Coast 2 Coast ultra marathon 2024 - Bray head to Bray head!!

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Ed Payne 2024

Forgive me in advance because this is my first ever official race report, this will be written badly, spelt wrong have all the stops and bits in the wrong places but you’ll get the gist!!

Oh and it’s a long one!!

Sitting at the after-event breakfast of the KWU September 2023 after crewing a great friend for the previous 2 days a man stood up, a man that needed no intro (Apparently), but if you bury your head in the sand like I do it may as well have been Barney the dinosaur that stood up. Don’t worry I know who you are now Brian, a legend and a gentleman amongst many other things. Who was to know the impact that man was going to have on little old me!! A few short minutes later he introduced his idea and the fact that next year people were going to get the chance to run solo across Ireland from Bray head to Bray head, again I only knew of one, but every day a school day. And that is where the seed was planted, in that moment I whispered to myself 4 simple words, “I’m gonna finish that”

Roll on a few months later and I stand in a casino lobby in Bray Wicklow. In a past life I’ve been no stranger to a casino or two, this time I arrived, not here to chip in or cash out but to sign in for a race. Looking around, second guessing everyone else emotions, trying to find a familiar face as my nerves slowly boil up inside. I exchanged a quick word with one or two, Ronan taped my lifeline to my bag, “Which Shoulder?” he asks, “Always the right Ronan” I’m a creature of habit! After a couple of nervous but finally successful attempts at kit check and I ran back out to my crew waiting outside because they were the only people there, I knew more about what was going on than they did so I could flex my Ultra knowledge, look like I knew what I was doing and in some strange way this calmed me a little!!

My crew for the start was none other than my cousin Robbie, no stranger to a bike saddle but the world of Ultra running was new to him, not to mention the idea of crewing. We had some brief Whats app exchanges prior to the event but not wanting to scare him away I told him we would have fun. We had a few simple rules as I always do on these ones, meet me when you can, don’t be offended if you wait for ages to see me and I try my best to get away from you asap. I will only stop when I see you, if your not there, I’m not waiting. Quitting is not an option; we will not be discussing it. Simple as! That same legend of a man, now well known to me as the one and only Brian Byrne, stood up and on the wall and gave us some swift instructions before setting us on our way!! 3,2,1 Go!! It felt so easy and like always with the first step those pre-race nerves disappeared, and we were off. 600 odd km the distance, a piece of slate awaiting anyone that made it to Bray head on Valentia Island!

I was well aware I was out of my depth, a few of us teamed up as such as we headed up toward Bray head in Wicklow and the chat wasn’t long getting to running, I was among recent Beara Way finishers, and runners of races I had never even heard of, so I did something I can sometimes be very poor at and I stayed very quiet, I listened and admired. The course knowledge amongst us was obvious whereas this was my second run in Wicklow, the first of which thanks to Barry and John I only saw repeated laps of the same 6.7km. But we moved along, the night was warm the moon was full and at point it light bounced off a very calm Irish sea and like that we turned a slight right and left the sea behind us, what a journey we all had ahead of us before we would next set eyes on salt water!! I won’t try to say I knew the “Ways” or the routes or the hill names or anything, I followed the line on my watch to the best of my ability and after that sometimes I was on trail, sometimes road, a bit of forest road. But I moved well, it felt ok and the Km’s slipped by, Robbie slipped into his role as if he had been doing it all his life. We were meeting about ever 10/15k to start I would think. I’ll get to thanking my crew later but I won’t miss a chance here either and I am very fortunate to have a cousin mad enough to follow me around like he did.

The night rolled on the surface was good apart from me nearly rolling my ankle on the sleepers up on Djouce I think it is!! They kept me on my toes that’s for sure, but up and down we went, I had a rule that was non-negotiable and that was that every uphill was hiked and I stuck to this best I could and only negotiated it the odd time!! It didn’t take a scientist to figure out that the night was going to be short so not long before 4am the sky started to light up and life started to return to me and my legs. At one point I arrived to Robbie having just crossed the marathon mark and said to him, “Shit that’s a 5:30 marathon across the Wicklow hills, most people would give their right arm to run that fast a marathon on the flat” I knew I was moving to fast and for those of you that know me you will know that that is nothing new to me. Light it up early and pray God you can keep her lit is not the most successful race strategies but it sure as hell is fun, and I love having fun when I’m running!!

