Sammy Daye and Dianne Leahy went On the Run from The Crum on Saturday 5th October. They broke out at 9.30 am and despite horrendous weather they keep on the move for 24 hours and made a valiant escape attempt, taking less travelled roads and made it to Derry before they were apprehended! They have given an account of their adventure below ?

It all started with one question.

Do you want to do Run from the Crum ultra, Dianne?

Yes .

Ok, thats us booked in. Now where do you want to run too?

You havent been to Derry, Sammy ?

No!

Let’s run to Derry then .

And that was it!

We would run to Derry, all I had to do now was work out the best route .

Map out and start plotting a route,

A6 for 33 miles and Glenshane Pass there would have to be a better route than that.

Found one, 70 miles in total that will do us , a few hills well a lot of hills but manageable.

Saturday 9am in prison with all the other crazys /ultra runners!!

All the usual faces nobody saying where they are running to.

9.30 and we have escaped out the gates to the end of the road and everyone turns left apart from Dianne and myself. We start straight into our first hill so that’s why no one came this way . Cave hill 1hr 40 mins and the first hill is over . Now its 7 mile straight hopefully this wont be hilly .

I was wrong again and it was.

At least it wasnt raining ,

We decided to take a photo at each town sign we past to record our progress.

Making good progress we went through Muckamore and were soon in Antrim.

Decided to have lunch and a shandy a few strange looks from the locals and we were on our way!!

Next town was Randalstown, toilet stop, milk and coke!! Essential ultra supplies.

Waterproofs on as the rain had started through Moneynick and Toome home of the eels and an excellent Caramel Latte!!

Onto Magherafelt, puddles starting to become an issue, a good value hot chocolate was well received!!

Darkness had fallen, so had our feet into many puddles.

Got to Desertmartin which was deserted apart from public toilets which were well received!!

Praying for somewhere dry in Draperstown, we were soaked through. Puddles, puddles and getting splashed from cars and lorries Dianne was ready to jack it in!!

Arrived in Draperstown, we went into the first bar we saw and we were in luck!

Niamh Kelly from The half and Hideout became our guardian angel!!

We were able to get changed into dry clothes, she got us hot tea and coffee, crisps, chocolate, biscuits even going to the shop for batteries and the Chinese for a curry chip!!

Waterproofs on, hats and gloves on we ventured into the Sperrin mountains, going through Moneyneany, climbing, climbing into Feeny ran some down hill where I had to try and keep up with Dianne who seems to get stronger later in events like this .

You can normally tell shes feeling good when I hear those magic words man up Sammy!!

Feet were starting to get sore with blisters and shin splints. Dianne was in the same boat pushing on as daylight started to break we knew the end was in sight and were determined to complete the 24 hrs.

Through Clady, then onto Killaloo following the A6. Stopped in Drumahoe for a hot drink and a cereal bar less than 4 miles to go!!

Just two more hills through Drumahoe and last climb past Altnagelvin hospital we felt like calling in!!

The end was in sight at the roundabout The Walled City sign, we had made it with 45 mins to go!!

Then a dander through the Waterside to Ebrington, across the Peace Bridge a very welcome sight. Derry has never looked so good even in liquid sunshine!!

Past the Guildhall, dodging the fountains, then onto Shipquay street another steep hill, to our finish point The Shipquay Hotel!!!

Emma greeted us, got us tea and toast and a fantastic room for changing and a hot shower, as a welcome gift!!

And that was the end of our 24 hour escape Run from the Crum!! What an adventure!!!