A QUIET WEEK ON THE RUNNING FRONT?
What to write about this week? Perhaps the failure of a certain scribe to get his reports to all the local papers last weekend ? Caused would you believe by him incorrectly typing their email addresses, and compounded by him also typing HIS OWN email address incorrectly as he tried to ensure he had a back up copy of the report to cover such eventualities? Better to keep quiet about that. Must have been the heat!
PORTAFERRY 10 MILE
So what else was making the news? The Portaferry Gala 10 Mile race on Tuesday night being won in near record time, 54.55, by Brendan Teer almost a minute and three quarters ahead of Annadale's Stephen McGrory and North Belfast's Edward Cooke. Category prizes too for Barrie Atkinson, Declan Teague, Cheryl Denvir and PBs for several other East Down runners, including Gerard McAuley and Raymond Milligan in 70 mins, Lisa Milligan and Oonagh Breteche with Richard Gill, Clare Forster, Cathy Burke and Joanne Carson all making their debuts at the distance. All very commendable performances.
ENERGIA 24 HOUR CHALLENGE
I suspect you would ask anyone proposing to run for 24 hours round the Mary Peters Track if they were crazy and threaten to have them locked up for their own safety. Which probably explains at least partly, why East Down's Michael Cultra didn't tell anyone until a few days beforehand that he had entered the Energia 24 Hour Race, beginning at 6.45pm on Friday. Michael could be described as a quiet, unassuming guy and as a recent recruit to running his CV was just a one liner compared to the paragraphs compiled for the other competitors who had already completed several ultra distance events and numerous marathons over many years. But if ever anyone turned a description upside down then it was Michael as he completed 100 MILES in the allotted timespan. Don't be quiet any more, shout about your achievement from the rooftops, if you have the energy to climb up there, and assume the role of inspirational hero.
RACE STRATEGY
His plan, if he had one, was to run during the night when it was cooler and rest up when daytime appeared and temperatures soared. But he just kept running and running and running and was feeling good as I bade him good night at 11.30pm on Friday By the time I saw him again just before noon on Saturday he was still running and hadn't rested at all. Admittedly he had clocked over 90 miles and though a little unsteady on his feet was set to become 7th of the almost 50 competitors to reach the magic 3 figure target. In the event fate or perhaps that should be fatigue, intervened. He was eventually persuaded to sit down for a while, just to help us rest our eyes from following his circuitous journey, and then resumed gain with under 8 miles to do in around 6 and a half hours. Fairly straightforward you might think?
SO NEAR AND YET.......
But a bout of illness followed a visit to the medical tent when he had just 800 metres to go and he faced the most difficult hurdle of the entire event. How to persuade the nurses to let him go out again to cover the 2 laps necessary to complete 100 miles! The answer? Rest until your blood pressure is down and then we'll think about it again. The fact is that should he have done it on hands and knees with drip feed still attached he was going to go for it anyway. In the event he was legally discharged and duly hit the ton. And then he retired!! Almost 2 hours before the hooter sounded to signal the end of the “Day” he was showered and changed and able to help dismantle his tent. Then it was a further wait for the presentation and the richly deserved accolades from supporters and fellow competitors alike. Michael Cultra, 403 laps, 100.17 MILES in 24 HOURS.
I think I may have said Michael was a quiet individual and indeed he slept most of the way home in the car – he wasn't driving – but he proved anything but docile when I tried to extricate his unique 100 miles jacket from his grasp. I only wanted to have a look at it. Needless to say he'll probably wear it to bed for a long time to come.
So huge congratulations Michael from all at East Down AC – a truly heroic, inspirational and record setting performance and all in the sweltering heat we have all been seeking shelter from!Michael is now the official Club distance record holder but right now he's not contemplating next year, probably not even next week, but is anyone else from the Club going to challenge for his title?
ALL IRELAND AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS
Just heard that Laura Gardiner and Emma Smyth finished 6th in their respective Under 16 Girls 1500 and 200 metres races on Sunday in far off Tullamore. Congratulations to them too.
WHAT'S NEXT
Darragh Cross 6 miles and Fun Run on Thursday 15 August at 7.30pm and Killough Shore 10K on Saturday 17 August at 11.00am
Joe Quinn
21 July 2013
