While reading Planet Ultramarathon I noticed an article saying Paula Radcliffe is doubtful for Bejing due to a stress fracture in her thigh. Can you imagine her disappointment if that puts her out?! Apparently it wasn’t noticed in two previous MRI’s. I’d say she’s pretty angry about that?!

Radcliffe said learning of the fracture was a “bombshell,” but said she was determined not to give up despite being told by some specialists that it would be difficult to get in enough training ahead of the event.

“Everything has been with Beijing in mind. It’s been a huge focal point and it’s hugely important to me,” Radcliffe said. “I’m thinking positive. I am looking at it as 90-100 percent that I will be in Beijing. Other people will put it a lot lower. I can do it.”

Fingers crossed, it’d be disappointing to watch an Olympic marathon without her in it!

-Aisling-

Image from Tony Mangan.

From his account of his World Indoor 48 hour record in Brno:

Here in Brno, I took the lead with 10 hours to go. I was running like a man possessed. No way did I want to finish second again in a big race. Passion, ambition and a hunger to win were the fuel that drove me on through that second long night. This Japanese runner, Kenjai Okiyama, is some competitor, courageous full of running, never-say-die attitude - we had an incredible tussle! On each of those 4 attacks I managed to hold him off by raising my pace steadily so he found it hard to keep his attacks going. I took a half hour nap after 20 hours and another half-hour at 32 hours. Upon returning to the track I got sick and wasted another 15-20 minutes. The only time I walked was for 3 laps immediately before my first nap.

The race website is supposed to be posting updates during the race so we’ll keep an eye on Tony’s progress. Best of Luck Tony!

-Aisling-

Image from Tony Mangan.com of the race referee and race director marking the final spot for the world record in Brno 2007.

For example, the 51k Trail Blanch Font Romeu gets you one point, while the Bob Graham Round gets you two. The list can be linked from here. There are no Irish events listed and if we were to suggest any to them I reckon it would have to be something like the Wicklow Way or the Wicklow Round. Any other races you’d think would be comparable to the ones listed?

I’m not sure they won’t end up completely changing the spirit of this race. Don’t you think it will end up as one of those races with just serious ultra-heads involved, and no first timers like I was?

-Aisling-

Image from UTMB gallery.

DUBLIN, IRELAND(Geared Up Blog) - I saw a working model of the Ultra back in November and is every bit as impressive as it looks. Pretty expensive although! I’ve found a site where you can pre-order it for $499. The Ultra Belt won the Electronics section award at this years ISPO awards. The Torch has 3 light settings - economy, optimum and maximum. Below is the battery life in each setting and the distance of light given out for the Ultra. The torch comes in 2 different forms. Obviously enough with either the Battery pack attached on the torch strap at the back of your head or in a belt form for those cold long winter nights. Check out the website here. There is a lot of useful information on there and also some testimonies from people who have been using the product under different conditions and in different sports.

Economy: 40m - 16hr 45mins
Optimum: 80m - 4hr 45mins
Maximum: 120m - 1hr 30mins

With the Ultra belt you can use either the standard ACCU 2 Ultra battery or use the ACCU 4 Ultra battery which doubles your burn time.

Economy: 40m - 34hr
Optimum: 80m - 9hr 30mins
Maximum: 120m - 3hr 15mins

The ULTRA headlamp line is designed for extreme activities requiring both long distance and wide-angle lighting at the same time; which are essential for anticipating obstacles and complefreedom of movement during activities such as orienteering races, treks, running, etc. With a maximum brightness of 350 lumens, these lamps have an exceptional weight-topower ratio. The innovative and modular design of the ULTRA BELT and ULTRA headlamps allows them to be easily and quickly be adapted to any situation; by increasing the battery life or changing the way the headlamp is worn, for example.

-Eoinod-

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DUBLIN, IRELAND (Team Geared Up) Well the run of the event has to belong to the two ultra runners Grainne Connor and Paul Mahon for their part in the 51k Trail Blanch 2008. Grainne had such a great run and crossed the line looking like she’d just run round the block. Paul’s main motivation for his great time seemed only to be to better my time from last year!

Conditions for the three events on offer (13k, 24k and 51k) were better than previous years. We didn’t have the massive waist deep snow of 2006 or the incredible scary ice of last year! There’s a link to the results here or a short version here.

-Aisling-

Those lining up in the short one with me are: Tara Whyte, Eugene Coppinger and Greg Byrne. Those entered for the 23k are: Bronagh Ni Bhriain, Jackie O’ Hagan, Karen Duggan, Liam O’ Riain and Rob Cummins (have I left anyone out?) Let’s hope the medal tally is as good as last year!

-Aisling-

KILDARE, IRELAND (Team Geared Up) - Here’s an interesting one while reading the climbing news on Kairn this morning.

The ski resort of Les Deux Alpes has launched an avalanche simulator to let you experience what it’d be like - for 20 seconds that is. “The simulator has two cabins and a large fan to blow cold air. The simulator can rotate around six axes and can throw the user through an arc of seven meters.” The simulator does have a noble goal as it’s been created by “a local businessman Marc Dode who lost a ski instructor friend and his client in an avalanche several years ago.”

Sounds like an interesting experience all the same.

- Neal :) -

LONDON, UK (Team Geared Up) - Resusi Annie is the most kissed woman in the world, albeit rubber - but little did I know she’s modelled on a real French woman. The Guardian report the following quotes and I’ve “dredged up” (oops no pun intended!) some photos:

He based Anne’s face on that of a young unnamed woman who drowned in Paris’s river Seine in the 19th century.

The story goes that when the woman’s body was fished out of the water at the Quai du Louvre, the Paris pathologist found her so mesmerisingly beautiful that he ordered a moulder to take a death mask of her face. No one ever identified the perfect, blemish-free body.

Amazing! In the Laerdal company’s history of Resusci Anne, the mystery is referred to as all-important. “This seems to be the key to her lasting fascination”. It certainly is a good story - not sure I’ll be too pleased knowing the next time I practice CPR I’m doing it on the death-mask of a real 16yr old girl.

-Robin-

(Credit: Thanks to Matt G for sending me the story)

LONDON, UK, (Team Geared Up) - This one wins all the prizes. Forget ascending Everest blind, as an amputee or even running the A-Z of Marathons, this is way cooler. Having tried to climb Mont Blanc myself (and getting white washed off in a snow storm) I have ultimate respect for them lobbing these gas cylinders up there.

These guys lugged a full jaccuzzi to the summit of Mont Blanc, re-constructed it, and then heated it at 4810m.

Check out all their photos on their site jaccuzzi.ch. Well worth seeing what they carried up.

Credit to GoBlog for the tip.

-Robin-

You can enter online, but this year I can’t find the English version so you may have to brush up on the Francaise! As I’ve said before, never believe a French person who says you have only quatre kilometres to go!

You could even fit in a couple of days skiing while you’re there! Date for the diary: January 20th 2008.

-Aisling-

Photo is my own; it’s some of the gang who travelled!