Over, around and through

26 39022 Ultra Paul Tierney Male Senior 1:51:51 1:53:13 1:51:49 5:36:52
36 39161 Ultra Paul Brunnock Male M40 1:57:47 1:57:53 1:58:56 5:54:36
The 3 exceptions that prove the rule. Excellent pacing by mick rice:D

Thanks liamo. I didn't think the last half was that hard. The last 2 climbs were hard enough but plenty of lovely. downhills to. Well down on your time.

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Someone said to me today that i dont do reports and if i do they are ****

Training had gone well for this and i peaked at 72 miles with 3 longs runs that weeks. I knew i had the distance but it was still a big leap for me going from 31 miles to nearly 40, plus the hills in the run in were sure to kill me:D
Got 2 hours slepp saturday night because there was a punk rock band on in the hotel where i was staying which kept me awake most of the night
Up at 5.45 to sort my stuff for the aid stations. 3 bottles of flat coke with 2 electrolyte tablets in each 1, 3 mars bars and 3 gels divided into 3 bags. 7 more gels into my pockets. Maybe a bit excessive but better to have and not need ect....
Met with meno and eddie murphy at 6.30 and we walked to the coach. The mood was nice and relaxed and we were off to peacocks. Good banter at peacocks and caugth up with a few people i hadnt seen in a while. I finally decided to drop my bags at 13.1, 26.2 and 32 miles. It was getting hot and i knew id be sweating out salt so i decided on these points for salt replacement. I figured id be grand till 13 which i was.

Race start
The hooter went and i started my watch about 10 foot from the timing matt and we were off. The first couple of miles were either side of the planned pace that myself and meno had agreed on for the first 26.2 miles,8.30 a mile was the proposed pace.
1.8.36
2.8.22
We got a few miles in and my stomach started to grumble because of a bar i had eaten.We were running in a kind of loose group but me having no manners the farting started:D
I think at least 4 people chipped in at 1 stage, it was kile the wind section of the orchresta:P
It was still early days but was were watching the pace very carefully as we knew it would be fatal if we went to fast.
3. 8.27
4. 8.29
5. 8.27
6. 8.18
It was at the 7 miles marked we notcied something odd. The 7th mile was about 1.1 miles. Nothing to much to worry about but small things like that prey on my mind.
7. 8.18
8. 8.22
9. 8.17
10. 8.12
We had fallen into a group and our pace had naturally dropped so we decided to let them go. 1 guy, a guy from The usa called seamus stayed with us and we had great crack.
11.8.20
12. 8.34
I had started sweating a good bit at this stage and my frist bag drop was coming up and it was badly need tbh. We went by mile 12 and there were a few people handing out water and behind them was a table. We got about 20 foot by it and i realised it was the aid station. We losdst maybe 20 secs finding our bags but it wasnt to bad.
I had planned from early after my stomach starting grumbling to use the portaloo at 13.1 miles. I lost maybe 30 secs and caugth back up with the lads pretty quickly. I got a lecture for making up the ground to quickly:p
The scenery was stunning with the mist in the hills and the counrtyside. The type of country its awe inspiring to run in. We entered a lovely stretch of raod which was mildly downhill and a great surface and there was a lovely little refreshing breeze. You could see literally 5 or 6 miles down the road. We had picked up a 4th member of our group at this stage, dont know the chaops name because he didnt talk
We could hear him breathing from about 50 yards away haha.
13. 8.15
14. 8.50 wtf happened here
15. 8.27
16. 8.27
Tere was much banter about an apparent hill at about 17,18 miles. I hadnt heard anything about it and to be honest didnt worry about it. OPut 4th member yo yo,d in front then behind us as the road went up and down. The hill finally came just before 20 i think and it wasnt anything major. It actaully was a nice change. We actually lost no pace on it which kind of annoyed meno:P
17. 8.23
18. 8.32
19. 8.33
20. 8.42
About half was up the hill we starting to work our way through the back of the marathon field and we got great support from them which was excellent. The next part of the course was very undluation. lots of small rises. Up, down, up , down. Repeat and rince:D
There seemed to be a longer then usual gap between water stations at this point and i was getting a it thirsty, in fact we all were. We worked out way through the marathon field on another lovely little downhill into lenanne. Again we were getting great support. My left knee was starting to ache and i asked the lads hopw their legs were. I was promptly told to shut up. Not good then haha
I was telling the lads a war story about a conversation i overheard 2 brass monkeys having on the luas and we were laughing and some guy running the marathon said something like jaysus lads you are having way to much fun.
21. 8.32
22. 8.35
23. 8.26
24. 8.15
25. 8.27
At this stage i had used my gels as a little drink between water stations but i was very thirsty coming up to the marathon timing mat. I knew my coke was watiing on me. I had gotten a great boost off the coke at 13.1 miles so i was looking forward to it. I had also eaten the mars bar at 13.1 which i was surprised at how easy i was able to eat it while on the move.
We came into leanne and i spyed the aid table over to the right. Every event always had 1 big defining moment and this was it for me. I found my bag after about 10 secs but menos was no where to be seen, I ran on, adios amigo:P
I looked back about 2 mins later and hes still at the table. Nightmare.
The first proper hill of the day. Drank my coce with the salt tabs in it. Took a gel and head down. Wasnt losing to much time and was wondering what every 1 was on about. Monster hill ect... Na:D
26. 8.27
27. 8.39
28. 8.42
Got to the top of the hill in great nick. Excellent boost from the coke and salt tabs. The legs we aching to up the pace. It was at this point i realised i felt really really good.
I thought to myself fcuk it im going for 5.30. I had spent time looking at the splits of the runners from last year and very very few people had negitive splits but they arent me.
I would need to go close to 1.45 for the last 13.1 after doing 1.51 and 1.52 i think for the first 2 halfs.
I started picking off ultra runners. Id see 1 in the distance and g after them, catch them and go for the next 1. I was getting excellent support from everyone i passed. I started getting surges of adreniline after groups of half walkers starting cheering me as i went by. Every cheer i got was like a jolt and it spured me on. I had reined in most of the group we were running with very early on. It had fractured and 1 by 1 i passed them.

