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.

Dean Karnazes is sharing with the Paddies on his second desert event this year, (he’s on a quest to complete all 4 of the Racing the Planet series of desert races). Unperturbed by the news of a celebrity in their tent one of the team can be qouted as saying:

I don’t believe the name they gave our tent - Langerville. And none of us are from Cark.
We should complain about no wans in our tent. Who’ll make the tea, do the wash up and wash our socks etc? Can anything be done?

Yeah there’ll be “words” at our next Wednesday Night session I can tell ya… ;-)

I had to counter balance that level of sexism with a hefty dose of gratuitous “Dean”-ism, i.e. the picture above. Just look at him go!!

-Aisling-

Image credit: Time Magazine.

Press Release from Julie Thomas:
The Namibia 24 hour Ultra Race has just finished and we are delighted to announce the winners:
1. Thomas Maguire, 17 hours, 15 minutes - who is already a record holder of the North Pole Marathon (2007) so now adds one of the hottest marathons to his list of achievements!
2. Andrew McMenemy, 21 hours, 40 minutes
3. Joakim (Rolf) Jonsson, 22 hours, 24 minutes - who has never run a marathon before!

From the sounds of it the conditions were incredible:

The 120km route traversed gravel plains framed by distant ridges and mountains, running past dramatic upheavals of granite inselbergs. All participants remained self sufficient over the 24 hour period, carrying all their own food and equipment - although water was provided at every checkpoint (every 20/21km). Eight runners completed the race.

Congrats to Thomas, for a small country we seem to be churning out some super ultra heroes. We’ve reported on Thomas before at the North Pole marathon and his Irish record breaking performances, to name just a couple of his terrific achievements!

-Aisling-

Image of Thomas from Athenry AC website.

DUBLIN, IRELAND (Team Geared Up) My favourite part of watching the Marathon des Sables unfold every year is the finish line photos. It’s just the most incredible raw human emotion, after a week of intense struggle. Gets me every time. ;-) Results here.

Moroccan competitor Mohamad Ahansal won his second Marathon des Sables, treating himself to a stage victory, and the crowd to a splendidly accrobatic cartwheel on the finish line in Tazzarine. After a long series of MDS coming second after his brother Lahcen, this child of Zagora demonstrated this year a great strategic sense. He took a clear lead on the first stage, gaining 17 minutes over his challengers, and then simply kept control over them. Despite his best efforts, Jordanian runner Salameh Al Aqra’ could never make up for his stage one defeat, although we owe him much of this week’s excitement. Just like last year, Aziz El Akad won a well deserves third rank.

Another stage event just finished is the 4deserts Atacama Crossing. It got lots of attention this year with Dean Karnazes running (and winning!). He even kept a Runners World blog going:

The past week had been brutal, beautiful, and at points (like when faced with a 500-foot sand dune after 40 miles of running) seemingly impossible

Congrats to Irishmen Joseph Kelly, Shane O’ Rourke, Rossa O’ Donnell and James McQuillan who finsihed 4th, 6th, 26th and 48th respectively. Brilliant running! Next stage event in the 4deserts series is the Gobi March in which some of our Wednesday Night Runners are taking part…..

-Aisling-

Photo from Darbaroud.com

DUBLIN, IRELAND (Team Geared Up) I’ve blogged before about how some of our gang are heading to China for the Gobi March. It’s not long to go now and training with their heavily laden backpacks has been going surpisingly well, it doesn’t seem to have sapped their speed at all! This stage race is just one of the 4deserts races in the Racing the Planet series, which includes races on some of the “driest, hottest, windiest and coldest places on Earth”. One of the series is starting tomorrow:the Atacama Crossing in Chile is a seven-day, six-stage, 250-kilometer footrace across the Atacama Desert of Chile.

Check out the list of competitors here. It includes three people who intend doing all 4 of the series in one calender year; South African Paul H. Liebenberg, Dane Jimmi Olsen, and American Dean N. Karnazes.

Bets of luck to the Irish on the list, James Mc Quillan, Rossa O’ Donnell and Shane O’ Rourke. We’ll be keeping an eye on their progress!

-Aisling-

Image from Royal Engineers and sign is from Racing the Planet.

DUBLIN, IRELAND (Team Geared Up) Irish Ultra Runner Tony Mangan flies out to Brno in the Czech Republic today to compete in the 48 hour race where last year he broke the 48 hour indoor record, as reported by Athletics Ireland.

The event is likely to feature ‘live’ on the race website which has real time updates and webcams! Starts 28th March 10am local.

Check it out here. There’s a brilliant account by Tony of last year’s event here, which he won by running over 426km (or 264 miles). Good luck Tony, we’ll be thinking about ya!

-Aisling-

Here’s the advice about Crone on the info page:

Course is fast apart from one very steep short climb. On descent make very sure that you see and jump over drainage ditches!

And this years Wicklow Way Trail (22k) and Ultra (44k) has an on-line entry system for the first time. The route for the 22k brings you from Lough Tay to Johnnie Fox’s and the 44k is from Johnnie Fox’s to Lough Tay and back again. Sounds simple until you consider I’ve gotten lost twice doing this event (blamed Tony, he took a wrong turn, I wasn’t the one holding a map….)
;-)

I know I’ve said it before but isn’t there only two ultras in this country and they always end up a week apart from each other? Bugs me that does.

-Aisling-

UPDATE: Image Credit: John Shiels Photo of Gary Crossan and Paul Nolan at University Champs 2006.

DUBLIN IRELAND, (Team Geared Up) I’m reading an article in the current issue of my local free newspaper, the Southside People, about super ultra athlete Tony Mangan’s latest victory. He cruised to victory in the 72 hour Across the Years ultra in Arizona, winning by a whopping 23 miles. He ran 274 miles around a 500 metre track! Wow, imagine the mental stamina needed for that never mind the physical!

Taking to the front from the start of the race with steady, controlled running, Tony was able to build up a big unassailable lead through the short sunny days and long freezing cold nights.

The Southside people tells us his next challenge will be the defence of his 48 hour world record indoor title in Brno, Czech Republic in March.

Athletics Ireland have it covered here.

-Aisling-

Qoute from Southide People.
Image from Ultrabeh.sk

In the men’s race, there was a serious health scare for Ireland’s Marty Rea, the 2007 national 100km title-holder. In sixth position with only 400 metres remaining, the Irishman suddenly collapsed from his efforts. Paramedics were immediately on the scene and Rea was rushed to hospital. He was paralysed or some ten hours before making a recovery.

Irish ultra runners have been making remarkable progress on the international scene, particularly in adventure running, with the Irish men’s 100km team also ranked in the top eight in the world. Crossan’s medal represents another milestone in the continuing development of the sport.

Congrats to Helena, I’m a huge fan! Best wishes to Marty, hope he recovers soon. Race report and results from IAU here.

WS100 is an historical run and is one of the four 100 mile races that comprise the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning: Vermont 100 Mile Endurance Run, the Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run in Utah, and the Leadville Trail 100 in Colorado.

Check out this previous post from Eoin with a video of last year’s winner. I might make one of these a goal for 2010?

-Aisling-