Having ran my first marathon 4 months previous, I was turning my back on the marathon distance and entering the dark side, the unknown, the soul destroying and character building sport of 100 mile races. I don’t think there’s a better way to put some demons to rest. These races are mentally and physically testing in ways you can never understand until you attempt one. You will feel pain. You will cry. You may even hallucinate in the dark. You will probably have a 20-30% chance of not finishing the race whether it’s your debut or you’re a seasoned runner, it does not matter. It is no ordinary challenge. That being said, there is a bizarre sense of achievement that comes with this, and it might not sink in for a very very long time after the race.
The course is unbelievable even to drive never mind run. It reminded me of something from ‘Lord Of The Rings’ or ‘Game of Thrones’. The scenery is beautiful but at the same time extremely intimidating, especially when you have to do a certain section of the course twice. The course takes runners from Clifden through Letterfrack, Lettergesh, the Inagh Valley, Maam Cross, Leenane, and Inagh Valley again, then on to Roundstone, Ballyconneely and back to Clifden to complete 100 miles. There’s absolutely no denying that this is one of the world’s most scenic ultra’s, and I have no doubt as the sport grows this course will attract some global ultra-running superstars. It really is the hell from the west. I’ve been in every county in Ireland through the years and I never truly appreciated Ireland until I was in Connemara. There is a 30 hour limit and every participant must have their own crew with them at all times to look after water, food etc. There is medical support but because the course stretches over such a long distance there may be up to 25 miles between aid stations. So experienced crew support is essential and mandatory. (lol)
It took me days of arguing in my own brain about what friends I’d ask to crew me for the event. I not only needed and wanted people who would show me tough love throughout, but people who truly knew me for who I was. I wanted to inspire them. I wanted them to see me suffer, and make them realise they were more then capable of doing anything they set their minds to. We met at Starbucks in Ballincollig two weeks before the event, my best friend & professional Muay Thai fighter and future champion Ryan O’Driscoll was present but couldn’t get work off for the event itself. Rob Foster had already typed out an entire manifesto with extreme thought and precision. This is exactly why I made him the crew captain, his drive & leadership skills are nothing short of superb. Myself, Rob, Ryan, Dommie Kelly & Kevin O’Connell all sat about joking at the monumental task at hand. The only thing that scared me was on the first page of our crew sheets he had happily reminded me that 100 miles was the equivalent distance of me running from my house in Carrigaline, Cork to Dingle in Kerry, thanks Rob.
The night before the race we travelled up to Connemara in separate cars, I travelled with my best friend Kevin, a brute of a man, he is an endurance freak of nature and a phenomenal Hurler. What a runner he was going to be, and would soon learn. Rob travelled up with Dommie, owner of Dommie’s Gym (Thai boxing), former Irish champion and housemate of mine when I lived in Australia, he had also guided me on my nutrition for the weeks leading up to the race, he was going to take the lead in supplying hydration & food throughout the race. I told them all previously that Connemara was “only up the road” and we’d arrive in under 3 hours, over 4 hours later after missed turns, and lots of random F**K outbursts in Limerick & Galway we arrived.
Approaching the race briefing which was only minutes away, my stomach was beginning to
turn sick, I began doing what all humans do all too often, doubt myself. I began asking myself
questions of doubt, and lots of them - Why the f**k am I here, have I bitten off more than I can chew? Is this a step too early for me? Surrounded by people who have already completed the race dozens of times, highly ranked athletes from all over Europe had gathered for the event. I felt totally overwhelmed, and nervous, nervous that I might not be able to finish what I said I would do. I encountered a now friend and fellow ultra-runner Conor O’Keeffe. He was kind enough to remind me I should have brought more than one pair of runners with me, how kind of him. What on earth was I doing here? That sick gut feeling, that fear, it all sparks adrenaline and boy would I need it!
The race briefing felt quite long, and that it had to be for 100 miler newbies like myself and my crew. We quickly grabbed food in the restaurant across the way. It was a sheltered old Irish style stone building which really rubbed the Connemara setting off on me and my friends. After a quick feed we headed to our accommodation which was a short 15 minute drive away. On the short journey to the Connemara national park hostel (Letterfrack lodge – will leave link below) the sun was setting, there was a glassy scenic sunset on the horizon and I remember putting up a 10 second Instagram story of the surroundings saying “I will have to die out there tomorrow”. When we arrived at our lodge, myself and Dommie relaxed in the room and talked about the task at hand, no doubt I was really nervous but Dommie was a master at manifestation and we went through different scenarios that would and could occur during the race. It was exactly what I needed. Kev & Rob were planning on what last minute supplies we’d pick up!
