ALL SET…Pat O’Loughlin
WITH time ticking away, Belleek-born watchmaker, Pat O’Loughlin (77) who is now based in Castlederg aims to run his 35th Dublin City Marathon tomorrow, Monday , 27th October in aid of an MS charity.
Up until a few weeks ago, training was going well for Pat and his running partner, Jenny McMenamin. But, all that changed when he was admitted to SWAH, after which he began to lose energy, and bang went his training.
“That was three weeks to the day (Thursday last), and there I was read for the big marathon. At the moment, it looks like I will have to get a faith healer or something, but I intend to start anyway to see how far I will get.”
Pat’s ‘promoter’, John Doherty – it was his son, Ian that got Pat fundraising for MS – told the Herald that, regardless of whether Pat ran or not, he had set an unbeatable target, 34 successive marathons that raised some £56,000 for the charity.
Indeed, such is the high regard in which Pat is held that, already, £2,000 has been committed for next week’s run.
And, Pat doesn’t intend letting them down, even if he has to walk the 26 miles, 385 yards.
“I would be willing to toddle along nice and gently, as long as I can get it completed I would do that. Something like this (set back) happened to me before and I was as right as rain fairly suddenly, but time is running out.”
And, he is hoping that people looking on will understand that he is a 77 year old and will forgive him for taking it easy.
But, at the time of writing, he is fully intent on running the marathon and he will have lots of family support to keep him going.
To start with, he will have his training partner, Jenny – who will run at whatever pace Pat runs at – and his son, Ciaran (30) who lives in Dublin.
If, as expected, Pat makes it to the finishing line, it will be yet another milestone for the likeable Fermanagh man who played for Devenish and Belleek in his time and was a member of the victorious Fermanagh ‘59 All Ireland winning junior team.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere