Dad inspired by late daughter with cerebral palsy continues to run in aid of children

An inspirational dad whose little girl was the reason he started running before she died, is now continuing to race to send other children with disabilities to EuroDisney.

Keith Russell helped his daughter Alanna make history by becoming the youngest ever competitor in the Dublin marathon when he pushed her along the gruelling circuit in a wheelchair, just months before her eighth birthday in 2017.

Alanna, from Navan, Co. Meath was born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy with no speech or use of her arms or legs. She also had impaired vision and epilepsy.

She was born a twin nine weeks premature but sadly her sister Isabelle, with whom she's now interred in St Mary's Cemetery, died shortly before birth.

Alanna quickly became well-known in the running circuit and alongside her dad who managed to raise almost €70,000 for Alanna's respite centre.

Sadly, she passed away at her home in December 2017.

Alanna's mother Ruth with Keith just after he finished the 24-hour endurance race. Picture via Team Alanna Facebook page.

Keith decided to carry on running in her memory and started a memorial run last year in her honour.

"This year's event is being staged to raise funds to send kids with disabilities and their families to EuroDisney for a break from the norm of life.

It's a 24/7 job being a carer for your child and a break means everything to these family who otherwise may not be able to afford one.

In recent times, Keith has also run various events by himself to raise funds including covering 185kms in the killer Energia 24-hour race in Belfast, coming third in the 172km Dublin to Belfast race and third in the over 35s in the Cork City Marathon.

To date, he has raised €21,000 for three families to visit EuroDisney.

"I always said I started running to give Alanna a new perspective in life but I was wrong.

Alanna has given me a new perspective on life. I was thinking about it completely in the wrong way and never did I think I would be doing stuff like 24-hour endurance races.

"Running with Alanna has given me so much more than I ever could have expected and we want to carry on Alanna's legacy to the best of our ability and it seems very fitting that we help other children with disabilities.

Alanna's memorial race will take place this Sunday, July 7 at Claremont Stadium in Navan and you can sign up for the event with myrunresults.

Team Alanna is also looking for people to run the Dublin City marathon with them and can be contacted through their Facebook page.