IT’S THE ****** ****** Easter Bank Holiday weekend (insert curse words to your own taste) so you better believe summer is here.
That means no more battening down the hatches (not since Tuesday at least), no pulling the covers over your head until work call you in next week and certainly no more avoiding all that glorious fresh air that’s howling around our green shores.
To celebrate the start of the summer (‘Oh, yeah…’ sing it with me now) here are a few ideas to get the balls of your feet rolling,
Friday
The first fun run of the weekend can be found in St Anne’s Park in Raheny, north Dublin. Registrations for a 5km or 2.5km run or walk in aid of the The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association is open from 9.30.
Across town, you can take part in a slightly longer distance or in aid of the Irish Heart Foundation. The Healthy Heart run is in the Phoenix Park with the 5km under the gun at 11am and the 10km at 11.30.
It’s too late to even think about taking part now, but you can always support the runners in the Vartry 100. Taking place on Friday and Saturday competitors will run in distances of 100 miles, 50 miles and 50 kms around the scenic lakes of Wicklow.
Saturday
A 5k is not just for Easter. There are timed runs going on in Cootehill, Clonakilty, Cabinteely and 25 more locations around the country this and every Saturday morning at 9.30. Find a location near you on ParkRun.ie. You might just get into a habit.
If you’re not quite ready to pound the road, how does a bit of watersport grab you? Waterways Ireland are hosting an Easter Spraoi from Saturday to Monday in Ballinamore Co. Leitrim. Get yourself there to take advantage of the free kayaking, raft building (followed by rafting) and a bit of water zorbing.
For the more serious runners among you, there’s a half Marathon in Ballybunion, Co. Kerry. It costs €50 to enter, €22 to enter the 10km.
Sunday
On up the coast a bit, Dooneen AC are hosting a five-mile race in Limerick’s Raheen Industrial Estate.
If you have to drag the kids along with you, the best looking Easter egg hunt seems to be the one at Belvedere House. It promises a two-hour chocolate-filled trek through woodland by the shores of Lough Ennell in Mullingar.
The Easter Spraoi in Ballinamore will be rounded off by a Kayakarun (7.5km run, 1km kayak and 27km cycle) around the byways of Leitrim.
Monday
In Co. Monaghan, Latton Ladies GFC are holding a 5km to raise money for a defibrillator and there will be training on how to use it. Registration from 10.30am, starter’s gun at noon.
In Westmeath, registrations for the half Marathon and 10km for Ringtown GAA club begins at 11am.
The Rosslare 10km in Wexford is due under the gun at 11am and will also feature a children’s race.
These are just a small selection of the plethora of events you could get out to support or take part in this weekend. Tell us what we missed in the comment section below.
