Summer full of fitness at North Clare

FOLLOWING the recent success of the An Post Tour de Burren, North Clare is fast becoming a fitness destination.

July 12 will see runners from all over Clare take to Ballyvaughan to participate in the 32 County Marathons Challenge in aid of Irish Autism Action while the Great Burren Run will take place on August 21.
The Great Burren Run offers participants a full, half marathon or 10k run and will be the first marathon to be held in Fanore. The event is the brainchild of local man Kevin McCormack, who has chosen one of the most scenic routes, which brings runners, joggers, walkers along by the shore line of Galway Bay before taking to the mountain road at Blackhead mountains.
“People who take part in the marathon will experience breath-taking views of one of the most unique landscapes in the planet. They will listen to the sea and the little rivers, which they will encounter along the way. All of the marathon will be on green road and will take people to places where they only have dreamed of. It is an opportunity of a lifetime to take time out with a friend or friends or to be with oneself in the peace and serenity of one of the most beautiful places in the world,” said a spokesperson for the Fanore event.
Prior to that, a marathon is set to take place in nearby Ballyvaughan next month as local runners join Gerry Duffy and Ken Whitelaw as they take on one of 32 marathons in 32 consecutive days in the 32 counties of Ireland.
As the date draws nearer, Irish Autism Action is looking for more runners to take on this challenge, or to come along on the day and volunteer their time as marshals.
Clare runners will be joined by the county’s own sports commentator Marty Morrissey, who will act as a race starter on the day. Runners can take part in the full 26.2 mile marathon, a half marathon along the route, or even 10k if they don’t feel up to a marathon on the day.
“Running a marathon or half marathon is a great personal achievement,” said Pauline O’Halloran, local organiser for Clare.
“This is a chance to make a real difference in a child’s life. Every €1,000 raised will take a child off a waiting list for diagnosis while €600 will provide 10 speech and language sessions for children to help them to learn to communicate. It’s a great chance to give back to your community and have fun while you’re doing it,” she continued.
If you are interested in signing up for the 32 County Challenge in Clare, contact Pauline on 087 6936898 or visit www.32marathons.com for more information and training plans.
For full information on the Fanore marathon, log on to the website on www.fanore-info.com or contact Kevin on 086 3272472.