So much to report I dont know where to start. Today I ran 50km from Sixmilebridge where I was greeted by the mayor Sean Crowe yesterday. I ran to Charleville and noted once again my progress was only partially updated by my frustrating and unreliable Spot ‘ tracking ‘ device. It seems I have to put new batteries in it every second day whereas before it was every 10 days.

I was accompanied every step of the way by at least one athlete starting with Kate Flynn,  and Richard as far as Limerick. In Limerick Ciara took over and we had a great chat about her work in the Middle-East, amongst many other interesting stories.

Siobhan Stapleton also joined in at Cratloe am really enjoying myself now!

Then after a shelter from a downpour in Patrickswell where I stopped for a chicken and chips lunch I was joined by Tom Enright a great supporter of the blog since the start. Tom was riding his bicycle and accompanied me to the finish. On the way he tried to convince me I mistimed my Irish run as I ran by Lisdoonvarna a few days after the famed ‘ Match makers festival! On the way we were joined by another couple of tough runners John and Michael ‘ curly ‘ Cunningham, the latter an Irish hill running international in the masters class.

Shortly after these lads departed I had a bit of an energy crisis for I didn’t sleep well the previous night due to a lot of computer work. I need my recovery sleep more than ever now!

However I was run out of Limerick county by members of Kilmallock AC namely Jerry Sheedy and Michael Reynolds. While Simon Reynolds and Ed Hannon drove on ahead with flashing lights on those pretty hilly backroads. Many local runners including young children joined in as we ran to the Co. Cork ‘ border ‘

At the Cork ' border '

What a reception I got there for there were dozens of people standing out n the road and in their driveways. I stopped many times to shake their hands and talk about the run. Then North Cork AC joined in, the banter was mighty! I was like a pied piper, surely this was one of the best welcomes I had gotten on the whole run. More stopping, more children and runners joining in. Eventually I reached the church in Charleville where I finished my day. A short commute to Kilmallock where I was guest of the Deebert House Hotel as described in the last post, Thanks to everyone for their fantastic support and help.

All this wonderful help gave Siobhan Clifford an easy day in my support vehicle so she was able to catch up on some logistics. In all in Ireland I will be running in 20 counties of the 32 on the island of Ireland. Am past the halfway mark. This time three weeks the Ireland lap will be completed. I will just have the Dublin marathon to run. Ah yes, October 28th and a much dreamt of sleep in

Anyone that wants to join in the fun I plan to start from the church in Charleville tomorrow, Sunday at nine am ish! I will run to Bally Desmond via Newmarket

For further information on the run, contact Blue Bubble Marketing.

siobhanclifford42@gmail.com
or
087-2931029

Route for the next few days:

05/10/2014 Sun Charleville to Bally Desmond via newmarket
06/10/2014 Mon Ballydesmond toTralee
07/10/2014 Tue Tralee to Killarney (49 via Kilorgan TFB)
08/10/2014 Wed Killarney to Kenmare
09/10/2014 Thu Kenmare to Bantry
10/10/2014 Fri Bantry to Mizen Head
11/10/2014 Sat Mizen Head to Ballydehob
12/10/2014 Sun Ballydehob to Clonakilty

Thanks so much to the Deebert House Hotel in Killmallock for a complimentary nights stay!

Once again I am relaxing in luxury sponsored by the Deebert. The hotel is owned by an uncle of  Irelands greatest ever athlete Sonia O Sullivan. Unfortunately I just missed Sonia who was back here for a short break last week.

I was given a warm welcome by Margaret Atalla the hotel host.

Kilmallock Accommodation – Our Medieval Hotel in Kilmallock

Modern facilities and old world charm combine to create a twenty first century experience with the charm of a bygone era in our Kilmallock Hotel in County Limerick. Soft lighting and open fires with a homely glow reflect the warm welcome that awaits you here. Great care has been taken in choosing rich furnishings and fabrics to create a warm relaxing ambience to enhance your escape to the country.

Please see the hotel website HERE

It is with deep sympathy that I make this posting dedicated to my friend Basti Haag. I discovered a couple of days ago that Basti has been killed in a tragic avalanche in the Himalayas while making a descent.

Basti a very cheerful adventurer also worked as a product development officer for my clothing sponsor UVU.

He had been a keen supporter of this run and had hoped to come out to me while I ran through his native Munich state in Germany. Unfortunately we did not meet. But he said he would be back from his expedition before I finished.

UVU  clothing designed primarily for ultra running and an anagram for You Verses You.

I dedicate my Malin Head to Mizen Head run (which is incorporated in the Ireland lap) to the memory of Basti Haag.

M2M an anagram for Malin Head to Mizen Head.

My thoughts are with Basti’s family and friends at this sad time.

I just had two wonderful days running with members of Sligo A.C and Tubbercurry A.C. I will blog this later.

