IAU 24 Hour World Championships 2017

The 12th IAU 24 Hour World Championships took place in Belfast Victoria Park on July 01st/02nd 2017.  This was thanks to Ed Smith, the Energia 24 hour Race Director and a dedicated team of volunteers along with the title sponsor Schneider Electric.  


In addition to the World Championship Race there were also 100 extra places available in the Energia 24 hour open race running at the same time.  The combined event also included the AAI National Championships and for the first time the World Masters Association also included age group categories.

 In the main event there were 300 runners from 40 Countries and Ireland was well represented by an experienced squad from the four provinces of 6 Male & 6 Female Athletes with a support crew of 6. 

 

Men's Team:

1. Eddie Gallen - Captain 

2. Eoin Keith.

3. Aidan Hogan.

4. Tim Brownlie.

5. Daragh O'Loughlin.

6. Malcolm Gamble.

 

Women's Team.

1. Ruthann Sheahan.

2. Amy Masner.

3. Louise Smart.

4. Yvonne Naughton.

5. Susan McCartney.

6. Catherine Guthrie.

 

Support Crew:

1. John O'Regan - Manager

2. Kevin Belton.

3. Gary McConville.

4. Liam Tilly.

5. Louis Byrne.

6. Philip Bourke.

 

In the men´s race, Yoshihiko Ishikawa (JPN) won with a distance of 270.870km. He was followed by Sebastian Bialobrzeski (POL) in 2nd place with a distance of 267.187km and Johan Steene (SWE) finished in 3rd place with a distance of 266.515km.
In the women´s race, Patrycja Bereznowska (POL) won with a distance of 259.991km. The distance run by Bereznowska is a World's Best Performance (pending ratification). She was followed by Aleksandra Niwinska (POL) with a distance of 251.078km and Katalin Nagy (USA) finished in 3rd place running 248.970km. 
In the team´s competition, Japan won the men´s division with a combined distance of 786.463km followed by Poland in second with 766.934km, France in third with a distance of 758.599km and Ireland finished in 9th with 716.993km.
In the women´s division, Poland won the team title with 741.886km. United States of America finished second with 740.856km, Germany third in 691.274km and Ireland finished in 8th with 638.072km.

The next 24 hour World Championships is proposed for July 2019 in Irdning, Austria.

National Championships Female

1st Amy Masner (Parnell AC)                                                                                     228.581Km

2nd Louise Smart (Co Antrim Harriers)                                                                     205.608Km

3rd Susan McCartney (Belfast Association of Rock Climbers & Fell Runners)        203.883Km

National Championships Male

1st Eoin Keith (Sportsworld)                                                                                     248.436Km

2nd Alex O'Shea (St Finbars AC)                                                                              244.253Km

3rd Tim Brownlie (Willowfield Temperance Harriers AC.)                                     242.662Km

 

We also had some results in the World Masters Association Race with Collette O'Hagan (Marathon Club of Ireland) winning Gold medal in her age group with a distance of 142.085km and Eoin Keith (Sportsworld) winning a category Bronze medal with his distance of 246.784km.  Eoin Keith’s distance of 248.436Km is a new National Record beating the previous record of 248.392Km set by Thomas Maguire in Monaco on the 21^st/22^nd Nov 2009. 


For selection purposes the minimum standard required for the men's team is the International B standard of 220km.  For the women's team the minimum required distance is the International B standard of 200km.  Achieving the standard does not guarantee selection as places are limited.  


Next year the Energia 24 hour race returns to the Mary Peter's Track and with the extra interest it's sure to sell out early.   This race will again host the AAI National Championships and notable results will be considered for future Team selection. 

For enquiries regarding next year’s Energia 24 please contact the race director Ed Smith at Ed_n_Smith@hotmail.com

 

John O'Regan

International Teams Coordinator for Ultra Running.

24 Hour Racing.

Team Ireland at the 24 hour World Championships 2013.

With the 24 Hour World Championships (incorporating the 24 Hour Irish Championship) taking place in Belfast on the 1st of July 2017, John O' Regan answers some of the commonly asked questions about Ultra Running. (This article was originally published in Irish Runner Magazine)


 How does a time-based race such as a 24-hour differ from a fixed-distance race?

