Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
    • Football

      Watch: Horgan disappointed but maintains ‘it’s a…

      13 hours ago

      Football

      Harps left cursing their luck as Derry…

      14 hours ago

      Football

      Patching free-kick cancels out Mihajević opener at…

      15 hours ago

      GAA

      Derry name starting side for Sunday’s Ulster…

      15 hours ago

      Athletics

      Watch: How Eamon Giles proved his doubters…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Williamson wins Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k

      2 days ago

      Athletics

      RunDonegal Women’s 5K next Sunday to benefit…

      2 weeks ago

      Athletics

      Pictures: Claire McGuigan is ‘first lady’ in…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Venue swap for Brett McGinty fight next…

      1 week ago

      Boxing

      Donegal boxers claim Ulster 9 County titles…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Brett McGinty to return to boxing in…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Night of Support being held for West…

      3 weeks ago

      Football

      Watch: Horgan disappointed but maintains ‘it’s a…

      13 hours ago

      Football

      Harps left cursing their luck as Derry…

      14 hours ago

      Football

      Patching free-kick cancels out Mihajević opener at…

      15 hours ago

      Football

      Ollie Horgan says ‘we have to keep…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Derry name starting side for Sunday’s Ulster…

      15 hours ago

      GAA

      Last call for inclusion of Donegal stories…

      17 hours ago

      GAA

      Donegal hoping history stays on their side…

      20 hours ago

      GAA

      Former Donegal star to feature on first…

      1 day ago

      Golf

      Cloughaneely Golf Club to celebrate 25th anniversary…

      3 days ago

      Golf

      McDonald’s manager Victor Byrne supporting a charity…

      6 days ago

      Golf

      Prize fund of €2,500 for Letterkenny Golf…

      1 week ago

      Golf

      Top 10 finish for Ryan Griffin in…

      2 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Four Donegal players named in Ireland hockey…

      4 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe go down fighting

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe lose out in crucial relegation…

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Ladies reach Irish Hockey Trophy final

      3 months ago

      GAA

      Match Report – Casey inspires Tyrone in…

      2 weeks ago

      GAA

      Mickey McCann reacts to heartbreaking defeat to…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      Brave Donegal hurlers miss out on another…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      SHL – Strong second half sees St…

      2 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny girls play in front of huge…

      3 days ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls feature for Ulster in provincial…

      3 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Last gasp drop goal clinches dramatic Gordon…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls selected for underage Ulster Rugby…

      1 month ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
Saturday 14°CSunday 14°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

  • News
  • Sport
    • Football

      Watch: Horgan disappointed but maintains ‘it’s a…

      13 hours ago

      Football

      Harps left cursing their luck as Derry…

      14 hours ago

      Football

      Patching free-kick cancels out Mihajević opener at…

      15 hours ago

      GAA

      Derry name starting side for Sunday’s Ulster…

      15 hours ago

      Athletics

      Watch: How Eamon Giles proved his doubters…

      1 day ago

      Athletics

      Williamson wins Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k

      2 days ago

      Athletics

      RunDonegal Women’s 5K next Sunday to benefit…

      2 weeks ago

      Athletics

      Pictures: Claire McGuigan is ‘first lady’ in…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Venue swap for Brett McGinty fight next…

      1 week ago

      Boxing

      Donegal boxers claim Ulster 9 County titles…

      2 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Brett McGinty to return to boxing in…

      3 weeks ago

      Boxing

      Night of Support being held for West…

      3 weeks ago

      Football

      Watch: Horgan disappointed but maintains ‘it’s a…

      13 hours ago

      Football

      Harps left cursing their luck as Derry…

      14 hours ago

      Football

      Patching free-kick cancels out Mihajević opener at…

      15 hours ago

      Football

      Ollie Horgan says ‘we have to keep…

      1 day ago

      GAA

      Derry name starting side for Sunday’s Ulster…

      15 hours ago

      GAA

      Last call for inclusion of Donegal stories…

      17 hours ago

      GAA

      Donegal hoping history stays on their side…

      20 hours ago

      GAA

      Former Donegal star to feature on first…

      1 day ago

      Golf

      Cloughaneely Golf Club to celebrate 25th anniversary…

      3 days ago

      Golf

      McDonald’s manager Victor Byrne supporting a charity…

      6 days ago

      Golf

      Prize fund of €2,500 for Letterkenny Golf…

      1 week ago

      Golf

      Top 10 finish for Ryan Griffin in…

      2 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Four Donegal players named in Ireland hockey…

      4 weeks ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe go down fighting

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Hockey: Raphoe lose out in crucial relegation…

      2 months ago

      Hockey

      Raphoe Ladies reach Irish Hockey Trophy final

      3 months ago

      GAA

      Match Report – Casey inspires Tyrone in…

      2 weeks ago

      GAA

      Mickey McCann reacts to heartbreaking defeat to…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      Brave Donegal hurlers miss out on another…

      2 weeks ago

      Hurling

      SHL – Strong second half sees St…

      2 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Letterkenny girls play in front of huge…

      3 days ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls feature for Ulster in provincial…

      3 weeks ago

      Rugby

      Last gasp drop goal clinches dramatic Gordon…

      1 month ago

      Rugby

      Donegal girls selected for underage Ulster Rugby…

      1 month ago

  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Travel
  • Features
  • Business
  • Property
  • Council News
  • Politics
  • More
    • Advertise with us
    • Haircare
    • Cooking
    • DD Pets
    • Hairdressing
    • Motors
Athletics

‘My priority was minding my baby’ – Caitriona Jennings on world record attempt

written by Chris McNulty February 2, 2021
Facebook0Tweet0LinkedIn0Print0

WHEN Caitriona Jennings received a race offer – and a chance to break a world record – in October, she jumped at the chance.