Not long after this I saw a runner just ahead and if you overtake the race leader that only means one thing, you’re in the lead and your about 2 mins away from getting a bolloxing from your wife and crew leader. So, I exchanged a brief word with Ciaron, he tried to get a read on me and I got a read on him wanting to get a read on me and we parted ways. I went on to take the wrong turn just ahead and prayed to God I wasn’t going to have to overtake him again in some sort of awkward Déjà vu “What just happened?” Type moment!! I quickly shot a voice message off to Jennifer (My wife, the boss) to say when you wake up you’ll see me in the lead but fear not I am running “Within myself” (Our crew language for I’m running well and not running balls to the wall and even if I am I’m not gonna tell you.) So here we were maybe 80/90 km into this monster in first place where I often find myself but yet to find myself there and also at the finish line. Shortly after I saw a sign to the town that I remembered I had written down as to where we would sleep for the first night!! It was about 10:00 am Saturday morning when I saw that sign!! We were well and truly too far ahead of the plan and badly needed a new plan. So I continued as I was going, hike to uphill’s and jog what I can of the rest but always, always run “Within myself” The Kms slipped by and as did the Wicklow way and were heading for a 100 mile day.

Saturday evening saw a change in the crew vehicle and Jennifer took over from Robbie and unfortunately, she knows me too well and quickly started to steady the ship. Jokes aside it wasn’t our first rodeo and we just got about doing, crew stops smooth as they were with Robbie it must be said, and we rolled though the Km’s. A good crew reduces the amount of thinking the runner must do and that’s a welcome break for a mind that is constantly trying to sort some internal battle that needs all your energy. Into night 1 we went and circa 1 or 2 am Jen insisted I get a bit of sleep, gifted with the ability to literally sleep anywhere I sat into the passenger seat and bang, sleep ingulfed me. I was maybe 180km into this monster and still had no idea what it was going to take to see it out!! An unknown time later I turned to Jennifer (Sleeping in drivers’ seat) and said I don’t care what time it is the sun is coming up but I need another few mins sleep. I don’t mind if the lads pass me now, It was fun wasn’t it?. To which Jen informed me the two closest dots had also stopped for sleep and were still sleeping. I had not come to win; I had definitely not come to race. I had come to fulfil that one ambition and goal that was to finish, but the competitive monster that is in my belly heard that they were sleeping, and I still had the lead I went to sleep with, and it was then that I thought to myself, I might just be in a race here!! I took that extra 30 mins and got going, ate as much as I could, got shoes and socks as comfortable as I could, repeating my rules in my head and got back on track.

Saturday was day 1, usual story for me, go like hell and see where ya are. That makes Sunday day 2 and that was definitely race day. My rules were still steadfast, hike up, jog flat and down. That said due to a lifetime spent herding cattle and sheep on foot and walking a lot I am blessed with a fast power hike, and I believe that really stood to me during this event. I even commented to Jennifer that Sunday that I was pushing myself more on the hikes than anywhere else. Jen and I watched the dots in our mirror all Sunday and it seemed we were moving away from them if anything, I would take a time marker as I ran through or past a certain point and then clock how long till they passed through. Sunday was hot, the roads heated up and with it my feet, I drank all I could and kept on top of electrolytes. It helped for nothing and come 6pm I was cooked. I sat into my comfort zone of the passenger seat and took off my shoes and shut my eyes, an hour passed, maybe more and the heat relented, and I laced up and moved again.

During Sunday some farming and family friends of ours came out to cheer us along and it was great to get a bit of normality to let me know life was continuing. I even managed to get a bit of farming talk into the conversation!! Not only was Sunday race day, but it was also hilly day. I turned a corner in Clonmel I think it is and the road rose up to meet me like nothing I’ve seen before, It was just after a lovely river run and bang back to reality, but I hiked and hiked and hit the top, only to be met with what can only be described as a small jungle. As I said the line on my watch was the bible to me and it said go, so I went. I fought and hacked and ate briars and cursed a bit before I was beaten and fell to my feet clipping my elbow off a stone as I went down. Elbow sore but not giving in I took to a hands and knees mixed with pig ignorant push through and came out the far side, shock myself down, hoped not too many thorns found their way into my shorts. I looked back, smirked at the courses latest yet inadequate attempt to get me to press stop and jogged on!!

