BY MATTHEW WILSON

TWO local married couples are among the thousands who will head to the capital this Sunday to participate in the Irish Life Dublin Marathon.

The Marathon, which takes place on the October Bank Holiday each year, is a significant occasion in the sporting calendar and athletes from throughout the country have spent months preparing.

Over 12,000 participants, ranging from elite athletes to charity runners, are joined by thousands of supporters each year for the route around Dublin.

Letterkenny Athletic Club have been proactive and have used the Dublin Marathon to help to raise funds and awareness of local charities and groups.

In the past three years, the group has gathered over €20,000 for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and this year they’ve chosen Donegal Hospice as the main beneficiary.

LAC are sending 19 participants to Dublin this Sunday to take part in the event, and among that group are two couples who have been clocking up the miles.

All four individuals are active members of the club and have been busy preparing for the 26.2 mile long endurance test.

Ciaran McGonagle is well-known throughout the country as a formidable athlete who has represented Ireland and was named ‘Ultra Runner of the Year’ in 2023.

His wife Caroline is new to distance running but has enjoyed the experience.

“I started out here with the Fit4Life Group whenever it started up and I just kept going with it.

“It started up around two years ago and there was just a good group meeting up down here (Letterkenny Athletic Club) every week.

“Last year a few of them did the Dublin Marathon and someone said to me if I would do it and I said ‘no, never’.

“But there’s a lot of encouragement down there with the group and I just decided that I would do it. Ciaran (O’Donnell) drew me up a plan here and he’s trying to make sure that I stick to it.”

Gary and Marie Kearns will also take to the start line and are eagerly awaiting the big event.

“We’re feeling good now. All the training and preparations for it went well and we’re feeling good so it will just be nice to get to the start line now on Sunday,” said Gary.

“We just covered the mileage that Ciaran gave us and it put us through our paces. We’ve also done a bit of strength work in between so it went well.”