The National Endurance Group supports the ongoing development of distance runners in Ireland. Building on a rich history of success at global and continental championships, the program continues to evolve after a successful first year.

The inaugural year of the group in 2025, saw a strong set of performances, progression and medals – a direct result of athlete commitment, coach collaboration, and engagement with a high-performance environment.

In recent months there have been 3 successful altitude camps. Sept- Oct 2025 in Font Romeu, France followed by a camp in Flagstaff Arizona in January. The most recent camp in Font Romeu (April 2026) was attended by the Tier 1 group and a large cohort of Tier 2 and 3 to prepare for the upcoming summer season that includes the European Championships.

Performance Endurance lead Mark Kenneally said:

“The National Endurance Group and associated support services provide us with a means of ensuring that athletes could rely on some support over multiple years, with professional support services through the Sport Ireland Institute and high-quality athletes to train with based on models from National Federations and professional set-ups from across the globe.”

Some of the performance highlights of 2025 by group members include:

• Cian McPhillips finished 4th at the World Championships in Tokyo – and a new Irish record of 1.42 in the final
• Fiona Everard and Niamh Allen both placed in the top 25 at the World Cross Country Championships in Florida in January.
• Darragh McElhinney and Nick Griggs clocked 13:02 & 13.05 respectively for 5,000m – two of the fastest Irish 5k times in history.
• Eimear Maher took bronze at the European U23 Championships.
• The Irish men’s senior cross-country team won silver in Portugal – continuing Ireland’s resurgence in international cross-country competition.

The group remains centred on three 4-week training camps per year, twice-weekly sessions at the Sport Ireland Institute, and the provision of necessary support services to provide athletes with a professional setup in a high-performance environment.

These support services include physiological profiling, individualised S&C plans, nutrition planning, sports psychology and physio requirements. Athletes have felt the benefits of such a structure.

“Being part of the endurance group has been hugely beneficial and has given me access to a professional support system while training at home. In what can often be a very individual sport, it has also connected me with a group of like-minded athletes all working towards the same goals.”

— Emma Moore 800m athlete

“Over the last year, the endurance group has exposed me to a professional training set up that I would not have been able to create for myself. From altitude training camps to access to services at Sport Ireland Institute, the endurance group has opened up the opportunity to me to live my life like a professional athlete, helping me on my journey to bridge the gap from amateur to the elite international level. The environment that the group has created over the last year has been a massive driver of high performance and professionalism for Irish endurance athletes. This led to a breakthrough year for me in 2025 and being a member of the group is ensuring I build on it for 2026 and beyond.”

— David McGlynn – National marathon champion 2025

2026 Group Roster

The successful applicants for 2026 are as follows. All positions on the group were awarded to athletes fulfilling the Tier 1 criteria (detailed on athleticsireland.ie).

2027 Applications

Applications for the 2027 group will open in Q4 2026 and close before year-end. Please note that Tier 1 and 2 selections are competitive, with a limited number of places. The coaches’ decision is final. Tier 3 applications are welcome from athletes meeting the minimum national standards (see table above). Self-funded participation in camps and sessions are encouraged.

National Endurance Group:The National Endurance Group – Athletics Ireland