Bressies announces ‘Mullingar Marathon Mind’ and invites you to join him at the start line

Niall Breslin is challenging the nation to join him and four newbie runners as they embark on one of the most testing of all endurance events, a marathon, starting in Mullingar.

In March 2021, Niall, alongside a team of professionals, began coaching, training and mentoring four people to complete a marathon in a series called ‘Marathon Mind’, and has been documenting every step, setback and drop of sweat on his Where Is My Mind podcast.

The aim of the series was to train the mind to make the body strong, not the other way around – and to invite listeners to join on their own journeys,.

The culmination of the ‘Marathon Mind’ journey will bring together the four at the centre of the podcast series, each with their own challenges in life, to end their journeys and complete the 26.2 miles.

Niall, and other podcast listeners who have been following their journey, will be with them for every step.

After a lengthy selection process from more than 800 applicants, the Marathon Mind team selected four people with powerful personal stories and who had overcome significant adversity in their lives and were looking for a challenge to focus on.

They are: Marion Russell Glengarrif, County Cork; Michelle McDonnell Brehony Keash, County Sligo; Danny Leahy Cork City; and Phelim Gallagher Dublin/ County Galway.

Over the nine months they have been coached by a team that includes Olympians and world champions: chartered psychologist, Louize Carroll; mindfulness coach, Niall Breslin; Olympian, world champion and marathon coach, Rob Heffernan; Olympian, strength and conditioning and physiotherapy coach, Colin Griffin; sports agent and athlete liaison, Derry McVeigh; head of Performance Sport at the Irish Institute of Sport, dietician; Sharon Madigan; behavioural neuroscientist and chartered psychologist, Dr Michael Keane.

‘The Marathon’ event will take place on Saturday November 13 and will start and finish at Columb Barracks, Mullingar, taking in the Old Rail Trail Greenway, Royal Canal Greenway and the shores of Lough Ennell.

Niall and the Marathon Mind team would love others to take on the challenge too, and people can now register for a place – the link will be shared on Niall’s and the Marathon Mind social media.

If people want to come cheer the team on the sidelines, they can follow the journey on the Marathon Mind social media and see the detailed map of the route closer to the date.

Niall said: “I am blown away by the commitment of these four incredible individuals to a really tough, sometimes gruelling, regime. They’ve been absolute legends all four of them – facing the toughest mental and physical battles and pushing through – I can’t wait to smash the finish line with them and everyone else who joins us on the day.”

On partnering with Marathon Mind, Daithí O’Connor, founder and MD of Revive Active, said: “We are delighted to be a part of the very first Marathon Mind in Mullingar. Having opened our Revive Active production plant here just three years ago and created local employment, we are at home in Mullingar. We look forward to welcoming the athletes to Mullingar and supporting their journey along the way.”

Follow the ‘Marathon Mind’ journey on social media;

Instagram – @marathonmindofficial or @bressie

Facebook – @whereismymindpodcast

Twitter – @nbrez