Race day. I barely slept. I had less than 2 or 3 hours deep sleep, and that thought alone was daunting on me. What was also daunting on me was the fact I broke my entire training routine 5 nights previously when I went to Limerick and got black out whiskey drunk because my best friend Ryan lost his Muay Thai fight. It was murky outside when I woke up, there was heavy fog and misty rain. I went to the kitchen with Dommie and we had breakfast together, I had some porridge oats with honey, raspberries and blueberries with a banana to follow and a cup of coffee. We took two cars to the start line. We left early, it was 5:20am or close. Kev & Rob travelled together, myself & Dommie in another car blaring ‘Metallica – Enter Sandman. It was all happening. We were all fired up! The weeks of lost sleep, the anticipation, we were here!
Last minute bathroom stop inside the Clifden Station hotel, 10-15 minute stretch and warm up complete, crew photo & participant photos taken, we were awaiting the start gun. It all happened quickly, after two quick laps of Clifden I was on the road, I was moving at a nice pace. I got chatting with now friend and fellow ultra-runner Gavin O’Donnovan from Cobh, Cork who is a far superior and experienced runner to me. We were enjoying eachothers company and got carried away without realising, we were running just over 5 minute kilometres which was way too fast for the beginning of a 100 mile race. I sent Gavin on his way, and I’d meet him later on throughout the race. I then shared a few miles and great conversation with Darren Sheridan who gave me a lot of inspiration, he finished 4th in 2016 in a time of 18 hours 19 minutes. He had to withdraw from the race later on due to back injury I believe, no doubt he will be back. Rob & Kev had gone back to sleep for a 2-3 hours as we were in for a long day. We actually end up passing the hostel where the boys were sleeping on route so as I passed me and Dommie were hurling loud abuse at our crew members who were trying to sleep! Dommie was behind me the whole way for the first 26 miles along the coast and through the valleys of Connemara passing lakes and mountain ranges. We even got to see a school of Dolphins in the bay as we were moving along the cliffsides which was nice. I got tracking Ray O’Connor the race founder for 10-15km, he was moving at a nice pace and I stayed 100 yards or more behind him. I don’t even think Ray realised. Dommie was keeping me on track of pace time and my nutrition/hydration.
The next 25 miles of the race went well, I now had my full crew with me and we were feeling great. My hydration vest burst inside my suitcase which was in the back of the car, all of my dry clothes were soaked. This changed things. I tried to ignore it and we continued on. Kev & Rob both jumped in at different points over the next 10-20 miles and it was a big help to me. We passed Brian O’Mahony from Dublin who was running well, I tucked in behind him as he was moving at a nice pace and we got chatting. (I will leave a link to his podcast below where he chats on how this meeting helped him through a bad part of the race). I was really excited about meeting my friend Pa Mcinerney who was waiting at the 55 mile checkpoint, I hadn’t seen him in over two years and I was looking forward to it!
2 miles from the 55 mile checkpoint I hit my first low point, my left foot started to ache it felt like someone dropped a concrete block on it. I didn’t want Pa to see me arriving into the checkpoint in terrible shape so I ran through the pain until I was sitting down inside the restaurant when we took a look at my foot. Conor O’Keeffe arrived into the checkpoint a couple of minutes after me and his dad gave me a some pain relief. After some a quick refuel we were on the move again travelling up hill out of that aid station. The pain was instantly gone, and we were moving again. I ended up running a 2 hour half marathon with Pa, we ended up passing Brian from Dublin again but this time he was in terrible shape, we tried to encourage him and keep his mind off the evident pain he was suffering through those miles. There is a certain part of the course you double back on, so arriving at the third checkpoint with Pa at mile 67 we were feeling great! Pa had made the trip from Ennis with his girlfriend Alice and they were heading straight back to Clare after a few pictures. I can’t thank him enough for those two hours of pacing only he knows what sort of f**ked up conversations went down.
My friend Mark O’Mahony was at the third checkpoint, he has finished the race before and also finished 9th in the 2019 Kerry Way 200km ultra with recent 1st place finishes in 2021 at other events. I run a lot with Mark when we can and he inspires me a lot. Our daily messages of encouragement, motivation and holding one another accountable has been a massive help to me. He was very surprised at how quickly we had made it to the third checkpoint, I got some encouragement with him and we drove on. I only see good things happening for Mark in the coming years in the Ultra scene.
