Just had a lazy day, a long, long sleep and nothing crazy like running!! We had a safety/ information meeting at 5pm and the advice included not to take a selfie photo in the nude! We were shown pictures of one such unfortunate man whose feet swelled up and blistered by 80% after just 1 minute exposure! I intend to wrap up well. We fly to the North Pole Marathon base camp at 1am on April 10th. The race is scheduled to start at 14.30 GMT that same day. Expected temperature: between -30/ -40C!! My new friend Adrian Dodson-Shaw the Australian aboriginal runner says even here at a mild -4 he has never experienced such coldness.
BTW there is little or no land at the Pole. The race will be run on a floating ice floe. Russian troops parachuted in with a tractor/digger to construct the landing strip for our special cold weather aircraft to land. Marksmen will patrol the course to protect the runners from hungry polar bears! My tactics are…. 1 To run with a bigger runner smile emoticon Run nice and steady except upon meeting a polar bear!
Upon his arrival the race director Richard Donovan will quickly sort out a safe course and measure it by gps. The course will be laps of just under 5km, At the end of each lap we pass the aid tent where it is recommended to calmly take stock of our situation and to replace any damp clothing, which can accelerate hypothermia. Care will be needed to not spill fluid while drinking which can then freeze. All skin will need to be covered while running. We will be using the layer system with added emphasis not to build up sweat which can freeze and to be aware of vent zippers on our windbreaker jackets .

We will be staying in heated tents, 10 persons to a tent! it will be propane heated, not body heated! My race number is 21. There are 45 competitors from 22 countries. There are four runners  from Ireland: Tanj Donovan, Richards niece, Paul Grealish owner of the Kings The King’s Head Galway bar in Galway who gave me great hospitality when I ran thru on my world run. Gary Seerywhose club Dublin Bay Running Club kindly gave me a special award last December. And myself. Good luck to all runners!

Hi Everyone.

I will be running the North Pole Marathon in a couple of days time when there is a good ‘ window of opportunity ‘ logistic wise. In the meantime the runners are having fun in the Arctic Circle as we wait for our charter flight to 90 degrees and the Pole itself

As regular readers will know the North Pole Marathon race director was my main sponsor on my world run, What a friend Richard Donovan is for when I crossed the finish line in October Richard presented me with a free trip and entry for the race as my reward for running around the world! Richard also said it’s a return trip so I don’t have to run home

Please follow the race and the build up on

https://www.facebook.com/npmarathon?fref=ts

www.northpolemarathon.com

Richard says he will be updating by satellite phone.

and I will post some buildup gossip here.

https://www.facebook.com/tony.mangan.14

Evening in Longyearbyen population 2,050 and the most northern town in the world, more snow mobiles than people.

Not much to do here that is perhaps why there is a large Thai community as many people imported Thai brides

 Instead I had a drink with Richard Donovan right and Australian former world marathon record holder Rob de Castella (the Deek) who in 1986 broke the world record in Boston 2hour 07.51 Rob, a humble man who prefers to be known for his fantastic work with the Australian indigenous people. Through the Indigenous Marathon Project Rob is showing them a healthy and better lifestyle. Also picture is Adrian Dobson-Shaw who is leading the way in his community.

He is a role model for a cleaner lifestyle and says his people are embracing positive change

Press HERE for a list of the runners profiles.

Earlier in the day:

My most important mission this week has been achieved! I promised Abi Delaney and Shauna Kelly who are related to my cousin Sandra Kelly Delaney that I would personally deliver their letters to Santa at the North Pole! Here I am posting Abi and Shauna’s letters!

Hoh! Hoh! Hoh!

Sheila Foley, my Mother, my solid rock foundation finally passed away at 13.03 Sunday 29th March. We are absolutely devastated and thank our many friends for their kind wishes. Mam has had 27 chemo sessions, a hip operation and several other length hospital stays also countless days and nights sick and in severe pain at home since she was first diagnosed with cancer almost 2 years and 9 months ago.
Such was her strength if she was a boxer Katie Taylor would have been in trouble, had she been an ultra runner I would have been in serious trouble so much was her fighting spirit, her endurance, perseverance and typically she never once complained about her cruel bad luck.
Mam lived to be less than 4 weeks short of her 80th birthday which will soon be another sad day for us. She also ate healthily, never drank alcohol and gave up smoking cigarettes 30 years ago. In her last few days I was amazed at her strong heart for she fought off about eight long countdowns which tried to take her last breath away, each time recovering  before nature ultimately took its cruel course, this was also so difficult for us as we all had to go through the emotional goodbye process. In the end it was best for her as we wanted her to maintain her lofty dignity and quality of life. We literally ate, slept and mostly showered in the hospital for a week, without much sleep. A week ago Mam was given 48 hours and just like her cancer prognosis she outlived this too. I am sure she would have lived to be a 100 years young otherwise, such an outgoing and outdoors person that she was.
Myself my sister Ann Salmon and brother Brian Mangan and her six grandchildren Gary, Serena, Mark, Laura, Sarah and Brian jnr  all agree that because of her tough morals, wisdom, bravery and vision in a conservative Ireland during the 1960′s and ’70′s  that we all had a very tough upbringing, she set us up hardened for successful lives.  Mam and us can all boast that a police officer has never knocked on her door nor at a door of any of her six grandchildren’s houses despite a very tough life all three of us children have had. Us three  children know we could easily have taken a wrong turn and gone horribly astray.

