32 in 32 for Zoe – The other side!

By Jennifer, The crew, his wife and definitely not a runner.

I sat reading Eds report and realised that I seen some of the 15 days in a very different way and for this one at least, I get to see so much more than the races. I may not run anywhere but I was there for every step of this one.

3 years ago we had this all planned, there has been a laminated map in our house since then with a route on it that had been planned and left in a corner. When Ed decided this was it, the time had come to try and do this, out came my trusty map and its line to every county in Ireland on the shortest route possible to find flat out and back or looped runs. Great I thought job done already this is going to be good!

Then I was reminded that this is Ed I married and somewhere in the vows he must have quietly added - through all the changes I make to the routes we will take….

First route change was no Dublin marathon this time, great that was wasting time – Oh, that was the least of my worries – I need to get to a talk in Bray one night and then 2 days later run the Eco trail in the middle of all this – right ok that’s not really a great idea but we can make it work – plans and dates then had to be changed which made it easier to fit in actually nut we had to go the other way around the country. Ok route set I am happy I can start to plan where we might need to stay, who can help us and kind of when we will be at each location. I made some posts and put them on socials with a disclaimer that they may change, I had no idea how much!!

We got all the preparation done, car packed and my Dad over from Scotland with a long list of things the boys needed to do over the next 2 weeks and how to look after all the animals. Luckily help was on hand from Siobhan to keep them fed and an amazing job was done with that.

Day 1 we set off for the start and met Zoe, her family, our family and runners to help Ed. Zoe starts them and off they go. Ed in a great mood ready to get this done, off too fast as always but nothing changes. 50km done – that wasn’t the plan of course and I’m still wondering how/why this became a thing?!

On to Sligo and Ed started another 50km, the boys came back to run with him and more friends joined us. I used this opportunity to get them to ask Ed why 50kms and can we go back to marathons please. There was no way we can make it work, does anyone even know the difference? Its at least an extra hour on every run, that’s less recovery and travel time. As it gets later it’s just me and Ed again for the finish, turns out its not the nicest place after dark and the decision to run towards town to finish was a wise one. Ed finishes, pizza ordered and a place to stay sorted we talked about the 50kms and put them to bed – back to marathons thankfully.

Day 2 started from the b and b in Blacklion so I was able to make tea and sort a few bits of food properly. Then I parked myself at a petrol station and met some brilliant people including a group of ladies fresh from the gym having a coffee in the sun and got chatting. Ed did well got finished and ate well all was good, on to Bundoran and a rest on the way for him.

We parked up in Bundoran, not where we were supposed to be as it turns out but it suited, there was a flatish path into town on the right and the beach in front of me. The sun was out and it was heating up. Turns out it got very hot up to 24 degrees, we had come prepared for gale force winds and torrential rain not summer. Ed was out enjoying the sea views and wasn’t returning to the car much so I went off to find ice and cold water to give him and met him on the path. He wasn’t  eating anything I gave him just a bit of ice cream. I was met at the car by the armed garda unit that had been out to see Ed and my only question was where was the best pizza we need to get him to eat, they were legends and got it sorted. It wasn’t to be enough though….

We headed on to the 3^rd one of the day in Fermanagh, the route we planned wasn’t going to be great in the dark so Ed took to the road, a bit hillier than we would have liked but straight out and backs, it was dark and I stayed close by in the car I knew things weren’t all great. A late finish but 3 done in the day, try to eat a bit and rest up. We arrived at a hotel after midnight, let in by the night porter and straight to sleep for Ed. A few hours later we met the same porter on our way out he is still wondering what happened I think.

Day 3 started at the Omagh leisure Complex in Tyrone, another lovely bunch of people. It was warming up again but not as hot as the day before. Ed started out but was much slower, something wasn’t right, he messaged Siobhan to say sorry it’s over - he was told off for that -  I reassured her these things happen in ultra running and not to bother about him, I will let you know when to panic. I went for a walk with the washing, got some food and a charger for the tracker that wouldn’t charge?

Ed was getting slower and was in pain, real stomach pains, he couldn’t eat or drink anything at this point. Not good. Maybe I am a bit worried now, I keep that to myself. Then he asked me for Zoe’s note – the one she gave him for when he felt he couldn’t go on – it’s serious now and its only day 3! He has to finish this one then I will get him to a bed, rest and see if he can eat. He asked me to walk the last bit with him, I knew he was desperate then and he had finished in his mind. At this point I couldn’t tell him I had ruined his new best t-shirt in the wash!!

