Ballyhoura Ultra - July 2021

The summer months began with the realisation that there was going to be no jetting off to sunnier spots for a summer holiday with the kids. We opted for a house in Sneem, Co. Kerry, where we had gone the year before.

Sneem is a stunning part of the world, the gateway to the Derrynane peninsula, while also being a short drive from the town of Kenmare. I managed to get some really good runs in, including some adventures into the hills around the village and a long run into Kenmare along the Kerry Way. I was feeling relatively positive. Next up was Ballyhoura (again).

Getting up at 5.00am to be in Kilfinane, Co. Limerick for 6.00am is not the most pleasant experience, knowing you would be racing just an hour later.

Race Briefing at 06.45. The joys of it (white hat, red shoes). 

I had completed the marathon route on several occasions, both in the daylight and by moonlight (or lack there of). The ultra was another 18km beyond this, at just over 60km. I had never covered the first 18km of the route, so was looking forward to what the hills to the Northeast of Kilfinane would throw up. They didn't disappoint!

And they're off. I am chatting to Sean about what lies ahead.

The 18km route is a mixture of dense forest; forest tracks; boggy hillsides covered in thick vegetation; stunning views over Co. Limerick; and deep, wet marshes where you could lose a shoe. It was a lot of fun though and you eventually arrive back at the starting point, before refilling your bottles and heading out along the marathon route, which I have described in previous posts.

Sean was capable of setting a nice steady pace and sticking to it and we managed to hold it the majority of the way through the race. This is something I am not capable of when I run alone and I always go off too quickly. Sean's pace setting was hugely important in getting us home in one piece and the heat really picked up across the day.  

Water station around 30km into the race. The slog up and over the Darragh Hills was next. 

At 40km, you hit the second checkpoint in Ballyorban. You then have to scale Seefin, which is a 6km grind up the steep side of the mountain. It then eases and you drop down across the Ballyhoura mountains for the last part of the stage. I had an odd feeling between feeling strong and on the verge of cramping, so I pushed on as I did not want to get stuck with a cramp with 5km to go. I managed to get in in 8.43, with Sean just a few minutes behind me.

While I would not call it enjoyable, nor was it a fast time, it was a relatively pleasant day out and certainly reinforced my mentality for the coming months before October. 

Covid the Killjoy!

So Covid-19 had arrived and had completely turned the world upside down. 

While the organisers felt there was a chance that the race might still go ahead in April 2020, it quickly became apparent that this was unlikely to happen. This would not just affect the runners but also the entire race organisation, as well as our friendly organisers in the UK.

The next target was October 2020 and so I trained my way through the summer, more in hope than in expectation. My hopes were dashed as the world struggled to get a grip of Covid-19 and the race was once again postponed to April 2021. 

Over Christmas and into January, I continued to 'tip away' and get some miles in, but again nothing major given that the vaccine was still in approval phase and we knew it would not be tested and ready on time for a trip to the Sahara. 

The race organisers gave us various options, which included October 2021. I had enough of waiting around and decided to jump at it. 

So in March 2021, we got back on the horse. Sean and I began running in Ballyhoura and we both entered the Ballyhoura Ultramarathon in May and I was looking at the Kerry Way Ultra Lite in September. 

Onwards and upwards...