Marathon runner Alex goes above and beyond in Arctic

BY KIERAN McCARTHY

ICE-COOL Alex O’Shea has added another accolade to his growing list of conquests – the Ballineen marathon runner has won the gruelling Beyond The Ultimate 2024 230km Ice Ultra.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Swedish Lapland in the Arctic Circle, this is one of the most challenging ultra marathons in the world, but West’s best Alex proved its match with an incredible win.

Battling through incredibly harsh conditions, minus-30 degree cold, running across vast snowfields, windswept mountains and frozen lakes, this journey across the Arctic pushed all the competitors to their limits.

Completing the 230km course, and five stages in five days, in a total time of 32 hours and 31 minutes, Alex was over two hours ahead of Great Britain’s George Bath in second place

‘The race was somewhere between a race and an Arctic expedition to put it into context,’ Alex said.

‘The scenery was amazing but without the warmth of the crew and the amazing other runners the event would be just a lonely, icey wilderness.

‘While I may have won the race, the true hero’s were those that were at the other end of the leaderboard putting in so many more hours on their feet.

‘The race didn’t disappoint, I got everything I could have dreamed of. Ice hanging off my beard, blizzard snow falling around me and a huge temperature variation around every corner. With the right frame of mind and preparation people can do amazing things.’

Beyond the Ultimate Race Director Kris King commented: ‘Alex was a class act from start to finish. His preparation was impeccable, and he demonstrated exceptional professionalism throughout helping him navigate the challenges of the Arctic environment with resilience.’