Bluestack Way Ultra 50k
The 2024 Bluestack Way Ultra
On Saturday, August 3rd, I had the opportunity to participate in the 2024 Bluestack Way Ultra, tackling the 50k alongside one of my closest running friends, Tara. To put it simply, it was tough—really tough. As someone who primarily runs marathons, this course pushed me even further out of my comfort zone. But if there's one thing I enjoy, it's a good challenge, and the Bluestack Way certainly delivered. From the very start, just getting to the starting line was a test in itself.
Why the Bluestack Ultra 50k?
At the beginning of 2024 I set a goal of completing a 50 mile run. Then, after tackling the 2024 Manchester Marathon I felt I needed a break from structured training for a brief period. Knowing that the Valencia Marathon was going to be rolling around before long, I scaled back my ambitions. So, I landed on the 50k distance and with friends already signed up for The Bluestack Way Ultra 50k, my decision was easy. On June 16th, I pulled the trigger and signed up for this mountain run. There was going to be a trip to Donegal.
Training for the 50k Distance
Race Ireland organised The Bluestacks Way Ultra course which is run over a mountain course. This worked into my strengths as far as my locality goes. I live in a mountainous area of the Alicante Province of Spain. Each weekend, I managed to complete a Saturday trail run, each week gradually going longer. Sunday's were set aside for cycling as a method of recovery. This worked out amazingly well and I looked forward to each weekend of training.
My last long run of the shortened block was 3 1/2 hours covering 20 miles. As it turned out, that was the longest run leading up to the Bluestacks Way Ultra. That is in terms of time on feet as well as distance. I had one 10 mile road run seven days prior to race day.
There were no expectations on this event and I'm reluctant to call it a race at all. For me, it wasn't a race, it was a goal to get done. I ran the Donadea 50k three times in the past, so I knew what the distance felt like, but I can't say I was as prepared for this as I was for the Irish Championship race in County Kildare.
The Journey to the Start Line
The journey to the start line of the Bluestack Way Ultra began in Alicante Airport on Thursday, August 1st. Fortunately, the travel from Spain to Enniskillen was uneventful. From Alicante Airport to Dublin Airport to the bus stop outside Terminal 1 and all the way to Enniskillen, there was no drama whatsoever.
After arriving in Fermanagh I unpacked and threw the running gear on. There were friends to catch up with and what better way to do so than by going for an easy run. One of the things about running in my old stomping grounds is I got to see and say hi to so many others on the road. It is almost guaranteed that a lap of Castle Coole will put one in front of many local runners. After an enjoyable 12k, I stopped by the running track to meet up with my clubmates.
Friday was a rest day and a very early night, even with the Olympics on. This was because Saturday morning was going to be an early start. In order to get to Ardara in time to catch the organised bus to Donegal town we would need to leave Enniskillen by 4:30am. I had the great pleasure of travelling in the company of my running buddy for the day. Another one of our friends taking part in the 25k spent the night in his camper van at the event registration car park. Thankfully, he did this because the event had no toilets, nor were there any toilets open anywhere in town. With his camper van and portable toilet at my disposal, I was ready for the bus to the start line.aT
2024 Bluestack Way Ultra Elevation Chart
2024 Bluestack Way Ultra: The Course
The Bluestack Way Ultra 50k course, in a word, was hard. The first 10k was fast and relatively flat. Sure, there were some hills on the roads, but nothing to worry most runners. It wasn't long, though, before things got really difficult. The terrain started getting softer and softer the higher we climbed. After we got around to the 18-20k, (I think), we were climbing in some tough, slow conditions.
After the first checkpoint at 25k things got really interesting. Soon after the checkpoint, we managed to make the first of two wrong turns. This wasn't a great move as the terrain was difficult and slow enough. There were a few points on the course that weren't signposted and despite having the course downloaded on my watch, I still missed some turns. The rain and wind was blowing sideways at the top of the mountain making things even more challenging.
My feet soaking wet, cold and almost numb, ensured I was uncomfortable for the remainder of the day. I even put the winter woolly hat back on as well. On the way down the far side I managed to slip and fall into the mud on more than one occasion. I even got myself a nice wee puncture wound when I grabbed some barbed wire to keep from falling yet again.
2024 Bluestack Way Ultra - Overall Experience
The finish line of the Bluestack Way Ultra finally came into view at long last. At the end of the day, I covered a total of 51.67 km's and completed it in 6:28:30. A long day at the office and despite the course difficulty and wrong turns, it was a blast. Nobody does these events because they are easy. We do them because we can and we like to do hard things. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My 50 miler will need to wait until 2025, because as of Monday, August 12th, I'll be locked into the #249MarathonProject. I am really looking forward to tackling something a little more in my wheelhouse at the Maraton Valencia.