By 
A BIG-hearted Omagh man has raised close to £2,500 for two deserving causes by doing his very own take on an Olympic duathlon while adhering to lockdown restrictions.
Chris Gallagher, who runs a sports massage therapy business in Gortrush Industrial Estate, took his inspiration from the standard Olympic duathlon, which is made up of a 10km run, followed by a 40km cycle before ending with a 5km run.
Giving a unique spin on the event last Wednesday afternoon, Chris started off by running 96 laps of two gardens for the equivalent of 10kms.
He then jumped on his bike and did a series of 2km loops until he reached the 40km total for the cycle ride.
Then, it was back to the gardens to do another 10km.
And to show his appreciation of all the great work being done by health workers at this crucial time, Chris finished off by running an extra three miles – all in his bare feet.
During the event, there was also had a food bank outside his house where people could donate food.
Speaking to the Tyrone Herald, the Omagh man said he was delighted to have raised the vital funds, which is being split between St Vincent de Paul and NI Scrubs – Fermanagh/Omagh Area, a group of local sewing enthusiasts who are making medical uniforms.
A total of £1,336 was raised for NI Scrubs – Fermanagh/Omagh Area, while St Vincent de Paul will receive a donation of £1,000 cash.
More than £1,000 worth of food was also collected on the day for St Vincent de Paul.
Chris said that the support he had received from friends and neighbours was “absolutely overwhelming”.
He said, “There were floods of tears coming out of my eyes at times.
“It was emotional.”
But the personal trainer said his was only a small contribution in comparison with the work of the two charities as well as NHS staff at the present time.
“It’s vital getting the funds together for these fabrics to be made as quickly as possible to get the Personal Protection Equipment to the frontline staff during this week, which could prove crucial. That was a massive part of it,” he added.
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)