A rest is most definitely merited for Athlone native, Lorcan Fagan, following his TransGranCanaria exploits on the second most populous of the Canary Islands over the weekend.
Over a distance of 128km on rugged island terrain boasting an elevation of 7500m, the ultra marathon enthusiast completed the course in an admirable 25 hours and eight minutes, reaching the finish line at 12.06am on Sunday, following an 11pm start on the Friday night.
With a target of 30 hours in which to complete the distance, Lorcan’s determined nature and strong mental fortitude saw him cross the island in both jogging and walking modes, as several aid stations along the route enabled him to replenish his food and water supplies as he progressed.
With in excess of 1,400 competitors from more than 20 countries participating in six events of varying distances, this endurance event, first staged in 2003, proves a stern test of the body’s physical and mental capacities and of the 772 competitors who started the race, 248 did not make it to the finish line.
Next up for the avid adventurer, thoughts turn to the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 2020, as the points accumulated from his TransGranCanaria toil, will allow him to participate in what is a mere 160km test of stamina!
