Connemarathon 2010 - All welcome

[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.