Connemara Ultra marathon 2010 Race report

By Keith Connolly

This race report is a bit like my race, it goes on longer they I had intended!

         I signed up for the Connemara Ultra in October of last year due to a combination of guilt from over indulging in wings, beer and anything deep fried when on a holiday in Orlando and a sense of longing to race, mind you I use the term “race” loosely. After my first season of triathlon I was hooked on the nervous excitement of a race morning I had got used to the fact that after an event, whether good or bad I had another event to look forward to in 4 or 5 weeks time. It had been 2 months since my last triathlon and May before the next one so I started looking for an alternative fix. I settled on the Connemara marathon.

         Why the ultra is question that I asked myself every step of the last 13 miles on that hot sunny Sunday. The logic, if that term can be used to describe my way of thinking 5 months ago was twofold, firstly I have run 12 marathons but after the first 4 or 5 my times had started to get worse not better because marathons no longer held that major fear factor for me so I started to skip training sessions and not work as hard as I should, the ultra terrified me so I would not be skipping training sessions. The second logical thought was that the bigger the challenge the bigger the high of nervous excitement. Sprint triathlons gave me a rush but the one Olympic I have done to date was so much better. Decision made, all I need to do was train…

          I started training in October, building slowly and with back to back long runs on the Saturday and Sunday as the key sessions. I did no speed work, one session of interval hills per week and a recovery week every fourth week, where I dropped mileage but kept the number of sessions. In late February I managed to trap a nerve which resulted in 2 weeks of no training and then only moderate training for a week after this. I was contemplating dropping out or dropping down to just the marathon but the date that allowed you to change had passed at this stage. I decided to keep training and see how I felt. My first long run after this was a 27 k run with Reilly and Barbara from Galway Tri Club, we ran from Spanish Arch to Craughwell to support other GTC members who where running the Craughwell 10 miler. At the end I felt comfortable and had gotten a world of advice and tips from Reilly about the Ultra so I made the decision I was going to start then take it from there.

           Race day and what a beautiful morning, I am feeling really nervous and intimated but I had hoped and wished that there would be no wind and someone has listened, waiting for the bus at the Cathedral it feels like the world is holding its breath along with me. Arriving in Peacocks of Maam Cross and I put my 3 special aid bag drops into the bins provided, I have gone with 10 miles, 19 miles and 26 miles each bag had a sports drink, two gels and a granola bar which is what I had been using in training. A quick welcome talk is given by Ray O’Connor, the organiser. I’m sure this is meant to put us at ease but did the opposite for me. He starts by introducing some of the other people who would be running the ultra. A guy would had come 7th in the world 100k championship in 6 hours 58 minutes, last years winner, the guy who had set the ultra course record a few years earlier and a lady that had climbed mount Everest, bloody hell what am I doing here! These are super human people, I hoped to do the race in 7 hours, I wonder if I could hide in the bathroom for that amount of time. Too late there’s Reilly and she’s calling me to get on the bus for the start. I’m still nervous but Reilly’s calmness and asurance was infectious and I started to settle.

         According to Ray’s speech 203 people are starting the ultra race, everybody is in great form as the start gun goes off at 9am. The social aspect of the ultra was a bit of a surprise with everybody laughing and joking for the first mile in a bid to ease that nervous energy. My strategy for the race was simple, get around in 7 hours or less. Reilly was aiming on doing the race is 6 and ½ hours so my plan was very technical, stay on Reilly’s shoulder for as long as possible and then see where I stood.

          The first 10 miles were really pleasant held at 9 min 30 sec mile pace, lots of conversations with different people, some who were on their 100 + marathon or ultra marathon and some like myself who were doing their first ultra. The road was pretty flat and the morning was warming up very nicely. Grabbed my special aid bag from the 10 mile water station and topped up on drinks and gels. Just after the 10 mile mark there is a right turn signposted for Letterfrack, shortly after taking the turn there is a signpost marking hills/ bumps for the next 14 k! Nothing to big but enough to let you know they are there. 2 hours and 3 minutes into the run and we are going over 13.1 mile marker. I’m feeling great and confidence is starting to grow, 7 hours will be easy. I should be able to do the marathon in 4.15 and then that leaves me with 2 hours 45 minutes for the last 13.1 miles, no problem, right?

