Time for a New Adventure

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Fantastic report S, it sounds like an amazing race!! Agree with Norb, well jel...

I hope you’ve nothing else lined up for at least a week!!!!?

Thanks A - loads of people hiking with their wooflies and dogs seem to be welcomed into every hostel and pub over there so you and Woody could have an awesome time on the trails.

Baby75 wrote: »

wow, wow, wow I was so looking forward to that report after I saw your finisher picture on facebook. I knew it would be good and it lived up to my expectations epic report and excellent racing well done Neady and I love the picture it just sums up what it all about and how alive you feel when you achieve a fantastic goal
plus congrats on the 5km race as well great running!

so yea after a wee rest what is next

Thanks N, yea, my legs are demanding a rest this week but I've plans for fun hill running with friends at the weekend so I'll need them for that.

My next big race will be the Wicklow Way and hopefully the hay is in the barn at this stage. The goal now is to do some easy paced long runs, break in new runners and stay injury free

joey100 wrote: »

Well done, that sounds like a mad race! Any idea what caused the hands to swell? In a race like that is the course marked out at all or are you navigating as well?

Thanks Joey, do all peoples hands swell when they run for ages? I just assumed they do. I put it down to having my arms bent for so long - I should probably shake them out more often and leg the blood flow but I rarely think of it. The swelling goes down very quickly after I stop.

The Highland Way is marked out like the Wicklow way with little arrows but for road crossings, they had marshals and they had extra arrows in bright colours popped up at any junctions where there was potential to go wrong. With the large numbers in the race, I only found myself along for short stretches so there was always someone to check the direction with

Pmaldini wrote: »

Thanks Neady,

is that 2 sticks of caffeinated in 1 bottle and 1 plain in the other or is it just water in the other bottle? sorry for the questions, dont want to get it wrong on slieve felim this weekend:)

I put two sticks (both caffeinated) in one bottle and none in the other. I found that though Tailwind doesn't taste of much, sipping it all day long is too much and I enjoy plain water so one very concentrated bottle of it and one bottle of plain water suits me.

mossym wrote: »

been reading on and off neady. well done on the year so far, you;re flying. and congrats on the engagement as well, i can't remember if i posted at the time or not

Cheers M, this year has gone really so far and I think I've found my happy place with the trail running. I'm gonna get booted out of this forum soon though if I don't add some adventuring in

Pmaldini wrote: »

very true M but its good to know what works, then try it and hope ta feck it works for me. i'm too old and lazy to go through all that testing lark:D

You beat me to it Mossy Please don't look for my head on a spike if it doesn't work for you but yea, two sticks in one bottle and the other plain old water is what I prefer.

Wicklow Way Solo 2018: 127km from Clonegal, Co. Carlow to Marlay Park, Co. Dublin
The Wicklow Way runs from Marlay Park in Co. Dublin to Clonegal in Co. Carlow. This race starts at midnight on Friday night and participants have 21 hours (including some quite tight cut-offs in between) to complete the course. 2018 was the sixth running of this race and to mark the occasion; IMRA decided to run the race in the opposite direction, from Clonegal to Marlay Park.

This was my second year heading for Wicklow for this race. Last year, I raced this without ever having been on the trails in Wicklow prior to the race and to say that it was a baptism of fire is an understatement. It rained throughout the night, I only barely made each cut-off as the race progressed, fighting the clock all the way and finishing in a time of 20 hours and 19 minutes. I was third girl home however only three females finished the race so while I enjoyed the podium finish, I never really felt that I was deserving of it, just for finishing the race. Last years report finished with the line “My god …… that was hard!! Next year, I'm going to be more prepared” and that pretty much set the wheels in motion.

I was travelling for work last week so I had to prepare my gear and sort my drop bags a week before the race and leave my kit in the car at Dublin airport the week before the race. I flew into Dublin late on Thursday evening, stayed up as late as I could and slept in as late as I could on Friday morning. I met with Nop98 for some lunch, to talk tactics and get a tour of his incredible workplace. Nop98 had agreed a long way back to be a support runner for me for the final 50km from Glendalough and had been training diligently on the Wicklow trails as to keep me company on the race however the race handbook stated that in the interest of fairness, support runners would only be allowed to run if a participant was within 30 minutes of the cut-off and I had no idea how this race would go so we were unsure whether Nop could run with me.

