Four sargents aiming to run 100 mile ultra marathon
Connemara 100 Mile Ultra Maraghton in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland. Sgt. John Chapman, Sgt. Sean Doyle, Sgt. Nigel Nigel Campbell, Sgt. Christopher Walsh, Photo. Jimmy Fullam.
John Chapman is aiming for his 100th marathon – but it’s no ordinary marathon.
John is one of four Sergeants from the Curragh who are planning to run 100 miles, and hoping to do it in 24 hours, or less this coming Saturday, August 11.
It’s the Connermara ultra marathon, and John is joined by Sean Doyle, Nigel Campbell and Christopher Walsh in the attempt.
The four have been in constant training for quite some time.
John ran his first marathon in 1994 but, since 2007, has been running them at a rate of 25 or 30 a year.
He tends to complete them in a time between 3 hours 15 minutes and four hours. In fact he tends to run them back to back, one on Saturdays and one on Sundays.
So, the Leinster Leader enquired, if it’s not too rude, what age is John?
“I’m 45. Tipping away.”
Tipping away he certainly is, having completed 20 marathons this year already.
In preparation for the Ultra Marathon, the lads have been running long distances.
The day after speaking to this reporter, they were planning to run 30 miles.
They’ve gotten sponsorship from Dunnes. Their plan is to stop once over the course of the marathon for what John called “a proper sit-down meal”.
“We’ll stop around the 50 mile mark.”
The event takes part in and around Clifden, Co. Galway, with several laps around the town.
The four are planning to do the event in aid of Down Syndrome Ireland, and people can make donations through their MyCharity.ie account.
- Conor McHugh
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Sunday 19 May 2013
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