Thanks also to Kevin Mac Glynn Sligo AC runner and manager of the Sligo Great Western Southern Hotel for a complimentary stay.

Also to club physio Jason Mac Morrow for a great rub down. And to Tubercurry super clubman Anthony Walsh and wife Angela for hosting and feeding us a delicious lasagna dinner. Anthony also arranged another wonderful rub down from local physio Elaine Williams.

Friday 46km Saturday 41km from Sligo to Curry.

Below is a press release from the World Runners Association.

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Congratulations to Tony Mangan who in the next few days will become the third person to officially complete a certified run around the world. In a few months this list will grow by one when Kevin Carr completes his run.

Please see below for details of the World Runners Association.

World Runners Association (WRA) Media Announcement
The World Runners Association (WRA) will be officially established on October 1, 2014. The WRA is the international governing body for the sport of multi-day solo running and walking events that involve a circumnavigation of the Earth on foot.
The Association’s inaugural President is Mr Phil Essam, a long-time and well respected advocate of the sport. Based in Canberra, Australia, Mr Essam will preside over a WRA membership that includes all those who have completed, or are currently in the process of completing, a fully documented circuit of the planet on foot according to the Association’s rules (a full definition of these rules is appended to this document).
The WRA will adjudicate on official attempts to run or walk around the world, including the ratification or otherwise of claims for a variety of world records. These records comprise the categories of Longest Circumnavigation of the Earth on Foot, Fastest Circumnavigation of the Earth on Foot, Most Circumnavigations of the Earth on Foot, Oldest Person to Circumnavigate the Earth on Foot and Youngest Person to Circumnavigate the Earth on Foot.
The WRA will maintain an official and on-going register of the progression of these world records and an official list of all those who have successfully circumnavigated the world on foot according to the WRA rules. While decisions about these records will be determined by the WRA, other organizations are invited to publish these same records in hard copy or electronic books and magazines they may issue from time to time.
The mission of the World Runners Association is to officially represent legitimate runners and walkers who have, are, or are intending to circumnavigate the world in way that is open, transparent, and consistent with the WRA’s rules and guidelines. Though not affiliated with the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), it is the intention of the World Runners Association to maintain a regular dialogue with the IAU.
As the authority that arbitrates on the acceptance or rejection of claims for successful attempts and world records in this class of athletic endeavour, the WRA will apply a rigorous yet unambiguous adjudication process. The overriding goal of the WRA is to ensure a consistency and uniformity in the rules for running and/or walking around the world, and honesty and transparency in any claims associated with attempts to do so.
The WRA is a not-for-profit organization operating on an internally democratic constitution. Membership of the World Runners Association is by invitation, though all those who are adjudged to have successfully completed a circumnavigation of the Earth on foot will automatically be invited to become a member of the organization. No joining or other fees are involved.
For information on the WRA, please email pandbessam@bigpond.com

WRA Rules and Guidelines for Circumnavigating the Earth on Foot
(i) 1. The runner must start and finish at the same place (except when starting on the edge of one continent and finishing on the edge of a fourth continent).
2. The runner must cover a total of at least 26,000 km on foot.
3. The runner must cross at least four continents from “coast to coast”, covering a minimum of 1,000 km on each continent. The two “coasts” of any given continent must front different oceans#. A tolerance of 1 km from the waters of the ocean is allowed. The four “core” continents must be crossed contiguously. (i.e. no gaps).
4. The order of the four continents (and any additional land masses) that the runner takes must be longitudinally consecutive. For example, an acceptable order would be Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, South America. An example of an unacceptable order would be Europe, Australia, South America, Asia, North America.
5. The runner must pass through antipodal points, within a tolerance of ten degrees of latitude and longitude.
6. The runner must run more than 50% of the total distance. (i.e. walk less than 50%).
7. The runner may take as many breaks as desired, with one year as the maximum for any single break, and do as he/she pleases during these breaks. Any time incurred during breaks, however, will be included as part of the runner’s official time. The total length of all breaks must constitute less than 50% of the overall time involved in the attempt.
Note: for world walkers, the same rules apply except for Rule 6.
# In the case of the European “east coast” and Asian “west coast”, this is defined as either the Bosporus / Sea of Marmara/ Dardanelles waterway, OR the border between Russia and either Georgia, Azerbaijan, or Kazakhstan, OR the edge of the Caspian Sea between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, OR the ridge line along the Ural Mountains in Russia

Thank you Sandhouse Hotel

Thursday 25th my effort on Co. Donegal’s rain soaked highway N15 took me 43km closer to Dublin. A freezing cold misty rain sapped my energy in the morning. After lunch I was joined by Joe Coyle a member of the local rambling club. Joe set a fair pace for the 18 kilometres we shared. We finished at the Ballyshannon roundabout towards Sligo.

