Before the Ultramarathon in July I had an excellent leadup with my last marathon a month before the start. I had also spent a week on holiday in Spain with my wife where I ran 90 miles in training directly after Stockholm [...]]]>

Mosquitoes, Live Reindeer raffle prize, Swedish Massage, Forests, Mooses, 24-hours Daylight, 9 hours of Rain, 100 km.

Before the Ultramarathon in July I had an excellent leadup with my last marathon a month before the start. I had also spent a week on holiday in Spain with my wife where I ran 90 miles in training directly after Stockholm marathon. I had exactly 3 week of taper before the Ultra, and with plenty of hours in work and moving house in my schedule I was very busy. You can never prepare enough for these races in my opinion. Perhaps another week would have been ideal to be fully rested up, but I didn’t have that option so I arrived in Sweden already a bit tired and overworked.

One of the biggest challenges about the Lapland Ultramarathon was getting to the start. With several flight delays, and a huge scare when we arrived in Stockholm – the temperature was a ‘whopping’ 26C HOT!!  I had also been training with a buddy, Mike Sheridan, who was also running the Ultra. We flew into Skelleftea in Northern Sweden and picked up the rental car (a Volvo of course) and drove the 220 km to Adak. We arrived at the start line 8 hours before the start at 10 PM, which allowed for an afternoon sleep of nearly 5 hours before the start.

There were about 30 competitors running the Lapland Ultra and 20 walkers who started 4 hours before the runners. On the race website there was little information about the event, so we decided to train and use our Camelbaks which were good carrying all our own food supplies and drinks. But what we learned was that the stations were outstanding over the 100km. The local community had stations every 5 km or less over the whole 100 km. Many of the people at the stations didn’t speak English. Being so far North it was also pretty secluded in these communities which we found out at a few stations that we were the first Australian and Irishman they had ever met.  Of course I can speak Swedish so most were taken by an even bigger surprise when I was able to tell them that I was from Australia in perfect Swedish!

The most important part of the race before we started was the weather prognosis. It had a huge bearing on what we were going to leave at the aid stations, also on what we were going to wear during the run. I had running gear for almost every condition; Sunshine, Hail, snow and rain. The equipment had to be extremely adaptable as well – so if there was sunshine, followed by rain then snow flurry you needed a t-shirt, top and arm warmers to keep you comfortable as possible through all the seasonal changes.

I chose to wear a technical t-shirt, lycra undershorts covered with running shorts, a windbreaker vest  and compression socks. What I learned was that the compression socks worked very well to regulate my body temperature keeping me warm in the dawn hours, but also giving some comfort when I got tired. We had also packed mosquito repellent because we were warned about the strength of the mighty Northern Mosquitos.

At 10 pm in broad daylight (see photos above)  the gun went off, and we all took a deep breath and knocked on our Garmin’s as we started at a very slow pace gathering our heads together for the long course. It was raining. The first kilometer passed without the blink of an eye and before we knew it we had passed the 10km- only 90 km to go.  Starting in Adak the  scenery changed very quickly into long- rolling countryside, thick with deep forest like a carpet that ran to the edge of the earth. Around every corner you could see slightly different types of terrain, hills, long flat roads but the forest remained the same. What did emerge along the way were lovely lakes and the occasional bridge which gave a great view across the lakes. Just think ‘screen saver’

I had my Garmin set to alarm every 45 minutes so that I wouldn’t forget to eat and drink food. Its very easy on these long runs to forget to eat, and when you begin to fade its very hard to rejuvenate a hungry body.

Time passed pretty well, and by midnight we came across an amazing person running the Ultra. His name was Rune Larsson, a native Sweden with a golden Suntan.  He had just finished running 4000km from Portugal to Sweden the week before and decided to run the 100 km as well to catch up with a long-time Ultra Running friend from Japan (Toshio Ohmori). We talked with Rune for several hours until we hit the 40 km mark then waved goodbye. Runne Larsson held the Ultramarathon 100 km record in Sweden for 23 years. Rune was an amazing guy – one of the best experiences of the ultra,  one of the greatest Ultra Runners in the world and also a great comedian! We shared some brilliant jokes along the way and talked about beer, women, life, running and other things which blokes think about.

