We had a lot of racing over the weekend (reported separately) but the main event was our annual club fund-raiser – the Glendalough Lap of the Gap Marathon and Glen to Glen Half-marathon (Glendalough to Glenmacnass).
From humble beginnings this event has grown into an iconic fixture on the Irish racing calendar and this year we had record numbers with nearly 600 tickets sold and nearly 400 people participating on the day along with the nearly 60 strong crew and the numerous spectators.
Many took the opportunity to stay locally with at least 20 guests in Lynhams Hotel, 2 in the Youth Hostel and many more of which we are unaware. This meets one of the stated three goals Glendalough AC have for this event:
- Raise funds for Glendalough AC and the development of athletics in Laragh
- Create revenue for the local area through running tourism
- Setup an event that offers both a unique experience for the average participant and a unique athletic feat for competitive and elite athletes
This year more than met our expectations with top runner Tudor Moldovan setting an incredible new record for the Glen to Glen (70:35) which left all on-lookers leaving inspired along with universally positive feedback from all participants.
The services and supplies needed to run the event generates nearly €25,000 for the local and Irish economy in addition to the positive impacts of runners staying in local accommodation and eating and dining in local cafes and restaurants. In addition, 9% of this year’s starters had flown in from abroad for our event.
The club wants to extend it’s gratitude to the many participants, all our suppliers and partners, and to the local community. Here’s to many more happy Lap of the Gaps!
Glendalough AC 