Taking the long road for Mary

IN 2014, SHANE FINN COMPLETED 12 MARATHONS IN 12 DAYS IN AID OF SPINA BIFIDA HYDROCEPHALUS IRELAND. SPEAKING TO TADHG EVANS AT WK FITNESS IN DINGLE THIS WEEK, HE SAID HE’S ABOUT TO DO IT AGAIN. BUT THIS TIME, IT’S 24 IN 24 DAYS.

HAVING barely pushed the door at WK Fitness sufficiently for the gym’s booming electronic music to jet through the opening, The Kerryman is hoovered in from the first-floor landing by a welcome as warm as an AGA stove.

“Well boy, what’s the craic?” Co-Owner Shane Finn cheers from behind his wooden front-desk, stretching over the counter like a coil spring to deliver a juddering handshake.

Ahead of attempting 24 marathons in 24 days, Shane’s energy tank is nearing overfill. On the evidence of this welcome, you’d be more concerned for the 25-yearold if he was facing into three-and-a-half weeks of enforced idleness.

“You can throw your copies and everything on the table if you want,” he advises chirpily, piloting us to a seating area baking under beams of sunshine filtering through the window. The Dingle man sits on the edge of a leather couch across from us, leaning over the table and The Kerryman’s recorder like a silage man ogling a plate of spuds after a day in a sweltering cab. We’re in the company of a man who’s ready for road and ready to share his story with the county.

“So Packie Bonner will send me on my way on Thursday (June 22) from the Diamond in Donegal Town,” he says, tapping the glass table like a rookie bongo-player. “Between then and the last day, July 15, we’ll go through every county in the Republic – other than Clare and Limerick, although I promise you I’ve nothing against either county! When I did ‘12 Marathons 12 Days’, I spent three days in the mid-west, so there’s no need for them to take offence, honestly!”

It was just off John Street, Dingle, that Shane finished that 2014 challenge, ploughing through the finishing tape to cheers worthy of a County Championship homecoming. This time, he’ll only be half-way through his assignment when he finishes his 12th marathon, but he responds to that point with a reassuringly bullish shake of the head.

“Thinking back to 2014, I suppose the first three days were hard, yeah. But from there on I turned into a robot, and I’d go as far as to say that I found the whole thing enjoyable, hugely enjoyable. The first few kilometres of each section burned all right but, once I settled into my stride, I was grand for the most part.

“When you think about it, I’ve been running for six years, which effectively means I’ve been training for six years. I’ve heard the route between Waterford city and Tramore is bumpy, and the Healy Pass on the way to Kenmare is fierce steep, but sure I’ll have to cover the same distance every day whether it’s flat or hilly.”

But why take it on at all? “Good question, but thankfully the answer’s even better!” he jokes.

“I’m collecting for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland (SBHI) again this time, and that will drive me more than anything else. There’s a personal connection there because my cousin Mary Evans avails of its services. Mary and the charity are the inspiration behind this.

“I did my first Dingle Marathon for her, I did the New York Marathon for her, and ‘12 marathons’ was for her too. These 24 marathons will be no different in that regard, but I’m aiming to raise €100,000 this time. SBHI gets limited state funding and is run primarily by amazing parents, staff, and community groups, so they need this.””

He probably hasn’t even packed for Donegal yet, so Shane is understandably proud that the campaign already looms over the €20,000 mark. Since registering an online iDonate link, funds have streamed in from addresses as exotic as the US, Thailand and Australia, and while volunteers will rattle collection buckets throughout the 628-kilometre route, online seems to be the popular gateway amongst contributors thus far.

“Our local man Mark O’Connor is playing Aussie Rules down under, and he convinced a few of his Geelong teammates to get behind us. I’ve also heard there’s a collection sheet going around Phuket, so we’re getting donations from everywhere. But as I learned from the ’12 marathons’, it’s hard to beat the west Kerry crowd for commitment!

“The support I got when I ran between Blennerville Bridge and Dingle in 2014 was unbelievable. I’ve trawled the photos on Facebook again in the last few days just to refresh my memory, but it’ll probably be even bigger this time judging by the support I’ve already gotten. Some of the locals have told me they’ll be above in Donegal on Thursday to see me off, and that’s just madness when you think of it,” he laughs.

“Once the locals, my family, and my business partners at WK Fitness continue to support me, I’ll push through anything. If I didn’t have their support, I’d still do it!

“But it’s nice to know that people have my back! They’ve finally stopped thinking I’m bonkers!”

To donate or find out more about the challenge, visit www.24marathons24days.ie. A donation link for Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Ireland is available on its website, www.sbhi. ie. You can also donate €4 by texting “GIVE” to 50300. Shane’s route enters Kerry on July 13 on its way to Kenmare via the Healy Pass. On July 14, he’ll run from Ballybunion to Tralee via Listowel, and he’ll finish with a run between Blennerville and John Street, Dingle, on Saturday, July 15.

THERE’S A COLLECTION SHEET GOING AROUND PHUKET LAST I HEARD. WE’RE LITERALLY GETTING DONATIONS FROM ALL OVER.

Shane preparing with his back to the Blasket Islands.

Shane Finn during a chat with The Kerryman.