Sharon Gayter Energia 24-Hour race, Bangor Sportsplex (Irish Championship). Could a woman be about to beat all the men at the round-the-clock Energia 24-hour race in Bangor(July 6/7 –6.45pm start).
She’s done it before – 4 times to be precise:
Last year she won the world’s highest race. The distance was 138 miles.She beat the mens record by 12 hours.
Before that she set a world record running on a treadmill for 7 days.She covered 517 miles and beat the mens’ record by nearly 50 miles.
In 2011 she was ranked number 1 in the world for her performance in the Athens 6-dayer. She went 468 miles – and yes, you guessed it, she beat all the men.
Finally and much closer to home, in March, she ran the length of Ireland from Malin to Mizen, that’s 346 miles, in just over 4 days taking 21 hours off the record. People can’t cycle it that quick!
So, the title wonder woman sits easily on the shoulders of Teeside sports lecturer Sharon Gayter,48. Just to rub it in: She has run 1000 races,over 20,000miles and 300 marathons and not even stem cell treatment for a cyst on her ankle bone in 2010 could slow her down.
But some of Ireland’s finest ultra runners will be out to stop her.
They include the defending Irish champion John O’Regan,42. The Co Kildare man , who has competed all over all the world for Ireland, covered 132 miles in victory last year.
And, Dublin-based Eoin Keith,43, the Irish 24-hour record holder , makes his first appearance at the Energia. Keith set that track record at 147 miles in London in 2007. And, after a broken leg stopped him in his tracks last year, he showed recently he is flying again winning the Mourne Way Ultra.
Then, there is the quiet teacher of English from Madrid,Eddie Gallen,49 – the man who never leaves the track and clocked up 127 miles to finish second in 2011 before heading off to do the 150-mile race from Sparta to Athens.
Behind them are a string of personalities who would perhaps not mind so much about being beaten by a woman.
There’s Belfast’s Gerard McCann who made the 100 mile club last year but is back to celebrate his 40th birthday. He prefers to quote T.S.Eliot: “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”
Austrian born Tom Bubendorfer, 42, an IT manager now living in Kerry. “ My IQ drops 50 points every time I lace up my shoes.”
Tom Meany,46, from Bruff in Limerick. “My biggest fear is that I’ve never stayed awake for 24 hours before.”
Iryna Kennedy, 45, a barrister from Ballynahinch. “For me and my family this is part of our summer holiday.”
Finally, Gary Chalkley,41, from Hertfordshire who works in IT for a pharmaceutical company. “ I’m keen to pass on the athletics bug to my girlfriend. I decided the best way to do that was to drag her along to Bangor to watch me run round in circles for 24 hours whilst keeping me topped up with custard and flat pepsi.”
The 24-hour race is visiting the Bangor Sportsplex for the first time. There is also a 12-hour race and a relay for teams of 4 which includes teams from Orangegrove AC and Donadea AC in Kildare .
The only Bangor man going the whole way is Leisure Centre Assistant Manager Phil McComb.
Race Director Ed Smith: “Everytime I put this event on I expect no one to turn up! But, as befits an Irish Championship, we’ve got some of the very best ultrarunners around. That means records could tumble.
“We put on the T-Shirt ‘mind over matter’ – and that’s what these athletes have in spades – so come along and give them some support – they’ve earned it.”
The race starts at 6.45pm on Friday,July 6. Competitors can choose to step off the track and rest at any time and avail of their tented HQ in centre-field. The only break from the monotony is that they have to change direction every 4 hours. The man and woman who go the furthest will win £500 and there are special prizes for joining the 100 mile club.
For further information contact DOROTHY HAWE on 02890760066 or at dorothy.hawe@jprni.com; or ED SMITH on 07740818389 or at ed_n_smith@hotmail.com