           At mile 19 some longer hills start to appear, again nothing major but enough that I notice I’m losing 5 or 6 feet to Reilly each time we hit one, the 3rd or fourth time this happens I make the decision to stop trying to keep with her. I had hoped to stay with Reilly until Leenane and at this point that’s still 5 miles to go but my body is now telling me what my head had been telling me 2 miles ago, I can’t keep this up, slow down. I can’t remember exact mile markers but from about mile 22 to 23.5 there’s a steady uphill I start to find the going hard but remember that there is a 2 mile down hill stretch into Leenane, oh how I wish I was on that downhill. 10 minutes later the down hill starts and it is great. The sun is beaming down, I’m in one of the most beautiful places in the world and my pace is starting to pick up, I look at my watch as I hit the 25 mile marker, its 4 hours 11 minutes, I should finish the marathon in about 4 hours 20 minutes. Then disaster hits, I feel as if I’ve been shot just above both knee caps, the worst cramps I have ever suffered. I stop and try to stretch the cramps out, then the world starts to spin and next thing I know everything I have ever eaten decides to come up. If you think gels are nasty on the way down, they’re so much worse on the way up. I stay slumped dry retching for about 5 minutes as fellow runners stop to offer assistance, other then a piggyback I’m not sure what they can do but the offer of help is somehow reassuring. I gather myself and keep moving forward, my stomach calms but my quads are screaming at me to please stop. I ignore them but can only walk. I cross the marathon mat with 4hours 32 minutes on my watch. I collect my final special needs bag at the marathon point and I tried sipping a sports drink but my stomach rebels. I spot 4 fellow runners sitting on a wall just past the timing mats and I join them for a few minutes. I don’t know if it is exhaustion or the solemn fact that each of us are clearly contemplating our races and whether to call it a day or not, no words are exchanged, just nods of acknowledgment.

         Logic dictates that I should call it a day but as I’ve demonstrated at this point, logic is not my strong suit. I shuffled of the wall and continued through Leenane at something barley above walking pace. The hill out of Leenane that I had been dreading actually eases the pain in my quads so I am able to get up to a fast hobble. Unfortunately once the terrain goes flat the pain increases and I am back walking. I know now that the hope of a 7 hour finish is gone and that if there is any chance of me actually making it to the finish line I will have to stay walking. Miles 30 to 39 of the “race” consist of drinking water at water stations every 3 miles, then throwing up said water a mile later, getting patted on the back by other runners as they pass me and offer words of encouragement. The hill affectionately know as the “hell of the west” as you come out of Maam and heads towards Maam cross is a welcome sight, I know I am going to finish and I know uphill is much less painful then downhill. I start up the hill just as my 7 hour target passes. I’m sure the men in the ambulance that are stalking me now and have been for the past mile or 2 have their doubts I will make it to the finish but I have belief now. The relief of the up hill is everything that I hoped and I got to the blistering speed of 14 minute miles, but for every up there is a down and the downhill into Maam Cross is the longest 2 miles I have ever put it. The steeple of Peacocks hotel seems to move further away with every step I take but finally 8 hours and 5 minutes after I start I cross the finish line. Ray O Conor shakes my hand, not sure if its to congratulate me or to thank me for finally finishing so that he and his team can finally go home. I finished 160 out of 161 finishers, I may be second last but there are 42 other ultra runners who did not make it.

         I am gutted that I didn’t make my 7 hour target but I am happy that I kept myself moving forward after blowing up so spectacularly at mile 25. I finished my first Ultra and I will be back next year. Reilly, thank you for all your help, before, during and after the race.