Ben Nevis Race – Beinn Nibheis!
On Saturday 6th September, the legendary Ben Race once again took its place as a classic in the Scottish hill running calendar.
The 15km route, with 1,350m of climbing from Fort William to the summit of Ben Nevis and back, attracted a strong field.
Conditions this year were close to perfect for mountain running: dry underfoot, 15°C at the base, and a brisk 3°C at the summit, with just a touch of low-lying cloud.
Ballymena Runners were proudly represented by Duncan Millar, lining up alongside more than 30 athletes from various clubs and members of NIMRA (Northern Ireland Mountain Running Association).
Duncan ran strongly throughout and was rewarded with a new personal best on this iconic mountain.
Well done Duncan!
Duncan Millar with Ben Nevis in the background
Wilson World Master!
This past weekend (August 29–31), the stunning Italian Dolomites played host to the 24th World Masters Mountain Running Championships in Meduno. Open to runners aged 35 and over, the championships once again featured the popular three-race format first introduced in Canfranc: an uphill-only test, a long-distance race, and a classic distance challenge.
Ballymena Runners were proudly represented by Jason Wilson, competing for the Ireland M35 team.
The action began on Friday with the uphill-only race — a brutal 5 km climb packing in 800m of elevation, with 506 athletes taking to the line. Jason battled strongly to finish 70th overall, 19th in the M35 category, and crucially the final scorer for Ireland’s M35 squad, helping the team secure a fantastic bronze medal behind Italy and Germany.
After a day’s recovery, Sunday brought the Classic race. Under bright skies, competitors faced a 15.3 km route that matched Friday’s ascent before unleashing a long, technical descent back into Meduno. Rising to the occasion, Jason delivered his best performance of the season, finishing 37th out of over 600 runners and the second Irish M35 scorer. Despite his strong run, the Ireland team narrowly missed the podium, placing 4th.
A superb weekend’s racing from Jason — flying the flag for both Ireland and Ballymena Runners at the very top level of masters mountain running.
Congratulations Jason!