Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Politics
  • Features
  • Donegal County Council News
Monday 17°CTuesday 17°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

sponsor banner
sponsor banner
  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Politics
  • Features
  • Donegal County Council News
Sport

Raphoe man’s remarkable run in ‘race with no end’

written by Chris McNulty October 19, 2020
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

A DONEGAL man was the last Irish man standing at a unique worldwide endurance race.

Ed McGroarty from Raphoe was the last of the 15-man Irish team left in the Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra World Championships.

Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra was held in 19 countries simultaneously. The race is usually held in Tennessee, but due to Covid-19 restrictions the 2020 version was adapted.

The British and Irish teams are competing at Florida Manor, just outside Lisbane, Co. Down – and McGroarty was the last of them all left competing.

Of mind-numbing difficulty, the race – described as ‘the race with no end’ – involves participants competing a 6.7km loop. Runners have to start the loop on the hour every hour. If they don’t, they’re out. The race continues until there is one runner left.

McGroarty ran for 42 loops and kept going for a staggering 32 hours, 22 minutes and 26 seconds.

The event began at 1pm on Saturday.

McGroarty competes with Lifford-Strabane AC and his average lap time was 47:39.

Races were held in Canada, Ireland, Australia, Russia, Sweden, Germany, the UAE, Ukraine, Hong Kong, Japan, Switzerland, Finland, France, Singapore, Philippines, Israel, Spain, Denmark and the US.

In February, McGroarty set a new Irish record when he finished second at the Espoo 24-hour endurance race in Finland, doing a distance of 249.761km.That distance was an international A standard and a new national mark.

 

Raphoe man’s remarkable run in ‘race with no end’ was last modified: October 19th, 2020 by Chris McNulty
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

Tags:
Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra World Championshipsed mcgroartyLifford-Strabane ACNewryRaphoe
Chris McNulty

Author of 'Boxing In Donegal: A History (2021)' - the definitive history of the sport in County Donegal - and 'Relentless: A Race Through Time', the 2019 memoir of former Irish Athletics Team Manager Patsy McGonagle. From St Johnston and now based in Letterkenny, Chris was a nominee for NUJ Sports Journalist of the Year in 2010. Honoured by the Donegal Boxing Board in 2016 for his coverage on the sport.

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Seamus Coleman pays respects to Diogo Jota...

9 hours ago

Dublin legend Michael Darragh MacAuley makes surprise...

13 hours ago

Donegal athletes shine at Irish U20 and...

14 hours ago

Falcarragh Summer Cup launch new memorial cup...

15 hours ago

Donegal Women’s League – this week’s match...

19 hours ago

Donegal Ladies defeated by Armagh as relegation...

1 day ago

Donegal Ladies gearing up for relegation playoff...

2 days ago

Over 40 young Donegal competitors in Community...

2 days ago

Shane O’Donnell in running for Player of...

2 days ago

Play-off heartbreak for Donegal golfer in prestigious...

3 days ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

Donegal County Council

Facebook
Donegal County Council
Advertisement
Advertisement
Donegal Daily Jobs

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Sales & Services
  • Obituaries
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Council News

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Our Sites

Donegal Woman
Donegal Woman
Donegal Daily

© 2025 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod


Back To Top.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.