Connemarathon 2010 - All welcome

[marathondan]

I'd just like to wish everyone a safe trip, and good luck for the race on Sunday, particularly our intrepid ultramarathoners. I just looked at the course map for the first time - looks fantastic.

[Seafront Plodder]

Thanks Dan.

Weather forecast is sunny and 17C so I suspect ultra nutters are hoping for a cool breeze.

Entrants, don't forget to print off and bring your email confirming race number.

Looking forward to meeting up with all of you in Dublin tomorrow.

[Sweder]

I'd just like to wish everyone a safe trip, and good luck for the race on Sunday, particularly our intrepid ultramarathoners. I just looked at the course map for the first time - looks fantastic.

Hmm .. probably time I did that :S
Thanks Dan. As SP says looks like it could be a warm one ...

[El Gordo]

Apart from an unpleasant hangover, I don't think I'm very well. Illness is a rare experience for me, but I've had flu-like symptoms for the last 24 hours. Will just have to hope it doesn't develop into something nastier.

Thanks for the reminder SP. I would have overlooked that.

I hope no one has asked to collect their number from Clifden. It should be Galway City.

Right. Uurrgh. Must think about packing. See ye at the airport or in Dublin. Let the Guinness roll.

[Antonio247]

I'd just like to wish everyone a safe trip, and good luck for the race on Sunday, particularly our intrepid ultramarathoners. I just looked at the course map for the first time - looks fantastic.

Gracias, Dan. It looks fantastic but tough. At least, it seems that it is going to be sunny.

Have a safe trip, everybody.

See you tomorrow

Antonio

[stillwaddler]

Good luck you Guys, I'll be thinking of you all, whilst munching/drinking a few more carbs. I hope the weather cools down a little, hopefully it will, weather forecasts are notoriously unreliable, but perhaps just pack the sun hat and the suntan lotion to be on the safe side.

Bon Voyage...Go RC'rs Go

(Hope you're feeling better El G)

[ladyrunner]

Good luck guys for your run on Sunday and try to enjoy the sunshine. Keep well and fit in the meantime and hopefully EG will feel better tomorrow.

Julie

[Sweder]

Reality kicking in ... just bought some new boots & stacks of grub for tomorrow.
Here we go.

[ladyrunner]

Hows the weather in Ireland?? It's like a summers day here

[Sweder]

It was cooking yesterday. Sun's not quite up yet but we're expecting 19 degrees and clear skies.
Just pfaffing about in my room before breakfast. My number's pinned to my shirt, various bags are packed with assorted drinks, peanut butter & jam bagels, bananas, power bars, jellybabies, vaseline, a spare shirt, socks & a route map.

Next up it's breakfast with Antonio before catching the 07:30 bus to the start.
Here we go.

[glaconman]

Bit late for good lucks, just got back from a week in the Highlands. But hope everybody had a good run. I'm sure there will be some deserved beverages tonight.

[marathondan]

FYI if anyone is online, Sweder is tweeting progress here.

[marathondan]

Sweder (and I assume Antonio) finished in 7:18. Fantastic work boys!
See here and here.

Enjoy the Guinness / cerveza, gentlemen!

[glaconman]

Amazing effort. You pulled it off.

[Sweder]

Thanks all. Everyone home safe & sound. My legs are hamburger.
Antonio completed the marathon distance and pulled out with some discomfort in his calf and groinal region.
He was awarded full recognition, shirt & medal.

I lumbered on to finish the Ultra in 7:18 and change, 12 minutes inside the official cut-off (although it was so unexpectedly hot anyone passing 26.2 in 5 hours or so was allowed to finish). I now hurt generally and cannot pick things up off the floor. Luckily there's a pint waiting for me at about waist height so I must dash.

Full story to come, or for those endowed with Twitter use Dan's link above and search for #Connemarathon
(You can go to www.twitter.com and search for @sweder or #Connemarathon)

Cheers!

[stillwaddler]

Thanks all. Everyone home safe & sound. My legs are hamburger.
Antonio completed the marathon distance and pulled out with some discomfort in his calf and groinal region.
He was awarded full recognition, shirt & medal.