On last pit stop in Halfords to get some reflective gear to meet the mandatory kit requirement and I was on my way to Marlay Park to register, park up for the night and catch the bus to Clonegal. Kit check went smoothly; I had all my required kit. I met the guys from Primal tracking to get my tracker taped to my bag. The guy at the desk takes my name, looks up at me and says “I recognise the name, have you done the Race, Coast to Coast or the Kerry Ultra”, ah, yea, all of them, I say sheepishly.

We were bussed to Clonegal from Marlay park and as night fell on this sleepy little town, 100 trail runners descended an hour and a half before the race. My buddy Owen and I headed for the local pub for a cuppa. I was nodding off on the couch when Owen nudged me and told me that we were 20 minutes from kick off so I roused myself and headed outside. A quick hello to the amazing Baby75 and hubby and we were off.

Section 1: Clonegal to Raheenakit: +17km: 1hr 51 (1:51)
Owen, who’d I’ve traveled to most races with this year, and I formulated a loose plan of action. We’d run the first section together or at least until day light came upon us, after that we’d take whatever came. Lillian (RD) gave us a race briefing and we were off. I’d been doing my best to memorise this first section from last year (backwards). The first 5km is on road, then a turn right onto a forest track and somewhere before the next checkpoint, there should be a field that we skirt around.

Off we set, at a nice pace, reminding each other that we have a long day ahead of us and not to get carried away. My fear coming into this race was that we/I would go out like the clappers and die a death later in the race as this first 25km is relatively flat compared to the rest of the course. I looked at the watch and we were doing roughly 6min/km pace over some undulating terrain. While others were starting to walk the hills, I was pushing the pace a bit and jogging away, knowing that this could be detrimental but also wanting to push this right to the edge. Into the first CP, say a quick hello to Baby75, who’s still awake :O and on we go. Neither of us had a drop bag here or needed water so we sailed through. We reach the first CP 40 minutes before the cut-off.

Section 2: Raheenakit to the Dying Cow: +9km (26km): 1hr 02mins (2:53)
This section is mostly on road and is very runnable. Owen and I are still tipping away, I’m setting the pace and I know that I’m pushing it but I decide at this stage that I’m willing to take a gamble on this. It’s a mild might and the moon shines bright in the sky making for perfect running conditions. I’m wearing road runners for this section and I’ve left trail runners and my walking poles in the drop bag at CP3 at Iron bridge. I’m glad that I’m wearing my runners as I enjoy the cushion that the runners afford me on the tarred road.

I’m remembering more and more of the route and I’m able to tell which direction we should go in without the need to look for the little yellow men. We stop briefly for both of us to have a toilet stop. About 1km from the Dying Cow, we see a guy on our left throwing up. It’s very early in the race to be sick, I feel for him, we ask him if he’s ok and he shoos us on. We see the lights of the Dying Cow, much earlier than I was expecting and we stop to refuel. I recall the priest at a wedding I was at last year telling me the story of how the Dying Cow got its name. In the 1920’s a group of men were drinking in the pub well past closing time and when the police came knocking, the bar woman reluctantly opened the door to them. When asked what all these men were doing on the premises past closing time, she replied that they were there to help her with a sick cow.

Owen has a drop bag here but I just refill my bottles of water and pop in a sachet of Tailwind that I’m carrying and try to hurry Owen out of the CP. We leave the Dying Cow 52 minutes before the cut-off.

Section 3: Dying Cow to Iron Bridge: +24km (50km): 3hrs 33mins (6:27)
This section is largely off-road and navigation becomes more important. Most route books and tourist guides suggest that people do the Wicklow Way from North to South and so the signage for the WW is better in that direction making the South to North traverse that little bit more difficult if you’re not familiar with the route. Chatter on the FB page and the IMRA website from those who had recce’d the route also suggested that this section was the most difficult in terms of missing markers therefore I was on high alert.