Mam met John Foley the true love of her life in 1988. She was about 53, And John was much older.They shared about 16 years of married bliss with never an angry word exchanged. John was the ultimate gentleman and totally devoted to Mam before he died in 2008. She dearly missed him. Mam is now on her way to meet him. Their favourite song has always been Forever and Ever

Our family would like to thank the staff of St James Hospital especially Professor Kennedy, Ethel , doctors ,nurses and even the cleaners and canteen staff loved her so much that they kept checking on her well being providing endless tea, coffee and sandwiches, Mam even had us empty our bin and clean her room to save the cleaners the trouble!
I would also like to thank my sister Ann Salmon who couldn’t have done anymore to care for Mam such was her devotion, Mam has always been Anns and our greatest friend! Mam was also my greatest supporter and I am told was so proud of all my running achievements having also read every single word of my world run blog  theworldjog.com
I will miss her, my true inspiration and perseverance for she wouldn’t let me shorten my world run after her cruel cancer diagnosis. I have enjoyed our last five months together living with Mam, preparing her porridge in the morning and helping relieve the strain on Ann even slightly.
We all have different ways to survive, mine will be to run the UVU North Pole marathon My kind sponsor Richard Donovan kindly gave me an entry with a week long trip there as my reward for running around the world! We depart on Easter Sunday! thank you Richard!
Rest in peace Mam we will never stop loving you, Always loved you, and we always wil.

funeral details:

The death has occurred of Sheila FOLEY (FORMERLY MANGAN) (née Kelly)
Dublin

Foley (nee Kelly) (formerly Mangan) Sheila (late of Oscar Square, S.C.R. Dublin 8. March 29th, 2015 peacefully surrounded by her loving family at St. James’ Hospital. Beloved wife of the late John and loving mother of Tony, Brian and Ann. Sadly missed by her loving family, her sisters, son-in-law John, daughter-in-law Norah, her grandchildren Gary, Serena, Mark, Laura, Sarah and Brian, her special friend Betty, relatives, neighbours and friends.  May she rest in peace   Reposing at the Massey Bros Funeral Home, The Coombe. Removal tomorrow,Tuesday evening, to St. Teresa’s Church, Donore Avenue arriving at 5.30pm. Funeral on Wednesday after 10am Mass to Mount Jerome Cemetery. All enquires to Massey Bros 01 4533333.

Please press HERE  and tune to 25 minutes 30 seconds on the dial to hear my recent interview about the run.

I have been asked to give a radio interview tomorrow Details Dear Tony, I hope this finds you well? I’m writing to invite you onto the radio show, Stadium Saturday on Dublin City FM, this Saturday February 14th, for interview and recap of your amazing achievements. Stadium Saturday is a mix of sports and entertainment and is broadcast live from LaFayette Cafe Bar on Westmoreland St every Saturday between 1 & 3pm on 103.2 Dublin City FM. As the show is broadcast from an outside location we require our guest to do the interview in person. I look forward to hearing from you.

Talk soon

Am making decent progress on my book! The problem is I have over a million words on my blog and other stuff I kept back. I never realized I talked so much
Speaking of which there are a few tickets left for my world run  presentation on Thursday. This will include a talk, photo show and a q&a session. In Run Logic running store Essex St, Temple Bar at 6:30. Please book your ticket on runlogic.ie 20 euro including refreshments

With sister in law Norah Mangan, Brother in law John Salmon, sister Ann Salmon, my Mam Sheila, Dublin Lord Mayor Christy Burke, me, my brother Brian, nephew Brian Mangan Jnr..and God-daughter Laura Mangan

On Friday we had a nice time in the Mansion House with Dublin Lord Mayor Christy Burke!

I presented the great man a limited edition poster of my world run which has my route and all 41 countries run listed.
A long inscription because he deserve it!
” I ran the roads of the world always proud to be Irish, proud to be a Dub! 
Thank you Lord Mayor Christy Burke for your great community and humanitarian work in Dublin, my city, capital of my country. I salute you, wish you could ‘ Keep On Running ‘
Best wishes Tony Mangan

Christy says he is a no nonsense politician who doesn’t hang out with the blazers. He pulls up his sleeves and gets stuck in rather than sipping pints at the Dail bar.

