Race Report: Achill Half Marathon
On the way to Achill Half Marathon, Castlebar - Keel, July 5, 2019.
Getting to the Achill Half Marathon and back to Galway was an epic and joy filled adventure with utterly tired legs at the end!
I booked my place in the Achill Half Marathon (with the race day on July 6) at the end of April, as it was named the best and most scenic half marathon in Ireland. The months in between the Connemara Full and Achill Half marathon were full of life. My partner and I went wild camping to Sweden, got engaged, I went back home to Latvia for few weeks and helped my parents around the garden; in general, I didn’t run a lot during these three months between the races, however I hiked and swam a lot. Somewhere in between those hikes I figured that it would be a great idea to cycle from Castlebar to Achill Island and enjoy the Great Western Greenway.
I am a keen believer that for an adventure to happen all you need is an idea and courage to make it happen. Achill was an adventure!
My partner and I boarded a bus from Galway to Castlebar, where the adventure began. It was a misty and drizzly morning. Neither of us felt great that morning, and after winding roads to Castlebar I really felt nauseous. We had a quick coffee in Castlebar, double checked that we have everything, and off we went on our bicycles. “I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike…”
For this adventure I had my newly acquired second hand bike. I cycled in jeans while wearing my partner’s padded shorts, I wore my every day sneakers, and all the way to Achill I carried 15 kg backpack on my back. It was simple gear that worked. I had pre-cooked all my meals for the day and the race day, as I wasn’t sure whether I could get vegan food on Achill Island. Therefore I had five meals in my backpack, along with snacks, tea and water. I was prepared for this adventure, or at least for every single meal for the next two days.
It is a 66 km cycle from Castlebar to Keel, most of it is on the Great Western Greenway, and what a stunning part of the world it is! Once we reached Newport the weather cleared up, so we had a picnic shortly after Newport, and an ice cream break in Mulranny with a magical view over the Clew Bay. And then we reached Achill, once across the bridge the first sign we saw hanging outside the supermarket was: No bikes. The next part of the cycle from the tip of the island to our hotel was tough, as after cycling for hours on the greenway we now had to cycle mainly uphill on the 80 km/h road, it didn’t feel pleasant or safe. I was relieved once we got to our hotel. After 5,5 h cycling and losing our way once on the island, we finally put our backpacks down in our room and had some food. We were exhausted!
Yet after we ate and had a short nap, the ocean was calling, so we cycled down to the Keel beach for a swim, to bring some life back to our bodies; wherever we go a swim in the ocean has become a sort of a pilgrimage for us. After the swim we both felt nourished and refreshed mentally and physically, always grateful to the ocean. By the end of the day we clocked 74 km on our bikes. It was a time for a good night’s rest. That evening we fell asleep to a sheep choir outside our window, and the next morning we woke up almost fresh, and cycled 4 km to the start line.
All that my legs wanted the race day morning was to go back to bed. A little self-directed pep talk before the start, and I was on the way. It was an overcast and windy day, and for the first 5 km I was considering quitting. But then my legs warmed up, and I made an agreement with them, that I would walk every uphill, and use this break to eat my dates and drink water. The 11 km mark passed. At that point I knew I could do it, I had come so far, now all that was left was to finish the race.
Achill is stunning, and somehow I didn’t think there would be so many trees, the half marathon scenery was beautiful with mountains and beaches, and roaming sheep all around. My mind was tired, so I constantly reminded myself to enjoy the run and relax into the movement. I was there to enjoy and not just grind my teeth to keep moving. So I put a smile on my face and for the rest of the race I enjoyed the scenery, and as I did that my whole body relaxed and eased into the movement.
After the last and toughest uphill one of the pacers stopped by the road and encouraged everyone on: “This is it, you have done it! No more uphills. You are almost there.”
1 km before the finish line in the aid station there were oranges, the taste of sweetness and freshness was everything I needed in that moment. I bit into it and carried on to the finish line right beside the Keel beach. I did it! I finished!
1:56:42, and once again I bet my PB by whooping 16 seconds from the year before!
While I ran my partner took a part in a local beach clean up, an initiative created by the race organisers. A small way of giving back and extending gratitude to the community for welcoming us. After I got my race medal, we took some photos, enjoyed a cup of sugary tea, and in less than 30 min after crossing the finish line we were back on our bikes to make our way back home. It was a beautiful downhill cycle to the edge of the island and on to the greenway. It was a beautiful 60 km cycle to Westport. And then a drive back to Galway.
We cycled 134 km in two days, I ran 21 km - one body, two legs. On Sunday, the next day after our adventure I spent the whole day eating and sleeping; nourishing my whole being. Once again in awe of what my mind and body could and can achieve, I was and am immensely grateful for its resilience and strength.
The Achill adventure was over.
On July 5, 2019, I finished the second race for Run to Plant Trees, Achill Half marathon in 1:56:42.