In what we would call a regular race the objective is to cover a set distance in the shortest possible time; in a time-based race the objective is to cover the maximum distance allowed by the clock, in this instance 24 hours


Are breaks and time-outs permitted?

Yes, you’re allowed to take breaks and there are no limits as to how long or how many, but you must inform the race referee and rejoin the course precisely where you left it. Ideally, you won’t take breaks unless of course, you need to use the toilet or for some other pressing reason. For the most part, you need to keep moving forward cause every step counts.


What do you eat during the run?

Again this is highly individualised, but the short answer is not as much as you might think! I’ve heard people talking about how many calories they plan on burning during a race and how they will make up the deficit by consuming the same number. This is neither sensible or practical; much of the energy used en route comes from fat stores and replacing it on the hoof is likely to mean a too-full stomach.
Fuel requirements vary with intensity, and because a 24-hour race should be run at the lower end of your aerobic capacity, your need for carbohydrate should (if you are properly conditioned) decrease as you enter the fat-burning zone. Under such circumstances, you don’t want to be ingesting a fuel that isn’t being utilised; it will sit there and increase the risk of gastric discomfort and cramps.


How do you train?

I doubt you can train specifically for a 24-hour race. It requires more than just a training cycle; the groundwork needs to be done over many months and even years. It is possible for someone without that base to get through an ultra run, but if you want a good result while avoiding injury you need to have the foundations laid and thousands of miles in your legs
Generally, I like to train at a faster pace than I plan to race at, which allows me to step back into my comfort zone on race day. But as the race gets closer I will practice my race pace to get comfortable with the shorter stride and all that goes with it
To maximise my training time I include strength work in the gym, focusing mostly on running strength, which is training the movement and not just the muscle.


How do you recover?

This varies between training and racing. In training, I tend to do only enough to induce a training response, and not so much that I lose the training effect by requiring too much rest. Recovery, in that case, can be an easy run, but between runs, I make sure to get sufficient rest and pay close attention to what I eat
On gym days I tend to increase my protein intake and in the days prior to a long run I eat homemade granola or old-fashioned porridge, and I think doing these little things can start the recovery before the training even begins.
Following on from the 24-hour World Champs I won’t be in any rush to get back to training and from experience, I think I’ll know when the time is right. You’ll hear it said that ultra marathon is mostly mental, but unless you’ve worked hard on the physical the mental can take only so far; it needs the strong body to work with.
If you have a strong mind but a weak body, you are more likely to get injured. There are no shortcuts- to be successful you need to train and put the work in


By John O’Regan

Training Diary 15-21st July 2013

Monday July 15^th. HRV= 62 White.

Late night and early morning, far from ideal.  Lunchtime sports massage which went fairly ok and apart from some expected tightness in my IT band and calves I seem to be ok.

Plan for tomorrow is an early gym session of mostly mobility work.

Tuesday July 16^th. HRV= 64 White.

Feel like I could have done with an extra hour in bed so it’s an early night tonight.  Gym session consisted of stretching / assisted stretching and foam rolling.  No running today but instead I made some bars for use during the race and finished the day with an Epsom Salt bath.

Plan for tomorrow is a race pace test run on the Track.

Wednesday July 17^th. HRV= 62 White.

Expected higher after rest but think the pre-race nerves might be kicking in plus I might be slightly dehydrated as my waking weight was 1kg lighter than my bedtime weight.  I’m guessing it’s a combination of the bath and warm weather.  Took it easy for most of the day and did a very easy 30 minutes on the Track working on my race pace before coaching and stretching.

Tomorrow is a rest day but I might do a few easy laps of the Track or just go to the Track and stretch.  Being in the environment helps staying in the zone.

Thursday July 18^th. HRV= 59 White.

Way lower than expected and I’m putting this down to pre-race nerves as I slept well and took it easy yesterday.  My packing is more or less done so today will be relatively stress free.

Tomorrow is Race Day.

Friday July 19^th. HRV= 49 Amber.