We’re coming down a hill and there’s a guy in front of Owen and I, we follow him to the left and we hear a shout from someone behind us. We should have gone right. It’s my fault, I’m in front and I got lulled into a false sense of ‘the person in front knows where they’re going so I should just follow them’ but better to learn this now and start checking myself at each turn going forward.
There’s a nasty descent from here through some really rough farm land where large rocks have been scattered on a track. The batteries in Owens head torch run out so we stop to change those quickly.

We both remark that the temperature has dropped a little and I know that dawn is upon us. As night turns into day, the temperature drops quite a bit before the sun starts to warm our bodies again. We start to hear the dawn chorus, it’s just magic and we both agree that we’re incredibly lucky to be out here witnessing this.

We’re still moving at a nice pace across a field and under the shade of some trees and it’s getting brighter and brighter. I look behind me and I can’t see Owen anymore and so I’m on my own. I keep pushing on, again aware that this could be my downfall but I remind myself that I’m fresh and I have the training in the bag.

I see two people ahead of me on a steep incline on rough ground so I hike as fast as I can to catch them. I pass a guy and then I pass a girl. She says well done Sinéad so I turn to look at her and wish her well. I recognise her from the other races that I’ve done in Wicklow this year and she’s always finished well ahead of me, her name is Jackie. I tell her she’s flying it. I wonder if I should stay behind her but instead decide to put some space between us and so I push on.

About 5km down the road, I see two people up ahead so I push on to catch them. It’s Paul (pants), who I finished this race with last year, and another guy. We chat briefly and I move on and out of the forest section onto tarred road again. The road section to Iron Bridge is much shorter than I remember and I’m glad of this. Iron bridge – attack of the midges. I cannot even begin to describe how bad the midges were here. I come from a farm, I spent my youth in the bog but sweet mother of jesus, I’ve never witnessed anything like this. They just swarmed around me, I couldn’t even see my drop bag with the thickness of them. How the volunteers stayed here and stayed sane is beyond me. They deserve the freedom of Wicklow for manning this checkpoint.

I changed into my trail runners, took out my sticks and refilled my water bottles and popped two more Tailwind sachets into my bottles here at quick fire rapid speed so as not to be eaten alive. I left Iron Bridge 64 minutes before the cut-off.

Section 4: Iron Bridge to Glenmalure: +13km (63km): 1hr 58mins (8:26am)
I had been going over and over this section in my head using the maps, my memory and looking up sections on google maps so that I’d be prepared mentally for it. The first climb is long and steep and I was glad to have my walking poles. A guy comes up behind me on the hike out of Iron Bridge and tells me that the light that I’ve attached to my bag is still on and he offers to turn it off. Fellow runners are incredibly encouraging and helpful.

Up through forest and I’m still being attacked my midges but not as bad as at the Iron bridge. The sun was starting to shine and it was getting warm, the back of my t-shirt was saturated with sweat and I was beginning to dread the heat that lay ahead for us.

A lot of this section is through the forest so there was some protection from the early morning sun. I’m still feeling good and pushing on, running absolutely ever meter that is runnable and hiking as fast as I can up the hills. I need to pee again so I look behind on a forest trail, don’t see anyone coming and just step off to the side of the trail. My tummy is starting to swell from all the water that I’m drinking and my shorts are beginning to rub against my tummy and cause a sore so I’ve some discomfort when I pull my shorts back up. Again, Glenmalure comes much quicker than I was anticipating. Glenmalure is the half way mark and from a mental point of view, the race hasn’t even begun yet.

Into this checkpoint, grab my drop bag, I’ve sun-glasses, factor 50 and more tailwind here. Baby75 was on hand to fill my bottles of water and pop in the Tailwind while I put sunscreen on my legs and arms. A glug of coke and I was out again. I tell the CP man I’m leaving and he tells me that I’m very quick. I think he says that I’m third lady but I’m not sure. I leave Glenmalure 1 hour and 21 minutes before the cut-off.

Section 5: Glenmalure to Glendalough: +17km (80km): 2hrs 13mins (10:39)
I’ve been looking forward to this section since we left Clonegal as I remember it clearly from the Clover late in January. My goal with this race is to take it section by section and only focus on the section that I’m on at the moment. If I stopped to think about Djouce and the climbs that still lie ahead, I imagine that I would slow up quite a bit on this section.

