready to go….. we were off.
I was nervous marking up the map. Make a mistake here and it would be trouble. The CPs were not just as straightforward as I expected but we get away after a few minutes. Rather than take the main road I aim over Foleys Bridge but go too hard right and end up at Old Bridge anyway. A slight error but just up over the hill to the pond and the first CP. A quick cut up onto the path and it’s a forced march up the hill. We get to the boundary wall. I glance over the gap in the wall but don’t see the ruined wall I am expecting. We turn left and cross the wall further up. Luckily I see the CP on my right. Another slight mistake but we are ok and on the open mountain. There’s a good crowd heading to our CP3 so it’s an easy find in the gully after a slide down a steep gorse bank. The adrenalin was pumping now – mere gorse bushes weren’t going to stop us. Cp4 is at the head of a river and I decide to follow the river up the hillside. We get hemmed in by gorse. The adrenalin had run out so we have to retreat. We get clear and up we go. It’s tough going up the hill but we slog on. Eventually it flattens out and we follow the river round until we hit the point.
It’s a contour round towards Trassey for CP5. We manage to pass a few on this leg. I spot the small hill in front of the track on the map and it guides us round to the CP where there’s a small crowd working out their next point. We dib and go. Up Trassey to Hares’ Gap. No nav here, just find a route up through the boulders. CP6 in the bag.
CP7 is on Ben Crom reservoir. We take a path south but it’s the wrong one. We have to drop down the hillside to pick up the right path. Mrs BS loses her shoe in a bog. Dum de dum de dum as I wait for it to be retrieved. There’s a young couple in front that we had been gaining on. They disappear into the distance. Shoe recovered we trot down the track. Chance to fill bottles as we go. We pass the couple and hit CP7.
Skirting around Ben Crom we pass a few more folk on the up and down path. We make our cut up to the saddle. Second climb of the day and it’s tough again. I think of BB and his rucksack coming up here and it doesn’t feel that bad after all.
We are passed by some teams on the ascent but they don’t look like D -ers so that’s ok. Downhill to the Blue Lough – happy days. We cut over south of the lough. WTF!! My leg goes down a hole and I am up to my ass in muck. I’ve been in some holes in my day but none as deep as this. If both legs had gone in I don’t think I would have been able to get out unaided.
The new map shows CP9 at the far side of a steep sided gully. We decided to skirt around slightly – which turns out to be unnecessary but slightly easier. I spot a way up through the far bank and we head down to the river. I step from boulder to boulder with the finesse of a young gazelle then as I glance back to check on Mrs BS I lose my balance and start to fall backwards like a drunk tortoise. Nothing to do but wait on the impact. The small of my back hits first and I continue backwards waiting for a thump to the head. My head escapes but I’m left with legs above my head and jammed between boulders. Ah, so this is the reason you do this with a partner. Mrs BS extracts me and we are on our way. My back hurts a fair bit but I know it’s going to be worse in the morning. CP9 is a manned control and we check-in and push on.
CP10 was probably the toughest leg for us. It didn’t look that steep up under Hares’ Castle but it grinded us down nicely. We followed the path, maybe a little too far, maybe not far enough, before we cut over to the wall. Up onto the wall to walk to the control. We had never done this before and it felt a little weird. I was getting mesmerized as I looked at Mrs BS’ dainty feet in front of me. The odd loose rock made sure we kept focused until we hit the control.
Ahhh downhill all the way to the finish now. We give chase to a couple further down the quarry track and eventually pass them. Trying to run on the rough track is risky enough. One wrong move and a turned ankle would make day 2 a long one.
We hit CP11 at the ford and continue through the river, up onto the path and down to CP12 at the river junction. We trot to the finish.
We're not knackered - honest!
We expected a bustling camp site. Instead, there were about 10 tents, a few blokes setting up the water and a tired silence. We pick a spot and flop onto the ground – well knackered. Better get the tent up before there are too many spectators. We do this with passable efficiency and then get the kettle on for a well deserved Cuppasoup. We basked in warm sunshine as we watched the other teams drifting in. Frequent trips back and forth to the water tap as we re-hydrate. Eventually the gauge reads Full and I took a trip to the portaloos. Duly relieved I see that there are some early results up. We are second. I grab more water on the way back to the tent and tell Mrs BS the news. We’re amazed. There was handful of other mixed vets in our class and at this point we’re in front of them all. I also notice the B class latest. I pass on the news to an excited MTC and his mate BJ who are lying in first. Back to the portaloo – must be hydrated.
Samwise and Frodo, aka BB and the African, arrive in. They look well stuffed. Packs are eased off backs and weight taken off sore feet. Remaining energy gets the tent up and they settle down for eats. The dubious pleasure of noodles and cuppasoup was followed by the highlight of the day – custard and nutrigrain bars, hot and sweet and very comforting. And so to bed.
Not long after the talking stopped I wished it had started again for it was replaced by donkeys doing what donkeys do best accompanied by dogs barking and humans snoring. I was entertained by nature’s symphony throughout the night.
I was woken at dawn by some cock … crowing. It wasn’t long before tent zips were zipping and stiff bodies emerged like insects. Limbs were stretched and bodies shuffled to the loo queue. The comforting roar of gas burners filled the cool morning air.
