From Malin to Mizen:Irish woman begins marathon charity trek
AN IRISHWOMAN hopes to complete the equivalent of nearly three marathons a day and set a Guinness World Record by running from Malin Head to Mizen Head in five days and raise €70,000 for the Irish Carers Association in the process.
Joanne Ui Chrualaoich Fearon (37) set out at first light from the Lighthouse at Malin Head in Donegal yesterday morning and is to reach Athlone by this evening.
She is an experienced runner in ultra marathons – including the high-endurance Sahara Marathon – but admitted trying to run 15 in five days is “a great step into the unknown.”
She will need to cover 70 miles – or nearly three marathons each day – for five consecutive days and, if successful, will be the first Irish person to do it.
A programme manager at University College Cork, she is hoping to raise €1 for every 10 steps in order to reach her target of €70,000. She also wants the public to come out and witness her record attempt.
“I need witnesses to my record and to support me along the way. I will be wearing a GPS watch so I can provide a GPS trace of the route we have chosen.
“I have done 100 miles a day before but never had to get up the next day to do it again, and I have run shorter distances for a couple of days – but I have never done anything like this before.”
She will have a crew of three with her who will navigate the route and also give her food and water as she runs.
The run will really challenge her endurance, but she said, “after Tuesday I will be able to go to bed and rest for a few days, but the carers work 24 hours a day seven days a week and they are the reason I am doing this.”
By tomorrow night, she is due to have reached Kilmallock in Co Limerick, and by Monday night Bantry, with a hoped-for finish at Mizen head on Tuesday afternoon.