I ran this section with Lar during the Clover and as I run and take in my surroundings, I remember the stories that Lar was telling me as we passed through this area. This battle happened here, those trees there represent that, the waterfall over there was lit up during that race …. these memories occupy my mind and really help to pass the time on my own.

I’m looking forward to getting to the wooden logs that are stacked at the side of the trail and walking up the stone steps before meeting a grassy section and hitting the downhill to Glendalough. I was strong walking up those steps during the Clover and I hope I can draw on that strength today. On the second hill out of Glenmalure, I pass a guy who confesses that he’s fading fast. At the bottom of the stone steps, there’s a runner standing there and he tells me to forge ahead – I do and he come with me. We strike up a conversation and it turns out the guy on the hill is his mate. His friend is an 18 minute 5km runner and he’s finding the uphills difficult but this friend is confident that he’ll make up the time on the downhills and they’ll both reach Glendalough together.

We move on up the stone steps together and chat. This guy is from East Clare and we chat about running and different races that we’ve done. He’s pleasant company. On the downhill towards Gelendalough he’s really pushing the pace and I do my best to keep with him but eventually I drop the pace a little to a more comfortable pace that suits me – I see him head off into the distance. There’s still a long day ahead.

I pass the spot where the diversion into Glendalough is in place, where I made a navigational error during the Clover and added a km or so onto my race. Making a mistake once is a sure fire way not to make the same mistake again. Down into Glendalough and I know that I’ve still a way to go to the checkpoint as Lillian has moved the checkpoint to Military road to avoid the tourists and the midges.

There are fewer people around Glendalough than I was expecting. The trudge through Glendalough is a long one, I’d forgotten how long it takes to get through it. Eventually I reach the visitors center (remembering Nop and AGYR being here last year) and head for the hotel and the road on the other side. Over the fence at the other side of the road and I’m groaning going over it – how much will the styles later in the day hurt (a lot as it turns out). I recall there being a dead badger here when we did the Clover and Lar was poking it and telling me a story about a bird that had bitten him. When you’ve been on your own for the best part of 10 hours, random thoughts pop into your head. Up through the forest and on I go. I’m focused on getting water at the checkpoint as I’m all out at this stage. I also do a mental check and deduce that I’m suffering now; I’m hurting all over but at least there’s no single part that hurts more than the rest. There’s no sign of Military road. I could have sworn that it wasn’t that far from Glendalough but it feels like kilometers.

I get to a junction and there are two other runners there, we all wonder where this dang CP is. I tell them that we couldn’t have missed it, we’ve stuck to the WW all the way. There’s an arrow pointing straight ahead and we go down the hill. I get a bad feeling that we’re going too far so I stop and take out my map. Sh1t, we missed a left turn up the hill so we turn and there’s a path off to our right. One of the guys says that it leads to the CP but I search and there is no yellow man – it’s not the WW. I tell him that I’m going back up to pick up the correct trail so I do that, I can’t recall if he followed. Not too bad, maybe a km out of the way but a stupid stupid mistake.

Very quickly I see Nop98 on the trail and he’s cheering me on. I’m disappointed for him as I knew that we would have had fun running this section together but I know that it won’t be allowed particularly if I’m still in third place. Nop confirms that I’m still third. He tells me that he had to get AGYR up and out earlier than planned as I’m way ahead of schedule (sorry to both of you). I get into the CP and my buddy Lar is there, he offers to run the next section with me too but I tell him that it’s not within the rules. AGYR and Hillsiderunner are also there, I’m absolutely over the moon to see them. Even though I only see them for a few minutes, it lifts my spirits no end. Their support is amazing and even though I look composed, I’m welling up that these incredible people have come out to cheer me on. I change my t-shirt, my formula 1 style team refill my bottles, I take a swig of coke and off I go.

