Omagh half marathon participants tell their special stories

STARTED by a small group of Omagh Harriers back in 1989, over the last 30 years the Omagh Half Marathon has become one of the most hotly anticipated events on our local calendar.

Now, final preparations are being made for this weekend’s Omagh Half Marathon which will see thousands of runners take to the streets and roads around the town on Sunday morning.

Volunteers from Omagh Harriers – who organise the event – were busy last night (Wednesday) packing goodie bags which will be presented to the some 3,000 participants in both the 5K and 13.1 mile routes. Such was demand for the ‘Omagh half’, places quickly sold out in January.

Omagh Harriers have commissioned a special medal for all those taking part in the race.

It depicts the new giant sculpture erected on top of Mullaghcairn.

For the elite runners, victory is everything. As they stand at the starting line, their goal is simple; cross the final threshold in front of the chasing pack.

For others, their motivations are different.Some do it for fun, some for charity, while others see it as an opportunity to prove something to themselves, and, perhaps, others.

So, ahead of the big day, we spoke with five local runners to find out why they have chosen to take on the Omagh Half Marathon this Sunday…

Aoife Kelly

Despite having hardly taken a single stride before this year, Aoife Kerr (37) will be completing the half marathon this Sunday, raising money for Care for Cancer in the process.

“I’m the sort of person that would have been ended by the bleep test back in school,” said Aoife. “I have zero natural talent when it comes to running.

“But the girl whose gym I go to loves running. She encouraged me to give it a go, and I joined the Run For Enda programme out at Youth Sport,” said Aoife.

“I started to get into it,” she said.

Then, with half a mind to do the half marathon, Aoife looked around for a worthy cause that she could fundraise for.

“My mum, Aileen Laird has skin cancer and she has been helped enormously by Care for Cancer in recent years.

“She is usually quite a private person, but when I asked her what she thought of me raising money for the people who have helped her, she did not hesitate,” said Aoife, who is a solicitor with McGale Kelly solicitors in Omagh.

Aoife, who set out to raise £500, has now accumulated £1,280 in donations.

To donate, search ‘Aoife’s Omagh Half Marathon page’ on Facebook.

Cathy Mullan

The Carrickmore woman was supposed to take on the Omagh Half Marathon last year, but an achilles injury put an end to that. This year, however, Zues himself could not stand between Cathy and the starting line.

“I had just started training when I got a bad injury, and that was that,” said Cathy.

“However, I kept going to Run For Enda at Youth Sport and was involved in a training capacity.

“Peter Dolan (who oversees the Run For Enda sessions) kept me motivated and advised me when it was time to gradually start getting back to training myself.”

Now, Cathy feels flying fit, and, in her mid -0s, is due to complete her first half marathon this Sunday.

“I am not nervous. On the contrary, I cannot wait.

“I would advise everybody to join the Run For Enda group. It has changed my life!”

Danielle Thornton

The 33-year-old Omagh doctor, who will be running the Omagh Half Marathon to raise money for those who helped her granny, Madge Kearns in the final stages of her life, reckons that she is ‘the opposite of a runner’.

However, the fact Danielle will be taking on a massive 13.1-miles around Omagh town on Sunday morning suggests that she may be somewhat more of a runner than she imagines.

“Me and mummy both took months off work towards the end of Granny’s life,” said Danielle.

“We wanted to care for her, but providing 24/7 care is no easy job,” she said.

Thankfully, the Marie Curie nurses were on standby to help out whenever things became too much.

“They were a real lifeline for us,” said Danielle. “so it is great to give back to them, and to do something positive in Granny’s memory.”

Danielle, who works as a locum GP in Dromore, has been helped along her running journey by the Run For Enda programme.

“They have done something which I could never have managed alone,” said Danielle. “They converted me into a runner.”

To donate, search ‘Running for Granny Madge’ on Facebook.

Elizabeth Ewing

Peer pressure can be an awful thing, but it can also force you do things that you thought were beyond your potential.

“My friend badgered me into signing up for the Dublin Marathon,” said Elizabeth, who is 43-years-old. “I had no running experience, so was banking on not being one of the so-called ‘lucky ones’ to be chosen to do it.”

But, when the lottery was being done, fortune fell in Elizabeth’s favour.

“So I had to start training, both in a local gym and with somebody from VirtualRunNI,” she said.

“The coach said that I should sign up for the Omagh Half so that I had an incentive to put in some bigger miles. I begrudgingly agreed,” said Elizabeth.

Wearing her erratically-beating heart on her sleeve, Elizabeth admits that she is yet to catch a serious case of the runner’s bug, and is, in actual fact, ‘terrified’ of what Sunday will bring.

“I am just going to go at my own pace, keep the head down, keep a positive attitude, and make my way towards the finish line,” said the Omagh woman.

Matty Hyndman

It has been ten years since Matty Hyndman (33) last fastened his laces and stepped up to the starting line of the Omagh Half Marathon… But on Sunday he will go at it again, this time to raise money for an invaluable charity who helped return his dear friend, Joe McDermott home to Omagh following a fatal accident in Australia in 2015.

Matty told us that it was an impulse to give back to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust that lay beneath his decision to take on the 13.1 mile once again.

“I was out in Australia the time that Hoss (as Joe was known among his friends) was killed, and I just wanted to do something for that charity that helped – and have since helped hundreds others – at the time,” said Matty.

“I done 13 mile there a few weeks ago, so I know I have it in me.

“Roll on Sunday now I suppose,” he concluded.

Matty has raised a fantastic £1,100 so far, but there is still time to donate. You will find the link most easily by visiting his Facebook page, ‘Matty Hyndman’.