High lakes in Wicklow 40km
The race takes in some of the highest glacial lakes in Wicklow. The proposed route is outlined below. The IMRA Committee have the final decision on the route. The race traverses some of the wildest terrain in Wicklow so participants should agree safety precautions with their team members and carefully recce their leg(s). Participants must touch the water in each lake on their leg.
A team comprises between 1 and 4 persons. Juniors are not allowed to compete because of the nature of the terrain and the distances involved. A mobile phone, cagoule, map, and compass are compulsory kit. Bring food and water according to your needs for a run of around 10 km in tough mountain terrain.
The race will use chasing starts with the first team to finish being the winners. Women get a bonus of 10 minutes for each leg they run; Persons over 50 get a bonus of 5 minutes; and Persons over 60 get a bonus of 10 minutes. Hence any teams of four W60 women will start at 8 am whereas teams of four senior men will start at 9:20. An M50 solo runner would have a bonus of 20 minutes so would start at 9 am. Teams who declare themselves non-competitive can start at 8:30 (these teams will be ranked on their bonus adjusted time but are not eligible for a team prize).
Leg 1 starts at the hotel in Glendalough and takes in Lough Ouler with the handover at the car park at the Wicklow Gap. The only part of the Wicklow Gap road that you can run on is the part on the St. Kevin’s Way. Challenge: route choice and terrain.
Leg 2 takes in Lough Firrib and either of the Three Lakes with the handover at Glenmalure hostel. Challenge: navigation and tough terrain in middle of leg.
Leg 3 takes in Art’s Lough and Kelly’s Lough with the handover either at Ballinafunshoge car park or Drumgoff (to be decided). Challenge: route choice and steep terrain.
Leg 4 takes in the Upper and Lower lakes in Glendalough with the finish at the hotel. Challenge: a runner’s leg!
Near the end of the last ice age, roughly 10,000 years ago, glaciers began to retreat. A retreating glacier often left behind large deposits of ice in hollows between drumlins or hills. As the ice age ended, these melted to create lakes.
https://www.imra.ie/events/
If you are the race director of this race please contact us to add more information about your event or to arrange online entry with runireland.com
Regards Runireland Team