Lar offers me an ice-cream but I decline as I don’t know how I could eat an ice cream and use the poles for this uphill section at the same time. Obviously with hindsight I know that I could have held the two poles in one hand and the ice cream with the other so this gives you a flavor of where my head was at this stage, not computing. Lillian (RD) is also there and gives me a hug on my way out of the CP – I think I hugged everyone as I left the CP to try and soak up their energy

I leave Glendalough 2 hours and 6 minutes before the cut-off. Nop98 suggested after the race that there was a mistake made on the time I left this CP here and I think he’s right, I hemorrhaged time on the next section and I don’t believe that I made up an hour on the last section so I’ve a feeling that this section took me longer and the next section took me less time than the splits suggest.

Section 6: Glendalough to Crone Woods: +24km (104km): 4hrs 20mins (14:59)
With the highs, come the lows and soon after the high of Glendalough, I hit rock bottom. I bounced (as much as you can bounce after 80km) out of Glendalough and up the track but soon after the heat started to get to me and with that, my head started to go. I was guzzling water and thinking of what was to come, Djouce. I stopped for a pee and feeling quite incapacitated, it hurt a lot. My shorts had now cut into my ever expanding tummy and there were some quite disgusting looking welts developing around my tummy (TMI I know but I need to remember this for my next race).

Every now and then I could see Djouce in the distance and it was miles away with numerous climbs between me and it. Demoralising to say the least. The thought of all the climbing to be done before I’d even get to that climb, the highest point of the day, was paralysing me and I was getting slower and slower. Lillian (RD) told us in her race briefing that she was putting in an extra water stop before the turn onto Djouce due to the heat so I tried to focus on getting to that at least.

I felt like I was getting slower and slower and was reduced to a shuffle. On this section of felled forestry with no cover from the sun, the heat being reflected from the sandy ground underneath my feet was energy sapping. I spotted a guy further up the track to my left. He had a blusish jumper on and was kneeling on the ground with his head clasped in his hands and his bum up in the air. I wondered if he was ok but as I got closer I realised that it was a rock. This is a bad bad place to be in but at least I knew I was in a bad place mentally. Tears well up in my eyes and I consider taking out my phone to call Kieran for a chat – then I think I’m in third place, what if she’s stronger than I am now and gaining on me. I’ve been on my own for too long now and the heat, the heat is killing me. I pull myself together as much as I can and try to focus on the next hill, shuffle down the next one and drag myself up the next one, I’m really using the poles now to pull me around at this stage.

Eventually, I see cars in the distance. Please please please let that be the water stop before the climb up Djouce. It is. Lillian is there and I drink about a liter of water in front of her before refilling my bottles and plodding on. She tells me that it’s 28 or 30 degrees. On I go up the sharp tarred road. A guy coming down the hill in a black golf lets down his window and he says ‘well done Sinéad, you’re doing great’. I don’t know him, I don’t think he knows me (my name is on my bib number) but that guy and his few words gave me back my fighting spirit (the gallon of water probably had something to do with it too). I turned right onto the trail and something just clicked. I wanted to keep fighting for third place, I’d earned this spot up to now and if another girl wanted it, she’d have to put up a dam good fight for it.

Up the boardwalk (concentrating hard so as not to fall off) through the forest before finally hitting Djouce for real. I’m trying to move as fast as I can on the boardwalk without tripping over. This climbing is tough, I’m looking forward to the shuffle down the other side. Eventually I get to the top, thankfully the walkers on the boardwalk make way for me – I don’t have the energy to keep hopping on and off this boardwalk so I thank them all for making way for me.

Down I go over the rocky section, definitely not as nimble on this as I was during the Maurice Mullins ultra but I’m moving all the same and I’m moving as fast as I possibly can. I enjoy seeing the mountain bikers up here doing amazing thing on the technical trails. I’m enjoying this part, taking in my surroundings and soaking it all up. I’m also glad to see the back of the trail and turn left onto the technical decent though. There are lots of people bathing by the river and I consider stopping to get some fresh cool water but I don’t have time, what if there’s a girl just at the top of the hill behind me, I have to keep pushing.