My job now was to make sure he rested and get fluids and food into him, I don’t mind saying now how bad he was at this point and the reason I chose to move us on to Belfast and not further North was access to a hospital, just in case. He got a fever but slept and started to drink then to eat again. While he was sleeping I was trying to sort the tracker problem and thankfully Ronan and his son came to my rescue with a new one, I sent the details of where we were hoping to go to and he had it sorted in minutes – his son would meet me on his first day at Uni in Belfast the next morning – this kid will go far, full of kindness! At this point though I still wasn’t sure if there was a challenge at all.

After a good rest and plenty of food we headed to the Belfast boat Club to give day 4 a chance, no big plans just try and get one done, see how he feels and if he can eat and drink then we move on. Once again I met such lovely people at the Boat club, so helpful and kind (by helpful/kind I usually mean they had a toilet I could use, a serious crewing issue I have, also bins, there are no bins) He was feeling good, good enough to take to social media and let everyone know I wasn’t doing my job, whilst I was away getting his new tracker, specific soup he absolutely needed and antihistamine for a not very pleasant bite/sting he acquired, he may live to regret that. It was great to have him smiling and joking again. Looks like its back on, I let Siobhan know. At this point we now also have a campaign crew with the Tulsk Ultras at home sorting media, supporters, absolutely anything we can think of. I know if I need anything they are a phone call away and they are keeping me going through all of this with messages. I wouldn’t have gotten through that 24 hours without the best of friends being there to listen to me cry, rant, moan and laugh.

Lisburn next, nice and easy only a few minutes’ drive away and Ed is back on form. Time to find somewhere to stay again. Yes, at this point now I have given up making plans, our days are all wrong, I can’t be sure how many we will get done in a day so we fly by the seat of our pants but that’s ok we do it every day at home, its what we know best. The place we found was lovely, wish we could stay and enjoy but in late and straight out at 6am again. The owner had left fruit and fresh handmade scones, amazing. I unpacked and repacked the car, sorted out our food and got a shower and some rest.

Day 5 and we are looking good again, met by friends of Zoes family and a whole picnic, people to run with Ed and someone for me to chat to for hours, brilliant. I am happy in my own company and peace and quiet but it can be lonely out there and company makes the time pass by.  He still needed to be eating well so we took a trip to his brothers coffee shop in Ardee (Brew22 Ardee give it a try) where he ate so well and was ready to go again in Louth.

Louth was where we were met by a few legends of the ultra-running community and we got to  have great chats and put the world to rights. It is also when we had to say we were trying to get back on track for the record and couldn’t do the talk and the race because we were so far behind he needed to try something to catch up. That something was yet again a complete change of plan, only achievable because one of our friends offered whatever help was needed, then I’m sure he fully regretted the decision when I mentioned 4am start and a long drive to Derry but he didn’t waver and was there on the button to drive him.

This was it, a chance to get fully back on track for 32 marathons in 15 days. We had a new plan, we were going to get the 2 we missed done here on day 6 then continue on. They got Derry done and had a blast. I did some more washing and managed to not destroy anything this time, I also had lots of work to do so my car became my office and clothes drier as well as the kitchen, wardrobe, electrical store and whatever else it already was. Tomorrow was Zoes birthday, a big day we had planned but Ed changed his mind again on where he needed to go so things had to change again. Route 7 million and 58 was put out on social media but I know there were people we would miss with the change again.

Day 7 – 26^th September – Zoes 12^th birthday – started before dawn at the gate of Phoenix park. I had to change where I would meet everyone again because the car park was closed. Something wasn’t right again, he was too quiet for the day it was, I knew he was having pain when he ran but it happens and we deal with it. It didn’t matter Ed was finished before we all got to meet he went to the café with Ben and his parents, who had made a stop to buy a new phone, yes his phone had stopped charging, big problem, his watch would not work without it and his runs wouldn’t be recorded, I sat and transferred all I could before it gave up altogether. Zoe, her family and friends arrived for cake, lots of cake in the park and a quick catch up. Ed was keen to get going, he wanted to get 3 runs in today, we needed to catch up, the weather still good, he knew he wasn’t right, let’s go.

Off to Kildare, along the canal, he knows it so well, lots of help here with this one, its been such a good day so much fun and laughter. Here comes the rain, we all hide or get soaked, that’s the first time its rained on us. Ed finishes surrounded by people and off we all go, most go home, not us we are heading to Offaly along the canal again Ed will start number 3 today into the night. I left him off at the canal to run and I headed for yet more pizza but as soon as I have it I get the call…. I’m done, it’s my Achilles, it’s not good. I was 20 minutes from him so I drove to him and knew it wasn’t going to change he couldn’t walk at all. We headed to his cousins where she sat up and helped us with ice and heat then went for a rest, lets see how it is in the morning.

