The Challenge...32 Marathons, 32 Counties, 32 Days
Gerry and Ken's Blog...

Some photos, comments and updates from each day's marathon are up on our Facebook page! Check it out here...

Marathon 13 - Laois

I've started to look over my shoulder now. I feel like the swimmer in the JAWS movie waiting for the poacher to pounce on its prey. Whitelaw is on the prowl and I have to keep looking over my shoulder to ensure I stay ahead of him. I jest of course but how fantastic is the underlying meaning to what I am saying. Not only fantastic but so richly deserved. Ken like me has put his heart into this event. For twelve months we toiled every day to piece the logistics together, early mornings and late nights. At the heart of it all was the challenge of running 32 consecutive marathons and Ken is a runner at heart. He deserves to be running and now he is again. Truly fantastic. As he crossed the line in 4 hours and 58 minutes I guarantee he would put it ahead of his personal best time for the marathon of 2 hours 54 minutes in Edinburgh four years ago. That is how much "just to be running again" means to him.

Today was definitely lucky 13  as we set up camp in the "Heathland" in County Laois, Emo Estate to be precise. It is a wonderland of beauty, all 300 acres of it's rich farmland.

The forecast predicted heavy showers but we managed to skirt around them as we completed 4 loops of this tough route. It meant we had to negotiate two really arduous climbs on four seperate occasions, testing us to the wire but both of us managed to pass the Laois Exam paper with good grades.

Ken is on the mend and thankfully I can start to feel my body getting stronger, an amazing feeling. Onwards to Maynooth in Co. Kildare where we will be joined for a half marathon by none other than the current Rose Of Tralee, Charmaine Kenny. Charmaine has family connections in our hometown of Mullingar and has been brilliant helping us on many occasions with media work to publicise the event. Not only that but we have a geogeous route meandering through the Carton House Estate to look forward to.

< Back to main Blog page >