CHALLENGER STORY
FROM THE JAWS OF
VICTORY
It may have been my first time socialising at the clubhouse , certainly one of my earliest . My conversational involvement was more that of an eavesdropper than a participant as I had never run a marathon , let alone a Comrades and these seemed to make up a significant portion of the conversation . However , one conversation did beckon to me .
IRISH SPARTAN
Brian was discussing an upcoming event that sounded more like a test of endurance than of performance . In a fit of hubris , I had the ridiculous notion that I could make up for a lack of the latter with a little of the former . That was my first mistake .
Anyway , I asked Brian for more details and learned that the challenge was to run 100km in 24 hours . With the stipulations that one had to run 4.167Km every hour , starting on the hour . At this time , I was hitting 30 minutes for a 5km parkrun so I felt that each segment should not be too difficult . Failing to consider the cumulative effect of repeated effort over 24 hours , the impact of sleep deprivation and the difficulties of keeping my body fuelled throughout . Mistake number two .
Mary , one of the runners who had taken sympathy for me and often hung back to make sure I was surviving on our morning runs , also expressed interest in signing up for this lunacy so we agreed to buddy up for the event .
I arrived at the Italian Club early in the morning to find that Mary had already laid claim to a corner of the hall for the three of us . Esimy , one of the stronger runners , was the third member of our crazy partnership . I laid out my camping chair , sleeping bag ( at this stage I believed I might have time for sleep , mistake number three ) a bag of sustenance , change of clothes and toiletries .
Just before 10am , the horn sounded signalling that we had two minutes to get to the starting point which was at the bottom of the steps outside the hall . After the initial rush of adrenalin and apprehension , liberally dosed with fear ( of either the unknown or of failing to complete the first lap ) I was out there with the other lunatics when the horn sounded for the start of lap 1 , 23 more to go . And we were off . Into Essexwold , down the Motherless Goat and along Penhurst until it all became a blur . The next thing my senses registered was climbing back up those same steps to have my time recorded for the first lap . I forget what it was , but it was sub-thirty , so I was pleased , and my confidence started to grow .
I don ’ t remember every lap as they blended into what became a constant stream of low-intensity agony . I do have impressions of groups of laps like , at one time some of the runners seemed to be going around in the wrong direction . Or I was going in the wrong direction , and they had it right . As we were all running the same distance , who cares anyway ?
I also remember Mary and I trying to walk some of the night laps , but I was unable to keep up with her pace and had to start at a painful run , then slow to a less painful limp while Mary ’ s walking pace overtook me , and we finished in close proximity .
What I do remember clearly is how incredibly supportive all the runners were . I don ’ t think this was specific to my geriatric efforts so much as a general and genuine camaraderie among all the participants . A general sense that we were all doing something good for the children as well as pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones . And having fun doing so !
Of course , it wasn ’ t all running . There was the time spent inside recovering from each lap , refuelling for the next and addressing various issues of hygiene and sanitation ( even if sanity had been abandoned ). I have no idea what the hall was like while we ran , but between runs ,
34 SPARTAN BABY BADASS ULTRA 2024