Marathon by sea to dispel budget blues

TONNES of salt were spread out yesterday to dispel the last vestiges of ice along the route of an inaugural coastal marathon race, attracting over 1,000 runners tomorrow to the coastal by-roads and town centre of Clonakilty.

Volunteer race organisers kept the bright side out through a gloomy budget week and icy weather conditions, saying the whole town — and weather forecasts — are right behind the depth-of-winter venture.

Ice-scrapers, scatterings of salt and grit, hard graft, plus the long-awaited thaw as part of the forecast of a fine, warmer Saturday, look like keeping the Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon on course. “We’re shaking off the budget blues, and escaping the icy grip of the past fortnight, and just going for a blast of positive, up-beat energy,” said Clonakilty Waterfront Marathon spokesperson Fiona O’Donnell.

Backed up by 150 volunteer marshals and support crew, there’s to be three different races (full, mini and half marathons) around Clonakilty’s coastal roads and beaches-strewn headlands.

It has attracted over 1,000 entries, from Gran Canaria, the US, England, Scotland and Wales, as well as from all over Ireland, with an almost equal split between men and women runners. One runner, Colette O’Hagan, will make it her 201st marathon.

“We thought we’d get a couple of hundred people, especially for the first time out. We’ve been staggered by the response, it just goes to show that people want to focus their energy on something other than all the misery that’s out there right now, and to be pro-active” say organisers Brian and Fiona O’Donnell, Mark Hilliard, and Maria and Bobby Hilliard.

Clonakilty Quality Hotel manager David Henry — making this his first marathon after doing several half marathons in previous years — says the event is proving a real boost to the town’s spirits.

“It is filling 50%-60% of our rooms this weekend and we’ve two Christmas parties of 20 for dinner, and they’re all doing the fun-run or mini-marathon first. Furthermore, between 30 and 40 of our leisure centre members are doing the half or full marathon too,” said Mr Henry, praising the “superb” organisation and sense of fun.

“It has been of tremendous benefit to Clonakilty town. All business and individuals are aware of the struggle in the current economic climate, initiatives like this will help it prosper and secure its future as a holiday destination.”