Skipping world record at Ballymun Running Festival

A WORLD skipping record was just one of the highlights of a memorable Ballymun Health and Fitness Festival recently held at Trinity Comprehensive School.

The skipping record was included in the programme of the day-long running festival which took place on Wednesday, May 4, and was organised by Ballymun Regional Youth Reach, Dublin City Council and Trinity Comprehensive School.

At 6.30pm exactly, 124 skippers from all over the country — and abroad — completed one minute of continuous skipping via a Zoom link so establishing an inaugural world record.

Details of the feat are on their way to the Guinness Book of Records.

A day on non-stop action had started early with Darkness into Light dawn run at 5am followed by a breakfast run at 7am.

By mid-morning, youngsters from all the local primary schools had gathered to complete laps of the marked course around the school’s grounds, where nine laps make up 5km.

Keeping them going were the words of MC Ken Coakley from the BRYR and the upbeat sounds of Dylan Walsh. At noon, Trinity Comprehensive students lined out for the annual Mun Run 5km.

They were led off by the school’s already super-fit Tri Team which will complete a row, bike and run triathlon challenge on July 2.

For the past two months, these ten students along with two BRYR youth workers, have put in a two and a half hour training session every Wednesday afternoon on top of their usual fitness regime.

Joining in the fun and helping with post-run massage were DCU athlete Aoife O Cuill and Graham Mahon of Clonliffe Harriers, both of them employed by Decathlon Ireland, along with eight local gardai who bravely ran in their uniforms.

A cool-down jog completed the morning’s activities. All finishers of the day’s runs received a goodie bag and medal, sponsored by the local Super Valu and Dublin City Council.

At teatime, the more experienced runners took on the challenge of running multiple laps around the school grounds with two marathon runners finishing up in total darkness at 11.30pm.

Over the shorter 10km distance, Stephen Hennessy managed to weave his way through the many participants to clock a time of 38 minutes, while Graham Mahon managed a good 40-minute time looking comfortable all the way.

“It was a brilliant day for Ballymun with even the weather behaving,” said Paddy O’Reilly, one of the organisers.

“We’d like to thank everyone who supported us and helped out. We couldn’t have done it without you. Here’s to next year.”