ENTRIES for Sunday’s Donegal Half Marathon, which is being held in association with Kernan’s in Letterkenny, are set to exceed 1,300.

Speaking ahead of the eleventh staging of the annual event, race director, Brendan McDaid, also confirmed that one of Ireland’s leading distance runners, John Travers, will be taking the starter’s gun on Sunday morning along the Conwal straight.

“We have 1,260 registered for Sunday so far and that includes 52 relay teams. By the time we stop taking entries on Saturday afternoon, we expect the final number to be over 1,300. That will more than double the entry from last year of 595, while our previous largest entry was back in 2014 when we had around 700 entries.

“So, we are absolutely delighted with the level of interest in the 2025 Donegal Half Marathon,” he said.

“I’m also happy to confirm that John Travers will be part of Sunday’s race. John is a quality athlete and to have such a high-profile runner part of the biggest ever Donegal Half Marathon is a great boost,” the race director added.

“John has the ability to beat the current course record of 1:07:22 set by Yared Derese of Carrick Aces AC in 2023. John’s personal best for the half marathon is 1:05:40, so hopefully he can give the course record a good go.”

The 34-year-old Donore Harriers AC runner has personal bests of 3:58 for the mile, 13:52 for 5,000 metres and 29:04 for 10,000 metres.

“The beauty about the Donegal Half Marathon is that it attracts people from all backgrounds, all ages and all abilities. The reintroduction of the relay section this year is giving people an opportunity to take part and be part of what is going to be a great day in and around Letterkenny on Sunday morning,” Brendan McDaid commented.

Those participating in Sunday’s race can collect their numbers at the Aura Leisure Centre between 6pm and 7pm on Friday, between 2pm and 6pm on Saturday and between 8am and 8.30 am on Sunday. Online registrations will close on Wednesday at 11 pm and walk-in entries will be taken on Saturday at the Aura Leisure Centre between 2pm and 6pm. The online entry fee will be €40, and no entries will be taken on the morning of the race.

“Our message to people taking part is to get to the start line early. It’s over a mile from the Aura Leisure Centre to the start line, so everyone should give themselves plenty of time.

“A bus will be on hand at the Aura Leisure Centre to take the relay runners who will be doing the third leg out to Rashedog. The bus will also transport those finishing the second leg back into the Aura Leisure Centre in from Rashedog,” the race director added.

The children’s 1k fun run event, which is being sponsored by Century Complex Letterkenny aimed at those aged 16 and under, will get underway after the runners pass the Aura Leisure Centre at 9.45 am. Registrations open at 9 am.