The next climb was just brutal. It’s really steep and my calves can hardly hack it. I’m hauling myself up using the poles. There are two tourists on it so I aim to catch them and pass them. I do and that’s enough to get me to the top. I turn right and head for Powerscourt waterfall. It’s along here somewhere that I see Enduro coming against me on a training run. I tell him that it’s nice to see a celebrity on the trails  I know I just need to keep moving and I’ll be a Crone woods soon. It really helps to know this section. Thank god this godforsaken section is over, now I can put it behind me and get the next section over with.

AGYR, Baby75, her hubby and Hillsiderunner are here. It’s like rolling into a formula one pit-stop. I get my bag handed to me. Change of shoes, off with the trail runners and on with the road runners. Change of t-shirt, refill bottles, AGYR gives me the most delicious apple to munch on and I’m off. Onwards and upwards to Curtlestown woods. I leave Crone Woods 1 hour and 46minutes before the cut-off.

Section 7: Crone Woods to Boranaraltry Bridge: +11km (115km): 1:49 (16:48)
How long is 11km? Incredibly long when you have to climb up through Curtlestown Woods. I know this section pretty well, we covered it at the beginning and end of the Maurice Mullins Ultra so it’s fresh in my mind.

Just past Crone woods where I turn right onto the next section of trail, Lar and Gail are waiting for me. Lar offers me another ice cream, I decline. He offers me painkillers, I decline them too. Seeing them gives me a great boost. I ask how Alicia is getting on (Alicia is a girl I’ve been in contact with who is doing the WW for the first time). He says that she’s doing ok, she will finish. I ask if he’s seen Owen. He has, he tells me that he met Owen at Glendalough and slagged him that I was miles ahead. If Owen took a slagging then he must be ok.

I think back to the second last section of the race last year, the Dying Cow to Raheenakit. At the Dying Cow last year there were celebrations of sorts from the people at the checkpoint. We’d make the cut-off with 10 minutes to spare and seemingly, we’d loads of time to finish the race so we strolled out of the Dying Cow. This year, the second last checkpoint at Crone Woods was different. There were no such celebrations or feelings of relief. This race was still on with two to three tough climbs still to come. I’m beginning to realise that doing the WW from South to North is much tougher.

Heading up the first hill I’m picking up the pace as much as I can and trying to pump my arms and walking poles. Strangely enough, I’m enjoying this, I like these kinds of climbs. Up up and onto the stone steps. Lifting my legs to for each step is getting more difficult but I keep moving. As I crest the hill, there’s a guy in black with a MTB standing there and he wishes me well and tells me I’m looking incredibly fresh considering what I’ve just done (I tell him I’m certainly not feeling fresh). I ask him if he was the guy in the black golf at Djouce, it wasn’t but he looks just like him. I thank him for his encouragement and push on.

The next section is flattish but there are stones poking up from the ground and every 100 meters or so there are ruts cut across the trail that act as drains to let the water flow across the trail. These ruts are usually lined with sharpish rocks that stick up at either side of the “wall” of the drain. On a normal day, these don’t pose much of a problem, you just step over them as you trot along. Today they may as well be 4 foot high fences and try as I might to keep my shuffling rhythm, each one throws me off and I have to start again at the other side. I’m actually thankful at this stage that Nop isn’t with me because he’d be so frustrated with how slow I’m moving.

The next downhill section is quite technical and my right knee is giving me fierce jib when I put weight on it so I start to use my poles going downhill almost as you’d use crutches and use them to almost fling me out over the stones The track slowly turns into a fire road and I’m able to run a bit more. I start counting my steps now as my right knee is jarring and I can only run for 100 steps before having to stop and walk a bit. Starting to run after stopping to walk is taking more and more effort now. I look down at my feet and send the signal ‘run’ and I fully expect to break into a trot but nothing happens, I’m still shuffling. It’s taking three attempts of sending the ‘run’ signal to my legs now to actually break into a trot.

I see P, the other half of Baby75, walking up the hill against me. He tells me that I’ve about 2km to go down the hill to the next checkpoint. 2 f**king km like … at this pace. Next I hear the sound of runners behind me and three lads come thundering down the hill, Karl and Owen, who I met at the MM. They have an American guy in tow and they are flying it. I wish them well but also wish I had their fresh looking legs right now. I continue with this shuffle I have going on, stopping to walk every time my right knee jars. I hear another runner behind me and it’s Enduro. He tells me that I’m doing well, as he zips on by.