29. 8.01 Now were talking
30. 7.57 zooom
31. 7.40 Ah hear slow down
32. 8.23
I was still picking off the ultra runners and at this point i think it was i could see a guy in a west waterford singlet but i wasnt gaining on him. Ahh challange accepted sir:D Took me about a mile or 2 to catch him and we ran together till the hell of the west. At this stage i was taking a gel every 2 miles. I had 3 left so took them 32,34,36 miles
33. 8.09
34. 8.13
35. 8.24
36. 8.23 slowed down a little to prepare myself for hell of the west.
The started the climb and me and the waterford guy seperated. head down and the added little kick in the face a fcuking heading going up the hill. Head down and just keep moving. it wasnt pretty but i was by the far the fastest moving thing i could see on the hill. Tonnes and tonnes of walkers at this stage and i was getting savage support. Was starting o get a little emotional:eek:
Never happened me before, strange feeling to be honest. i got to the top and took about 1 min to settle and gave it everything i had in the last 2 miles. managed to get down near my marathon pace and i was flying. Went by the 2nd, 3rd and forth place ladies in the last mile of so.
37. 9.00 nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo:P
38. 8.03
39. 7.23 kaboom:D
Lap 40, .63 of a miles in 4.22 @7.07 pace, nice:D
The 9 min mile on hotw derailed my sub 5.30 last gasp effort.
Waited on meno to finish and lets just say many pints were consumed during the rest of the day:D
Connemara ill see you next year for sub 5.15:D

Every aspect of this race is excellent. The logistics to put on 3 races and lets face it in the middle of nowhere must be huge but it was flawless.

Swollen Big toe on right foot but other than that no pain at all its weird. -1 toenail also:d

hot to trot wrote: »

Fabulous. super running and glad you enjoyed it so much too.
PIty to miss you in the celebrations afterwards...will have to go back next year and buy you that pint or 10 .

See you down in portumna. We can have a few drinks in the shanon oaks:D
Ill probably be in no fit state to drink after 100k though:D
Well done yourself btw.