HOPE AND DREAM TEAM BEHIND THE SCENE
My name is Kevin Murphy.
I am a fully qualified Army
Physical Training Instructor with over 30 years experience working with individuals, small groups and large groups of people covering all areas of fitness.
I am a strength & conditioning coach and running coach. This involves tailoring programs for the beginner all the way to working with teams and elite athletes.
As an athlete myself I have represented Ireland on 3 occasions which for me having played numerous different types of sport was definitely the highlight of my sporting ventures. Representing your country has a special feel to it.
I have had the pleasure of being involved with the Hope & Dream run since its very beginning and with the exception of a couple of years I have been doing the training programmes for the weekly paper ever since.
Over that time I have learned that not everyone is keen on running but all had the same interest which was completing the Hope & Dream 10 mile or 10 k either by walking, running, or a mix of both.
So with this in mind I’ve changed the Training Programs to suit each individuals needs and placed some more emphasis on good overall health benefits.
Included in the program is food structure, gym training, pilates, introduction to developing running, and this year we are introducing the swimming pool to the program. Everything is planned on a weekly basis so as each person gets a great variety of exercise.
On a monthly basis there are challenges set so that everyone hopefully can see improvements in their fitness levels. It’s always a great feeling on race day when all the participants have reached their goal and completed the event.
The event itself is always a spectacle and Enniscorthy and the people of Wexford always turn out in their thousands on the day in support of the very important charities. This is what makes it all worth the effort. As our saying goes ‘if you do nothing then nothing will happen’.
For me it’s a pleasure being part of a wonderful team of organisers, helpers and I am only one cog in a very big wheel that just keeps on turning. There are many cogs in the wheel that never look for credit but everyone has the same goal. I look forward to the program this year and would like to thank all the other coaches that work with me to make this possible. So I look forward to seeing all at the start line. Until then enjoy your preparation. Kevin Murphy
BILLY DOYLE
My name is Billy Doyle and
I started volunteering with the
Hope and Dream about seven years ago.
On race day, as one of the volunteers, we meet on the prom between half four and five a.m. and from then until the race starts I help with the preparation that needs to be done to make sure that the race goes ahead safely.
This involves closing off roads, putting up safety barriers and also signage.
After this I then take up my position for stewarding during the race and when the race is over we then have to tidy up what we did earlier in the day.
The reason I volunteer each year is to be able to help with the running of the event and what the funds raised mean to both charities.
Also on race day there is such a great atmosphere around the town and the participants in the race are always so grateful of the work the volunteers and marshals do on the day. So I am really looking forward to the race again on April 5.