Limavady man completed grueling Norn Iron 100 to raise money for children's charity

A Limavady man completed the grueling Norn Iron Ultra 100 last weekend to raise money for the Helping Hand charity.

Kristofor Mayell crossed the finish line within the allocated 36 hours in the village of Gortin outside Omagh on June 4, having started the 106-mile course a day prior in the North Antrim village of Ballintoy.

The 39-year-old was inspired to embark on this demanding challenge by his eight-year-old son, Noah who was born with hydrocephalus, Dandy-Walker malformation, and epilepsy.

Mr Mayell said: "I wanted to just push myself and challenge myself. I had done half marathons and marathons before. I wanted to do that, as it is what Noah has to do every day. So I just thought that for everything Noah has gone through, I will aim high; I'll just try and run this.

"I got really overwhelmed and emotional when I finished it.

"The reason I chose that specific run was because, for one, I knew it was probably the hardest run in Northern Ireland."

Hydrocephalus is a build up of fluid in the brain with the excess fluid putting pressure on the brain which can damage the brain and if left untreated it can be fatal while Dandy-Walker malformation is a rare congenital brain malformation in which the part joining the two hemispheres of the cerebellum does not fully form.

And Kris, having raised money previously for the charity based in Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast for Sick Children after the care they have given to Noah wanted to do so again.

He said: "Noah has spent so much time in the Royal, and he still has to go up quite a bit.

"The amount of time he has spent up there, he wouldn't be there if it wasn't for them. He was in the ICU when he was born.

"I had raised £10,000 a number of years ago. And this time I set a goal of £20,000. So far, I've raised £14,000 on the way to that goal."

You may think a strict training regime is required to complete the Norn Iron 100, but surprisingly, Kris did not have one due to life commitments with his four young children, Jamie, Lucas, Benn, and Noah.

But this does not mean that the ultramarathon is easy or for the faint-hearted.

Kris said: "I took any chance I could get to train. There were a lot of early morning runs or late night runs. Or, like tonight, I'm at my son Jamie's football training here, and while he is at that, I can get a run in.

"It was horrible at times; after mile 40, I was getting angry at the organisers of the event as there was another hill after another one. Seriously, I felt like I just wanted to curl up and go to bed.

"One of the aid stations when I went into Dungiven was about 70 miles into the run. It was reminiscent of a scene from an aid tent during a war.

"But the organisers were so great, and the medics were fantastic. Everything was done for you, and you were well looked after. There is a huge amount of credit for them."

And for Kris, he had a mini-support team throughout the whole challenge, consisting of his partner, Laura Kane, and his sisters and friends, to provide anything from food to shoes to complete it.

Support for the SEN assistant also came from his work colleagues at Roe Valley Integrated School, the other runners and their stories, and one special person in particular.

Kris said: "I got to see Noah when his mum brought him to Articlave, and it was a huge driving force seeing him, and it kept me going.

"Noah has helped inspire and raise all this awareness. I just wish everyone could meet Noah; he is such a character, and he is so funny. He is just a great boy.

"Knowing that it was another wee thing ticked for Noah, it wasn't for me; it was for him.

For his efforts, Kris has been awarded a bespoke 100-mile belt buckle from the event, and the knowledge he has helped the charity so dear to him to help other children in Noah's condition.

So what is next for Kris?

He said: "I haven't said to anyone yet, but I would love to do a point-to-point tour of Ireland, from the tip to the most southern point.

"I wanted to see how I got on in this run, and now I'm thinking, why not?

"It is something we can get other runners involved in and do different stages."