An Irishwoman who is running more than two marathons a day in an attempt to raise at least €70,000 for charity and set a world record has today crossed the halfway point on her journey.
Joanne Ui Chrualaoich Fearon (37) set out at first light from the Lighthouse at Malin Head in Donegal on Friday and is to arrive in Kilmallock in Co Limerick tonight as she bids to complete the journey, of some 550km, to Mizen Head in Cork by tomorrow.
A programme manager at University College Cork, she is hoping to raise €1 for every 10 steps taken in order to reach her target of raising €70,000 for the Carers Association of Ireland. She is an experienced runner in ultra marathons but said trying to cover the distance in five days was “a great step into the unknown.”
Tomorrow’s leg of the journey, having already covered more than 300km, will see Ms Ui Chrualaoich Fearon depart Kilmallock at first light and arrive at Bantry in Cork ahead of the final stretch.
A crew of three are completing the challenge with her - providing food and water as she runs and assisting in navigating the route.
Steffanie McDonagh, of the Carers Association of Ireland, said Ms Ui Chrualaoich Fearon had made good progress on her journey before the unexpectedly warm weather on Saturday and yesterday broke her stride.
“As she was coming into Athlone it was the hottest place in Ireland,” she said yesterday. “We had blisters, toenails almost coming off and some lost ground because of the heat, but she has picked up some ground today.”
Ms McDonagh said the initial plan to cover the distance in five days had now been revised to six days. However, she said
Ms Ui Chrualaoich Fearon bid to break the Guinness world record for running the journey was still alive.
The donations were coming in at a steady pace, Ms McDonagh said, but more were welcome at her website.
Seperately, a Dublin man is planning to cycle from Malin Head to Mizen Head this weekend on a fixed wheel bike in just 24 hours.
Amateur cyclist David Murphy will depart Malin Head on Saturday morning on the bike, which does not allow him to change gear or freewheel.
He is hoping to set a world record for the quickest time covering the journey on a fixed wheel bike and to convince the Government to commit more time to the detection and prevention of cancer. More information is available from www.fixcancer.net.