Catriona continues to enjoy new challenges

BY MATTHEW WILSON

IT’S been a whirlwind week for Caitriona Jennings, with the Letterkenny AC athlete shattering the 100-mile world record at the Tunnel Hill 100 Mile event in Illinois last weekend.

The record was previously held by Camille Herron, achieving the record at the same race back in 2017.

However, the Letterkenny woman crossed the line in a time of 12:37.04 to carve over five minutes off Herron’s previous attempt.

Jennings has had a hugely successful career in the sport, securing a bronze medal at the 2022 IAU 100km World Championships as well as holding a number of Irish records.

Her proudest moment of her career arrived back in 2012 when she was selected to represent Ireland at the Summer Olympics in London, competing in the marathon.

The Donegal woman had never ran the 100-mile distance before, with 60-mile being the maximum which she had previously covered.

It displays the drive and hunger that Jennings has to keep testing herself with new challenges and the 45-year-old says that as long as she’s enjoying it she’ll continue to run and take on fresh challenges.

“A couple of times I would think, ‘that’s it now, I’ll hang up the shoes’ but I always end up going back to it. I just love running, I love the community and I really enjoy going for a run.

“The mental space that it gives you and of course the physical benefits as well but I think it’s just so much part of me now that I just have to keep with it.

“I guess by changing the challenge and changing the distance I’m still keeping it interesting and fresh and something that I am still excited about.

“That’s not to say that I’m thinking of continuing to increase the distance over 100 miles. I’ll just make sure to keep it interesting and something that I’m still enjoying. As long as that’s the case, I’d say that I will continue it.”