IN
1986 Bob Geldof made an appeal on
‘The Late Late Show’ for people to take part
in a Sports Aid 10k race in the Phoenix Park to raise funds for Ethiopia.
Local
man Dave Brady, then aged 36, was watching the programme and decided to answer
Sir Bob’s call. The next day he bought a pair of runners, singlet and shorts
and ran the race in 42 minutes.
A
quarter of a century later, Dave’s decision has proved to be one of the wisest
he’s ever made as he is now preparing to take part in his 200th marathon.
The
61-year-old Raheny Shamrock Athletic Club member, affectionately known as
‘Resident Tough Guy’, will toe the line with approximately 10,000 other runners
for the National Lottery Dublin Marathon on bank holiday Monday, October 31.
And
the remarkable fact about Dave’s incredible achievement is that he has run 100
of those marathons in the last four years.
He
has taken part in 26.2 milers in New York (twice), Philadelphia, Seville,
Rotterdam, Valencia, Barcelona, England, Wales, Scotland, Isle of Man and all
over Ireland including Dublin and Belfast.
Dave,
who goes though on average five pairs of trainers a year, ran his first
marathon in 1986 in three hours and 11 minutes. These days the construction
worker is averaging 3:45 per marathon.
However,
for this special milestone he is targeting a fiercely ambitious 3:20. His best
marathon time was 2:52 in Dublin in 1988.
“It
would be great to run my 200th marathon in 200 minutes,
? he tells Northside
People.
“It
would be very difficult to achieve that time but I’ll be going for it anyway.
?
Dave’s
best feat to date came in the summer when he took part in a fundraising challenge
with his club of 10 years, Raheny Shamrock AC.
He
was among 36 experienced marathon runners who ran non-stop from Malin Head to
Mizen Head, a distance of 407 miles, in relay format over the May bank holiday
weekend.
One
marathon was not enough for hardy Dave though and he decided to run three
marathons in four days – Bundoran on the Friday, Limerick on the Sunday and
Belfast on the Monday.
So
what did he do to wind down on the Saturday?
“I
travelled back to Dublin and ran a five-mile race,
? says Dave who has taken
part in over 160 races in 2011 alone.
“It
was a hectic schedule because I had to drive around to all the venues myself.
“It
was a great weekend though and we raised
?¬16,000 for Crumlin Hospital.
?
Indeed
Dave has run in so many venues around the country that he has achieved
something of a celebrity status.
“I’m
a familiar face alright,
? he jokes.
Every
Tuesday night, Dave is also a familiar face around Morton Stadium Santry and
its environs, where he trains with Clonliffe Harriers Athletic Club. He also
takes part in the club’s annual Grand Prix Series and was overall winner on one
occasion.
Dave
describes himself as an endurance athlete and it’s evident when you see him in
action, as he’s only getting going in races when lesser mortals are flagging.
“The
short races don’t suit me at all,
? he states.
“I’m
only getting going after a few miles.
?
Amazingly,
Dave doesn’t do any stretching before races and puts his high level of fitness
down to his occupation.
“I’m
on my feet all the time in work and it’s like I’m training all day,
? he
explains.
“The job is a great help for the running.
?
“I’ve
always had a good level of fitness. I don’t drink or smoke and that has paid
dividends too. I’ve never had a special diet in my life and there’s no special
regime.
“Also,
I’ve been very lucky over the years in that I’ve never been injured or never
been to a doctor.
“If
I ever got injured and had to give up running, I would just have to find
another sport.
?
Although
Dave was once a rally driver, it’s hard to imagine him being involved in any
other sport other than running.
Like
all serious runners, he regularly sets himself goals. As soon as he passes
through the tape next Monday, he aims to complete another 100 marathons in the
next three years. He also wants to run in 50 consecutive Dublin and Belfast
marathons.
“I’ll
be an 85-year-old then,
? he adds with a steely determination and a glint in his
eye.
Don’t
dare back against
‘Resident Tough Guy’ achieving any of these goals!