Record-breaking marathon man to take on the world

A 31-YEAR-OLD Ennis tyre fitter is set to take on the world after helping Ireland to a record-breaking run in a gruelling 100km ultra marathon in Scotland at the weekend.

Father-of-two Keith Whyte was part of a five-strong Irish team that broke the four-year Irish record at a home nations competition in Perth, Scotland on Sunday.

Speaking from Scotland yesterday, Keith confirmed he ran his 100km in seven hours 28 minutes allowing him to compete for Ireland in the 100km World and European Championships in Holland this September.

Keith finished 7th overall and was third placed on the Irish team which came second to Scotland.

He said: “I am really delighted. To get over the line was an amazing feeling at the end.”

Appearing for Ireland in the world 100km championships is a remarkable turnaround for Keith who only ran his first competitive race three and a half years ago in a 10km run in Ennis. He confessed” “I never had any interest in running whatsoever until summer of 2007 and then I caught the bug”.

An employee at Pat Foudy’s Tyre Centre for the past 11 years, Keith first started running with a local group of charity runners, the Clare Crusaders in 2007.

Crusader colleague Pat Bogue said yesterday: “Just four years ago Keith had never run 10km, not alone a marathon or 100 km, and now he is representing Ireland in the world championships.

“With such an impressive record behind him who knows what lies ahead?”