The terrain varied from gravel roads, to slushy muddy trails for most of the first 63 kilometers. After this point it turned to tarmac-road. Our bodies had taken onboard some aches and pains along the way, which we tried to troubleshoot. Most of the pain was because of the constant rain. Both of us were completely saturated through and the worst area that it affected was our feet. I had developed massive blisters on one of my toes, while Mikes foot had swelled and caused heavy bruising. We struggled to keep ourselves positive but managed to keep the moral high by telling jokes and talking about what we were going to eat when we finished.  It had been raining for 7 hours with every type of rain imaginable from heavy downpours and light misty rain.

The course wasn’nt flat either, with some long 5-7% gradients up some of the hills.  It really broke up the rhythm because of the combination of fatigue, tiredness and saturation. At the 70 km point we picked up our fresh change of clothes we had prepared earlier, and the difference if a dry t-shirt was amazing. There was suddenly a  bit of spring in our step.

By 80 km the crucial part of the race really started to kick in. It was simple enough to think that there was only 20km left to go, so we picked up the pace a bit and ignored the rain. Unfortunately the momentum didn’t last long and by 90 km we were back to using a ‘run-walk’ strategy because of the fatigue. Mike had really big problems with his foot, which now was badly bruised and swollen. Every step hurt, and every mile spread the pain through his legs. I did my best to encourage him to keep eating and drinking, but he simply couldn’t handle taking anything onboard. I knew that if he didn’t eat or drink  it could mean the difference between finishing or not.  I was insistent but Mike managed a few small sips of energy drink and limped along in survival mode. We were in trouble.

Both of use were in immense pain as the rain lashed down, but we pushed on. The wind had become still and the lakes were reflecting the Northern skies with misty haze blanketing the landscape from the rain.

We laughed at the signs along the way, often pointing out that 95 km meant that it was only 5 km to go –‘ just a walk in the park’. Our morale was pretty good by the time we hit the 99 km mark, and the first sight of town was approaching. A guy walking his dog waved to us and he spoke in Swedish ‘Bra Gjort Grabbar’ which means ‘Well done lads’. The last kilometer was slightly uphill into Adak. The finish-line was dormant, with nobody around to cheer us under the wooden Lapland Ultra finshers arch.

I managed to find someone to take a photo of us at the finishline. Our faces told a very serious story. We both had deeply etched lines, tired eyes and saturated bodies and the legs.

It was 9:50 am – which gave us a 11:50 hours finishing time. We couldn’t really tell how many people were ahead or behind us, but at the awards ceremony that evening we found out that we had finished 8th and 9th place overall. We were delighted with the result. The price ceremony was in a small theatre in the local town and some of the community turned up to see if they had won the live raindeer as part of the lottery. I wish I had won that raindeer – but it would have been tough to bring it back to Ireland. I think I would have set it free like a bird.

Now that I know the course and organization, I am already thinking of coming back next year to give it a good go. The 24 hours of daylight and people along the course made it the most amazing running experience I’ve ever had. www.laplandultra.nu. We loved Sweden

Entry: €70, (Full marathon, half and 10 km) 2500 people at the Curragh race course.

Accommodation: Home – 40 min drive from Dublin.

Notes: Bad stomach pains/ stopped 3 times during run to try and get myself together.

The Horse racing course (The Curragh) is an excellent venue for a marathon. Lots of space and plenty [...]]]> Finishing Time: 3:22

Entry: €70, (Full marathon, half and 10 km) 2500 people at the Curragh race course.

Accommodation: Home – 40 min drive from Dublin.

Notes: Bad stomach pains/ stopped 3 times during run to try and get myself together.