I lumbered on to finish the Ultra in 7:18 and change, 12 minutes inside the official cut-off (although it was so unexpectedly hot anyone passing 26.2 in 5 hours or so was allowed to finish). I now hurt generally and cannot pick things up off the floor. Luckily there's a pint waiting for me at about waist height so I must dash.

Full story to come, or for those endowed with Twitter use Dan's link above and search for #Connemarathon
(You can go to www.twitter.com and search for @sweder or #Connemarathon)

Cheers!

ace result - you are all brilliant, am currently raising a glass of the black stuff in your general direction, congratulations to all the intrepid RC'rs

[El Gordo]

Just wasting an hour in an Internet café by the National Gallery in Dublin. Sweder and SP still en route. M and I formed an advance party to get Suzie to the airport for her earlier flight.

It's been fun, and there is already talk of coming out again next year.

Man of the moment undoubtedly Ash, with Antonio running him a close second.

I'd not said much to Ash about the ultra in the last couple of weeks, because it didn't fully register that he was totally serious about taking on the 39 mile hilly course. He was, and what a great achievement. Remember that it's been baking hot here: the warmest race conditions in the history of the race.

This monster of a man arrived back at the hotel at about 5.30 on Sunday, and laid waste a pint of Guinness before the story of his race started to emerge. I'll let him impart the full grisly details, but in the meantime, just be in awe of the guy. Or in fear of him. There's something not quite right about that man. Let me tell you that 24 hours after completing his ultra, he was striding up the murderously steep 2100 feet of Croagh Patrick, like a man without a care in the world.

Antonio made it to the marathon mark before wisely cashing in his chips. Another tremendous achievement, and another seeming endorsement for undertaking major running challenges with barely any training.

Suzie and SP notched up creditable half marathon performances.

As for me, I wasn't sure what I was going to do until I read the race instructions and learned there was an official walking start to the half, beginning an hour earlier than the proper halfers. That would do me just fine.

We were told that "anyone caught running, or finishing in under 3 hours will be disqualified..." Sounds bizarre but I think they were trying to deter half runners from getting an early start. Anyway, it meant that I could enjoy some of the atmosphere of the race, and get a feel for the course, without aggravating my injury further. And very pleasant it was too. I chatted happily to a wide variety of people. One or two, like me, were nursing injuries but didn't want to waste their entry fee, some were charity fund-raisers, while others just wanted the exercise in a beautiful part of the country.

The 3 hour warning meant a lot of us were aiming for just that time. I set my Garmin, and tried hard to walk at the required 4.5 miles an hour. After a fitful start, with the previous night's gallon of Guinness still sloshing about inside, I got into my stride, and was pretty much on target until about the 8 mile mark, when the hills started to gang up on me. In the end I finished in 3:08, which I was absolutely satisfied with. I felt I'd had a great workout (first in a while), had given the calf a good test without really stressing it, and met some splendid characters along the way.

It's been a deeply Guinnessy few days, full of the usual wacky happenings in this company, and great fun. Fuller reports to follow from the various participants in due course no doubt.

I have a feeling we'll be back. 10th April 2011: a date for your diaries.

[Antonio247]

Although my legs are still stiff and I find it hard to climb down the stairs, I´m very glad to have been able to take part at this fantastic race. I´ve enjoyed the Irish break a lot. Although I felt I could do the whole ultra since I was jogging fine the fist 15 miles, some pain in my left calf made me aim to do the marathon distance instead, jogging and walking in order to do an unofficial marathon in around 5 hours 25 minutes.

Thanks to my travelling mates for their company and support in this long weekend. I hope you enjoyed the post race Monday and have a safe journey back home.

Thanks a lot for all the support from all the Running Commentary community.

Saludos desde Almería.

[stillwaddler]

great to hear from you all, I am in awe of your achievments, have a pint of the real black stuff for me and enjoy the rest of you trip. Great RC picture too

[suzieq]

I can't believe I'm actually back in Calgary (and work) after a very busy 7 days in London/Ireland. The race was everything I thought it would be (all good) with beautiful hot weather thrown in. Ash and Antonio deserve medals for what they did. I am still in awe of Ash running the ultra - he is a machine! Climbing the mountain the next day was much tougher than the race; or maybe it was tough because of the race...

A thoroughly wonderful time in Ireland - and we were never in fear of running out of Guinness!

Suzie