THREE-TIME winner Eoghain McGinley will formally launch the 24th North West 10k on Monday evening in the Mount Errigal Hotel.
Reigning title holder McGinley also won the charity event in 2015 and 2017.
The Kilmacrennan native is looking forward to Monday night’s launch when the 10k committee will name the charities who will benefit from this year’s run and walk which takes place on Sunday the 3rd of May in Letterkenny.
“The North West 10k is one of my favourite events.,” he said.
You have the competitive side which is important but there it also has the family fun and charity sides. There is a great buzz leading up to it and it has a special place in my heart” the Letterkenny AC runner said.
North West 10k Chairperson Neil Martin says that having an athlete of Eoghain McGinley’s stature speaking so highly of the event is very satisfying for all involved.
“Eoghain has won the North West 10k three times. He also has a second and third finish all in the space of seven years. We’re delighted to have him with us on Monday night to perform the official launch. The benefitting charities will be named and the it’s down then to the hard graft for them and hopefully with our help they will raise a decent amount of money” Mr Martin said.
Last year, three charities benefitted handsomely from the grand total of 51,020 euros (17,000 euros each) which was raised. They were the Little Angels Association, Letterkenny; Donegal Cancer Flights & Services and Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Ireland, Donegal Branch.
Eoghain McGinley will be out to defend his title on Sunday, 3rd of May but injuries have been a problem in recent times.
Last year, he struggled in the second half of the North West 10k with a sore right achilles. Aged 35, McGinley is now eligible for a new age-group but his competitive running has been curtailed by a problem with the achilles in the left foot.
“I seem to be getting more injuries. It’s the left achilles now but hopefully I can get the training going again. My aim would be to do the National 10k in the Phoenix Park in April. Then it would be to do the Northwest 10k at the start of May. My best time for a 10k was 31.24 in Belfast two years ago. The best time I have done at the North West 10k was 32.44 in 2017.”
Entries are now being taken on-line for the North West 10k. Go to www.northwest10k.com for all the details.
Monday night’s launch in the Mount Errigal Hotel will start at 7 p.m. sharp.