The Horse racing course (The Curragh) is an excellent venue for a marathon. Lots of space and plenty of amenities for a big run. Parking for marathoners was right at the starting area, with an easy walk to the grandstands for changing. Leaving your gear in a bag at the stands was a bit of a risk with low sercurity. Signage was a bit confusing, but lots of good marshalls. Toilets were okay, inside the main grandstand and down steps (*no fun going down after the run)

Walking out of the stand to the start about 100 metres away. Not many people at start (400) so it was my smallest marathon to visit so far. The start was delayed because they were putting up signage. There was light drizzle rain at the start of the run with grey weather the whole way. Slight head wind, but not enough to cause a problem for your finishing time. Temperature about 10C. I ran behind the 3:15 pace group with Mike Sheridan (entertainment.ie) with a nice group of 15-20 lads. It felt too slow for us so we ran ahead. I couldnt keep the pace up because of my stomach so I got dropped. I had to stop at 6 miles for a toilet stop and wasnt that comfortable.

Great stations along the course in some of the smaller country towns. Small families manning the stations. One small town along the course ‘Doncavan’ and Newbridge were cute.

At 13 miles we ran into a golf course and up a hill. It was a tough little climb, but only short. My body was suffering at this point and had another toilet stop.

The course felt really flat compared to Belfast and at 16 miles it really flattened out. At this point you joined the 1/2 marathon runners. It was nice to have a bit of company as well because it was fairly quiet until this point.

Passing alongside the National Stud was a welcomed sight because I knew the finish was imminent. There was a turn back to Kildare town which came up pretty fast. With a couple of small ramps in Kildare town it flattened out again for the last few miles.

The large grand stand at The Curragh appeared and you knew the end was in sight. At 25 miles you could get a good run into the finish with crowds starting to form towards the finishline. There were two finishing clocks, one for the half and one for the full. Both times didn’t make any sense to me so I just ran through the side that I thought would be the marathon finish.

After the finish there was lots of confusion in the main hall, it was a bit like a busy train station. Bags were well open, so if the theves were around everything could have gone wrong  – but it didnt. The goodie bags were excellent with lots of good stuff supplied by Aldi. Also the event bag was excellent with lots of Asics gear and extras. Excellent value for money.

Accommodation: Radisson Blu Belfast GBP 79

Water: 80 pence/ 2 ltrs. Meals very handy, restaurants available everywhere.

Expo: Very small affair in the town hall. Quiet and little booths available.

Belfast: Very urban, concrete and quiet city.

Finishing Time: 3:04:14 *Fastest so far for the year.

Marathon course was quite [...]]]> Travel: Train from Dublin €40 Rtn IrishRail.ie 2 1/4 hours DUB/BEL

Accommodation: Radisson Blu Belfast GBP 79

Water: 80 pence/ 2 ltrs. Meals very handy, restaurants available everywhere.

Expo: Very small affair in the town hall. Quiet and little booths available.

Belfast: Very urban, concrete and quiet city.

Finishing Time: 3:04:14 *Fastest so far for the year.

Marathon course was quite hilly, the first 13 miles gradually climb up through the suburbs the a sharp downhill along the coast returning to the city. Some of the descents were short fast sections, steep almost near then you end up by the sea. There were quiet strong crosswinds heading back into Belfast and you felt the wind pushing you on the side quiet strongly. It would have been very tough if the wind was a little more head-on.

Drink stations were sufficient, but not enough energy drinks. Take your own supplements if you are going to run Belfast. Lovely people at stations, some were un-official stations with people putting their family on the road-side with cups of water etc.

Start: Is immediately infront of the townhall. Its a fairly tight area, but with fairly small numbers it thinned out fairly quickly. I ran the first few miles pretty fast and the crowd thinned out very fast. I was pacing Dany Regalbuto and Rory Flynn for a sub-3 marathon so the timing was crucial to get some miles in on pace to stay on target. Dany ran the first 7 miles with me then I dropped him into the climbs and didn’t see Dany until the half way mark when I was waiting for them and did a toilet stop. I was about 1:31 at the halfway point. The course was a massive Figure 8 style, heading out for a loop then crossing the town hall area again before heading out to the North/Western suburbs. It was an interesting part of the course as the areas known for violence of the past with the Protestant and Catholic conflicts in the area. You run past the ‘peace wall’ which is a symbolic area for the troubles.

