GOMU 48H World Championship 2024

It’s been two weeks since we stepped on the start line of the GOMU 48H World Championship in Balatonfüred, Hungary with my fellow ultra-runner and new friend Theodoros Sofokleous, but it still feels like yesterday.

It was a significant leap for me to attempt a 48 hour event as my previous biggest race L'Ultra Marin - Grand Raid 175km lasted around 27 hours, meaning it didn’t require any sleep. However, the challenge of pushing my limits even further excited me. I was eager to test my endurance, resilience, and mental fortitude over this extended period. The race format itself was intriguing, requiring not just physical stamina but also mental strength and strategic planning.

The concept of this race is quite different from your usual ultra-marathons. The goal is to run as many kilometers as possible within 48 hours, usually around a track or a specially prepared course of ~1km, with the winner being the one who covers the most distance. You are literally allowed to run as much or as little as you want, take as many breaks as you want or not at all. At the end of the 48 hours, the distance you managed to cover is your result.

The GOMU 48H World Championship adds an extra layer of prestige and motivation. Competing in a World Championship means you’re not just racing against other participants but also representing your country on a global stage. For Cyprus, this was historic—the first time the island would be represented in such a race. The pride and responsibility of representing my country fueled my determination to give my absolute best.

Training

I began my training around 20 weeks from the event following the McMillan: 100 mile Level 4 training plan, which I’ve completed in the past with great success. The plan is quite intense, with a lot of back-to-back long runs, but the progress is tangible, week by week you feel that you are getting stronger and more confident in your endurance capabilities.

An Unexpected Setback

Everything was progressing smoothly until 2 months before the event… Out of nowhere, I started feeling a sharp pain in my stomach, which I initially dismissed as a simple stomach bug. However, it ended up being a significand problem with the gallbladder, keeping me in bed for ~2 weeks, hospitalized for a good part of it, losing almost 10kg from not eating and ending up with a surgery to remove it…

It was a tough thing to go through, both from the constant pain and the disappointment of this happening so close to the event. I was feeling weak, with no energy, barely able to walk for a month, let alone run. There was never a point though before, during or after the incident, that I thought of pulling out of the event. I was determined to go there and give it my best, no matter what the outcome would be. The doctor gave me the green light to start running again, slowly slowly, 2-3 weeks after the operation, and there I was, back on the road, with a goal to get back in shape, as much as possible, in the remaining 6 weeks. It took a couple of weeks for the pace to be faster than brisk walking, but eventually I’ve managed to bring it down to ~6:00/km, which was what I was training at before the operation as well. The only problem left was the weekly mileage, which could not be increased in time for the event (without risking any injuries), but I was confident that the base I had built all these years would be enough to get me through #MuscleMemory.

Pre-race

The event took place in the picturesque town of Balatonfüred, Hungary, on the shores of Lake Balaton, the largest lake in Central Europe. The course was a 1.048m specially prepared loop, with not a significant elevation gain, but numerous turns, including two 180deg turns which from what I was told, classified it as a “tough” course.

We arrived with Theodoros the day before to get our bibs and check out the course. The atmosphere was already great, with a lot of runners from all over the world, setting up their tents, preparing their gear, and getting ready for the big race. We were not expecting to see such big installations, some countries had a couple of huge tents with more than a handful of support crew, all the gear and nutrition you could think of, and even massage tables! We, on the other hand, didn’t have much, a bench and a table to put our stuff, and that was about it :) The weather felt great, not too hot, with a nice breeze coming from the lake.

After checking out the course, I went back to the apartment to prepare my gear, have a hearty pasta meal and go to sleep as early as possible. I can’t say that I’ve managed to sleep that much though, too much excitement, but I for sure got some rest, which was the most important thing.

Race day!

The race day dawned with a mix of excitement and apprehension. Everyone was super hyped, and everything looked ready for this long weekend of running. The weather, however, was much different than the day before, around 1h before the start, it started raining, the temperature dropped, and it was announced that it was going to be on and off for the next days with chance of thunderstorms. The race start was slightly chaotic due to some kind of system failure with the timing system very close to the start, leaving no time for the organizers to communicate it to everyone so we didn’t know which way to go. Unfortunately, we were in the group on the other side of the chain so as everyone started running, we had to jump over to join the correct direction.

You can watch the video of the first loop I took with the GoPro here .

My strategy was to maintain a relatively slow pace ~7:00/km throughout the race with some run-walk alternation breaks every few hours, and see how it goes. Not really any specific goal in mind considering the training setback, just be present in the experience and get as many valuable lessons as possible. The first few hours went by pretty fast, the rain stopped, the sun came out, the rain started again, and so on.

To mentally manage the race, I devided it in six big segments: afternoon - night - morning - afternoon - night - morning. Within these segments, when required, I further broke it down in smaller parts, for example, sometimes I would go for hours without wondering at which part of the segment I was, and other times I would see the race clock showing 19:35:00 and say to myself ok we have 4 laps until 20:00:00, then 3 laps, then 2 laps, then 1 lap and after that, most of the time it worked, and I was getting back in the zone.