His legacy will be the fastracking of shelter and services for so many homeless people. He often patrols the city streets late at night providing food and a friendly ear for many addicts and other people down on their luck.

On a lighter note he says if he manages to get a statue to late Dubliner musician Luke Kelly erected he will be delighted.
While we waited Brian entertained us on the piano

Last Thursday I was honored to be presented with the Outsider Magazine ‘ Person of the Year ‘ award for my 50,000km run around the world!
It was a very enjoyable night meeting so many of my friends from running and other adventurous sports.

Thanks also to my sister Ann Salmon and my mam Sheila for their support

The event was held in the Generator in Dublin’s Smithfield. This was about a mile from home. There was a snow flurry and mam was worried about me making my way there on foot!
” Only a mile and I have run 31,100 around the world, across 6 deserts, an American winter and a central American monsoon season mam! ” I replied.

The competition was fierce with 9 other nominations for athletes who have pulled off remarkable feats. So need less to say I was delighted to win the ‘ Person of the Year award, The top award.

With a couple of old friends Maurice Mullins one of the original pioneers of ultra running in Ireland and John O’ Regan.

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I mentioned in my acceptance speech that having the respect of my fellow athletes now and during my competitive career has always been more important to me than any record or achievement
Thank you everyone for the nomination, to those that voted for me and to Roisin Finlay editor of Outsider magazine. Also thanks to the awards sponsors Trident Holiday Homes for your kind holiday voucher! Thanks to Great Outdoors and Cotswold Outdoor.

I promised myself a holiday and haven’t managed to take it yet, but will do so soon!
Also thanks to the faith my and kindness my sponsors had in me, Great Outdoors, Runlogic and Richard Donovans North Pole Marathon company aka Polar Running Adventures.

With Maurice Mullins who won a lifetime achievement award for his unselfish dedication to others during his lifetime in the sport of ultra running.

These days I mostly post on my Facebook page, please friend me.

Press HERE

Here is a questions interview I did for the Irish Runner Yearbook Magazine.

Press >  MANGAN  To read.

The interview was a follow up from the previous issue. So if you haven’t read that either Press > >  TonyMangan_Layout 1 (1) to read my first interview.

If you got time to listen to a 25 minute radio interview I did a couple of months ago press >  HERE I was very happy with this one as he gave me the time!

These days I mostly post on Facebook. If you are not my friend please friend me!

https://www.facebook.com/tony.mangan.14

I forgot to mention that a couple of weeks ago my friend Edit Berces emailed me these photos. Thanks to Edit for this and also she gave me some great help when I ran through Bratislava on my world run last summer www.theworldjog.com
As you can see she is the female world 24 hour treadmill record-holder.
Well done Edit who was also a great friend of mine during my competitive career.
More important than any record I have always considered respect from fellow athletes to be infinitely more important.
My 48 hour world treadmill record from the Longford marathon expo still stands.

Most ultra runners ‘ in the know ‘ have little or no respect for Guinness World Records due to their many bizarre ratifications and their seemingly poor judgement within our sport. The ultra running community recognizes The Alternative Book of World Records as the official record book for the sport as they have more cop on. The IAU ( International Association of Ultrarunning ) being the governing body ratifies competitive world records..
The Alternative Book of World Records don’t  ratify cheats like Suresh Joachim who as you can see managed to acquire the GWR 24 hour. The Alternative Book of World Records is also the book the WRA World Runners Association recognizes due to their higher standard required for ratification which catches out more self-centered cheats.
I know of Joachim very well for I witnessed video footage of him holding the rails while  ‘ breaking ‘ my original 48 hour record from 2003 which was set at the Dublin Marathon expo in Dublin’s RDS..

Amazingly GWR said holding the treadmill rails was not against their rules!!!!!
This holding on to the bars effectively pulling oneself marginally off the treadmill belt dramatically reduces the running effort required!
However any honest runner worth their salt would say holding onto the rails like its a zimmer frame is cheating -  rules or no rules. That is except for ‘ Joker Joachim, ‘ also a very high-profile American ‘ stunt runner ‘ and GWR,
So it was with great pleasure I hammered ‘ his record ‘ running with an injury but highly motivated to get ‘ my ‘  record back not for me but for sport from a serial cheat! Immediately before that record attempt began and as soon as it ended this dedication was announced.
So at times like this it is so nice to still be included in the GWR book of world records
Making this possible I have to thank my amazing crew man Alan Young who was help by John and Mark Salmon and other members of my family. Also thanks to the Longford marathon race director Liam Fenelon and his dedicated team team for their wonderful hospitality and logistical help!!  This record run left Joachim saying how sorry he was to have ‘ lost his record! ‘
Long live sport, honest athletes, crew, volunteers and race officials. My Kind Of People!