When connecting with the shore you have a few miles until you reach the Industrial Estates. It was here that a lone-tent was setup with a local radio station playing music stood beside a sewer plant. Oh man – the smell was disgusting. A funny moment on the run.

Relays were abound, with several hundred people grouped by the roadside of the road. A bit annoying, because of some of the lads joining in the run with fresh legs and racing off. I had the chance to catch onto a few of them and wore them out pulling in some bodies and passing them. It felt good later in the run to know that at 20 miles I could still pass people.

Mile 23-25 turned into a disaster, slightly uphill at a crucial point in the race where you can either get under 3 hours or not. The lads (Dany and Rory) were long gone by this stage.

Accommodation: Hotel Monterosa (Pigalle/St.Germain) €110 per nights incl breakfast

Run: 4:30 hrs. Ran with friends from America (Greg Tice/ Rick Privratsky)

Beer: €1-8

Photo: Finish line at the Arc De Triomphe – with Harriette Lynch

Expo: Huge and Impressive. A massive Triathlon section, with an temporary indoor-pool, bikes and treadmills. There [...]]]> Flights: Dub/CDG €100, train to Paris (D’Nord) April 8-12.

Accommodation: Hotel Monterosa (Pigalle/St.Germain) €110 per nights incl breakfast

Run: 4:30 hrs. Ran with friends from America (Greg Tice/ Rick Privratsky)

Beer: €1-8

Photo: Finish line at the Arc De Triomphe – with Harriette Lynch

Expo: Huge and Impressive. A massive Triathlon section, with an temporary indoor-pool, bikes and treadmills. There were doing in-door triathlons. I met Barbara Sanchez at the expo – working on the dublin marathon booth. Lorraine Manning was also at Paris going after her PB marathon time.

Start: 40,000 runners start on the Cobbled Street of the ‘Champs Ellese’ which backs onto the Arc De Triumph. There were no toilets to be found immediatly near the start, and no-where to pee as this was an upmarket shopping area. I saw some lads pissing on the ‘United Colours of Beniton’ shop. It was crowded from the gun and the course led down to the Louve where it heads left around the Louve. Most of the first 20 km was crowded, especially around the pace marshals carrying the balloons.

The temperature climbed to around 26 C as the course went out of Paris and into some of the parks. There was not really any places that the course free’d up enough to run at a decent pace. As you turn back along the river Sierne the course goes down a few tunnels (4 or 5) of which one is Lady Dianne’s.

The second Park (west) was a bit narrow in sections, with the odd curb being an obstacle for tired legs. It felt easier because the finish was nearing.

Water stations were very consistent, but there was a lack of energy drinks like gatorade. The first gatorade station was at 33 km – too late for me on a hot day.

As soon as the course left the park it landed onto the finishing stretch facing the Arc D Triomphe… quite amazing sight. There was a massive traffic jam with people everywhere at the finish just over the line. T-shirts and medals and drinks at the finish were good.

I ran with Greg and Privratsky for the whole distance, loosing Greg near the end just because of crowds. The pace was so slow that it hurt because I hadn’t been running that slow in ages. You must use different muscles when you run 9 min/miles. We stopped a couple of times waiting for Greg but couldn’t find him. The heat was quite tough to run in as well.

Finishing Time: 3:24

Flights: Dub/BCN Ryanair, Accommodation: In-laws, Airport transfer: train €3, Race cost €Free (Mizuno)

Beer prices: €1 – 4 available everywhere

Weather: Sunny (16C max felt warm)

Very easy marathon, because I have run BCN marathon before. Wife came along to this one. Food is easy to get in Barcelona with so many options unlike [...]]]> 6th March, 2011

Finishing Time: 3:24

Flights: Dub/BCN Ryanair, Accommodation: In-laws, Airport transfer: train €3, Race cost €Free (Mizuno)

Beer prices: €1 – 4 available everywhere

Weather: Sunny (16C max felt warm)

Very easy marathon, because I have run BCN marathon before. Wife came along to this one. Food is easy to get in Barcelona with so many options unlike some of the other races Ive done in the past. Registration takes place in the ‘ESPANA’ which is a major tourist location with fountains. It was a well supplied and attended registration – huge actually. There is almost too many things to look at the expo – shops, destinations and gimicks all over the place. It took about 10-15 minutes to get through the whole process. The race t-shirt was excellent – a technical top made by Mizuno with a cool design. Just off the street from registration is a great strip of bars with beer for €1.

