Mangan's record sets tone for successful marathon
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
Tony Mangan on the way to breaking the world record at St Mel’s at the weekend. Alan Young has him under scrutiny and Tony’s mother is there to share the moment of her son’s achievement at the end of an exhausting 48 hour ordeal. LNMG2607
Stephen Feeney
AS DAWN began to break on Longford Marathon day, most runners were probably going through their usual race-day routine however down in St Mel's college with 10am approaching one runner was creating his own piece of history.
Dublin's Tony Mangan is a new world record holder for the 48 hour treadmill run, covering a staggering distance of 405.22km (nearly 252miles) in that time. Being cheered on by not just the competitors for the marathon but also his family and friends Mangan cracked a smile with time almost up.
It was an amazing achievement for the Ultra Runner and speaking to the Longford News on Sunday an exhausted Mangan still found time to thank all who had made it possible. "I'm absolutely thrilled to bits, I couldn't be more pleased," he said. "I tell you we are coming back. What a town and what wonderful people, they have been great to us." Originally planning to run the marathon an hour after he completed his record, Mangan admitted to the gathered crowd that 'it probably wouldn't be the best idea to run'. Everyone understood, including Longford Mayor James Keogh who was an interested spectator throughout the weekend.
"It was absolutely brilliant," said the Mayor. "I was here twice yesterday (Saturday) and the last time was about nine o'clock last night and I actually didn't think he was going to do it so when I came in this morning and he was still going strong, I was still sweating myself looking at him. It was unbelievable, it was very well done and it is an absolute credit to all the organisers and it is great that the record was set here in Longford."
To the marathon itself and it appeared as if the weather gods were smiling on the runners as perfect running temperatures greeted the competitors at the start line. However soon after County Mayor Sean Farrell blew the whistle to start the race, our by now typical Irish summer took over with a heavy shower.
This didn't appear to dampen the enthusiasm of the 1,000 or so participants from all corners of the globe. In particular it didn't stop the efforts of this year's men's race winner Sergiu Turea-Ciobann from Moldova who set a new course record of 2hrs 23mins 22secs. In fact there was a distinct national feel to all the men's races with Kenyan Josphat Boit taking the half marathon crown.
On the women's side of things, it was an all Irish affair on both podiums. Winner of the full race was Sligo's Lucy Brennan, while first home in the half marathon was Lucy D'Arcy from Navan. Not forgetting the hundreds of Longford runners that took part Declan Newman and Anna-May Fitzsimons were first past the post in the men's and women's full marathon's respectively.
In the half marathon meanwhile, Newtownforbes Noel Murphy was the first Longford man back and as was Ballymahon's Mary Finn in the lady's category.
See page 10 for more on record breaker Tony Mangan, while there's photos of this year's Longford Marathon on page 25.
The Longford Leader newspaper report follows.
New world record completed at Longford Marathon
Tony Mangan in action.
Published Date: 29 August 2008
By Staff Reporter
by Liam Cosgrove
Irish international ultra marathon runner Tony Mangan completed a staggering 48 hours running non-stop on a treadmill to smash the world record by almost 20 km at a packed St Mel’s College last Sunday morning.
The charismatic 51-year-old cut a delighted but hugely exhausted figure as supporters waited to shake the hand of Ireland’s newest record holder.
Sitting slouched in a chair, the Dubliner spoke of his joy as soon as he realised that he had written his name into the history books and broken the record of 386.410 km previously set by Sri Lanka’s Suresh Joachim.
“I am thrilled to bits with how it went and that I managed to do it. It wouldn’t have been possible to have done it without the support of the people of Longford,” he told the Leader moments afterwards.
Under the watchful eye of his chief handler, Alan Young, Tony said the painstaking nature of the challenge had taken its toll on him both during the run, up to the world record attempt and during it.
“I don’t know why I do it, but I always do, risking injury and everything. I lost 2km just by going to the bathroom. To be honest with you, I did have injuries. My physio, Michael Farrell from Marino, was giving me three massages a week. Paddy Leahy, a laser surgeon gave me two sessions of about 30 zaps also. It was incredible treatment but it kept me going,” he pointed out.
Tony is certainly no stranger to running long and punishing distances. In October 2003, he climbed off a treadmill having successfully completed two days of competition at the Dublin Marathon. On that occasion, Tony secured the world 24 hour (138.2 miles/222km) and 48 hour treadmill running records finishing with 232.2 miles or 372 kilometres to his name.
Despite a brief hiccup towards the end, Tony even managed to watch Ireland’s light heavyweight boxer Ken Egan battle it out for a gold medal with China’s Xiaoping Zhang on RTÉ television following an impromptu toilet break.
“I came back to the treadmill just ten minutes before the fight started. But when I came back to the treadmill I had to go again. I was going to do the marathon but I have had second thoughts now that I have finished the treadmill challenge. From about eight hours out, I started getting pains in my shins and that, but funnily enough the last hour or so was probably my best. In a 48 hour race, your head gets fuzzy, there is so much happening and you start asking yourself questions like ‘Is your diet right?’ and all sorts. There is a lot of things that can go wrong and I’m not a scientist, all I can do is the best I can.
It would be so easy to drop out.”
Asked about what his future plans are and whether he intends to set his sights on further international acclaim, Tony revealed he is presently contemplating an offer to take part in a mammoth six day event before the end of the year.
“I plan on taking a break for a while after this, but Alan Young (chief handler) wants me to do a six day race in Monaco in November, but we will have to wait and see,” he concluded.
LONGFORD NEWS FEATURE BELOW.
Athletics: 'Legend' tony a record breaker
Thursday September 04 2008
After spending 48 hours confined to a treadmill, you'd think that even an ultra runner as dedicated as Tony Mangan would never again want to see such an instrument of torture.
Not so, when it comes to the man known as 'The Legend' by his friends and admirers in the ultra world.
No sooner had Mangan stepped off the Gymplus machine in St Mel's, Longford, after running 405.22km and regaining his world record, than he started thinking of a further effort.
"It was a really, really tough run but I still physically had a few more miles in me. I was mentally rather than physically shattered," he says.
After a summer of less than perfect training, his target had been simple. "Initially I set a target of 216 km for 24 hours."
"Then if I could keep going for six more hours at that pace, I would have most of the work done. Towards the end my target dropped dramatically and for the last seven hours or so I required a fast walking pace. That's always a great feeling!"
His 24-hour split was 212.95km, which boosted his confidence. His target was the disputed world record of 386.410km. " I held the record with 372km before this guy. For four years I had been wanting to have a go at the record, but the logistics of putting together a treadmill record isn't easy. You need a timing clock and a video as well as two treadmills."
Fortunately, he got the enthusiastic support of the Longford Marathon organisers. "Liam Fenlon and Tom Maguire were totally supportive -- they even opened their Spar shop at two in the morning to get me bananas!"
About the only nervous moment came before the world record attempt began. "My handler Alan Young was also looking after an athlete in the Shetland Islands and had to take two ferries to get here. I couldn't have done it without him -- his hobby and passion is ultra running"
Just two days after his new world record, Mangan was back at work. "We were working on a school in Kellystown that was due to open last Monday. One of the days we worked until 11.0pm. Now that really shattered me!"
- LINDIE NAUGHTON