Woke early with activity in the house but stayed in bed to try wake naturally.  Stayed in bed until 9 and then slowly started to get ready.  Breakfast at 9:30 followed by lunch at 1pm and then it was a 2hr drive to Belfast.  Arrived with 2hrs to spare and took my time getting ready for the race.  The race started at 6:45 in very high temperatures and most of the first half was spent trying to control my body temperature by staying at a pace that was fast enough to stay close to my planned finish distance but slow enough to prevent overheating.  Easier said than done as the mentality to race is always there.

Saturday July 20^th. HRV=48 Amber. (Still Running).

Taken after travelling home from race. I was finding it hard to run slower than was comfortable and found myself sweating a lot so I went with the walk a lap option whenever it got out of control and changed my T-shirt as often as possible.  After the halfway mark it was obvious that I was too far behind the lead runner to get into a race for 1st place but I stuck with my plan to ensure I was in a good position to kick if the opportunity presented itself.  By hour 22 I was sitting comfortably in 2nd place and knew that even if the lead runner (Eoin Keith) was to stop running it was unlikely that I’d match his distance but I didn’t mind  (too much) as my target was still comfortably possible.  For the remaining time of the race I did just enough to hit my target of 220K which is the International B standard and it ensures my position on the National Team with the added bonus of a Silver medal in the National Championships

Plan for tomorrow is a lie in and total rest

Sunday July 21^st. HRV= 37 Red.

Woke at 8am and couldn’t get back to sleep but stayed in bed.  Legs feeling sore but the pain is bearable and manageable but my HRV tells a different story.  Today will be a do nothing day and all effort will be made to rest the Heart.  I plan to avoid any activity that will elevate my HR and this goes as far as limiting the amount of walking I do and I won’t even lift anything heavy.

Plan for tomorrow is rest but I might drive to the track and assist with the coaching.

Weekly Summary:

Result!

Records Tumble at 24-Hour Irish Champs Monday, July 22nd, 2013

Monday, July 22nd, 2013

By any measure of endurance it was extraordinary at the Mary Peters’ track in Belfast at the week-end as the records tumbled.

There were two national records and 5 new track records in the 24-hour race where no fewer than 22 runners topped the 100 miles mark.And, there were also records in the 24-hour relay and the 12-hour race.

The 24-hour was won by Cork man Eoin Keith,44 ,who set new figures of 152 miles(245kms).This broke his own Irish record set in London in 2008 by some 4 miles.Keith had gone through the 100 mile mark in 1 5hrs and 26mins breaking that record in the process.

Right behind him Ruthann Sheahan,38, was scattering records before her like confetti. Sheahan, from Leap Village in west Cork , in finishing second overall, did not so much beat the Irish record as demolish it.

She went past the best mark of 113 miles after just 18 hours and 48 mins and, despite the soaring temperatures, went on to record a distance of 140 miles(225kms) which will surely stand in the record books for a long,long time.

In a race started by Dame Mary Peters,it was the first national records to be registered on the reopened track indicating that even for the ultra runners - this is a venue designed for pushing the bar ever higher!

Behind Keith and Sheahan, two-time champion John O’Regan,44 from Leixlip in Kildare put up the bravest of defences of his title to finish third - his 137 miles(221kms) improving the all-comers track record he had set two years ago by 5 miles with the ever-consistent Belfast ultra-man,Madrid-based Eddie Gallen,50, also bettering the all-comers with a new PB of 134 miles(215kms).

And, there was a great family story behind them with Susan McCartney,36 from Belfast but currently living in Berkshire, posting remarkable new PB figures.Two years ago McCartney had collapsed on the track -this time she posted 122 miles(197kms) to take runner-up in the Irish Champs with, in a great battle,her brother Tim Brownlee just behind her in sixth with 117 miles(189kms).

In the 24-Hour Relay, Donadea Runners from Kildare, successfully defended their title improving their record by 4 miles to 185 miles(299kms) for the two men,two women combination each running three stints of 2 hours.

And, Aidan Blake,33, from Ballinteer in Dublin set new best figures in winning the 12-hour race covering a distance of 72 miles.

Even, Belfast’s Lord Mayor Mairtin O Muilleoir who,with Energia, sponsored the race, got in on the act joining the runners for the last hour.

