A brother and sister-in-law have proven that blood isn’t always thicker than water after agreeing to undertake this weekend’s Dublin City marathon together.
Stephen McElhinney and Rachel Enfield have been a familiar sight around the country roads of Glenswilly and Lettetrkenny in recent months.
The neighbours from Tullygay decided to put on their jogging shoes and tackle the 26.2 mile course which takes place n the capital this Sunday.
Neither had ever ran before they decided to take up the challenge and to raise some much-needed funds for the Donegal Hospice.
Stephen says they have hopefully put in enough miles to get across the line without too much pain come Sunday afternoon.
“People ahem been so good and everyone who has ever done a marathon has offered us some bits of advice. Even those who have never done one have offered us plenty of advice,” laughed well-known bread-delivery man Stephen.
Stephen, who rises for work each morning at 4am, has been trying to juggle his raining runs with Rachel who has to juggle her everyday life as a mum.
Her cause has not been helped by the fact that husband Paddy flew to Lebanon six months ago on peace-keepong missions with the Irish Army.
Big-hearted Paddy has made the ultimate sacrifice and has flown back to Ireland for a few days to support Rachel and Stephen before flying back to the Lebanon in a few days to complete his year long tour of duty.
Rachel and Stephen have booked a hotel close to the starting line of the race so they won’t have to wake to early on the morning of the race.
“I’m not sure if we’ve done the right thing there. We’re hearing now that Harcourt Street is full of hen and stag parties and they might keep us awake.
“Don’t get us wrong, we might join them after the race but before the race I’m hoping we can get as much sleep as possible,” laughed Stephen.
If you would like to donate to Stephen and Rachel’s idonate page, please log onto https://www.idonate.ie/mobile/fundraiser/11360769_rachel-and-stephens-run-for-the-hospice-2016.html
Please give this very worthwhile fundraising effort as little or as much as you can spare.
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