My race nutrition strategy was straightforward, eat as much as possible, as often as possible :) I had a stash of energy and protein bars with me, which I was eating around every 1-2 hours, and in between I was grabbing some stuff from the aid station, which was impressively organized with a lot of options that were constantly replenished during the whole 48h! What worked really well for me were the ham sandwiches, the pastries, apple & bananas, and during the times that the energy bars were too much, some cucumber for freshness. I’ve got some yoghurt with oats as well a few times which worked quite well to refresh the pallet, and some kind of ice cream covered in chocolate which was a great treat for the hot hours. We had some proper meals in the evening - noon - evening which also passed pretty good. An interesting food that I had never tried before and it was great, was some Farine Lactée (baby food) from Theodoros. It goes down super easy, it’s not too sweet, and it’s quite filling.

For hydration, I was alternating between regular electrolyte and isotonic drink, which was around 500ml every 1-1.5h, and of course plenty of water in between. As the temperature rose on Sunday morning, I also had a couple of glasses of cola and lemonade with ice for a refreshing change. I didn’t have any Hammer nutrition electrolytes from the aid station, they were terribly sweet, even when diluting them with more water.

To manage my mineral levels, I took a saltstick every ~1.5h during the day, and during the night maybe every 3h. Additionally, I had a magnesium gel (200mg) every ~50k, and in regard to the caffeine, I had 200mg at 22:00 on Friday, a small coffee around 08:00 on Saturday, another 200mg in the evening ~22:00 on Saturday (which didn’t do much), and then a coffee ~06:00 on Sunday.

One of the standout services provided by the event organizers was the non-stop availability of massages throughout the race. I took full advantage of this, getting a massage every 10-12 hours. This regular muscle relief was a game-changer, helping to relax my muscles, boost blood flow, and provide much-needed rest. The massage team was incredible, always greeting me with a smile and delivering professional, top-notch sports massages. These were some of the best massages I’ve ever had, and they played a crucial role in keeping me going through the grueling 48-hour challenge.

Sleep deprivation emerged as the toughest challenge of the race. The first night, I managed to push through without sleep, relying on a combination of caffeine and a brief 30-minute rest to relax my legs. This strategy, which I had used in previous races, worked well enough to carry me through until morning. The daytime hours were easier, thanks to the light, music, and constant activity that kept me entertained and alert.

However, the second night was a different story. By 21:00, I was feeling extremely sleepy. Caffeine wasn’t helping, so I decided to take a nap. The organizers had thoughtfully set up a room with beach beds and blankets specifically for this purpose. I set my alarm for 45 minutes, hoping for a quick recharge. Although the hard bed, sore legs, and racing mind made it difficult to fall asleep, I eventually managed to get about 30 minutes of rest. This short nap felt surprisingly rejuvenating. I followed it up with another massage to activate my legs and found myself ready to continue until morning.

Sunday morning marked the final stretch of the race. As the first light emerged around 04:00, it was a profound relief to see the sun again, heralding the last hours of this incredible journey. The weather forecast promised a nice and sunny day, a welcome change after the rain and cold of the previous days. True to the forecast, the sun came out in full force, filling the air with warmth and lifting everyone’s spirits.

With the sun shining brightly, an unprecedented wave of energy surged through the course! Runners picked up their pace, the music blared louder, supporters cheered with growing enthusiasm, and the atmosphere became electric. It was exhilarating to be a part of this vibrant community, experiencing the collective joy and determination. All the fatigue, pain, sleepiness, hunger, and thirst vanished, replaced by pure happiness. I felt like a joyful hamster on a wheel, looping around the course with a big smile on my face.

A massive thank you to everyone who supported us both online and on-site. The volunteers were exceptional, and their dedication made a huge difference. A special shout-out goes to Ektoras Agathokleous for his invaluable advice, support, and online coverage of the event. Nikos and Anastasia Triminti, thank you for keeping a vigilant eye on us throughout the entire event. Homer Mavrommatis, our Cyprus ambassador in Hungary, your presence with the Cypriot flag on Sunday provided an incredible boost of motivation. The sponsors who believed in my endeavor 3aHealth , Eu-Zin , Running in Cyprus Lastly, a heartfelt thanks to Theodoros Sofokleous. Although we didn’t know each other before, we forged a deep bond during this race, one that feels like years of friendship compressed into a single event. I look forward to many more adventures together in the future.

The end result, although not the primary goal of my participation, was immensely satisfying. I managed to cover a total of 246 kilometers, which earned me and Cyprus a spot on the podium in the 23-35 age category. This achievement was particularly gratifying given the challenges and the intense competition. In the global country ranking, Cyprus finished 10th out of 16 countries. This is a remarkable feat for our first participation, especially for a small country without any national support (yet).

This accomplishment is not just a personal victory but a testament to the potential and spirit of our nation. It shows that with determination, hard work, and a supportive community, even a small country can make a significant impact on the global stage.

Looking back, this was an incredible experience, and I’m immensely glad I took the risk to participate. The journey was filled with moments of extreme challenges and profound joy, and it has left me with memories and friendships that I will cherish forever. This race was not just about pushing physical limits but also about discovering the strength of the human spirit and the power of community. I’m grateful for every moment, every support, and every cheer that carried me through this unforgettable adventure.