MARK MCPAUL WINs the DONEGAL HALF MARATHON 2021

MARK MCPAUL WAS THE WINNER OF SUNDAY’S DONEGAL HALF MARATHON IN LETTERKENNY IN A TIME OF 71 MINUTES AND 11 SECONDS, WITH MARK GREENAN SECOND IN 72:34 AND SHANE O’DONNELL FROM ROSSES AC THIRD IN 73:24.
THE WOMEN’S RACE WAS WON BY MONICA MCGRANAGHAN OF LETTERKENNY AC IN 90:03. DUBLIN-BASED FIONA STACK WAS RUNNER-UP IN 92:03, WHILE CIARA CUNNINGHAM WAS THIRD IN 97:14.
KAROL DOHERTY FROM INISHOWEN WAS THE WINNER OF THE WHEELCHAIR SECTION IN 81:10.
ON A PERFECT MORNING FOR RACING, THE FIELD OF OVER 300 WAS LET AWAY IN TWO WAVES BY OFFICIAL STARTERS, DONEGAL COUNTY COUNCIL CATHAOIRLEACH, CLLR JACK MURRAY, AND LETTERKENNY AND MILFORD MUNICIPAL DISTRICT CATHAOIRLEACH, CLLR JIMMY KAVANAGH.
SPEAKING AFTER BEING PRESENTED WITH THE DESSIE LARKIN PERPETUAL SHIELD AFTER HIS FIRST DONEGAL HALF MARATHON WIN, MARK MCPAUL SAID HE WAS DELIGHTED WITH HIS RUN.
“I’M SO PLEASED. WHEN I CAN HERE THIS MORNING I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT I HAD IN MIND. I TOOK OFF AT THE START WITH A MAN FROM ROSSES AC AND HE WAS GOING FOR A SIMILAR TIME THAN MYSELF. WE WENT UP THE MAIN STREET TOGETHER AND COMING DOWN I PASSED HIM. I FELT GOOD, KEPT GOING AT IT, AND KEPT PUSHING THE WHOLE WAY ON MY OWN. I FELT COMFORTABLE THE WHOLE WAY AROUND UNTIL THE LAST THREE MILES AND STARTED TO FEEL A WEE BIT OF PRESSURE AFTER THAT,” HE SAID.
“CONDITIONS WERE IDEAL AND MY WINNING TIME OF 71:11 SECONDS WAS AN IMPROVEMENT OF ALMOST THREE MINUTES – I RAN 74:02 TWO YEARS AGO IN THIS RACE. THIS VICTORY IS UP THERE WITH THE BEST OF THEM. I’VE BEEN GUNNING FOR THIS TITLE FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. I’VE BEEN RUNNING BETWEEN 55 AND 60 MILES PER WEEK OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF MONTHS – NOTHING CRAZY,” HE ADDED.
WITH THE ROAD SEASON SET TO FINISH OVER THE COMING WEEKS, MARK WILL SOON BE TURNING HIS ATTENTION ON THE CROSS COUNTRY SEASON.
“I’LL BE GOING TO BELFAST IN OCTOBER FIRST TO RUN WITH PADDY RYAN – HE’S LOOKING FOR A TIME SO I’M GOING TO RUN UP THERE WITH HIM WHICH WILL BE GOOD PREPARATION FOR THE DONEGAL SENIOR CROSS COUNTRY IN NOVEMBER.”
THE DONEGAL HALF MARATHON, HELD IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE KERNAN’S RETAIL GROUP, WAS FIRST HELD IN 2014 AND HAS GROWN TO BECOME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR RACES IN THE NORTH WEST. BECAUSE OF COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS, THE EVENT WAS HELD VIRTUALLY LAST YEAR.