Michelle Greaney is on the run for charity
IT was hot and it was sweaty on the June Bank Holiday weekend as more than 400 runners and walkers put their best foot forward in a fun event aimed at raising funds for the Kerry Hospice Foundation. Gallons of ice cream and water were consumed with relish by the weary warriors at the end of the 5km, 10km and Half Marathon events. Personal records were broken as runners sprinted the final few metres to ensure they clocked a good time.
However no Covid 19 laws or restrictions were broken over the three days as the run was a Virtual event. Organiser was Michelle Greaney from Tralee who is an AAI Level 2 Endurance Coach & Strength and Conditioning Coach at MG Coaching-Maximising Your Race Potential. Organising charity runs is an enjoyable hobby for Michelle who is also an accomplished athlete and coach to many Tralee fun runners, including members of the Born to Run Club.
“Like most aspects of our life I stumbled into organising charity events by accident. A friend of mine, aware of my athletics background, asked me to help her organise a run on New Years Eve 2017. It was the Tralee 5k and 10k road race with all the funds going to a wonderful and deserving charity, the Kerry Cancer Support, Kerry-Cork Health Link Bus. This was a major learning experience and a huge undertaking for me. I learned a lot from the experience and since then have organised six other Tralee based runs,” said Michelle.
Covid 19 saw the cancellation of the annual Kerry Hospice Sunflower Day, one of the annual major fundraisers for the Kerry Hospice Foundation. Keen to ensure an ongoing stream of funding for the new Palliative Care Unit in Tralee, Andrea O’Donoghue, PRO of the Kerry Hospice Foundation, asked Michelle if she would undertake the daunting task of organising a Virtual Run.
“Basically we went on social media and the local press highlighting the run and walk which could be done individually or with your family in your own back yard, on your local road or in any location within your 5km from home limit and also ensuring social distancing. We were overwhelmed with the response with many competitors highlighting their need to move outdoors for a personal challenge.”
More that €9,000 was raised from the run. Each competitor sent in a photograph on their mobile phones highlighting the times they posted and the distance covered.
“I am on a high this week following the success of the event. Social media was jammed with runners and walkers comparing times, where they ran or walked and how much they enjoyed their new found freedom. It was also the lifeline many people needed to get back running and prepare for the day we can all run together in a mass fun run.”
The Kerry Cancer Support, Kerry-Cork Health Link Bus were also the beneficiaries of the 2018 Tralee 10 Mile and 5k Road race.
Through the efforts of Andrea O’Donoghue, Michelle organised two other major events for the Kerry Hospice Palliative Care Unit, the 2018 New Years Eve Tralee 5k and 10k road race and the 2019 Valentines Day Tralee 10 Mile and 5k events.
In May 2018 she also organised the Tralee Aspen Grove Corporate 5km and 10km runs for MS Tralee and South Kerry Branch. On March 1st she was to host the Tralee 10 Mile and 5km Road Race but were cancelled due to Covid 19. They were initially set to take place on February 16th but deferred due to a severe weather warning. Each of her runs generates more than €4,000 for charity.
“The aim is to raise as much money as possible for the charity. It’s all voluntary and no one gets paid. However there are certain expenses such as finisher medals, signage and insurance. If a charity has no insurance for this type of event then I take out a one day insurance policy that covers all aspects of the run. This usually costs in the region of €450.”
In the months leading up to a charity run, Michelle is busy preparing for the event. She is responsible for compiling a detailed safety plan, liaising with the Garda Siochana and Kerry County Council, sourcing race numbers and chip timing, designing and printing signage and markers, measuring the various routes, enrolling the services of more than 30 volunteers and locating suitable locations for food and water stations along the route.
“It’s a lot of work but it’s vital for the safety of the runners and the ultimate success of the event. On race day I need a team of people to take entries, distribute race numbers and compile the results in addition to manning a food station. With each race you are on a continuous learning curve. The aim is to make each race bigger and better. All the materials, medals and other items are purchased locally and in return we get some amazing support from the people of Tralee and Kerry. It’s a labour of love and a love affair I will carry on for as long as I enjoy it.”
While last weekends run was a fun event, there was also a competitive edge with runners keen to win some of the top prizes on offer. Donal White (Riocht) was the fastest man in the 10Km run posting an impressive time of 35 minutes 58 seconds with Geraldine Breen (Tralee) first home in the Ladies race clocking 47 minutes 30 seconds. In the 5Km run the winner was Oisin Spillane (Tralee) in 16 minutes 15 seconds with Gneeveguilla runner Michelle Knee running 19.37 to take the Ladies award. Mary O’Shea from Sneem ran 1 hour 35 minutes to win the Ladies Half Marathon with Derek Griffin (Tralee) taking the men’s equivalent in 1 hour 14 minutes and 13 seconds.