I remember the rain getting awful for the next hour or so, Kev had jumped back in pacing with me and we were moving well. Earlier I told you my change of clothes got drenched. I was suffering a horrendous blister on the sole of left foot, I’ll leave photos below, it is f**king horrific. I had to change socks, and the only dry ones remaining were a pair of cotton socks Dommie had. I had no choice. I was an ultra rookie! Every step from that point on till the end of the race was gruelling, every time my left foot struck the ground I winced in pain, I felt the material of the sock cut my flesh deeper and deeper. Still so far to go, how the f**k were we going to finish the race, will I finish it? All those doubts came creeping back and my motivation was lacking. It was starting to get dark and I knew we were in for a long night. Rob started reading out text messages from friends who were sending words of support. He read a text from my friend David Deasy regarding a private detailed moment we shared with our good old friend Matt Garvey who passed away 3 years previously. This got me really emotional and suddenly the pain was gone again, and I was moving well. The next checkpoint is at ‘Roundstone’ which is mile 82.
On route to Roundstone everything went downhill. I had stopped running and was run-walk-running but mostly walking, my mind was playing games with me and I was starting to have arguments with my crew. I was energy deprived, beat up and feeling broken. The blister on my left foot was making me wince in pain again, and again. This was the first time I ever experienced hallucinations. I was having doubts. After hours and hours of walking which felt like an eternity we arrived at the mile 82 checkpoint. I remember going into the toilet with my crew after sitting in the car for 10-15 minutes eating sandwiches and random sugary food. I needed to take what felt like a big poo. My whole crew watched me while I was on the toilet in zombie mode. This is brutal honesty. I am not exaggerating when I say I took a poo one quarter the size of a mini cocktail sausage. Like a little rabbits dropping. I went and sat in the car for another 10-15 minutes, this was my longest break throughout the race thus far and my body was locking up, this was a rookie mistake and a learning curve. We had run out of pain relief and my crew gave me a multi vitamin tablet which I believed was a painkiller. The mental side of things comes into play here, I’ll never understand this. I fully believed I had taken a pain killer which genuinely tricked my brain into a pain free mode for the next 30 minutes.THE PLACEBO EFFECT! In the rain leaving that checkpoint I ran 5km in 25 minutes, why and HOW the f**k that happened I’ll never know. My strongest KM's of the whole race came in that 5km..
We run-walked-run the rest of the race arriving in Clifden in the early hours of Saturday morning for the famous three 1km loops of the town which you have to actually go through the finish line 4 times before finishing the race on the fourth lap. I walked that last lap with my crew emotionally and it was the greatest feeling of accomplishment I’ve ever experienced in my life. I’ll never be able to re-pay them or thank them enough for crewing me for the race. Race crews do not get enough credit. What a daunting job, I truly have the utmost respect to them. I highly doubt they’ll want to ever crew me again but the offer is pending my brothers! For men with no running training they all clocked up marathon or further distances pacing me, which is insane.
Like an injured gazelle I received my award from race founder Ray O’Connor that afternoon, I was so sleep deprived I can barely remember the ceremony but luckily photos bring a smile to my face. I’ll leave all the photos below. I have to give a massive shoutout to race founder Ray O’Connor and all helpers & staff who organise this event. I have no doubt as the ultra-running community grows by the year this course is going to attract bigtime racers from all over the world. In my opinion there is nowhere in Ireland quite like Connemara and I cannot wait to go back and re-do this race, I know I can run sub 20 hours here when I return to Ireland from living in Vancouver, Canada. I am a completely different animal now, British Columbia's mountains are gruelling and getting my legs ready for some of North America's hardest ultra marathons. Anything can happen over the 100 mile distance. I believe I have a good future ahead of myself running if I continue to grind the way I have been juggling with with a full time 40 plus hour work week Scaffolding. No freebies or help here, no sponsors. Just hunger in my stomach. Swapping heavy work boots to runners in all weather, it's taxing on the body, but I know eventually it will be worth it. I dedicated the race to my late uncle Niall McManus, and two late friends Daniel Lyons & Matt Garvey. I thought about them a lot during the race and it got me through my darkest moments. We raised over €2,500 for Pieta House ‘Suicide Awareness’ in the process and I was thrilled with that. It is never too late to start something new, running is for anybody and everybody. It will do your physical & mental health a world of positive goodness. All photos & links will be left below! Thank you for reading! Shares on this blog post are welcome, maybe somebody you know is lacking motivation, encourage them to read this. This isn't entirely about running, this is about life. Running gave me a new complete health & lifestyle change I wish I transitioned to sooner.
"Serve yourself before you serve the world or your employer"
Signed off, August 7th 2021. 4 days before the two year anniversary of my first ever 100 mile ultra marathon! What a journey it has been since and will continue to be!
My next race is October 24th (Dias Vistas 50km 3500m elevation).
Instagram > https://www.instagram.com/ciob1ultra/
Youtube > https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTKSGGElxu0VGIrVIc1UiXQ
Strava > https://www.strava.com/athletes/40305051
Link to Brian O'Mahonys interview following the race (skip to 19:25 where he chats about our encounter) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p0NCXI-zUY
conorobrienwork@gmail.com for any running enquiries.