With rambling man Joe Coyle

On the way he phoned Paul Diver manager of Sandhouse Hotel and Marine Spa, a beautiful beach side luxury hotel. Upon hearing of my run Paul kindly offered Siobhan and me accommodation and a delicious dinner and breakfast.
Thanks Paul, we are enjoying our night of luxury in such elegant surroundings

Please check out the Sandhouse website HERE

THE SANDHOUSE HOTEL & MARINE SPA, ROSSNOWLAGH, CO. DONEGAL

EMAIL: INFO@SANDHOUSE.IE

Tel: +353 (0)71 985 1777

The Marine Spa is the ideal location for guests to revitalize and rejuvenate. A harmonious blend of the latest in natural beauty and holistic therapies will heal the mind, body and soul. We specialize in Voyaand offer an organic seaweed skincare experience, Voya Organic Seaweed Baths Spa Seaweed treatments.

Today was a difficult day on the road from Malin to my finish location at Grianan Hotel about 15km south west of Buncrana. Heavy afternoon rain made for miserable weather.  I was particularly tired due to lack of sleep last night. Life was made easier by my superb crew woman Siobhan Clifford from Blue Bubble Marketing.

The day started slowly as I was delighted to give two talks to students in the primary school in Cordona. And no sooner had I started running when we were invited into the Slisbh Sneacht Centre for a much needed coffee. Ed Mc Groarty a local runner made the afternoon slog a lot more bearable running with me for about an hour and a half., thanks Ed, this was just what I needed.

Long time followers to the blog will know how unreliable my Spot device has been. I actually got an email from one of my followers asking if I enjoyed my rest day today!

I have emailed Spot and so far have been ignored, what can I say. It is particularly annoying at this stage of the world run because there are many runners that want to run with me for parts of the lap of Ireland. But they don’t know where I am when this ‘ tracking device ‘ does not update.

I have posted my schedule on the route page. I am about 16km ahead of the schedule.

Press HERE for my route for the next few days. I hope you can join me.

Many thanks to Liam our host last night in Malin and his work colleague  Mark for putting us up tonight. Both are teachers in Cardona primary school. It was also great meeting Irish international ultrarunning athlete John Collins who has also crewed many times for Irish athletes in world championships.

Yesterday I reached Malin Head and started my run towards Mizen Head (600km) as part of the lap of Ireland, the so called M2M is the Irish equivalent of the UK’s Lands End to John O’ Goats.

Thanks yet again to the North Pole Marathon and my great friend Richard Donovan for ongoing support of the run. Richard has very generously sponsored the hire of the support car which is driven by Siobhan and our expenses for the Irish lap.

Richard’s North Pole Marathon website HERE  is known as the ‘world’s coolest marathon’. He also organises the Antarctic Ice Marathon & 100k www.icemarathon.com at the other end of the planet, which was Lonely Planet’s top marathon pick for adventure travel in 2014. Richard’s Volcano Marathon HERE in the Atacama Desert is one of the highest marathons in the world and was recently listed by British Airways as the second most scenic marathon in the world, one place behind the North Pole Marathon!

Richard it was great seeing you at the Dublin port last Saturday. I look forward to running into and out of Galway with you in about nine days and a rest day, my first since London three weeks ago.

hi Everyone. Had a wonderful 50km day, Sunday including the 10km I didnt finish yesterday due to so much stopping and perhaps a bit drained from the emotional wonderful reception I received in Dublin Port. I also did not sleep in Holyhead port on Friday tue to the excitement! Thanks to everyone for coming out to greet me.
Today I finished as scheduled in Dunleer and enjoyed running with members of the local clubs. Thanks to my hosts Fergus Owens a great supporter to the blog and his wife Barbara. We also commuted back tonight. We as in my great crew person Siobhan Clifford who has thrown her public relations company Blue Bubble Marketing behind the Ireland lap. At this weary stage Siobhan is a God sent to me! Thanks also to Fergus for running 50km, now an ultra runner! And to Siobhan’s husband Billy for running about 40km. Also special thanks to Eugene and David for running with me. My wonderful homecoming reception actually made ITV news over in the UK!! To view press this link below

PRESS HERE

Another story

AND HERE

Photos press

PHOTOS HERE

Total run 48,466km
Many thanks to Stena Lines for a complimentary ferry passage from Holyhead to Dublin and to Stenas very helpful staff for understanding I needed to run through the terminal which I did under escort!
Also special thanks to my great friend and main sponsor Richard Donovan for kindly sponsoring the hire of our support vehicle, petrol and our other expenses. I will do a proper acknowledgement for this amazing generosity soon.

See you on the road on Monday from Dunleer to Carrickdale Starting around 9am from the welcome to Dunleer  sign south side.