Runners motivated by the quest to complete Dublin Marathon

It’s said that just one in a million people on earth will ever complete the challenge of running a marathon.

Completing the 26.2 mile route has long been considered an amazing achievement, and rightly so.

Later this month, a group of around 20 athletes from the Omagh area will take on the task of doing the Dublin Marathon.

There are many others from across Tyrone also putting the finishing touches to their training ahead of the big day.

The group in Omagh are all members of the Run for Enda group, which is part of the Enda Dolan Foundation. It was, of course, set up in memory of the teenager from Killyclogher, who was killed in a hit and run collision in Belfast in 2014.

The work of Run for Enda in encouraging people to get active through running has been seen as hugely successful.

Hundreds of people have completed 5ks, 10ks, half marathons and ultra races as a result of their involvement in Run for Enda.

Since early summer, this group of athletes has been pounding the roads around Omagh in a bid to get ready for the race on Sunday October 29. From eight miles back then, to 22 last weekend, and four-time weekly sessions, the intrepid runners have left no stone unturned in their quest to be at peak readiness for the big day.

Two of these runners have spoken to the TyroneHerald about their motivation for registering and completing the Dublin Marathon.

For some, it will be a totally new experience, while for others the buzz of doing a first marathon has led to them becoming near-veterans over the distance.

KEVIN KEARNS

The Tattyreagh man was one of four from the area to complete the Dublin Marathon for the first time in 2016. Joining him on that occasion were Declan Armstrong, John McEnhill and Niall McKnight.

“That was supposed to be my one and only Marathon, but I then entered the ballot for the London Marathon and managed to get a place. I got hooked then and I’ve loved the marathon distance ever since,” he says.

“Training is hard by yourself, but when you’re with a group, it’s great. The Run for Enda group is brilliant.

“My motivation is that doing 26 miles is a big feat. My sister, Bernadette Armstrong, died in 2016 which is why I did it then and you see people running for all sorts of causes. That’s inspiring. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and doing it for her really spurred me on.

“In a marathon, the time it takes to complete it doesn’t matter. At the start, I tried to do a good time, but now I just want to go and enjoy the race, and help people along the way if I can by giving them encouragement.

“It’s a brilliant feeling at the end, especially when you get that medal around your neck. There were tears in my eyes after I completed London. It was just the emotion of completing such a big achievement. My biggest race before doing a Marathon was the Omagh Half Marathon. Running gets me out of the house to meet people. It really does clear the head.”

SEAMUS McAlinney

The Seskinore man is relatively new to running, having only pulled on the shoes for the first time some five years ago. He has been inspired by his wife, Marie’s involvement in Run for Enda, and this year’s Dublin Marathon will be his second time to complete the course around the capital.

“Everybody has their own motivations and it has to come from inside yourself. We all have our own story to tell about how we got into running and how the marathon fits in that journey. When you do one, you then think about doing another one or even a third,” he remarks. “For me, it’s all about the personal challenge. Particularly in retirement, Marie and I have fairly common interests and one of those things is the challenge to go out and make something happen.

“For her, it was the half marathon and then once that was done, I wanted to push on. I’m quite motivated by the Run for Enda experience, and what it’s doing for the community. There isn’t anything like it, in my view.

“I always looked after myself to some extent, but I was definitely heavier years ago than I am now.

“About four or five years ago, I decided to get more active. My job wasn’t entirely inactive, but there were a lot of meetings and sitting around tables.

“I ran on my own, but then I saw Marie coming home from the Run for Enda and how really positive she was about the group.

“I went down one night to see what it was all about and got hooked from then on. My first half marathon was a virtual one in 2020 for Omagh. The running is something which I really enjoy. I find myself now looking forward to a morning run. I don’t know if it is a runner’s high or not, but I find the whole challenge of increasing the miles very motivating. I am also really motivated by seeing other people tackling a marathon as well.”