After the almost heavenly conditions on Binnian last week the contrast could not have been more different for this week's Hill and Dale sortie on  Moughanmore. Indeed hellish would not be a strong enough word to describe them. Someone reckoned it was repayment for all the bad things he had done in his life, forgetting that no-one could be that bad and that I wasn't with him when he did them, so didn't deserve to share his punishment.  “There's Cold in Them Thar Hills” was Joe McCann's warning to the hardy souls who turned up, as he threatened disqualification to anyone crossing the finish line without carrying a waterproof jacket.  Death would probably have been a more predictable outcome for anyone brave enough to attempt it, though I think that carries a disqualification with it too!

Given that I already had 3 layers on just to get to registration, a 15 minute round trip for the quarter mile back to the car, I wasn't about to start discarding clothing for others to make use of.  Just to add to the fun the hailstones, small and sharp, arrived as the race began, and, assisted by the in your face gale force winds proceeded to seek out every inch of exposed flesh, mostly hands and legs, as crop tops were conspicuous by their absence. There is no way to describe the 30/40 minutes or longer (forgot to start my watch) which followed other than it was painful, wet and cold, but Yes, we do it for fun!

The thought occurred to me, twice, that those who complain about carbon footprints and the damage they do to our environment should experience the threat to one's very existence which leaving a full on bodyprint on top of a mountain can have. Once is careless, twice is bordering on suicidal, which also probably attracts disqualification! And at Pigeon Rock, not a bird in sight, probably safely in their lofts, lay Frank Morgan (I think) and others multi tasking by operating a check point and staying alive – these guys deserve the highest praise for what they do.

To add insult to injury Fred Strickland, my main adversary in the O/60 category flew past me on the descent to the finish as I called for a Zimmer. Afterwards we stood in one of the many streams which feed the Spelga Dam, not so much to wash but rather to check if shoes were still attached to mud covered feet.  So if you detected a different bouquet to your tap water on Friday, don't be alarmed.

It was interesting to hear the most hardened of the runners describe conditions as the worst ever, certainly since those which occurred after that biblical weather forecaster started loading animals two by two, but no doubt some would dispute that claim – Me? I'm convinced.  With no results issued yet, perhaps there are still some people out there? team positions are not known but Liam Keenan led the East Down trio home, well ahead of your truly, with Anna Stamp close behind but everyone who finished was a winner on Thursday.