By Aaron Doyle
TEN athletes from the Adrenaline Running Club in Carlow town took part in this year’s Ironman UK last weekend in Bolton, England.
The group, who called themselves ‘Adrenaline Ten’, was comprised of Karen Kavanagh, Paul ‘Spud’ Murphy, Benji O’Brien, Brian Maher, Barry Fitzpatrick, Eoin Cowman, Sean Kavanagh, Val Brooks, Heather Purcell and Gary Flannery, who was also the group’s coach.
The group fly the flag in England
The race saw competitors take on the challenge of a 2.4 mile (3.86 km) swim, followed by a 112-mile (180.25 km) cycle and finally a marathon 26.2 mile (42.2 km) run.
“It was very tough but we were prepared enough for it,” said Paul Murphy. “I enjoyed it though. The final 10k of the run was difficult but apart from that, I enjoyed the day.”
Karen Kavanagh also had a similar feeling to Murphy when it came to reflecting on the race. “I had a good day,” she said. “I was delighted by how I did in the end. There were hiccups along the way and I’m not saying that there weren’t any difficulties but it was a good day in general.”
The course in Bolton was tough on athletes mentally as well as physically, but the support, especially those who travelled from Carlow, helped them get through it.
“The support was fantastic and the support from Carlow was unbelievable,” said Karen. “I wanted to finish and enjoy the atmosphere. I heard that the crowd is great, especially at the running stage and that was true. They were fantastic.”
“The bike was probably my weakest event but the massive support from Carlow kept me going,” said Paul. “It was great to see my wife, my son, my nieces and nephews in the crowd as I was going along. I was never going to stop.”
The members of the group came in with their own aims for the race. Some were just hoping to cross the finish line in one piece while others were hoping to beat a particular time. “I was asked by a lot of people if I had any aims but it was hard for me to say for sure,” said Paul. “I always said though that if I could beat 15 hours, I would be happy. I crossed the line in 13 hours and 45 minutes so I was delighted. I couldn’t have been happier with it.”
“I had no aims for times, I just wanted to finish it in one piece,” said Karen. “I wanted to enjoy the atmosphere and enjoy the whole day. Once I crossed the line, I was over the moon.”
The idea of doing future Ironman races is a possibility for all the group. However, the dedication needed to complete one is something that cannot be ignored. “I wouldn’t say no. Yes, it’s tough but it is very doable,” said Karen.
“My wife wouldn’t want to hear this as it takes a lot of commitment but I wouldn’t say no,” said Paul. “It really requires seven months of complete commitment.”
