Mallow endurance athlete Paul Twomey has been forced to withdraw from the 2026 Race Across Scotland after battling through severe blistering and trench foot during the gruelling 215-mile ultra-marathon.
The event takes competitors across Scotland over 215 miles of demanding terrain, testing runners with prolonged exposure to difficult conditions, fatigue and the physical demands of multi-day ultra-running.
For Twomey, a member of Mallow Search and Rescue, Mallow Tri Club and Mallow Athletic Club, the race represented another major challenge in an already impressive ultra-running career.
Twomey has been involved with Mallow Search and Rescue for around four years and has completed a wide range of endurance events, from 100km and 100-mile races to 24-hour challenges on both mountain and road.
But the Race Across Scotland ultimately proved a step too far for his feet.
Twomey battled his way through the Scottish challenge, with friends and supporters following his progress closely from Ireland.
Messages shared during the race reflected both the scale of the effort and the difficult moments that unfolded along the way.
As the physical toll began to mount, Twomey was encouraged to take time to reset, dry off and recover before attempting to continue.
His crew and supporters remained firmly behind him, praising the determination he showed in a race where conditions can quickly turn against even the most experienced athletes.
Unfortunately, severe blistering and trench foot eventually brought his race to an end.
The decision was particularly frustrating given the feeling among those close to the effort that Twomey still had plenty left in the tank.
One supporter highlighted the exceptionally high withdrawal rate from the event as an indication of just how brutal the course can be.
“Some solace to be taken from the fact Paul knows there was enough in the tank, only for blister to impact him to the point the decision was taken out of his hands,” the message read.
“Hold the heads up guys, you should be super proud of achieving what you did in a brutal, unforgiving event.”
A huge amount of credit was also paid to Paul’s support crew, including David Keane, who kept those at home updated while helping manage the logistical and practical challenges of the race.
David later paid tribute to the Mallow athlete’s approach throughout the challenge.
“It’s a privilege to support people such as Paul taking on hard things,” he said.
“Paul carried himself like an absolute champion. These races strip you back to your raw self and Paul should be dead proud of how he carried himself throughout.”
Those words perhaps best capture the nature of ultra-running.
Finishing is always the goal, but in an event covering 215 miles across Scotland, simply reaching the start line represents a huge commitment. Continuing through fatigue, wet conditions, pain and the physical damage accumulated over hundreds of miles requires an extraordinary level of resilience.
As one supporter put it during the race, there are always highs and lows in endurance events and “nothing is guaranteed”.
The Scotland challenge came only months after Twomey produced one of the standout performances of his endurance career.
Earlier this year, the Mallow Tri Club athlete won the demanding Lakes Traverse 100km, crossing England’s Lake District in an impressive 11 hours and 40 minutes.
The race begins in St Bees on England’s west coast and takes competitors across rugged Lake District terrain towards Shap, following sections of Alfred Wainwright’s famous Coast to Coast route.
Twomey claimed first place in the 100km event, adding another significant ultra-distance victory to a growing list of endurance achievements.
The Race Across Scotland may not have ended with the 215-mile finish Twomey had hoped for, but his effort has earned enormous respect from those who followed the journey from Mallow and beyond.
Sometimes, in ultra-running, the course wins.
Paul Twomey went to Scotland to take on 215 miles. He battled through the highs and lows of the race before an injury to his feet ultimately took the decision out of his hands.
The 200-mile box remains unticked for now, but after the year Twomey has already put together, there is little doubt that the challenge will remain firmly on his radar.
