Wright reaches endurance milestone

By Thomas Conway

When Paula Wright first featured in these pages back in 2018, she spoke candidly about the life-changing journey of self-discovery she had been on, how running had become her nirvana, how it had reshaped her physical health and restored her psychological wellbeing.

Believe it or not, there was a time when the Finnish native “couldn’t run past two lampposts” before she was out of breath. A debilitating form of diabetes contracted during pregnancy had caused her weight to spiral upwards, shattering her confidence and jeopardising her overall physical health.

Around fifteen years and 200 marathons later, she admits that she has reached a place that is “beyond her wildest dreams”. She is, she laughs, still only Newport’s second most well-known athlete, although she admits that it’s a high bar.

Back in February she became the first Tipperary person to reach the 200 marathon milestone. It was a special moment, and the achievement was subsequently recognised by Marathon Club Ireland, which presented her with an award. Marathons, however, are only really the tip of the iceberg for Paula.

She is an endurance runner in the purest sense, and there is nothing she does not have in her locker. Her feats include everything from gruelling 24-hour runs to 40-milers to the ten marathons in five days which she completed in aid of Crumlin Children’s Hospital during lockdown.

And yet there is, and always has been, a modesty about her. Deep down she is driven and determined, of course she is, but she wants to excel only for herself and her family. She was never the most competitive person in the world but says that she has grown in confidence with every race. Running has become her superpower. It has, quite literally, changed the trajectory of her life.

Something extra

Paula still recalls the moment she realised that she had something extra. She had just finished her first 24-hour race down in Tralee. She remembers an interaction with one of the race organisers that caused her mindset to shift and made her wonder about her real potential.

“That night, the race organiser turned around and said to me: you played a blinder Paula. You have more in you. And I was thinking to myself: actually yeah, he’s right,” she remembers.

It just so happens that some weeks ago Paula was back in Tralee, where she surged to victory in the 40 Mile Ultra race. In doing so she became the first woman to record victories in all three races in the Tralee Triple Crown Series, following on from her wins in the 100k and the 50k in 2022. It was another proud moment for the ultra-runner, another piece of athletic history. But Paula was just grateful to be part of the occasion. She says it was a lovely day and the views were beautiful.

Asked which endurance events are the most difficult to compete in, Paula immediately singles out back-to-back races, where accumulated fatigue and muscle soreness wreak havoc on the body. But that is all part of the challenge, she says, remarking that “you just have to get on with it”. She hasn’t really made plans for the coming months but she will almost certainly be back in action soon. In the meantime, she will continue to train hard, but cleverly as well, adding that you have to know your body and manage your energy levels in order to avoid the risk of injury.

Speaking to Paula, it’s clear that she appreciates the opportunities running has afforded her. She has travelled around this island and beyond competing in marathons and endurance events. She describes success as “a bonus”, emphasising that she never, ever envisaged her life taking this path.

“You never know what your hidden talents are. You find them by mistake nearly,” she concludes.