by RDK

And so another year ends, but the purple legs in the great hamster wheel of BARF keep ticking over. Despite the short days, soggy hills and sparse (ish) race calendar, the end of 2024 has been busy for the club.

Ben Nevis Race

When entries to the Ben Nevis race opened In April, a strategically placed WhatsApp message and significant FOMO led more than 10 BARFers to sign up. We descended on the highlands like Campbells by land, sea and air the day before the race finding distinctly un-Scottish conditions of with temperatures of 25 degrees in the valley. Making he most of the conditions a hardy group of BARFers made a traverse of the Aonach Eagach ridge, having to pay respects to what cans urely only be a member of the fairy race in goat form on the ridge. Very few of us suffered from heatstroke but all succesfully pre-loaded an excellent excuse for any deficiency in performance the following day.

The Ben Nevis race itself is a classic fell race – sea level to summit, like the Donard race but twice over. More than 400 odd runners, with a large NI contingent of 40-odd taking part. It was an exercise in survival in the heat, with those who hadn’t learned better from the 2021 Sahara Spelga Skyline spluttering, limping and cramping their way up and down Britain’s highest mountain. First BARFer home was Niall McCartan, followed shortly by Andrew Tees. Kathleen Monteverde pulled a fantastic run, coming 2nd in the FV60 category. The rest of us descended in delirous fashion and placed blocks of ice about our person as we pondered our life choices. Of worthy mention is Newcastle man Tom Crudgington who crossed the line in 2nd and was immediately transported to hospital for an ice bath and talking to. All was well in the end as, recovered, the NI contingent accumulated in pubs across Fort William and shared horror stories and plans for PBs next year. We never learn.

Rankin Round Relay and Mountain Marathon

Moving swiftly on, the club hosted a Rankin Round relay in September which saw more than 10 teams taking on the challenge to commemorate 10 years of the Round and to raise money for Mourne Mountain Rescue. More than £3000 was raised witha very succesful event, and we are hoping to put on similar in future, so watch this space. Also in September was the Mourne Mountain Marathon (whose committee is well stocked with BARF elders elites) . Weather was remarkably good once again, and the club was well represented. Will Imrie and Rónán DK (just about) won the score class overall, with Pauline O’Hara and Denise winning in the Vets category. Jim Brown’s report can be seen here.

Back to it

Things settle down a bit in October, and club training started back with our regular Mary Peters Track and hills sessions around Belfast. Outside of regular training, Jonathan McCloy ran an impressive 2:47 at the Dublin marathon, proving definitively that he can run on the flat as well as downhill. Club members took part in 2-day first aid training, where we learned that the most important items in a first aid kit are duct tape and cable ties (so be warned). Andrew Tees and Rónán DK achieved their Coach in Running fitness qualifications, making them both BARF CiRF LiRF FLiRFs. Both are now experts in telling people how to move their arms and in running around cones, both of which are being put to good use at the track sessions.

30th Anniversary Dinner

The big event in October was the BARF 30th anniversary celebration. Undeterred by the fact that it was actually the club’s 33rd anniversary and recovered from receiving the highest injury in Ulster in 2024*, Andrew Harvey stepped up and organised a fantastic evening’s craic at Harlequin’s on Malone. We heard from Dawson Stelfox and Paddy Mallon on the hallionry history of BARF and remembered those who have been lost since the club’s founding. BARF Laureate Jim Brown unveiled a specially commissioned poem for the occasion, and an early 90s replica Tshirt distributed. With the influx of members in the last few years it was great to see so many faces old and new, and help maintain the ethos, history and irreverence that makes BARF what it is. And we had some purple cake.

The Inexorable Slide to Christmas

Becoming quite adept at social occasions by this point, and with members getting used to wearing non-running clothes on occasion, we returned to the Errigal for a sit down Christmas dinner in December, organised by Sharon McCracken. In what is now clearly becoming a tradition Paddy Mallon unveiled and distributed personalised BARF Christmas decorations to all in attendance.

We also had our traditional solstice and Christmas social/relay race at the Giant’s Ring, followed by mince pies and mulled wine in Edenderry.

Turkey Trot 2024

26 December is of course the club’s Turkey Trot race in the Mournes. This annual fixture is as old as the club itself and operates from Meelmore Lodge, doing a lap of Meelmore before returns return to Tollymore Outdoor Centre for mince pies, mulled wine and spot prizes. With glorious mild weather for the 2nd year in a row, a near-record 109 runners toed the line. The racing at the front was spectacular, with James Millar closing a 5m gap to Eoin Lennon in the finals econds of the race and winning. It came down to who got their dibber in the control first – James clearly winning in the dexterity stakes. James is recently repatriated from a year in New Zealand and (don’t tell anyone) has been spotted at at least oen BARF training session, giving Andrew Tees someone to run with. Could a move to the Purple be in store? Or would this cause untold ructions? Only 2025 will tell.

In the women’s race, Karen Wilton narrowly edged out U23 Rebecca Magee, who is one to watch in 2025. First BARFer home was Niall McCartan in 6th. It’s as well that Niall is a doctor as he was the only injury of the race, finishing covered in blood and a later X-ray finding a lump of Mourne granite embedded in his knee!

Undeniable star of the show however was the ever-colourful Ryan Stewart, who ran dressed as a Christmas Tree. This did not hold him back, as he ended in 5th, crossing the finish line in a front roll. This performance left many other runners disheartened. Rumours abound of secret Springwell training session in the woods of the Sperrins, running in sylvanian camouflage to become one with the land. Expect to see a full forest at the Castlewellan Hill and Dale start line.
Full Turkey Trot results can been seen here.

Christmas Cracker

Newcastle AC’s Christmas Cracker juggernaut always rolls round in time honoured fashion on the first Saturday after Christmas. The mild weather continued as 1400 runners careered down Castlewellan Main Street in their pairs and off for a magical mystery tour around the forest park and the townlands of Leitrim. First BARFers home were Will Imrie and Rónán DK in 31st. This pair are well matched and balance each other – Will stronger uphill, Rónán downhill; Will with beautiful flowing locks, Róná… less so. They spent the season photobombing each other in races, and so pairing up made sense and seemed to pay off in both the Mountain Marathon and the Cracker.

Many don fancy dress for the cracker, and BARFer Sam mcVicker took this to the extreme, dressing with his brother as a Christmas present, earning themselves a bottle of Prosecco.

However, there was controversy when Vicky and Sharon were denied Prosecco due to being BARFers. Enquiries are ongoing, but we will be hiring Joe Brolly, and expect this to go all the way to the European Court of Human Rights. Justice for the Purple!

Onwards, then

As 2025 rolls round, training resumes and plans are hatched for 2025. As I write snow lies over the hills. Let no-one say that BARF are not a dedicated bunch as blizzard conditions could not get in the way of a recent session at the Track, even as the markings became invisible. Those who follow the Purple Way are connoisseurs of suffering, and the combination of interval training, Alpine weather and the mild peril of being able to get your car out of the car park brought a transcendence to higher plane of being where shoes always grip, navigation is always perfect, legs never cramp and Paddy’s puns are always funny. So there you go, running in questionable weather is good for the soul. Or something.

Happy new year, ARF ARF, etc. See you on the hills!

*Having dislocated his collarbone on the summit of Donard during the Slieve Donard Race