A Cork marathon runner proved he was on the ball on Monday when he completed the Cork City Marathon soloing with a hurley and sliotar in just under four and a half hours - a feat he hopes will get him into the Guinness Book of Records.
Damien Coleman, who was running to raise funds for Cork Simon and Blackrock GAA club, had set himself a target of 10-minute miles to come in around 4 hours 30 minutes and he achieved his goal, crossing the finishing line on Patrick Street in 4.28.49.
“It was going very well initially, but around 22 miles my back started to get sore so I had to slow down to a walking pace a few times to stretch it out, but I got great support - a lot of people had heard about my record attempt so when they saw me in the Rockies jersey, they cheered me on.”
The rules of the record bid were such that every time Damien dropped the sliotar, he had to start again from the point where the ball hit the ground, but the regulation didn’t prove too much of an encumbrance to the 34-year-old father of four.
“I only dropped the sliotar twice in the first 13 miles but as I went on my wrist started to tire so I wasn’t able to respond as quickly to the movement of the ball - so I wasn’t able to keep control of it, and dropped it over 20 times - but I’m delighted with completing the course in the time I did.”
Also celebrating were Enniscorthy couple, Joe and Kay O'Regan, who both turned 80 earlier this year and finished the marathon together.
They had done the same when they completed their first marathon in London 30 years ago in 1986, when they ran the course in 4.41.
“That was our first marathon, but since then I’ve run 29 and got my time down to 3.34, while Kay has run 130 marathons and got her time down to 3.34 - it was warm today so we finished together in 5.14 - it was our last marathon, but we’re going to continue running, doing half marathons,” said Joe.
In all some 10,000 competitors took part in the Cork City Marathon, which was won by Philip Harty of West Waterford AC who completed the 26.2 mile course in 2. 32. 59, while the first woman home was Nollaigh O'Neill of Leevale AC who crossed the finish line in 3.00.41.
