Could you run 90k? Ordinary people attempt an extraordinary challenge

"It's a bit of a gruelling challenge anyway, never mind that it has to be done in 24 hours!"

That is the summary Gail Martin gives when asked what she, husband Stuart and friend Andy Kennedy, have let themselves in for as they prepare to take on one of Northern Ireland's ultimate mountain running challenges.

The 90km Denis Rankin Round (DRR) in the Mournes takes place on Saturday, with competitors challenged to complete the route within 24 hours.

Gail is hoping that the "buzz and adrenaline" will maintain the group's energy levels but she's confident that when fatigue sets in, running together will help them along.

The trio, from Dromore, County Down, describe the event as their "biggest personal challenge yet".

Stuart said when one of them is struggling or if they need to take their minds off the physical running they can "have a chat, have a giggle".

"Or run in silence, you know, there's a camaraderie of us doing every step, every summit, together," he said.

"Not one of us is out there to set a new record, go crazy-fast or anything like that - we just want to do it."

He added that completing any length of run as a group is "brilliant".

The trio are all part of Lisburn Triathlon Club and have done triathlons before.

"We've pushed the limits there in distances and the mountain running just became a natural next step," Stuart said.

Gail got into running after the birth of her second son and said it was "a natural progression into the trail running, which I enjoyed so much more".

Her interest in mountain running was sparked by doing the Hill and Dales series, an annual series of mountain runs across Northern Ireland.

By their own admission, though, the group have taken what started out as their hobby and grown it to a new level.

"Back during Covid, I think the government's message was to get outdoors, do short walks, it's good for your mental health and wellbeing," Andy said.

"We just took it to an extreme. We opened up books, we looked at different routes, we ticked off different challenges and it was always looking for what the next one was. And that's where we find ourselves now."

He added that "if your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough".

The DRR is a circuit of all the peaks in the Mourne Mountains over 400m in height, covering 90km and 6,500m in ascent.

Participants are challenged to complete the route within 24 hours, to be "officially" recognised as a DRR member.

It is named after Denis Rankin, a pioneer and mountain running enthusiast in NI who lost his life during a fell race in 2013.

Part of Gail, Stuart and Andy's preparations for the DRR involved several "recces" of the route's five legs, both in daylight and dark - and they have trained three to four times a week.

They have opted for a 05:00 BST start on Saturday morning, meaning that they hope to be on the fifth and final leg, from Spelga Dam back to the landmark arch in Newcastle, by the time darkness descends.

They will have a support team meeting them at checkpoints with food and supplies - and agree that tackling such a momentous challenge together is empowering.

"It's just to be out there, doing it," Andy added.

"Whether you're running and walking or talking, the camaraderie and the mate-ship that happens, I think you could do that forever and ever."