Portstewart teacher first woman to cross the line in 100 mile race

Springwell Running Club member Nicky Frizelle undertook the mammoth run in aid of the Zachary Geddis Trust on Saturday, June 7.

Also taking on the arduous run was fellow Springwell athlete Helen Carey. The race took them from Ballintoy through ‘the Ports’, continuing along the Ulster Way through the five forests, over the Glenshane and into the Sperrins for the finish in Gortin – 108 miles in total.

“Both Nicky and Helen had trained long and hard for this race, and in doing so had put in some great race results over the past few months,” said a spokesperson for Springwell.

"The training includes a lot of long solo miles and several 30-mile group recce runs over various sections of the route, including one night run.

"The weather was ‘changeable’ but with one constant – the westerly head wind which never really went away. Running into the wind in any race is not ideal, but in one of this distance even more so. The relentlessness of the noise in your ears is also mentally draining.

"What an achievement it is to have conquered this beast, especially considering that 25% of athletes who began this race ended with a DNF (did not finish).”

First female across the line, Nicky finished the race in 27:39:14 to come fifth place overall while Helen arrived in Gortin after 33:47:01.

Having set herself a fundraising sum of £250 for the Zachary Geddis Trust, Nicky Frizelle smashed that target and has, so far, raised £1,940.