Renault support Mullingar Half Marathon and Childline
The race ambassadors for this year’s Renault Mullingar Half Marathon met one another and Renault ambassador Gerry Duffy at the O’Briens Renault showroom on the Lynn Road.
Gerry was race ambassador last year, for the inaugural half marathon, along with Ken Whitelaw, and this year the job passes to Colm McCormack and Ken Maleady.
All three expressed said they were honoured to be asked to perform the role given the charity that the half marathon supports (Childline) and the fact that it is a major event in Mullingar.
“It’s good to be involved in home town events like this,” said Colm. “I’m proud to be asked to be a race ambassador and I’m delighted to meet Ken and Gerry, who are serious runners!
“I see my role as helping promote the event, and it gives me a focus too. It’s for a great charity and for a great town – as well as that, it shows people that I didn’t fall by the wayside after doing Ironmind. It’s good for people who might be suffering with depression to see that I’m out doing this, and it shows how important exercise is.”
Colm was referring to his experience on the RTÉ programme presented by Bressie, the focus of which was to show the mental health benefits of exercise. Already a keen sportsman who plays football with Multyfarnham, Colm did a half Ironman, and is planning more endurance events.
“I’m enjoying them, though I might go back to the football too,” he said. “I have a couple of half marathons planned – Mullingar and Blackpool in April, with my brother Connor, who turns 40 this year, and the Dublin marathon in October.”
The other Renault Mullingar Half Marathon race ambassador will also have siblings running with him on St Patrick’s Day.
Ken Maleady, who made national headlines when he won a People of the Year award for his role in helping save another runner’s life at last year’s Dublin marathon, says that if he can be of help in any way, he is proud to do that, for Childline and for his area.
“We spend so much time running and doing events elsewhere, and it’s important to show support when it comes to our own town,” said Ken.
Last year he ran the half marathon with his brothers David and Joey, and this year also joining them will be other members of the family, Ashling, Joanne, Nicola, Robbie and Shane.
They’re not all experienced runners, but Ken has plenty of miles in his legs and he’s aiming for a time under 1:45 this year.
Colm has a target time of two hours (his current best is 2:04), which he is working towards with his training partner Padraic O’Donnell.
The pair both work in Dublin (Colm has just been made permanent in his position as an accountant with Google) and have a neat incentive for not missing training runs.
“We put €2 each in a kitty every run and at the end of the month go for a couple of pints,” said Colm. “If you pull out and don’t have a good excuse, you put €5 in!”
Gerry Duffy was unable to take part in last year’s Mullingar half, but his year he is aiming for a time around 1:20, although, as he says “you have to do it first”.
With Gerry’s record in long distance running, just doing it won’t be a problem. This year he is also planning the Connemara Ultramarathon (65km), and beyond that he says: “My main endurance event is college,” he said.