Two inspirational friends are about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they attempt a 618 km running challenge across Ireland.
Julie McMullin and Loretta Cullen from Ballyshannon will set off of their mammoth Mizen to Malin challenge this Tuesday 18th August.
The ultra runners are aiming to conquer the 618km distance in just five days – and they will be supporting three vital charities with every step.
All funds raised will be in aid of The Donegal Hospice, The Northwest Hospice and the Irish Cancer Society.
“Both of our mums died from cancer and we are very aware of the wonderful work that the hospice movement and the Irish Cancer Society do and their ongoing need for donations,” they said.
Julie is a Home Economics and Science teacher at St. Columba’s College Stranorlar. The Roscommon native has lived in Donegal for the past 30 years. Loretta, who is from Ballyshannon, works in Kiernan’s supermarket in Ballyshannon and Bundoran. Both women have made remarkable achievements in athletics.
Speaking to Donegal Daily this week, Julie and Loretta said training is going well: “We are really looking forward to starting on the 18th. We are obviously a little nervous as we have spent the last year preparing for this. The last number of weeks we have averaged 75 miles per week. This week our training has reduced but we are still training every day.”
Julie McMullin and Loretta Cullen
The duo will run through eight counties, cross three provinces and aim to make it to South Donegal on the 21st to finish at Malin Head in Inishowen on the 22nd August.
They have a clear plan for each day: “We plan to start running every morning at 5am and run for 1 hour intervals with a 20 minute break which will allow us to eat, change & stretch and finish at 10 pm. We have a wonderful crew supporting us for the 5 days. The running costs of the event have been sponsored so all funds raised will go directly to the charities.”
Fundraising began back in June, and the campaign received a great boost last week with a treadmill challenge in Kerman’s Bundoran. Almost €11.000 has been raised so far, and it is hoped that more support will come in once Julie and Loretta hit the road. Visit their GoFundMe page here and you can follow their journey on Facebook and Instagram.
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