The morning came and so did the pain, more chats with his physio its not looking good so I found a sauna and ice bath and took him straight there. We went for breakfast and a chat. The day was out already he couldn’t move lets take some time. Lots of chat, some tears and a new direction was decided on. No not Mizen to Malin that’s ridiculous – I think they were my exact words and nothing will change my mind on that. Finish the challenge you set out to do just on a bike. Zoe has to overcome challenges every day and find a new way that’s what we will do. Great, we need a bike, we need to know if you can ride a bike even?? Stopped further along the canal at a bike hire, no one there, into the café for more food. No bike hire available just now so we have to go home.

It had been 8 days since we were home, so much to do but we got the bike, repacked the car with cycling stuff and off we went again. Stress levels were high I won’t lie we were upset and unsure how this would go. We couldn’t stay the night we wouldn’t want to carry on if we did so back on the road.

Day 9 was the first day of the bike in Vicarstown, would it work? Can he even cycle? We had brought Eds mountain bike, most of the runs are on trails that was the right decision wasn’t it? No, No it wasn’t. He took off, came straight back, the tyres need pumping again already, ok. Try again, calls me to say that’s better. I sit nervously waiting to see him or hear from him again, watching the tracker, it stops for a while, he is trying to make a video to post, its hard, his head is all over the place he still doesn’t understand this is not a failure but this is a win in determination and overcoming adversity. The café opens, great Ill get him some tea, that fixes everything, kind of turns out it does. Fiona was the lady I met and we got talking I told her everything, was she disappointed he is ‘only cycling’ now, absolutely not! Why hadn’t I told her we were coming? (we only knew ourselves at 6am, and I had no idea the café was there or who she was😊) she wanted the whole village out to cheer him on. We have a notebook for people to write messages in, it was filled up that morning, everyone that came near had to write in the book and learn about Ed. Ed came had his tea and carried on whilst I sat chatting to everyone in the village that turned up. It was exactly what we both needed, community, a community we had no idea about came and wrapped us in a big giant hug, thank you! Ed finished, had more tea and off we went.

This can be done, this will be done, on to the next. Off to Tinahely Co Wicklow, another total change of my plan by the way, in to the wood that was chosen to run in and hope for the best. The best came, Ed met an amazing man who chatted to him and told him his story, he cant walk he cycles everywhere, tell me that wasn’t meant to be. Then for number 3 of the day, Carlow and the Barrow Way, a lovely river walk. Yup it would have been a lovely run on the grassy paths but as it turns out a horrible cycle on a very heavy bike. That was it he wasn’t cycling that bike anymore he tells me. Great. He has a road bike back at home he had already called his dad before I got to him, is this a good idea we have no roads planned, he is nearly 10 days in now, sore and tired what do I do but he wont go on with this bike I know that. With Ed safe back at the hotel eating, I went to meet his dad at the side of a road to pick up the other bike and let him know all is ok.

Day 10, Lets try the next plan, a road bike, cycling on the road? Kilkenny was to be along and around the castle grounds, that wasn’t going to work on the bike so off he went. Happy man, he loves this bike and flys around no problem. On to Wexford in the rain and he takes off again on the road bike I will meet him at the end this time. Just as I get close I get the call, I need the other bike I have a puncture and only a few kms to go. No problem, all sorted, another done. The storm is coming and we head for Tipperary with a friend keeping us up to date on the weather there. Quick pit stop at what turns out to be the oldest bike shop in Ireland for a quick repair job and off he went. Must have been too fast for the tracker because he missed a friend that was cycling out in the middle of a storm to meet him! They caught up eventually and we all met at the end before we quickly got into the car to dry out and move on to the next.

Next day was the Dungarven greenway in Waterford, we went out to the car to get the bike and it was windy, very windy, I was nervous of him near the water but after that he will be fine I thought. As I walked back for the bags the sun came out, how lovely a nice day for a cycle…. Then came the thunder and lightening, I ring Ed quickly, you OK? Yup, I found some shelter. It was a 4 seasons kind of day. He finished it quickly, was freezing so into the café and warmed up. Off to Cork, back on the roads and I stayed close, the weather is improving and he was finished quickly, lets change plan again and go for 3 again today still trying to catch up we went on to Kerry and the greenway. I spent my time here looking for somewhere to stay, its mid-week at the end of September, easy right.. of course not… b and b booked after all the hotels were fully booked. Ed finished, feeling good, off to rest, no one there, booking taken but they were closed. I had already checked everywhere else, keep looking, its getting late and we are tired, found a hotel I never knew existed we will drive there and check or it’s a night in the car, we do it all the time for his races. Met a lovely receptionist who came to the rescue and made my day, we will be back.

