Noel Carroll always said the day you’re too busy to go for a run is the day you’re too busy. And in saying that he definitely meant Christmas Day, too, especially when it came to the Goal Mile.
Carroll practiced what he preached and although he was often a very busy man – serving 24 high-profile years as press officer for Dublin Corporation – he never missed a run. This year, 20 years after his sudden death in October 1998, he is also remembered not just as a founding member of the first Dublin marathon, in 1980, but also the first Goal Mile, two years later.
Carroll was also a chairperson of Goal, and always thinking about new ways of raising vital funds and awareness for Goal’s humanitarian work in developing countries, used his endless powers of persuasion to assemble a small group of famous runners in Dublin’s Phoenix Park on Christmas Day – including Eamonn Coghlan.
The following year Carroll moved the Goal Mile to Belfield, running four laps of the track to better validate the distance, and the times. A few years later the Goal Mile had turned into one of the busiest running events of the year.
Now, 36 years later, the Goal Mile continues to expand around the country, and indeed the world. This Christmas there are 132 Goal Miles scheduled in almost every county (some of which will actually take place on St Stephen’s Day, some on New Year’s Day), from small to the towns and cities.
There is no commitment needed except turning up on the day and donating what you can. The concept is simple: people run, jog or walk a Mile and contribute whatever they can afford to Goal on the day. Thanks to Goal Mile organisers and participants, millions have been raised to support Goal’s work in the developing world.
A full list of Goal Miles can be found at www.goalmile.org – the first one set for Christmas Eve at the Morton Stadium in Santry, from 10.30am-Midday.
