On May 4th this year, 5,000 Irish runners of all levels will have the opportunity to take part in the Irish leg of the Red Bull Wings for Life World Run.
The beautiful Ring of Kerry will host the Irish leg, which will see 150,000 runners in 40 countries take part in what is the first of its kind. In classic Red Bull fashion, this is no ordinary race. The course is 120 km long, however, it has no finish line. Runners will be followed by a 'chase car' which builds up speed as the race goes on. Competitors are eliminated once the car passes them out. The last man or woman standing worldwide is the winner. That is a serious incentive to get training for.
Race co-ordinator Richard Donovan emphasised that the Wings For Life World Run is for athletes of all abilities but expects endurance athletes to particularly relish this unique challenge.
"The Ring of Kerry is a spectacular course, and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to run it. The course is 120km long, but we’re expecting truly elite endurance runners to make it as far as 70 or 80km before the chase car catches them. However the race is open to runners of every ability, so without a finish line to aim for, participants should set themselves goals to reach before the chase car catches up."
“I’m delighted to see Ireland taking part in this pioneering athletics event. The Wings for Life World Run 2014 sets down a grueling challenge to Irish runners, but I’m confident they’re equal to the task. There has been growing interest in adventure racing in recent years, and maybe we can even produce a winner?”
Those that are interested can register at www.wingsforlife.com/
