On Sunday, April 26 Gainsborough grandfather Paschal Moran will run his 27th London Marathon
The staggering feat will be attempted by the 69-year-old veteran runner, who has accomplished an impressive 136 marathons over a 30-year period. At his peak, the Mayo native was running 70-80 miles a week, but now, he modestly explains, it’s more like 40-50.
The New York MarathonOver the three decades he’s competed in long distance running, Paschal has run in some of the world’s most scenic races
Paschal's races include the Connemara International Ultra, a 39-mile race, in which he was the winner of his age group in 2010, and the Sicily 50k, where he represented Ireland 10 years ago, are two of his most memorable. He has also completed high profile races, including: the 80-mile South Downs Way race, the New York Marathon – where his best time was two hours and 52 minutes in 1987 – and the 33 mile Ulfkil Stride in Upper Wharfedale.
The 1982 London Marathon inspired Paschal to start runningThee London Marathon was his inspiration to start running
Paschal was first inspired by long-distance running after watching the London Marathon televised on BBC in 1982. He says long distance running is a test of mental strength. “You get to a point where your body is pushing itself to its limit, but you dig deep and push on.”
Water at the ready - Paschal says training has tested his endurance over the yearsTraining for his races hasn't always been easy
During his early days competing, Paschal was completing 10-12 marathons a year. He reckons that for a late starter, he’s accomplished some great finishing times. Training for his races hasn't always been easy. “I used to work in construction and we’d have long 10-12 hour days,” he says. “It was tough. Then I’d come home after work and have to get ready to go running. In winter it was especially tough. But we did it. I love running and find it relaxing, so that motivates me to do it.”
South Africa's Comrades MarathonWhat's next for Paschal?
After the London Marathon, he’d like to take on two of the world’s most challenging races. The South Africa Comrades Marathon, a challenging 90km endurance race, and the Marathon des Sables in Morocco, a gruelling multi-stage adventure through the Sahara Desert.