We had to move too so I fired up the stove and Mrs BS lay on. We revealed our secret weapon – bacon – mixed with sun-dried tomatoes. I’ll never forget the sound and smell of it hitting the pan and neither will a few others going by the looks on their faces. We made up our butties and cuppasoup and got tore in. Actually, they weren’t that great and won’t be on next year’s menu. A bit too hard to get down.
Camp emptied and we packed. Making our way calmly to the start knowing the only way from here was up! A whistle blew and we walked forward to prepare for the start. No, wait, that was THE start. We barged a little to get a control card and marked up the map. We had decided to do this as it had served us well on day 1. We didn’t even see that others had decided to mark on the move. Off we go.
Some C-ers were still visible up ahead of us as we headed to CP1 by the reverse of Day 1’s route. Then back onto the quarry track. We were making ground on some people here. 10 minutes in and we passed one chap who was clearly going to have a hard day if the foaming at his mouth was anything to go by. No worries though for him as his partner was already across the other side of the river and making his own way to CP2. We crossed at the quarry and then cut up the hillside to the control.
BB gets help with his rucksack up Commedagh.
Back onto the main path and we pass the foaming man for a second and last time. Eventually we could break into a trot as we hit the Brandy Pad. We make our way to CP3 to be told we are the 5th D there. Crap! No one had passed us – they must have left before us. We decide to contour round half-way up Commedagh. It’s ok but I am thinking the worn path over the top would be just as quick. We get a sample of what’s required in the other classes as teams whizz by us on the contour. We get to CP4 at the wall bend – along with teams from B and C. It’s a bit of a frenzy as we all climb over the wall to dib and log in Meanwhile Mrs BS jumps up and down on the other side of the wall so the marshal can see her..
Hugging the wall we descend and then cut out across the heather to pick up the Brandy Pad again. We spot the girls who are lying in 5th overnight and less than 10 minutes behind us. They take off when they spot us and move away quite quickly. We’re rubbish on the open hillside but at least we get the chance to refill bottles. CP5 is at Hares Gap – not hard to find!
I can see the girls making good progress along the high path but we thread our way down over the boulders. It’s slow again. Mrs BS doesn’t like this bit. I pass a couple who turn out to be D-ers amazed we hadn’t passed them before as they weren’t moving that quick. This is what marking up cost us on the ground. But we’re now fourth on the day. Keep the girls in sight and we’ll be 3rd at worst overall.
Onto the level ground and we trot on and nab CP6. Back onto the track but there’s no sign of the girls now. Next problem is where to cut off for 7. We get it just about right and CP7 is an easy find. I spot the girls about 500m ahead, just about to leave the mountain. They are much quicker than us over the ground and will get even quicker on the tracks of Tollymore. We can’t afford a mistake.
We push on past Trassey car park and then we hit a Y-junction. This is where local knowledge can trip you up. I have been this way a few times on the bike but this doesn’t look familiar at all. I feel that awful sense of panic as I know the wrong decision will cost us dear. We decide to stick left reckoning the right fork leads towards the out of bounds. It’s right. We join a track I recognise and next thing we are at the Tollymore boundary wall. The girls are there too. They must have made an error somewhere or were having a go with the old Shewee behind the wall. We cross the wall together. They leave us old-timers for dead. We are in touch with them though and that’s all that matters. Next CP8 at Maria’s Bridge is a gimme and we catch the girls again as they calculate their next move. Payback time for marking up the map at the start.
CP9 looks like it might be tricky. River bend east side though means it’s across the bridge and up the bank – and a fair bit up. When we arrive the girls have split either side of the river to search for the point. We make our way up the east bank – at least 100m I reckon. There it is. I close in slowly and try to dib without being spotted but I don’t get away with it. Lucky for us, but not so lucky for the girls, their dibber is on the other side of the river! Can we hold onto 3rd for Day 2 and make sure of 3rd overall?
It’s a straightforward run to the pond and CP10. My groin is hurting here. Mrs BS is finding strength from somewhere and is pushing on well, dragging me with her. But I’m stuffed – must be the heavier sack taking its toll!! We dip CP10 and it’s just the taped run to the end. We go our hardest, which isn’t very hard at all. A final slog up the short hill and we dip the final dip. We’re done.
We can’t quite believe we have finished our first mountain marathon. Good preparation, a season of orienteering, no small investment in good kit and good advice from MTC seen us finish 3rd in the D and 2 hours ahead of the nearest mixed vets. I don’t believe it!
MTC and BJ in matching black with a sky blue buff, set off with a red drinks bottle.
MTC and BJ romped home to a B class victory. Pretty fecking impressive given the extra weight carried by MTC!!
The African ready for action in azure blue with matching hat and sticks.
BB and the African strided in a wee while later looking fresher than they did at the end of Day 1!
Mr and Mrs BS on the podium. A riot of autumn hues. Handbag by Jacksons of Belfast.
We didn’t expect a thing as D class is non-competitive supposedly. So we were extra-chuffed to get a little something for our efforts and well supported by the LVO contingent.
A big thanks to all that make this event happen and a big well done to all that took part.
All pics from the MMM website.
You probably did the marathon quicker than it took me to read that!!!
MTC is looking very smug–Surely a man of his calibre should have entered the elite category?