START: Its a massive starting area around the fountains. The pace began very quick from the gun with a slight downhill then into the city streets of Barcelona. Heading into a massive round-about initially – then it begins to go slightly uphill.

My knees, shins and Achilles felt sore from the start as I had just run Malta marathon the week before exactly 7 days between events. I felt that later in the run (20+miles) I had shortened my step considerably as my legs were super tight. It enabled me to pick up the pace and I didn’t feel half the pains that I felt earlier. The left shin was my biggest problem as it was so tight.

Course Description: It begins fairly flat with small rolling hills which you don’t really notice but the Heart Rate monitor will let you know. Its an out-and-back course, with several little ‘dog-legs’. At the half-way point there is a 4-5 km stretch with a turn-around at the end.  Then the course goes along a long out-and back to the ‘Cigar’ building.

Barcelona Marathon is a great event. Well worth adding to the collection of marathons.

4 our of 5 Stars: Affordable, relaxing, good course, poor race expo and registration.

Combining a short holiday with a marathon race early in the year is a great way to start your season. In January while the temperatures remained low in Ireland, many Irish hopped on a plane for [...]]]> Malta Marathon
February 28th, 2011

4 our of 5 Stars: Affordable, relaxing, good course, poor race expo and registration.

Combining a short holiday with a marathon race early in the year is a great way to start your season. In January while the temperatures remained low in Ireland, many Irish hopped on a plane for the 26th Malta Marathon and Half Marathon. With a reputation for good weather and a fast course, there were 2,200 runners and walkers participating in this years event. On race day the mood was dampened by heavy rainfall before the race, but this didn’t spoil the performance of the Irish contingency who won a good number of medals and achieved personal best times.

Travel:

It takes only 3 to 3.5 hours on a non-stop flight from Dublin to get to Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean. The hotels recommended by the race organisers were priced to satisfy most budgets and tastes. The registration and finish line were located in Sliema, a beautiful harbour lined with restaurants and seaside promenades. With a bit of careful planning, you could easily find a hotel within walking distance of registration and the finish line.

The Destination:

While Malta is only 122 sq. miles in size, it is packed with lots to see and do with a strong history that dates back 3,000 years. The architecture, museums and temples provide lots of sightseeing, but if your interested in resting up before the race, there are some excellent places to relax by the sea in a myriad of typical Mediterranean Cafe’s and restaurants.

The Race:

The Malta Marathon course was a point-to-point marathon, requiring a bus transfer (€3.50 paid at registration) up to the highest point on the island, Mdina. On paper the generous 200 metres of descent from start to finish in the marathon sounds attractive, but there were still some gradual climbs when the course looped back around villages in the middle of Malta. The Half marathon course had a more gradual descent from start to finish.

This years race saw the effects of heavy rainfall turn normally wide roadways into flood ponds, which the organisers pointed out was extremely unusual for Malta. At Ta’ Qali there was a flooded section about 10cm deep which ran for 50 metres. Many chose to walk along a rock wall to stay dry, while others ran straight through the shallow pond. To add to the experience, the finish line had sections of sea water flowing over the road from ab-normally high tides caused by the previous nights storm.

Highlights of the run included amazing views across the Island and over the Mediterranean sea. Top temperatures on the day reached 16 Degree Celsius, staying cooler than expected by the sea breezes. In previous years the temperatures have been as much as 27 Degrees Celsius. The water stations on the course were well placed with lots of support, however there were long stretches without crowd support.

Lorraine Manning of the Garda AC finished in first place in the women’s half marathon in 1:15:33 hrs. Anthony Malone (Garda AC) was the first Irishman to finish the marathon in 2:56 hrs and Aisling Coppinger (Runworx) was placed 3rd Female in the marathon with a 3:14hrs. Many other of the Irish competitors placed well and earned personal bests.