Race Director Ed Smith says: “ The new track bore witness to the best ultra running ever seen in Ireland.There is a lot of blood,sweat and tears left behind but the result is a phenomenal roll-call of records and endeavour.”

Mens Irish Championship: 1. E.Keith 245kms.2.J.O’Regan 221kms.3.E.Gallen 215kms.
Womens Irish Championsip: 1.R.Sheahan 226kms.2.S.McCartney 197kms.3.D.McLoughlin 166kms.

Energia 24 hour race & Irish 24 hour Championships 2012

Successfully defended my title having won the Energia 24 hour Irish Championships in Bangor at the weekend.  Still a bit tired after the race and will try put a race report together shortly.

There's a good selection of race photos available from Peter Mooney and race results are available from Precision Timing.

ENERGIA 24-HOUR RACE IS OFF TO THE SEASIDE!

The third edition of the Energia 24-Hour race will be staged at the 8-lane Sportsplex in Bangor, County Down  on July, 6/7 2012.

The move to the seaside, 12 miles from Belfast, has been necessitated by the closure of the Mary Peters’ track because of the redesigning of the complex to bring it up to international standards.

Race Director Ed Smith says:  “ We’re delighted to be bringing our own particular brand of madness and suffering to Bangor. The Sportsplex will support our needs perfectly. It’s a town that’s hosted word-class events in the past – and it’s go-ahead spirit can be seen in the 50 metre pool it’s currently building – the first in Northern Ireland.”

The event is the only round-the-clock race in Ireland and for the second year in a row will carry the kudos of Irish Championship.

“ We have a tradition of great ultra runners in Ireland and I’m proud to give them this platform- along with all our overseas visitors - on which to show what they can achieve on home soil,” says Smith.

Last year Kildare’s John O’Regan posted figures of 132 miles covered in winning the men’s race and  Killaloe’s Deidre Finn won the women’s championship running 112 miles.

In total some 18 ran,walked,staggered and crawled past the magical 100 miles including Everest conqueror Lynne Hanna  and Gerard McCann who began running 3 years ago to help him quit smoking and lose some weight.

Smith says: “ There is £1000 in prize money and special awards for anyone chalking up that century – but, in my book, they are all winners for just taking this on and we’re holding the entry fee at £50 in these straightened times.”

Energia, Ireland’s leading independent energy business, is back for the third year as title sponsor.

Energia’s Marketing Manager Michael Ringland says : “  This event highlights exactly our brand values: Smart, committed, competitive. A great idea with committed runners, all done in an extremely competitive nature.

“This has been a successful partnership for us in the last two years- an event that is breaking new ground and tests runners to the physical and mental limit. We had 8 countries and 18 Irish counties represented last year – and it made for a compelling spectacle of achievement against the odds, he says.”

North Down Mayor, Councillor James McKerrow, says: “ We are delighted to be hosting the 24 Hour race at the Bangor Sportsplex and look forward to welcoming all  the very dedicated(if slightly mad) runners to our Borough in July.”

There are three races on offer: The full 24-Hours, a 12-Hour option ,won by Sean McCormack from Wales in 2011 with just under 69 miles covered; and there is also a team relay.Team Orangegrove set the bar high last year at 170 miles.

The two races in 2010 and 2011 have carried ‘bronze’ labels from the world governing body and this year it is hoped to secure a ‘silver’ label – as it looks to bid for a European Track Championship in 2013.

A big thank you to Transport Services at the South Eastern Education and Library Board who supplied the bus to bring the kids from Crawfordsburn PrImary School to help ‘trace out’ the  ‘24’ for the event launch at the Sportsplex.

PHOTO(  Dame Mary Peters with North Down Mayor James McKerrow, Energia’s Chief Operating Officer Tom Gillen(pink shirt) , Race Director Ed Smith and the children of Crawfordsburn Primary School.

For more information contact Ed Smith at ed_n_smith@hotmail.com or 00447740818389.

The year in review 2011

Yet another busy year with my training distance slightly up on 2010 but because I also had less rest days my average run distance is down.  When compared with last year's figures I estimate that I should have covered at least 600K (372 Miles) more and it seems that the shorter races were at the expense of more important longer runs as they usually fall on the same day.  For 2012 I'll be a bit more selective and not race as often unless of course it fits in with my plan or I can afford the time.

