Athletes make no bones about Ailwee Caveman Race

Athletes and cyclists from around the country raced through the Ailwee Cave recently taking part in the inaugural Caveman Race.
The event was held to raise the profile of Muscular Dystrophy Ireland (MDI), a charity dedicated to providing support for people suffering from degenerative muscular disorders. Over 150 adventure racers took part in the inaugural event that was held over two days and was made up of two mountain running and two mountain biking stages.
Hosted at the Ailwee Cave, participants ran and biked through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country and, thanks to cooperation from a number of local landowners, gained access to tracks and trails that are not usually open to the public.
The highlight for many, however, was the section of the race that took part inside the cave itself. Athletes, who were competing against the clock in a time trial, set off from deep within the cave. The cheers and screams echoed as the athletes made their way through the inner corridors of Aillwee and emerged excited and smiling as they made their way off onto what was a difficult cross country course.
While the atmosphere was jovial and high-spirited, competition was rife. Patrick Quinn proved to be the fastest runner for the weekend keeping Peter O’Farrell at bay in second place and Darragh McShane in third. In the female category Pauline Brady, Avril Copeland and Melanie Earwaker were in the leading positions after what was a tough day’s running.
Sunday saw the mountain bike stages take place and while Niall Davis clinched the single day title, Peter O’Farrell and Avril Copeland were ultimately given the worthy title of Caveman and Cavewoman. The weekend participants ran nearly 16km of track on Saturday followed by nearly 35km of mountain biking on Sunday. Deteriorating weather conditions on Sunday afternoon didn’t impact things at all as the exhilarated cavemen and cavewomen crossed the finish line to a chorus of cheers from their fellow participants.