Halfway beckoned me that evening, the big bad 300 was not far away but if I knew anything I knew it was a long way to the top of the V. Darkness fell and another beautiful moon helped to form a shadow of a hill above me that gave it a monsteras impression on me. I ran for want felt like an eternity waiting and waiting for the trail to turn uphill as if being teased by the mountain, we will let you climb only when we say you can. At last, it turned and the legs began to burn once again, up and up, a road crossing I knew from a journey through years ago, but I know we weren’t finished, I was looking for a car park. Head torch and bright moon leading me as I went up again, knowing I was missing out on some beautiful scenery I hiked onward. The beautiful calm peaceful night brought to life by the sounds of boy racer engines doing dounuts and shouting and cheering each other on. I knew they were playing where I wanted to be. I hiked on. Their car headlights got closer and closer, both of us leading two separate lives, crossing in the most unusual of places, their headlights kept their identity a secret and mine did the same, we passed in the night and went on our way.

Still not at the 300 but at the top of the V I thought it was an easy run in from here. I was wrong, only after that car park did the challenge start that night, it felt gnarly, I as tired, it felt uphill, I thought I was at the top. It was rough, I was unbalanced. It was a slog, and I was breaking!! Eventually I found road and knew Jen would be nearby. Into the passenger seat I went, shoes off, lights out!!

Monday now and the enormity of it all was starting to set in. Reminding myself of my rules and that during the previous day I had ran more km’s in this event than I had in total to date for 2024, I started to realise the task that lay ahead of my body. My watch always quick to remind me how many Km remained and the battle to reduce that number was ever growing!! Monday, I Christened, respect the distance. If I said those words to myself once that day I said it 1000 times. Respect the distance, respect the distance. I increased the amount of hiking, backed off as such. Although one of the dots looked to have tried to make a move Sunday evening, Monday was no longer race day, I had a cushion now, all I needed to do was worry about myself now. I was racing and competing only with myself for today at least. Respect the distance. Jen still crewing and we rolled on, we worked, Jen keeping real life issues at bay as I yep, you guessed it, respected the distance and lived in my head, hiking, slowing, thinking!! Stopping at stops was getting easier but starting after them was getting harder, so crew stops got snappy and this allowed for more hiking, less stopping and less jogging, like we do so often we made a plan as we go, and it worked for us so away we go.

Monday evening saw the return of Robbie in the crew car, and I wonder what changes he saw in me over the 48 hrs since he had seen me last!! Jen as I say had real life to return to but not before a night’s sleep, so she booked a bedroom in Mallow. During that night (Monday), and after my first real niggle behind my left shin and I believe right at the 400k mark I too left the course, I really didn’t want to, seeing it as a failure to leave the course, but we did, we drove the 25 mins and I slept for I think 4 maybe a bit more hours. Rob woke me, I hobbled out past the same hotel porter that let us in a few hours earlier, unable to explain I’m pretty sure he still thinks something very weird was going on that night, he’d have been right, I guess. Back on track and unknown to me where I was to stay for another day and a half I start away again. As if by magic the bit of horizontal sleep made my shin niggle disappear and I felt good and got a nice jog on all things considered.

After my scare the night before regarding the body staring to break, Tuesday became the day to protect the body. So as my mantra was the day before today, Tuesday, it was to protect the body. I could run, I even allowed myself run out of a dip or over a crest or lift the knees on a downhill, but I listened to every ache, every move was monitored, any weakness was given time to come back, if a stretch helped then I stopped and stretched. The distance to cover was still huge still over 100 miles, that’s an event, that’s enough to take me out of this event even if I felt perfect before the start so today is for the body, deep breaths, relax, run happy!! The day went well, Robbie and I plugged along and from a trail point of view it was the absolute highlight, Duhhallow Way I think it was, was just amazing. I enjoyed every step; it was breathtaking at times. We really do live in the most beautiful country. Unable to enjoy it to the most as my mind constantly reminded me it was more important to make sure my big toe didn’t try to move anymore immovable rocks that it was to say, “Oh that’s Pretty”

