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

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Marathon 19 - Sligo

We all know the song "The Hills of Donegal". Well today the hills arrived a day early because today we ran a marathon in Sligo, Ballygawley in South-east Sligo to be precise. Starting at the main entrance to the Castle Dargan Estate this course would prove to be very challenging to the 28 runners who turned up to join us for today's run.

The course had us constantly running some very strenuous climbs with very little comfort on the reverse side as the quads and calfs balanced our frames. Truth told we changed it at the last minute last night as the course we had previously planned, would on inspection, have required oxygen on standby such were it’s heights.

We have noticed a pattern develop in recent days. More and more people are signing up late or in some cases just arriving on the morning and we are grateful to have their companionship and their funds to give to the charities. It is a win-win all round.

At the start line were some very enthusiastic friends, some old, some new, such as Conor who was running his third marathon with us in just 8 days and Andy Hamilton who sat on my (GD) shoulder for the duration. Also present were some close friends, Malcolm Craig, an old Ironman friend of mine, as well as Pat O’Hara from Mullingar who waited at the final mile marker for us to join him on the run in. I think he was slowing down myself and taking a rest but he says it was in the interests of a good photo op’. Mmmm!!

I had a great day today. Immensely grateful to have remained pretty much injury free for the last 19 days, I can really feel myself starting to get stronger and stronger as we make our way through each day’s exam paper. Today the course was our hardest to date and the hills were genuinely very tough. Still both Ken and I recorded our best times by some margin, his in the last two weeks and mine of the entire 19 marathons.

Special mention to the amazing Marie Barett, mammoth fundraiser, joint route co-ordinator for Dublin and today this marvel of a lady ran a FULL marathon despite signing up and training for a half. Also a mention to the entire "Murphy" family of 8, yes EIGHT, who stood on the side of the road in the rain cheering Ken and I and who held proudly the posters they had made for us this morning.

Another milestone tomorrow as we head for number twenty!!

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