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Brno Revisited! The Scene of my World 48 Hour Indoor Track Record

World Indoor Ratification Certificate Issued By The International Association of Ultrarunners.This Record Still Stands!

 By Tony Mangan
This morning my host Tomas Rusek, former race director of the Brno 48 hour indoor race here in the Czech Rep drove me to the village of Rajhrad where I finished running yesterday.

Tomas and Vasek

I could have shaved off 15km by running from there towards Germany and bypassing the city. But why would I have done that! Brno has always been a special place for me since I broke the world 48hour record in 2007. A message from my former Irish team mate Eddie Gallen told me it was still listed on the IAU current world records list last January. Please read next blog posting below for that race report.

With Tomas Rusek on the way to the place we both know and love so much

Tomas had his bicycle attached to his car so as he could cycle crew me to the Brno Trade Fair Pavilion Z. Vasek, his friend drove his car and helped me enormously too, Thanks to everyone concerned. So on I ran, it was a very nice day, a bit overcast, but that’s ok by me. We even stopped for a non- alcohol beer near a park picnic area.

Carbo Loading!

Svata, a local runner joined me for about 6km. For some reason I was hurting badly, very tired.

Svata tries to give me the 'tour.'

I have been focused on Brno these last six or seven weeks now since leaving Istanbul and have noticed in the past when I reach a much focused destination which has required a big effort, that the tiredness often hits me like a bolt of lightening.

Brno Trade Fair Pavilion Z was the only landmark which interested me that day!

Svata was a great help here but I refused ‘ the tour ‘ Often people point out universities, libraries, the vet they bring their dog to and for some strange reason usually the courthouse. Why do they always tell me that! In the grounds of the pavilion we meet David who works for the company. I was told last week it was locked up in between trade shows but pleaded with Daniel Oralek, my friend from my competitive days to beg a few laps for me and other runners to run.

Ah Yes! I can still feel the excitement from the two most memorable days of my life.

Daniel thankfully managed this, he was to join us in the afternoon. The deal was sound, the Pavilion wanted David to take some photos for their Facebook page, so everyone was happy :)

Which direction do you want to run could have been my biggest decision of the day... Well both directions, don't want to be greedy!

With Tomas and Svata we ran some laps. I could almost hear the noise from my fellow runners seven years ago , the spectators, the chanting for they knew something I didn’t. The last time Tomas ran a lap with me was to mark the  final spot where my foot landed right on the 48 hour hooter for a world record I was oblivious to! It was with a tear in my eye I left the arena. We met Daniel and then ran towards Tomas and Vera’s house about 20 kilometres away. Yes Daniel is a genuine ultra running man. He told me he gets a four hour lunch, for many business do a four hour siesta here. No Daniel doesn’t sleep. Jokingly I asked him if he ran for the four hours every day.

Daniel Oralek a fierce competitor from my competitive days joins us.

” No ONLY for two or three hours a day! ” Daniel runs 60 races a year but ONLY 20 ultra marathons, easing down only one day before and is back running the next day! 8,000km a year he runs, enough to run around the world.   So we ran for about 12km through some nice parks and cycle ways, he has to go back to work running back to his office on the other side of Brno. He is an IT specialist. I had brought my computer over to him to see if he could sort out the problem I was having as mentioned in my last blog posting.

Daniel the IT expert soon figures out the problem with my laptop, thanks Daniel!

Then realized we had no internet. So I explained the problem to him, he suggested I change browser, and hey presto when we got home it worked! Thanks Daniel. Briefly another friend of Tomas a cyclist called Pavel joined us.

With Daniel and Pavel

Then it was just down to Tomas and this slugger hacking my way through another of Brno’s wonderful trail parks. Half an hour later we got to the house. The toughest and happiest 35 kilometre days in many a long year. Ah Yes, I remember when it all seemed so easy! Tomorrow Friday, a rest day :) Please read my ” Uno in Brno ” race report in blog post below. . The end of road day 1,066 with 46,605 kilometres under my feet..

Sweet Caroline!

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4 Responses to “Brno Revisited! The Scene of my World 48 Hour Indoor Track Record”

  1. kevin scanlon Says:

    tony this is one of the best blogs and set of photos you have given us to enjoy. the excitement is palpable. the photos are brilliant. well done then and well done now!!!! keep it going. kevin

  2. Fergus Says:

    Good Man Tony, You look great in those photos. It is wonderful that you could take in Brno on way back and get such a warm reception from all your old friends. As Kevin says “Well done then and well done now”. Congrats and keep it going.

  3. Ann Says:

    Great photos Tony and a wonderful experience returning to Brno. So glad the cert finally downloaded with Daniels help, had my heart broken trying to sort, take care Ann -:)

  4. Tey EngTiong Says:

    Wah,look u r more energy now and enjoy u europe route…keep it up !!!

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About Tony

I have always considered myself to be an average runner. In school, I was even bullied for I was a sports wimp. Through hard work, dedication, perseverance, self-belief and a strong mind I succeeded in not only running around the world but breaking four ultra running world records during my competitive career. Having previously cycled around the world I didn't start running until I was almost 30. Then I had a dream of running around the world. For many reasons, I waited for over 20 years. One reason was to establish my pedigree as an endurance athlete. I started and finished my world run as the current World Record-Holder for 48 Hours Indoor Track 426 kilometres (265 miles), a record I have held since 2007. I also broke and still hold the World Record for 48 hours on a Treadmill 405 kilometres (251 miles) in 2008. When I retired from competition, more pleasing than any of my world, European or Irish records I had the respect of my fellow athletes from all over the world - in my opinion, sports greatest reward - an achievement I am most proud of. Then I finally put myself out to pasture, to live my ultimate dream to run around the world! This blog was written on the road while I struggled to find places to sleep and to recover from running an average of 43.3 kilometres or 27 miles per day for 1,165 road days. There were many nights I typed this blog on a smart phone, so fatigued my eyes closed. Many journalists and endurance athletes have referred to my world run as the most difficult endurance challenge ever attempted. During my expedition I rarely had any support vehicles, running mostly with a backpack. In the more desolate areas I pushed my gear, food and water in a cart which I called Nirvana, then I sent her on ahead to run with my backpack once again over altitudes of almost 5,000 metres in the Andes. I stayed in remote villages where many people had never seen a white person before. I literally met the most wonderful people of this world in their own backyard and share many of those amazing experiences in this blog. My run around the world took 4 years. There were no short cuts, I ran every single metre on the road while seeking out the most comprehensive route across 41 countries, 5 continents, I used 50 pair of running shoes and my final footstep of the run was exactly 50,000 kilometres, (almost 31,000 miles) I eventually finished this tongue in cheek named world jog where I started, at the finish line of my city marathon. I started my global run with the Dublin Marathon on October 25th 2010 and finished with the Dublin Marathon on October 27th 2014 at 3 05pm! Thank you for your support, I hope you can share my unique way of seeing the world, the ultimate endurance challenge! Read more...

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