We crossed into Kerry, another milestone, but still so far to go. I could sense by my phone starting to beep more often that people had started to realise they knew the person in the lead and that he might actually win. I on the other hand was becoming more and more aware of the risk that remained and the distance I still had to carry the body through. I was positive towards the crew, but we all knew we had a huge task ahead. People started to meet me on course, yes people put themselves out to make a point to cross paths with my dot. Many if not all of them started with “Well done Ed” Each and every one of them getting a response I have rehearsed over a few Ultras now…… “Thanks, but I’ve nothing done yet” Some of you that got that response may be reading this and I always see the shock in your eyes, some of you even think, Jayus he is a bit rude and for that I apologise but just to explain I cannot let any other thought enter my head other than the fact that I actually have nothing done yet. I’m doing well …… maybe, but I’ve nothing done. It’s the small things on which big things crumble and for me I just have a line there. Rant over!!!

Although Tuesday had the best trails it also, out of nowhere and during rush hour threw myself and crew right out onto the N22. Wow, that was a shock. I picked up the pace, channelled my inner road runner, blocked out the pain and tried to get the hell off that road as I knew the Kerry Way was my reward. If you were to ask me my lowlight of the event its undoubtedly the N22 stretch!! Sniffing their son might do something to be proud of my parents and planned crew for Wednesday into Thursday arrived down a day early to give me a much-needed hug, sight of a familiar face and brought pizza!! Energy levels rose again, runners (Really, really good, kinda famous ones) came out to show me the way onto the Kerry way and then it had a feeling of being home. I’ve ran the KWU a few times now and the piece of the Kerry Way we were doing was a welcomed piece of familiar trail.

This period though was probably my worst nutrition management of the event, Tuesday evening running with great people on familiar trail, talking, laughing, running too hard and eating too little I bonked a little more than I would like and although I recovered quickly at next crew stop I feel it brought an end to my march that night a bit earlier than I would have liked. The target was to get to the Climbers Inn before wanting bed and push on if all is good. I was done much earlier and dragged my arse to the car inside the black Valley type area and Robbie and Mum resting in the Climbers as Dad and I took up residence in the front of crew car, the passenger seat now felt like a king size four poster cause by that point it was all I knew!!

Wednesday, dare to dream. With still more than 10% to complete as I set of early Wednesday morning, I had an air of caution about me. I reminded the crew that we may finish today but the finish line is still a long way away. Robbie, Mum and Dad now crewed for me, I was tired, unable to process much, I needed everything spelt out to me. But one thing I didn’t need help with was the smell of sea air, and that moment I walked up over the Windy Gap to see the Atlantic Ocean for the first time is a memory I won’t let go for ever. Looking out from that height I toyed with another well-known phrase in my head. I think I can dare to dream that I might do this thing!! I was fighting inside, I had body battles on many fronts and climbing up the fairy trail outta Glenbeigh just above my right knee that had a manageable niggle all morning exploded in pain. A quick message to Jen, Robbie and crew to let them know the end had started, just not sure which end would come first.

More hiking, more mind battles, pain movement, pain ignoring and if you know what I mean, pain enjoyment. I played with pain like I never had to before. Stiles were a test I often failed, If I felt I was alone I screamed to release the pain, if Robbie or crew was nearby I enjoyed having to bottle it, enjoyed that I could control it and not vice versa!! Waves of good and bad came and went, I ran at times and felt like crawling at others. My running gate changed as I tried to move normally but lost that battle and with that I could feel the blisters grow, shoe and sock changes became more common practice at crew stops. Crew stops got longer and I felt more and more beaten. But like we had been doing we slowly clipped the Kms away and as if by a miracle I dropped down into Cahersiveen. A half marathon to the end. Win lose or draw all I wanted now was to finish.

