CORTLAND STANDARD NEWSPAPER ARTICLE.
CORTLAND STANDARD NEWSPAPER ARTICLE:
THERE WERE MANY MISTAKES THIS IS THE CORRECTED VERSION.
January 21, 2011
Running the world one step at a time
Runner’s global trek takes him through Cortland County on three-year journey back to Ireland
Bob Ellis/staff photographer
Tony Mangan, from Ireland, pushes his 3-wheeled cart full of supplies Thursday morning along Route 13 between Sheds and DeRuyter. Mangan is planning on running around the world, covering 26 to 31 miles per day.
By ANTHONY BORRELLI
Staff Reporter
aborrelli@cortlandstandardnews.net
DeRUYTER — Tony Mangan started running 87 days ago out of Dublin, Ireland. He expects to return to his starting point in three years.
The 53-year-old Irish ultrarunner’s route takes him around the globe, onto five continents and through about 35 countries. He said his plan is to cover every single land kilometer on foot, fly over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and alter the route when circumstances force him to.
“I’ve been dreaming and planning this in my mind for 20 years,” Mangan said as he ran along Route 13 between Sheds and DeRuyter. “Really it’s just the experience, the strength, that I got from my competitive career and the training I’ve done.”
He holds two world 48-hour records for endurance running in a regular race and has been long-distance running and cycling since the late 1970s.
The idea for running around the world entered his mind 20 years ago, while running.
“I went home and wrote into my training diary that I felt so good I could run around the world,” Mangan said. “The idea just escalated and the next day I thought, ‘why not?’”
Mangan said he knew what he was getting into, having bicycled around the world.
His journey has garnered media attention in other locations along the way.
Now he is wearing his seventh and eighth pair of shoes, which he alternates regularly.
He pushes a three-wheeled jogging stroller which he calls ” Nirvana ” filled with supplies, including food and water, a tent, and electronics he uses to update the journey online through his website: www.theworldjog.com
Mangan runs 26 to 31 miles each day and posts regular updates about the journey on his blog.
“I knew what I was getting myself in for because I’ve been in positions like this with the cold weather, and I knew my state of mind in what to do,” Mangan said.
Local resident Lynn Cunningham said she met up with Mangan later in Truxton and ran with him for about 3.7 miles. They also stopped for coffee and brownies and he shared his story, she said.
“I tried to let him know what I remembered about the terrain of the rest of Route 13 to Cortland was like … he said not to worry,” Cunningham said via e-mail.
She encouraged anyone available to offer Mangan a warm place to sleep overnight, since he is on a very low budget.
Mangan said if he has not prearranged places to stay with friends or followers, he pitches a tent, or will simply knock on doors and ask to sleep in the garage.
Most people allow him to say and others have no problem inviting him to spend the night in their house, he said.
“I haven’t had a single rude comment since I started in Dublin on Oct. 25,” Mangan said.
He said there are some nights he has to sleep outside and the cold gets daunting.
“I am an experienced traveler, but everyone’s talking about record lows this weekend,” he said. “One thing is for sure, if I have to pitch a tent I’ll pitch a tent, but I’ll be fine.”
As he runs through the various landscapes, some very rural and others very populated, Mangan finds ways to keep his mind busy. On some occasions, other runners will follow him for a time.
“When I’m running through places like this I’m thinking a lot about past experiences about people I’ve met and stayed with,” Mangan said.
From New York, Mangan plans to run to northern Pennsylvania, then to Ohio, Indiana, and then to Colorado, where he used to live for eight years. He eventually will make his way to California and into Mexico. From there, he plans to run through South America, eventually to New Zealand, Australia, Asia, Europe and finish where he started with the Dublin marathon in October 2013.
He is looking forward to returning to Colorado.
“That in many ways is going to be sort of a homecoming for me. I have a lot of friends there,” Mangan said.
This type of running sport is different from competitive racing, Mangan said. He is not racing against the clock or other athletes.
Mangan said he tries to make stops twice a day for a cup of coffee and talk with people in whichever town he happens to be passing though.
With the bulk of the journey still ahead, Mangan maintains confidence it will get finished, mostly because of his dedication to see it through.
“Ultrarunning is not a specialty of younger athletes because it’s not a fast sport,” he said. “It’s about endurance over a long period of time, so often maturity is an advantage because younger guys go on fast and older guys with more experience can go longer.”
January 22nd, 2011 at 2:40 pm
If tony is still in Cortland, We’ve love to have him stay at our house tonight, Saturday January 22nd. Even tomorrow would be fine too. Contact us @ (607)345-0716
January 22nd, 2011 at 10:53 pm
Hi Gonda. Sorry I left Cortland Fri morning. I am in Elmira now. Thanks for the offer. I really appreciate it. Tony
January 23rd, 2011 at 5:25 am
Hi there,
It was nice of you to take the time to say hello this afternoon in front of the Love Church in Horseheads, NY. It was really quite the coincidence that I happened to be crossing the road when you and “my niece Sarah” were running past my house.It is quite the adventure you are on. I pray in it all, that you will embrace the beauty of God’s creation and understand his majesty and his love for humanity. Jesus loves you and died for your sins. I pray if you haven’t already, that you will open your heart to Jesus Christ and invite him into your heart to be your Lord and Savior. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. John 3:16. It was fun to speak with you!! God bless, Joan Pierce
January 23rd, 2011 at 1:40 pm
Hi Tony!!! Thanks soooo much for letting me tag along with you for that 25miles yesterday, it was so much fun! If my teachers are mad at me for skipping rehersal i’ll blame it on you…haha Good luck running especially in the next couple of days, it’Sarah supposed to be extra super cold so stay warm. I’ll be following your blog!!!
January 23rd, 2011 at 11:56 pm
Hi Sarah! Nice to hear from you and thanks for making yesterdays run such a nice one. Tell your teachers that if they start messing with you I will haunt them and make them come out to run all the way across the country and push Nirvana!
January 24th, 2011 at 12:04 am
hi tony…irene from the kingston village market where you stopped on jan 2nd…in kingston, New Hampshire….told me the story today about your visit! how cool that you stopped right here! wish i could have met you! i just joined the kingston fire department auxillary…and would have been happy to offer you some assistance had i known you were here…but i’m glad that irene was able to offer you assistance and the kfd to help too! good luck on your journey… kathie in kingston, New Hampshire
February 12th, 2011 at 2:16 am
Hi Tony! Jason and I have been following your blog since you left our house. You have alot of people rooting for you and praying you stay safe! We look foward to see your next new adventure! How exciting! It was wonderful meeting you and best wishes! Jason and Leighel in Ashley Ohio