Age not a factor as Jackie, 82, prepares for Dublin marathon
THIS Sunday sees thousands of athletes taking part in the Dublin City Marathon and among them is Calry’s Jackie McGowan who at 82 years young is doing the world-renowned marathon for the thirtieth time.
Age is certainly not a factor for sprightly Jackie, who is completing his 30th Dublin City Marathon on Sunday.
Some feat and the octogenarian is no stranger to the marathon stage having competed around the world and has also represented his country back in 1978 in the 100km walk in Paris.
These are just some of Jackie’s accomplishments when it comes to road races and the Clogherevagh native attributes Calry AC with first introducing him to the sport.
The avid sportsman told the Sligo Champion: “I competed in the first Dublin City Marathon in 1980 and ran 25 in a row thereafter.
“There were 1,700 competitors in the first one and this year there will be 22,000 so there is a big difference in the numbers of competitors.
“I missed a few marathons through illness but made a comeback in 2014.
“This year participants will get a special Constance Markievicz medal too which will be nice to get,” Jackie added.
He has completed many memorable dating back through the decades with some fantastic results too along the way.
“My first National walk was a 2 mile race in Thurles in 1965.
I finished third and John Kelly, himself a Tipperary man went on to win it and competed in the Olympics.
“I won this race three times in a row, in 1967, ‘68 and ‘69,” Jackie said.
He is also no stranger to Ultra Marathons and has some very fine times in a number of these too.
Jackie explained: “I finished 2nd in the very first 50-mile Ultra Marathon in Clonmel in 1966.
“I competed in the famous TT Isle of Man 38 mile track run in 1967 and returned in 1983 to walk it and became the first Irishman to do both.”
Another race that sticks out in his mind is a 100 mile Centurion Walk in Surrey back in 1971.
People had the task of completing the distance in under 24 hours and Jackie, who says he didn’t train, was not overwhelmed by this at all he laughed.
“I was fit enough from running after the cattle so I was well enough able to do it!
“I completed the 100 Mile Centurion Walk in 1971 and finished it in a time of 22hours 20 minutes and 5 seconds, to become a Centurion which I was very happy with.
“That was one of the big ones for me.”
Jackie also represented his country in a commemorative walk in France to mark 60 years of the Armistice.
“My uncle Michael McGowan was killed in one of the last big battles of WW1 a few weeks before the Armistice.
“I went over and represented Ireland at the 100km walk which was marking the 60th anniversary of the Armistice.
“I will be back again on November 11th for the Centenary anniversary,” he said.
Jackie will be joining a large group of athletes from Sligo taking part in the Dublin City Marathon including fellow Calry AC runner Zola Flynn who won the Cork City Marathon earlier this year.
“There are a lot from here heading up and I am still heavily involved in the Calry AC club. My two nephews Adrian and Enda McGowan ran the Dublin marathon last year in a good time.”
Will Jackie be the oldest taking part this Sunday?
He smiles: “Last year when I had about two or three miles to go I saw this man pass me by and on the back of his t-shirt it said he was 87 years of age!
“I will be out for revenge this year!,” he laughed.