Finally I reach the checkpoint and Enduro is there doling out encouragement and words of wisdom. He’s incredibly supportive and tells me that I’m third lady and he didn’t come across the fourth lady so if I keep moving I should be able to hold my spot. I ask him how far it is to Marlay Park, 11km. Inside I’m dying as he points to the hill up ahead and talks me through the next section. There are no celebrations at this checkpoint either, there’s still a long way to go and this race isn’t over yet. I leave Boranaraltry bridge 1 hour and 57 minutes before the cut-off.

Section 6: Boranaraltry to Marlay Park: +12km (127km): 1hr 35mins (18:24)
I leave Boranaraltry Bridge with Owen, Karl and the American guy that the two lads have picked up. As we walk up the sharp hill out of the CP, we tell the American just who Enduro, who was offering him words of encouragement, is and he’s well chuffed to meet a guy who’s toed the line at Barkley. He’s thanking the guys profusely for sticking with him and pulling him along. We motor on and Karl points to the forest up ahead where we will take a right turn. The guys push on and I decided to keep motoring at my own pace, they’re moving too fast for me.

Enduro joins me for the next km or so on road. He’s so incredibly encouraging. Enduro, if you’re reading this, I can’t thank you enough for being such a boost. He tells me that I’m moving well but I’m embarrassed to be running beside such a legend at such a slow pace. I tell him that I believe that doing the WW in this direction is more difficult and he agrees with me – I feel vindicated for finding this so tough . That section of road flew by thanks to your company Eoin, I really appreciate it. We turn right onto an uphill off road section and Enduro absolutely fly’s up the hill.

I focus on getting to the top of this. It’s quite technical and the rocks sticking up from the ground are just wanting to trip me up. I’m no longer able to lift my feet high enough to trot over them so instead I kind of shuffle around them as fast as I can. Thankfully we reach the downhill section but I’m also worried about how my knee will cope with this. I somehow manage to black out the pain and resolve to run the rest of this to Marlay Park – third lady is in the bag now so lets finish strong and in a good time.

I catch Karl and Owen, their American buddy got a second wind and went in pursuit of Enduro. The guys are reduced to a walk and they kindly tell me to push on and finish strong and with those words of encouragement, that’s what I resolve to do. I’ve no idea where the strength or energy came from but I run and I’m able to keep running. I turn left through the gates of Marley park and fully expect to see the finish line to my right …. But it’s not there so I follow the markers. The markers are sporadic at best here and I keep chasing them. After what feels like a km or a km and a half I’m getting frustrated, there’s no sign of the dang finish and I’m not even sure that I’m going the right way arrgggggggg.

Thankfully, just as I’m about to throw my toys out of the pram, I see the big house up ahead. I stick my nose out from behind the bushes, see the finishing flags to my right and I head for them. I see Nop, AGYR, P and Baby75 there cheering me on to the finish and honestly, I’m so happy and so proud. I tap the wall and turn to hug these amazing people who’ve been with me on this long day. I cannot thank this group of super heroes enough for being out there willing me on all day. I wouldn’t have finished this race without youg guys, thank you al so so much.

I get to Marley Park after 18 hours and 24 minutes, 2 hours and 36 minutes before the cut off and almost two hours quicker than last year. 3rd placed girl and I have another beautiful piece of Wicklow granite with a yellow man (running in the opposite direction this year) carved into it. This years piece of granite is a little smaller than last years but I couldn’t be more proud of it. This year I feel like I earned that yellow man.

Lillian and her merry band of volunteers did an excellent job on the race this year. It's definitely very special.

The Wicklow Way in numbers. 110 competitors entered the WW 2018 and there were 100 hardy souls standing on the Clonegal start line for gun time. 62 of those hardy souls made it to Marlay park within 21 hours. I finished 24th out of 62 finishers and 3rd lady out of six female finishers from the fifteen who started.

This week, I keep replaying each section of the race over and over in my head. I’ve found it difficult to concentrate on other things so I’m glad to finally have it down on paper and can get back to work Thanks for reading.