The battle with the beast took an unexpected and devastating turn on the familiar roads of south Kerry.
Former Gaelic footballer, some time student and part time farmer; in 2012 Kerry man Eoin Ryan set about preparing for and then riding the gruelling Race Around Ireland.
He had finished runner-up in the event two years earlier and was going back to test himself to the limits once more.
In the back of his mind was the very real possibility he could go one better and win the 2,172km event.
However, this time the Gods did not smile on him.
Setting out from Trim in Co Meath on Sunday, September 9th, he was travelling very well for the first half of the race.
And as he made it into his native Kerry he was threatening to take the lead, with just one competitor ahead of him as the event turned for home.
Advertisement
But some 1,384km into the journey and on the roads of south Kerry he was forced to abandon when a troublesome Achilles tendon worsened and looked like it may rupture.
Related News
With a farm to run, he was unable to risk being sidelined on crutches for a couple of months if the tendon gave way.
He had to make the agonising decision to pull out and let his ultra marathon dream go.
Bold Puppy Productions filmed his journey and have now released this 45-minute documentary ‘From the fields to the road’.
‘From the fields to the road’
Topics