Anglo Celtic Plate 2011

The year started with an early call from Ultra Running Ireland asking if I'd run on the Irish Team for the 100K Anglo Celtic Plate to be held in Scotland in March.  A great start and I followed this with another 2 appearances on the Irish Team with the Trail World Championships on home soil in Connemara and the  100K World & European Championships (&Masters) in Winschoten, Holland.

Trail World Championships 2011

100K World & European Championships.

The 24-hr World & European Championships to be held in Brugg Switzerland was cancelled and attempts to find an alternative venue were unsuccessful and the race was officially cancelled in March.  This was to be my goal race for 2011 and although disappointed I was consoled with the other opportunities to run on the Team.

Rather than waste my event specific endurance training I then decided to to take part in the Energia Belfast 24-hr Race which was also the Irish Championships but because it was only 2 weeks after the Trail World Championships I wasn't fully committed and my training became trail specific.  An early fall in the Trail World Championships slowed my pace significantly and I finished the Race knowing I wouldn't need much recovery for the 24-hr Race and I was right as I went on to win the 24-hr Race and the Irish Title.

Energia Belfast 24-hr Race & Irish Championship

2011 also saw the release of the 'Running Man', a documentary by Caroline Brennan and Giant Leap Production which followed my preparation and build up to the 24-hr World & European Championships in 2010.  And in September there was a big screen Premier of 'Defining Moment', a feature length documentary following my participation in the Spartathlon and telling the story of how I came to be there.

On Location in the French Alps.

Stats:

Total Distance = 5500K (3250 Miles)

Rest Days = 69

Running Related injuries= 0

International Appearances = 3

Personal Bests = 5
Races = 15 which included:

1. Donadea 50K

2. Anglo Celtic Plate 100K

3. Trail World Championships 81K

4. Energia Belfast 24-hr Race & Irish Championships

5. 100K World & European (& Masters) Championships.

6. National Novices Cross Country, running on Kildare Team.

As well as the above I raced a few shorter distances on road and cross country representing Club & County.

Other Stuff:

• Profiled in Irish Runner.
• Profiled in Runner's World.
• Contributed to Feature in Runner's World
• Irish 24-hr Running Champion.
• Running Man Documentary
• Defining Moment, Feature Length Documentary
• Raced or Ran in France / Switzerland / Holland / England / Scotland / Gran Canaria. 
• Outsider People of Year List 2011.

My thanks to:

• My Family for their continued support.
• The Great Outdoors.
• Salomon Running.
• Saucony.
• Le Cheile Athletic Club.
• Ultra Running Ireland and my Team Mates & Support Crews
• Martin McCann & Lateral Vision Productions.
• John Belton and Staff at No17 Personal Training.
• Peter Matthews, Sports Massage Therapist.
• Caroline Brennan, Giant Leap Productions.

Thinking about next year.

Can it get any better? This time last year I was thinking to myself that it can't get much better than the year I'd just had and if 2011 wasn't better then it was a close second so maybe next year can be better and I'll do my best to make that happen.

I now have a list of possible races and one or other other projects that are yet to be confirmed and if they go ahead they may change some of my other plans.  At the moment I'm training for the Donadea 50K on Feb 18th and following on from that I was planning on racing the Kildare Marathon in May  but I've now ruled out Kildare as it's too close to the World Masters Athletics 100K Championships which I hope to run if fit enough and that's in Italy on April 22nd .  Unfortunately the WMA 100K is  also on the same weekend as the London Marathon so that rules out a weekend in London yet again.

The Energia Belfast 24-hr race will have a change of venue next year due to works at the Mary Peters Track and for 2012 will be held in Bangor on 6th/7th July.  I'm hoping to run this race yet again but it may conflict with something else so it's yet to be confirmed.

I also plan on running as many shorter races as I can fit in with my preference being 5K & 10K and for starters I'm thinking about the Ballybunion 10K on April 7th.

Belfast 24-hr Race Video..

24-hr Irish Championships 2011.