Back over to Limerick and the greenway again, no problems apart from getting lost in Rathkeale for me, so quickly on to Clare for what was to be a running loop at the estuary so changed to a cycle from Bunratty, I was back in my office car as I had a meeting online but Ed met up with someone and cycled the roads together. He is flying it now and ready for number 3 again today, we are catching up and planning for the end is happening with the Ultras doing their thing, Ed doesn’t need to know anything. Number 3 of the day wasn’t planned he was supposed to rest his leg but it was Offaly, the one that got away, the one where it all changed. He needed to get it off his mind. We went to another car park and he took off on the road aiming for the canal path. The plan was to change bike for the canal back to the mountain bike, that lasted all of 2 minutes and he came back for the road bike, the path was good and the other bike too heavy. I am now an expert at the bike rack, I’ll add it to my CV I need a new job where my boss doesn’t let me go away for 2 weeks, not for this anyway. He makes it to the end and that’s it all the 3 a day ones are now complete and I need him to stick to the plan, I know what’s ahead and he doesn’t he has to listen to me now, what are the chances?

Day 13 – marathon 27 – Enfield for Meath where there is a perfectly good canal path we know well, but its too short to cycle apparently so on to the roads in rush hour he goes, I stay close, I don’t like this. He finds a quieter route and I am happier. Number 28, we are in Westmeath now and can start to see the end in sight. Its raining again and windy, we waited to see will the rain stop, spoiler, it defiantly does not! He starts in Athlone on the greenway and I head to Mullingar to meet a couple of our friends who have just landed from England, I have a plan – Lets hire some bikes and surprise him. The guy at the bike hire was confused but happy to rent us bikes and help me find the very obvious button to move the seat on Eds bike for me to use. Its still raining, are you sure this is a good idea he asks and we laugh, of course it is…..

It wasn’t really the rain became torrential as we went to find Ed, we found him sheltering under a bridge and he was also confused as to why we would do that. I have the best friends in the world but they should know not to trust me by now. We laughed our way back as the rain stopped, time for the fire at the pub we were done for the day.

Day 14 – Westport Co Mayo – Ed was joined on route by more cyclists, my time cycling was done I was busy enjoying time with more friends who joined us straight from the airport. My job was getting easier with the end in sight and so much help I was surely slacking now. It wasn’t over yet he still need to fuel well and rest between, we cant stop now. Creggs in Galway was the second stop and joined by a great group for a road cycle and tea after of course thanks to the Rugby Club. There was a puncture stop again but not Eds this time. Back home for the night and Ed gets a rest whilst I get to see what has been in the planning all week, the homecoming party. These ladies are amazing they just are. But don’t ask us to open a bottle of wine!

This is it – the last day – Day 15 – 4 of them start in Cloondara along the canal, this is Aaron’s special place and he is with them, it’s a good day. We wait for them to come back the kids are playing in the park, the dog ran off chasing a poor lady along the canal, we are so close. Lunch at the petrol station watching the Tarmonbarry runners finish the race with lots of familiar faces, I know Ed cant walk still but I know he is sad to be on the bike when he sees this.

The last one – number 32 of 32 – Tarmonbarry to Tulsk – Ed is joined by great friends from his cycling days to start this one, we meet the in Strokestown the off to Tulsk. Ed has insisted that no matter what he will run the last 5km, the physio said 3km max, we were tight on time I said 2km so 5km it was!! I knew what was waiting ahead, Ed had told me a few days ago that no one will turn up but our close friends and our family because he was cycling and not running anymore so its not the same. He was wrong, very wrong.

We were met by Zoe at the top of the village with a big group that joined us, a garda escort met us on the main road and took us to the Macra hall where it was lined by people, our community, they are all amazing and thank you to every single one of them. It made the day and the 15 days something so special for Ed and Zoe. We ate cake and celebrated.

I will never know how he does it, I have learned over the years kind of why but he will never stop amazing me although I do wish it was at short runs again.  Now I have to wait to see what mad idea is next…..