Quick Facts:

1. Race Entry: €35
2. 1st place Marathon, Mohammed Hajji (MOR) 2:19
3. 1st place Half Marathon, James Douglas (GBR) 1:10
4. Total number of finishers, Marathon 345, Half Marathon 1582, Walkers 377
5. Number of Irish competitors: 30
6. Average return airfare: €100-200
7. Airport to Hotel taxi transfer: €20

More information about next years race: www.maltamarathon.org or Malta as a destination www.visitmalta.com

Marrakesh Marathon on January the 30th was a total blast from the second I arrived to the moment I left Morocco.

The whole Morocco experience was a sensory overload which began with a 6 am wake up call by public speaker of a reading of the Koran. The starting line was a [...]]]>

Marrakesh Marathon on January the 30th was a total blast from the second I arrived to the moment I left Morocco.

The whole Morocco experience was a sensory overload which began with a 6 am wake up call by public speaker of a reading of the Koran. The starting line was a melting pot of nationalities, one of which is worth noting were dedicated runners dressed in full burka outfit. The start line had no toilets, nor any bag stations. The marathon isn’t that developed yet – and hey – its Morocco – its all part of the experience.

Forget buying Gels at the marathon registration – the best they had on offer was C’Bon Tea and Fruit Juice. Marrakesh Marathon should be approached as a completely ‘self-sufficient’ marathon. Take your bottle belts- take your own gels and food. Its virtually impossible to get when you are there if you forget it. I ran with a Nathan Speedbelt 2 – with 3 gels and one salt tablet.

Also in my Racebelt was some money for a taxi just in case I blew up around the course. What dawned on my while on the further part of the course, was that there weren’t any taxi’s nor any means to get back into town. So if you blow out a knee, your probably on your own. Id imagine the race organisers have the means of getting you back to town – but they weren’t very evident. But at the end of the day its Marrakesh -and im sure you could probably hitch a donkey back into town if you needed to. They are pretty friendly and welcoming that way.

As the clouds parted and the course rolled on  the roads were extremely well surfaced, smooth and most importantly flat over the whole distance. Venturing around the city taking in olive groves, palm tree plantations and camel farms the course also followed along the Medina ‘old city’ walls.

Water stations were fairly frequent with bottled water being handed out, followed by food stations handing out dried dates and oranges. There were a huge number of native people out along the course, with many of the children happy to give a ‘high-five’ along the way. One Swiss-Irish runner said to me that you needed to be careful touching the kids because their hands might not be very clean and it might affect the water you are drinking. It was fairly clear in Marrakesh that you should only drink bottled water.

We had a decent amount of rain the night before the race, so the course was underwater in some parts. Apparently it was the most rain that Marrakesh had received in a long time. The water on the sides of the road caused muddy wash-overs on the road in some areas. The Northern Africa mud was of course rich-red, and stained anything white. The most noticeable thing about the mud was that it felt very sticky and itchy. Not sure if that was me, but a few times I had to stop and itch my legs.

While the sun wasn’t quite fully shining it still felt warm in the 17C. At the 22 km there were Camels on the course, followed by a Shepard herding his goats across the road. One down, Eleven marathons to go. 3:27 Marathon time. Two thumbs up!

Morocco as a destination, especially Marrakesh is incredible. With a the majority of the population Muslim, the conventional Western ways are out the window. In Marrakesh I saw several of the prayer times, where people would take time out of their shift at work or whatever they were doing and lay out a prayer area. One particular memorable moment was while drinking Mint-Tea, we sat looking at a man beside the restaurant practicing his prayer time.

Some of the other highlights were: Donkeys pulling carts with fresh fruit, chickens and boxes of goods. Traffic Jams around the major small round-abouts. Moroccan Tangier food cooked in a clay pot over coals from local wood.

The Journey in Short:

RyanAir Flight from Dublin to London Luton. (Return Ticket) €37.99

RyanAir Flight from London Luton to Marrakesh (Return Ticket)€117.99

Kenzi Semiramis Hotel €60 incl breakfast

Kenzi Farah Hotel (*200 meters from start line)€75 incl breakfast

Marathon Entry € 50 (*EU registration)