I almost didn't run this race having abandoned my original plan after being selected to run in the Trail World Championships.  Even though this was my main event of the year due to the cancellation of the 24-hr World Championships all it took to change my mind was a chance to run in a green vest.  Some might have done the 2 races but for me going into the Trail Race I didn't want any mental distractions, I wanted to give it everything I had and I couldn't do that if I was thinking of or trying to save myself for a race that was only 2 weeks away.  I knew that during low points I may have taken it easy and consoled myself by thinking 'sure you've another race soon enough to make up for this effort' and thats how the mind works.  I'm not into just doing events and go for quality over quantity.

An early fall in the Trail Race meant I couldn't run to the best of my ability and because my pace was slowed the impact on my body was lessened and my recovery was quicker as I finished the race in better condition than I should have.  The injury seemed to heal quite quickly but there was still an underlying problem with my left hamstring which surfaced the following weekend after few short training runs.  I stopped training as soon as I knew it was getting worse and I phoned my massage therapist 'Peter Matthews' to arrange an appointment as soon as possible.  I met him on the Tuesday before the race and was back running that night on my club's grass track.  The juniors were training while I was running around checking my lap splits and comparing them with my heart rate to get a feel for race pace and the signs were good.
After finishing my run I was asked about my expectations for the race and I said I was going to win.

The night before the night before a race is the most important nights sleep and for some reason I didn't sleep too well and that was repeated on the night before the race which wasn't good because I had a full day ahead of me before starting the race and I knew it would be late on Saturday before I slept again.  Maybe those thoughts were keeping me awake but I tried not to think about it too much and because all my gear was packed and ready to go I decided to head for Belfast earlier than planned.

Arriving into Belfast I met with Ultra Running Ireland's John Collins.  John offered to crew my race and that was a big weight off my shoulders as I know from experience that it can be hard to make sensible decisions during these events and if you want to be competitive you need someone else to do the work.  John is very experienced at crewing and knew what to do which for me was a big confidence boost.  My job was to put one foot in front of the other and he would make sure I continued to do so.  We arrived at the track in good time and after setting ourselves up we met with some other competitors and friends including my team mate Marty Rea and training partner Jim McCormick.

Eddie Gallen, John O'Regan, Marty Rea & John Collins.

My plan was simple and it involved running at 2:10-2:15 per lap or less than 75% of my heart rate max.  This meant I was running well within my aerobic zone and using mostly fat as a fuel which lessened my need for 'too much food'. At the race start I positioned myself towards the back of the pack to avoid the fast start and within the first lap I was on pace and it wasn't long before I was lapped and it happened again and again...

My guess is some of the front runners blew up really badly because by the first turn around at 4-hrs I seemed to be in 2nd place which didn't sound right and didn't really suit my plan as I wanted to relax into this race and move up the leader board in the final quarter of the race.  That wasn't to be and before half way my steady pace had me in the lead and with that came a little bit of extra pressure..

Under Pressure.

 I stayed on my feet for the first 9 hours and then sat down by choice to eat a sandwich or should I say I was told to sit down by John as he was thinking ahead and wanted me to eat something solid.  To make the most of my break I used the opportunity to elevate my feet and check positions and timings to get an early feel for how the race was going even though it was way too early for it to be a true reflection of how the race could finish.  Getting back on my feet it wasn't long before I became the first runner to break 100K and then I broke 100 miles but to me these distances meant nothing as I'd been there so many times before.  I'm not being disrespectful to the distance but I know that if you set yourself an end goal and reach it then it can become harder to go beyond it.

Running through the night with Thomas Maguire

Night time temperatures dropped quite low so I changed into some warmer clothing and changed out of them as soon as I felt it warm enough again.  My timings were very consistent and I felt very comfortable running at this pace but as we started to get into the new day it got very hot.  I knew by my sweat rate and inability to take enough fluids on board that I could soon be in danger of dehydration or some form of heat related problem so I made the decision to ration my sweat by slowing the pace down.  I began to stop at the aid station to help with fluid replacement and I made extra toilet stops to monitor my urine flow and make sure it was 'still' flowing. For the last few hours I decided to do just enough to hold my lead and win the race but was prepared to stop if I thought it neccessary.  Eddie Gallen was closing in on my lead very steadily and I know what he's capable of doing having ran with him on a few occasions and the most recent being the 246K Spartathlon in Greece last September.  Eddie is the most consistent runner I know and he will just keep going and going until it's all over.