Representatives from Hoka One One reached out to the Letterkenny woman, who set about preparing an attempt to break the World Athletics record for 100k.

When Jennings took to the Project Carbon X2 event in Chandler, Arizona ten days ago, she did so while 12 weeks pregnant.

A valiant bid came to an agonising end after 60k.

“This time, I was hoping to have a crack at the record, but when I learned that I was pregnant, everything changed,” Jennings said.

“My priority was then going to be minding my baby.

“It was a really difficult one. Usually I approach a race with a very positive mindset. I’m there to compete and try to win, or certainly be involved in the mix.

“Although I had received the all-clear from the doctors, it was still difficult.

“My close family and friends were really anxious. Dealing with all of that was quite difficult psychologically.”

With racing opportunities severely limited in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Jennings was delighted to get the chance initially.

In December, she had to think again.

A consultation with her doctor offered her positivity. The green light was given, provided she minded her body temperature and ensured sufficient hydration on the run, which comprised a series of six-mile laps.

She said: “I was still hopefully that everything would go well, but I did promise myself if there was anything I felt unusual that I would pull out. I readjusted my entire race strategy so I’d run much slower, at a pace I knew that I could maintain. With 100km, you’ll never do that in training so it was still an unknown.

“I’ve been running all my life, I’m aware of my heart rate all the time, but I don’t even need to look at my monitor now to get a sense of it.”

“I could always step off, but the competitor in me was still hoping. I was really so sad and so emotional stepping off at 60km.”

Jennings, from Hawthorn Heights, was through 55k in 4:08:18.

Jennings took part in the women’s marathon at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and she holds the Irish 50k record of 3:19:47.

After another couple of kilometres, the alarm bells were ringing.

She said: “I was feeling really good in myself and my heart rate was way lower than it would be in training. Around 55km, I started to feel stomach cramps, which I wouldn’t usually get. Immediately. alarm bells rang and I just said: ‘No’. I didn’t want to live with a regret forever, so I took the decision to step off and call it a day.”

Hoka One One – an athletic shoe company – signed Jennings on a two-year sponsorship deal and she’s already looking ahead to further chances.

The Irish record for 100k, of 7:52:45, set by Carndonagh woman Helena Crossan in Galway back in 2009, still stands. That could be among her targets.

She said: “I can take a lot of positives from it. It opens up exciting opportunities for me post-pregnancy. Hoka One One signed me on the sponsorship knowing that I was pregnant so that’s definitely a big positive for me.”

‘My priority was minding my baby’ – Caitriona Jennings on world record attempt was last modified: February 2nd, 2021 by Chris McNulty
Facebook0Tweet0LinkedIn0Print0

Tags:
Caitriona JenningsHawthorn HeightsHong KongletterkennyProject Carbon X2
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

Watch: How Eamon Giles proved his doubters...

1 day ago

Williamson wins Furey Insurance Buncrana 5k

2 days ago

RunDonegal Women’s 5K next Sunday to benefit...

2 weeks ago

Pictures: Claire McGuigan is ‘first lady’ in...

2 weeks ago

Ireland’s first World Cup mountain race to...

2 weeks ago

Mooney, HSE and Aurivo take honours at...

2 weeks ago

Letterkenny Athletic Club runners enjoy great results...

3 weeks ago

Travers wins Ballyshannon 5k in impressive time

3 weeks ago

‘Fastest 5k in the North West’ this...

3 weeks ago

More than 750 take part in another...

4 weeks ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

MOST POPULAR

Donegal County Council
Advertisement

Sport Hub

  • Stay up to date with Donegal Sport Hub on Facebook

    5 months ago
  • Donegal links rank in Top 100 Golf Courses in the World

    6 months ago
  • Bundoran 10 Event set for March 2022

    6 months ago
See More

Donegal Woman

  • Moya Brennan ‘thrilled and humbled’ with honorary doctorate

    1 day ago
  • Donegal mum shares the unseen side of MS

    2 days ago
  • Donegal scientist joins prestigious Royal Irish Academy

    2 days ago
See More

Columnists

Healthy Living - Sorcha McElchar

Sorchas Healthy Living: All you need to know about turmeric

1 day ago

Motoring - Brian McDaid

Carrie Harvey – a community cornerstone

3 days ago

Group Holidays - Travel Department

See the world with holiday discounts from Travel Department

5 days ago

At Home with Hegarty's - Hegarty's Home Interiors

At Home with Hegarty’s: Sit back and relax in the stylish Positano Corner

1 week ago

Career Advice - Rory White

Career Guidance with Rory White: Choosing your senior cycle subjects? Keep your options open!

2 months ago

See All Columnists
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

© 2022 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod


Back To Top.

Posting....