4am...no human should have to get up at this hour, yet there I was on the morning of the Portumna 50K, getting out of bed to get breakfast and get ready to go run 50K...is this the life of an ultra runner?
Portumna forest was beautiful, if just a little chilly at 6am when we registered. Everything is smaller scale, you can easily pick your own name from the 200 running the 50K. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, everyone seems to know everyone else.
Before we set off we count ourselves down. In the first lap everyone is all chat. What seems like a big bunch of people on the forest paths soon spreads out. We run past the marina, then loop back past it again. "only 9 more times to see that", I say...before correcting myself...we're actually going to pass it 18 more times...
Next time passing it, there's John Finn standing under a tree chatting to someone...a completely unexpected and really nice surprise. "I'm off to get my breakfast", he tells us. Next time around he's back, "it was lovely", he says...
Some might say that running the same loop 10 times might be detrimental to their mental health, but surprisingly, you never feel like your far from home and you get that reassuring re-connection every time you go through the start/finish line.
After 7 laps I'm a little tired and make the decision that I'll walk through each water stop for the remaining 3 laps. The support crew of Anne, Colette and Dara have arrived. Good to hear people shouting for/at you.
Marathon distance passes and despite walking for a little bit, I'm surprisingly OK. Next time around to the start, more supporters, Tom, Aiden and Andreas have made it to Portumna, having cycled from Ennis...via Nenagh! They're all pretending to be drinking beer...hilarious...what did I do to deserve this support crew?
Dara is holding up a sign that reads "Too Late Too Slow Food All Gone"...got his motivational skills from his father then...
Laps 9 and 10...I'm tired but I'm telling myself, "you wanted to do this...you paid to do this...so enjoy it!". That makes a difference, and I settle back in to a slight slower but more comfortable jog.
On my last lap, I'm mentally checking off the places I will not be passing again that day. The finish line comes up fast enough...can't believe it as I cross it and there is Anne to take my photo say "well done" and make sure I'm OK.
Was it good? It was excellent...highly recommend it. Would I do it again? Probably not, have ticked that box (you know, the one that only popped into existence this year!)
The best part? It wasn't the running, it was an adventure shared with friends. There were highs and lows, injuries and illness -they say that the one thing you can't buy is time, but the training and the event was some of the best time I've ever spent...now that I would do again!
Ronan
Portumna forest was beautiful, if just a little chilly at 6am when we registered. Everything is smaller scale, you can easily pick your own name from the 200 running the 50K. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, everyone seems to know everyone else.
Before we set off we count ourselves down. In the first lap everyone is all chat. What seems like a big bunch of people on the forest paths soon spreads out. We run past the marina, then loop back past it again. "only 9 more times to see that", I say...before correcting myself...we're actually going to pass it 18 more times...
Next time passing it, there's John Finn standing under a tree chatting to someone...a completely unexpected and really nice surprise. "I'm off to get my breakfast", he tells us. Next time around he's back, "it was lovely", he says...
Some might say that running the same loop 10 times might be detrimental to their mental health, but surprisingly, you never feel like your far from home and you get that reassuring re-connection every time you go through the start/finish line.
After 7 laps I'm a little tired and make the decision that I'll walk through each water stop for the remaining 3 laps. The support crew of Anne, Colette and Dara have arrived. Good to hear people shouting for/at you.
Marathon distance passes and despite walking for a little bit, I'm surprisingly OK. Next time around to the start, more supporters, Tom, Aiden and Andreas have made it to Portumna, having cycled from Ennis...via Nenagh! They're all pretending to be drinking beer...hilarious...what did I do to deserve this support crew?
Dara is holding up a sign that reads "Too Late Too Slow Food All Gone"...got his motivational skills from his father then...
Laps 9 and 10...I'm tired but I'm telling myself, "you wanted to do this...you paid to do this...so enjoy it!". That makes a difference, and I settle back in to a slight slower but more comfortable jog.
On my last lap, I'm mentally checking off the places I will not be passing again that day. The finish line comes up fast enough...can't believe it as I cross it and there is Anne to take my photo say "well done" and make sure I'm OK.
Was it good? It was excellent...highly recommend it. Would I do it again? Probably not, have ticked that box (you know, the one that only popped into existence this year!)
The best part? It wasn't the running, it was an adventure shared with friends. There were highs and lows, injuries and illness -they say that the one thing you can't buy is time, but the training and the event was some of the best time I've ever spent...now that I would do again!
Ronan