Ronan raises £1,500 with 4x4x48 running challenge

Ronan raises £1,500 with 4x4x48 running challenge

17 March 2021

A FATHER’S devotion to his autistic son has raised nearly £1,500 for his primary school.

Ronan Holden recently took part in the 4x4x48 Challenge set by ex-US Navy Seal Dave Goggins where participants runs four miles every four hours throughout a 48-hour period.

The 33 year-old admitted that at one point he felt like giving up in the physical challenge which is set more to test the runner’s mental endurance rather than physical.

His son, Shane, is a P3 pupil at St Colmcille’s Primary School in Downpatrick and Ronan managed to raise £1,488 to help fund the school’s expanding Learning Support Centre.

Supported by his brothers Liam, Conail and Arón, the Dundrum man set off at 8am on  Friday, March 5, and finished running at 4am the following Sunday.

He was able to complete one four-mile run in 35 minutes, but admitted it took him an hour and 10 minutes to complete the very last run, such was the effect of having just nearly three hours sleep in the two days had on him.

His brother, Liam, an Irish Army soldier, ran with him to give him extra motivation.

While he found the running easy, Ronan also admitted that he very nearly gave up at one point on his route from his home to Murlough House and back again.

“Physically I was fine as I had conditioned myself well before going into it and at one point I was doing half marathons every day for a week,” he explained.

“It was the lack of sleep that got to me and I found it hard to get any heat. Even though we had the heat on blasting, I was still shivering. I was surviving on energy drinks as I needed them to keep awake.”

He said that the toll it took on him was so bad that his brother considered calling an ambulance.

“Before the first 4am run on Saturday morning, my brother Liam came in to wake me up and he called my named five times but couldn’t wake me. The other brother came in and he became to get really worried as I was totally white.

“He went away to think about what he was going to do as he genuinely thought I was dead. But when he came back to me, I was up and dressed, but I can’t remember any of this. Five minutes before I needed to get up, I somehow got myself up without any alarm.”

Ronan said that he completely lost track of time, experiencing some highs and some lows.

“I got a second wind for the 8am run and did it in a record time of 35 minutes. I kept that second wind for the whole day, but I did the next 4am run at a snail’s pace. My legs had just seized due to the constant running and lack of sleep as there was no recovery.”

Ronan says that while he knows he could do a marathon now, he’s prouder of his mental endurance.

“That challenge is designed to break you so I am proud that I can go through the torture of lack of sleep but still keep the physical aspect of it going at a high level.”

He revealed that he lost a stone, mainly water weight, over the two days, but has since returned to normal.

He also says he has been overwhelmed by the support he received on social media locally but also nationally and internationally but could not have done it with the help from his partner Becky, her mother, son Shane and his family.

“I hope to send a personal word of thanks to everyone who donated money to such a worthy cause,” he added.

Stephen Austin, principal of St Colmcille’s Primary School, thanked Ronan and his family for their support.

“We are very grateful to Ronan for raising £1,488 on his recent Goggin’s Running Challenge- which certainly wasn’t for the faint of heart,” he said.

“Funds raised will go towards practical literacy, numeracy and sensory equipment — essential resources for our Learning Support Centre.

“The children will avail of this new equipment for many years to come. St Colmcille’s has a wonderful relationship with its parents who are very supportive of the school. Ronan’s efforts are a fine example of that support.”