With 2hrs to go it was looking like I had done enough to keep my lead by just walking and that's what I did.  My family arrived around this time and Cian walked / jogged a few laps and kept me company as the end got closer.  Eddie caught up and we chatted through the final minutes and then it was all over.  I was declared the race winner with a distance of 213K / 132 miles and more importantly I was the Irish 24-hr Champion finishing just ahead of last year's Champion Eddie Gallen.  Eddie won the Irish Championship title last year with a distance of 223K in the 24-hr World & European Championships in Brive, France.

It's a strange felling at the end of a 24-hr race as there's no finish line and rather than getting that winning feeling I was just relieved it was all over.  I spent the next hour getting my photo taken and doing interviews with Deirdre Finn the winner of the Ladies Race with 181K / 112.5 Miles and then it was back to the clubhouse for the awards ceremony.  All competitors were called up individualy with their distances announced and it was nice opportunity to put a name with the face.  I finished the evening with a proper dinner and a few pints of Guinness back at the hotel and then it was lights out.

During the race I wore:

Saucony Pro Grid Guide
Teko Socks
Skins Shorts
Skins A400 Running Tights
Salomon Sleeves
Club Singlet Le Cheile A.C
Suunto T6D Heart Rate Monitor.

All my kit is available from Great Outdoors.

Kildare man John O'Regan wins Belfast 24-hour race

Kildare man John O'Regan set a new track record of 132 miles as he was crowned Irish champion by winning the Belfast 24-hour race.

O'Regan's distance beat the 127 miles set by last year's inaugural race winner Fermanagh man Thomas Maguire.

With Maguire dropping out after 16 hours, Madrid-based Belfast man Eddie Gallen finished second with 127 miles.

Tipperary native Deirdre Finn was first woman finisher as she produced 112 miles which left her sixth overall.

Limerick man Michael Cunningham, 46, set the early pace at the Mary Peters Track as he covered the opening marathon distance of 26.2 miles in three and half hours.

However, O'Regan, 41, moved into the lead by half distance and he went through the 100-mile barrier in under 17 hours.

O'Regan stayed on the track round-the-clock in the Energia sponsored race as did 48-year-old runner-up Gallen.

Powerful Icelandic competitor Gunnlauger Juliusson finished in third place on 120 miles.

However, performance of the race came arguably from women's winner Finn who added 22 miles to last year's best female time set by Lynne Hanna.

Hanna improved her personal best as she also went through the 100-mile barrier while Hungarian Timea Bontovics was third best female with 91 miles.

In all, 18 athletes went beyond 100 miles in the day-long event.

Belfast mother-of-two Susan McCartney collapsed in the middle of the track after running for 12 hours but after resting for four hours, then resumed the race to complete 86 miles by the finish.

The 12-hour race was won by Welshman Sean McCormack who achieved 68 miles while the Orangegrove quartet of Liz Leitch, Gary Keenan, Colin Fulton and Ralph Coetzee won the relay event with a total of 170 miles.

Race director Ed Smith spoke of the "true heroics" produced at Mary Peters Track.

"It's mind over matter stuff. And, the miles covered were amazing - especially with a very cold night and a very hot day to cope with. Well done to them all," added Smith.


* The above post was copied from BBC Sports and I'd like to add that the track record mentioned above is for this track only! The Irish track record stands at 235.910K and is held by Eoin Keith.

Belfast 24-hr Race

Tooting Bec Track, London.

Following on from the World Trail Championships I more or less got straight back into training after a short recovery period.  All I've really done is keep my legs moving to stop them from seizing up and that also helps keep the weight in check as the reduced training volume unless balanced with a reduced calorie intake will lead to weight gain.  No big deal under normal circumstances but as an Ultra Runner I eat quite a lot and it wouldn't take long to put on a few Kg in weight and for a race of this duration it all adds up!  I find it easier to train it off rather than starve it off.