THE annual Tralee Internation Marathon is coming close and organisers are hoping as many people sign up to the races as possible with less than a month to go.

The race will take place on Saturday, March 18, (St Patrick’s weekend) in Tralee with the race  due to start at 9.30 from the Wetlands in Tralee.

The race has four events this year with a 5k and 10k as well as a half and full marathon. The full marathon course is going to be looped for the first time and those who have trained on the course say it’s a fabulous course.

New race director Martin O’Sullivan, said he wanted to make the marathon more inclusive. Martin recently feature on YouTube video (below) about his own first experience of marathon running, which was the inaugural Tralee marathon in 2013.

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Martin says this year’s event welcomes walkers joggers and runners who will receive a medal and T-shirt when they cross the finishing line.

The event has link with local Gardaí this year who remember their late colleague Adrian Hickey, running the race for charity. This year they are raising money for Pieta House.

The marathon will also have the Donal Walsh cup which is presented by the Walsh family.

The event, sponsored by Kerry’s Eye, is not a commercial marathon. It is a Tralee Harriers Event and the majority of the proceeds help with the development of the Harriers grounds in Tralee which this year for the very first time will have a track, the first of its kind in Tralee .

Register for the marathon at   http://www.traleemarathon.com/ Watch Martin O’Sullivan talk about his marathon experience below…

IT may only be October, but people are already getting ready for the Tralee Marathon Series which will be getting underway on February 12, 2017, with the Valentines 10 miler.

This race was sold out last year and an appeal has gone out for participants to register as early as possible. The full Marathon gets underway on March 18 for the first time ever will have 5k, and 1ok, as well as half and full marathon.

New race director, Martin O’Sullivan, feels it’s essential that every type of runner experience the atmosphere of the marathon and is seeking to make it a more inclusive event.

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The marathon route is also changing and Martin says he hopes to keep the route for the next five years beginning and starting at Tralee Wetlands.

The marathon brings €1.8 million to the local economy each year. Each year many participants take part on behalf of local charities and to date over half million is estimated to have raised since the event commenced in 2013.

Martin says this year he would like the event, more than ever, to be a great experience for runners and supporters and every step is been taken to make this possible.

The majority of the funds from the event goes towards the development of the Harriers grounds in Tralee.  This year, for the first time ever, the grounds will have a track as well as floodlights which just would not have been possible without the Tralee Marathon. To find out more about the Valentines 10 miler, click here.

THERE will be slight changes to both the starting and finishing lines of the ‘Tralee International Marathon’ when it takes place on Sunday March 15.

The Kerry vs Donegal National Football League game is due to be held in Tralee on the same day and so the decision has been made to avoid traffic congestion in and around the town.

The start of the ‘Full Marathon’ has now been moved to North Circular Road and it will finish on The Mall in Tralee Town Centre.

The Half-Marathon will now start on High Street, Tralee and will also finish on The Mall in Tralee Town Centre.