Helly Hansen Killarney Adventure Race

A Day Out in Killarney

Rob Howard / 09.10.2012

“Look at that view!  You wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world would you?”  So said a competitor as she ran past me up Strickeen, the first hill on the long route in the 2012 Helly Hansen Killarney Adventure Race.  It was a feeling repeated by many on a sparkling autumnal morning as they looked down from a sunlit hillside to the cloud filled valley below.

The race had almost doubled its entry to 1100 in its second year, and with support from the town of Killarney, Irish Tourism, and a great line up of sponsors, including Helly Hansen and Nite watches, there was a buzz of activity and anticipation ahead of the Saturday morning start.  The stunning weather gave everyone taking part an extra boost of adrenalin to help them get around a tough course.

For the elite runners it was an early start, with a 7am transfer from Killarney out to Kate Kearneys Cottage below the Gap of Dunloe, and by the time they arrived the sun was colouring the slopes of Strickeen and the valley below was filling with cloud.  It was cold, but it wouldn’t take long to warm up on the first climb, and very soon the early switchbacks on the path were lined with racers settling into their pace on the way to the summit. The path higher up was boggy, but the reward for the climb was to stride out into the sunlight, take in the views of Carrantuohill, and look out across the valley over the cloud tops.

The return route was the same and by the time most runners were back down to the foot of the mountain the next wave of starters were on their way up.  The first transition was back by the start, where racks of road bikes were lined up ready for stage two, a 35km road ride which was described by one racer as “the most beautiful cycle stage of any Irish adventure race.”  The route took racers through the Gap of Dunloe and the Black Valley to the high point at Molls Gap, then downhill past Ladies View to the Lakes of Killarney.

The Elite starters found the valley still full of chilling mist when they rode through, but it gradually cleared for later waves of starters, who had more sunshine to enjoy the scenery.  The regular, sharp hill climbs on the route were the same for everyone however, and the sight which racers were most glad to see was the marshal at Molls Gap – because after passing him it was all downhill to the next transition and the kayaking stage!