With my eldest finishing national school that day and Jen meant to be at home with him it was a joy to see a familiar reg plate pass me out and pull in just ahead. Jen hopped out which was surprise enough to bring me to tears, then my younger lad jumped out and I couldn’t control it, the tears flooded down my face. I went on this journey to learn more about myself and by this stage I was studying a PHD in Ed and completely lost in an information overload!! Jen did what she does best and slotted into crew and minded me on the road and together (with Robbie and my parents) we set out to finish a journey like none other. A school friend of mine came out to run with me, people shouted from the windows of their houses and people beeped (nicely) as they passed. This thing was gaining traction.

My watch clicked down, and we were into single digits!! I could see the bridge onto Valentia Island but as yet the end goal hid in a cloud of mist!! Trying a version of running and walking mixed to try clock the remaining kms Portmagee came, and we were on the bridge, the mist cleared, and I could see the tower. Target locked in, poles in hand, one last hike and I could say I had done something. The pain didn’t lift or move but my energy levels out classed it. Glances from my Dad, whom I view as a giant, were full of respect. Robbie’s voice on recent voice messages full of pride and keeping me informed as always. My Mum, never stuck for a word, reminded me of how proud she was. Aaron my youngest held up handmade signs not bothered if I’d been running for hours, days or weeks but pure love was in his eyes, and I felt it. Jennifer knowing exactly what this meant to me, aware of why I was here, what it was that got me here and for what the body lacked my mind made up for and some!!

I passed all these people at different points on the way to the last summit and although it would have been great to have them at the tower to watch me finish it was fitting that they were all there as part of the journey not there for the fanfare at the finish line. With their respect, energy, pride, love and support I powered over the finish line and touched the tower as we had been instructed by Brian nearly 5 days earlier.

Sip of Whiskey later and a chat with Edel and Stephen, I took a breath, cried with joy and allowed myself to soak it in. It was done!!

I’m not gonna say I’m a good runner but I must not be a bad one, I’m not gonna say I had a plan going into this race cause the one I had I tore up before I hit the marathon mark. I had one job to do and that was to collect a piece of slate at Bray head in Valentia Island and I considered myself to be on the start line and not an inch further until I had that slate. I was physically under prepared but mentally I had never been so ready. My vision was so clear, finish!! I had fallen asleep and woken up over the past many months struggling and battling with real life but always comforted myself when I thought and visualised myself finishing this race. So much so I was surprised to see the signal tower on Valentia was square, I have visualised a round one!!

Thank you to Brian Byrne who I had the pleasure of meeting the following day, you have no idea. Thank you, Robbie Williams and all the other race directors, dot watchers, tracker collectors, general good mood keepers, the event was carried out with such great attitude. It’s a credit to you all!! I was lucky enough to run a few Km of the course with Robbie Williams on Saturday I believe and great to do so, much enjoyed Robbie, thanks. But for the record I wasn’t “Nearly there!!” To my crew, faultless is the only word. Never missed a beat. What goes on tour stays on tour but my last voice message to the crew group as I closed in on the finish with less the 500 metres to go went something like “Thank you, you have kept me alive, this group and the people in it have been the light at the end of some pretty fucking dark tunnels. Thank you!!” I was audibly in floods of tears (I’m a softy really) To my wife, this was a big one, you said I shouldn’t do it because I hadn’t the miles in the legs but I think you knew that was exactly the echo I needed in my head as I spoke to the dark thoughts on the tough climbs. You are a rock!! To all the other dots, in a way I feel we all worked together to attempt to master this task. Not that you need it, but you have my upmost respect for showing face in that casino that surreal night in June! To everyone who came out on course to meet me, run with me or cheer me on, Thank you. I can only hope I was kind and gave you time for your effort. You all made a difference and helped me more than you know. To the army behind the front line, grandparents minding kids, friends doing runs and drops to sports events etc so we could all get away, the team of people milking cows and keeping the show on the road as I was enjoying the scenery you were ploughing the furrow. Thanks.

I get the accolade and the praise of being the first person to cover this growling distance in less than 5 days. 115hrs,45mins and 59secs to be exact but it was a team effort, none of this would have been possible without Robbie, Jen, my parents, Jens parents, those that managed the farm, those that helped with the kids and those that believed and help us along the way!! I am the legs of a big and really cool team!! I strongly believe you are only as good as your last run, so don’t be surprised if you never see me run again!!

Ed Payne.

Over and out!!

Did I say, thank you, I should have!!