Conor McDonald meets every challenge head on but this Sunday’s will arguably be his toughest yet.
A marathon on a month and a half’s training. It’s not for the feint-hearted, it’s probably not advised either but the Wexford hurler is fighting fit and he’s as motivated as they come.
He has no past experience of long-distance or cross country running but as a hurler and personal trainer, he’s fit as a flea and he’s confident heading into Sunday’s Dublin marathon.
He has a good cause to drive him on too.
The main reason the Gorey man took on this daunting challenge was the opportunity to raise funds for charity and he has chosen two organisations that are close to his heart and are doing great work in the sunny south east of the country.
Aoibheann’s Pink Tie is a children’s cancer charity while St Aidan’s Day Care is a voluntary body set up to help services for people with special needs in the Gorey area.
McDonald told SportsJOE about how the idea came about and how he’s trained in the last six weeks.
“I was training a lad who was doing a marathon, and he was kind of daring me at the start. I was doing all the long runs and stuff with him and I kind of just thought sure I might as well. We were knocked out of the club championship so I had the chance to do it and it was about a month and a half ago when I decided I’d give it a go…”
“The training has been tough enough, I was late enough to the party like. most people would be a full year preparing for it but I’m getting there. I finished up with a half marathon last weekend. Listen I don’t really have a time in mind, it’s something that I’m going to try and enjoy because it would be a great achievement to complete it.
“A big thing for me was that I’d raise a few bob for charity and that’s definitely going to spur me on when the going gets tough.”
You can help Conor raise funds for his chosen charities by donating on his Go Fund me page here.
“I hope it won’t hinder my hurling anyway,” he concludes with a laugh.
It should do no harm anyway.
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