Prior to June 2009 if you wanted to run a marathon anywhere in Ireland it had to be done so on road, around a city, encased in tarmac and concrete. The orgainsers of the event, 26 Extreme, who are the wilderness marathon and adventure race specialists in Ireland, have shifted the goal posts and introduced the Mourne Way Marathon. Now in it’s second year, this 26 mile gruelling mountain race will take place on Saturday 12th June from Donard car park in Newcastle. Competing in this event is unlike any other equivalent long-distance road race. The route has been designed so that all events on the day are almost entirely off road, traversing the foothills of the Mourne Mountains through Tollymore Forest, Fofanny Dam, Spelga Dam, Leitrim Lodge and Yellow Water. The linear route finishes in Kilbroney Park in Rostrevor, where participants will be treated to some well earned refreshments and snacks. There won’t be a traffic light, roundabout or concrete jungle in sight, just coast, sea and countryside.
In addition to the Marathon this year there will also be an ‘Ultra Marathon’. This double marathon will start and finish in Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor and will climb approximately 2860 meters along the route. To put this in perspective, the accumulated ascent of this race is similar to climbing Slieve Donard three times; this race is certainly not for the faint hearted. The Ultra Marathon route will follow the Mourne Way all the way to Newcastle before turning at the marathon start point and returning to Rostrevor along the same path. There will be approximately 6km of this route on road with the remainder on forest tracks and mountain trails.
The Mourne Way Ultra Marathon has created substantial interest so far this year with participants entering from as far away as Quebec, Oman, Montana and California, alongside a large number of local entries. One of the reasons for this may be as the event has just been accepted as an official qualifying round for The Ultra Trail de Mont Blanc, one of the most widely known and most respected trails races in the world. This accreditation firmly establishes the Mourne Way Ultra Marathon as one of the most respected off road running events in Europe and will see competitors travelling from across the world to take part in future years.
In a recent interview, Guinness World Record Holder and Everest Mountaineer, Noel Hanna recently said this of the Mourne Way Ultra Marathon.
“….. after travelling across the globe to participate in various ultra distance running and endurance events it is great to see the establishment of the Mourne Way Ultra Marathon. These are the mountains where I started, and continue, my training for my expeditions and this event will showcase the fantastic scenery of the Mourne Mountains to all taking part. I wish the event directors every success in the event and no doubt it will attract participants and spectators from around the world and will grow to become a truly iconic event on the international ultra running calendar ……”
Eoin Kieth, current Irish 24 hour running champion and winner of last year’s Mourne Way Marathon stated that "The Mourne Way Marathon was one of the highlights of the running year in 2009. The introduction of the Mourne Way Ultra in 2010 is an even more exciting addition to the calendar. I’m very much looking forward to the opportunity to run in this new and challenging event, and having the opportunity to visit so much of the stunning scenery in the Mourne Mountains. I hope that as many other runners as possible take advantage of the opportunity to push beyond the classic marathon distance and discover the rewards of ultra distance running.”
For those who like their challenges a little more ‘bite-sized’ there will be a Half Marathon starting from Ott Car Park on the Slievenaman Road, just above Fofanny Dam and a 10k run starting at Leitrim Lodge on the Sandbank Road – these races, like the Marathon, will also finish in Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor.
There will also be a “Challenge Walk” on the day along the full 26-mile route of the Mourne Way. This walk will again start from Donard car park in Newcastle. It must be noted that the route of the Mourne Way Ultra Marathon, Marathon, Half Marathon, 10k and Challenge Walk does not actually cross the tops of any mountains. The Mourne Way is unique as it in fact traverses the foothills of the Mournes as opposed to summiting them. This means that competitors will be able to enjoy the views of the mountains without having to actually climb them.
The Mourne Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a unique; largely granite landscape shaped by ice and man, with stunning vistas of coast, sea and mountainside and all competitors will get a chance to take in these sights along the route.
For more information on this event, registration information and start times please log onto www.mournewaymarathon.com or forward an email to info@mournewaymarathon.com or call +44 7752 371 100 for an entry pack.
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