Name: Paul O’Sullivan

Occupation: Shipbroker

Home Town: London

Questions

What is your running background?

I got into running first through being annoying, and then through pity. My Dad wanted to take my older brother out with him, and as a 10-year old I wanted to tag along. A couple of days later he asked us if we wanted to join him again; my brother said no and I felt so sorry for my Dad heading out on his own, so despite not really wanting to go, I said yes and off we went. That was that…

When did you first start running Ultra marathons and why?

I’d semi-stopped running at university, but later working in Algeria I had this great idea to do the Marathon des Sables. With almost no training and no idea on kit or nutrition or pacing, it was a horrific experience. I had to go barefoot through the burning dunes on the first day (no gaiters, mesh trainers), and finished that with day most of the skin missing from my feet, just raw flesh. I had to wrap carrier bags around them for the rest of the week due to the flies (incredibly tolerant tent-mates). I managed to limp to the finish, but it wasn’t an auspicious start.   

When or where (at which events) are we most likely to see you?

I’m still crazy excited about new places and challenges so it could be anywhere. I have fallen in love with the running in Valais in Switzerland though, and my wife and I tend to go at least once a year. 

What are your personal key running achievements to date?

It may be winning a drunken naked relay in Belfast, for which I ran three of the four legs and finished with broken toes after running into a wall… but a win’s a win.  

More recently, I have won a few races in the UK and had some decent finishes in the longer races I’ve run, including Moab 240, The Munga Trail and SwissPeaks360. My proudest achievement was less glamourous though: “last” at my second ultra, Beyond Marathon’s brilliant 12 Labours of Hercules in 2014. We had to complete the 12 stages in 24hrs, and by around halfway I knew I would miss the cut-off. I remember crying through a storm in the middle of the night, suffering for a finish I would never get but refusing to give up. Hour after hour I carried on hopelessly, but with about a half hour to go I found out I’d messed up the maths and actually had an hour and a half… I finished with 15 minutes to spare, the last of only four finishers.

It’s so easy to forget those early experiences as we improve, but that still makes me proud.  

What was your hardest experience?

My first Dragon’s Back, in 2017, and more specifically Day 2. I had a very bad stress fracture, and got the most intense and prolonged bout of the sh*ts I’ve ever experienced (I’m talking 8am to 4pm, peaking around 10 times per hour…so apologies to anyone driving along the A470 that day) and yet somehow reached the top of the final climb with enough time to finish within the cut-off. But then I descended into the wrong valley and got horribly lost. I finally limped in about 20mins after the cut-off and was out.   

What is your typical race strategy for an ultra?

I tend to wing it – not a fan of pacing or being led by a watch, so run to feel. When it goes wrong, it can be spectacular! 

What does a typical training week look like?

My work can be quite “social”, and with late nights and hangovers getting in the way I’ve found the only thing that works is routine. So I tend to run my commute three or four times per week, at 10 miles each way. Plenty of gym work and a smattering of yoga, too. And then a nice long run around Richmond Park at the weekends, followed by a stacked bacon sandwich! 

What one tip would you pass onto people running an Ultra marathon for the first time?

Controversial maybe, but don’t over-think it and embrace the mistakes! Regardless of what you do and how you prepare, it won’t go according to plan and you’ll suffer. But that’s part of the process, and it’s perhaps what makes ultrarunning so special… so much to learn from things going wrong, and nothing is more satisfying than overcoming adversity. 

That said, a lot of people are more methodical and less gung-ho and the advice above would be terrible! So perhaps it should be: there’s no right or wrong way, just get out there and do it your way. 

Tell us one interesting fact about you?

I’ve almost touched the statue of Leonidas before… I work a lot in Greece and on one trip I went over to the Peloponnese, and decided to run from the Mani peninsula up and around Mt Taygetus and down to Sparta. I stood at Leonidas’s feet but resisted the urge to touch his foot, as I was always planning to return…

Have you taken part in the Spartathlon before?

No

How did you get on?

N/A

What tip would you pass on to those taking part for the first time?

N/A

What are you looking forward to at the Spartathlon race?

I love Greek hospitality and food, and the camaraderie of the whole race and especially of the British contingent is also a massive draw. But, although I won’t wish the time away, my favourite part of racing is the lazy morning after, chilling with my wife Sal, drinking coffee and eating everything! 

What are you not looking forward to during the Spartathlon race?

I really don’t like road running, and I’m also not a big fan of the flat stuff…so there are a lot of miles that I probably won’t enjoy all that much. 

How will you prepare specifically for the Spartathlon race?

 These past few months have been the first decent spell of running I’ve been able to string together since some injuries, so mainly I’ve been working on conditioning with some slow and steady miles. Until a few days ago, I also couldn’t remember the last pizza I’d had and have managed to cut back on the beers. So it’s a case of training for Spartathlon while de-training for post-Spartathlon.

Will you be bringing any support crew to the race? (If so, please introduce them briefly)

My wife Sal, who has probably suffered as much as I have through my running.