The Nation is set for the Spar Mile Challenge This weekend the fitness of the nation will be tested during the Spar Mile Challenge. 28 venues across the country will host the event on Friday and Saturday the 6th and 7th of July, which will see people looking to run the mile in as fast a time as possible. The Spar Mile Challenge is the biggest fitness test ever to take place in Ireland. Every competitor across the country will be timed. This information will then be collated to tell those who take part, where they ranked in their age group, in their venue and in the country. The Irish Institute of Sport are also giving a huge incentive to those taking part by offering €1000 to any competitor who runs a sub-four minute mile on the day. There will be some familiar faces taking part on the day. Ireland’s most famous miler and former world champion, Eamonn Coghlan, will be attempting to relive past glories as he takes the challenge in Santry on Saturday. Former world cross country champion and current Irish Sports Council CEO John Treacy will also be taking the challenge in Lucan. There are also several group challenges taking place across the country. In Navan a group of Gardai will be taking on a group of Nurses to see who is the fastest and to gain bragging rights in the area. There will be a group of over 65 year olds from the Active Retirement Group testing their fitness in Navan, while their newly appointed Lord Mayor Christopher O’Reilly will be taking on Athletics Ireland President Michael Heery in a one on one challenge. In Kilkenny it is the politicians who have taken up the challenge with newly elected Lord Mayor Marie Fitzpatrick taking to the track. She will be joined by colleagues Councillors Malcolm Noonan and John Coonan on the day as they test their fitness. Online registration is now closed but anyone can register on the day at their local venue with an entry fee of €7. Each competitor will get a certificate of completion along with a bag and wristband of a certain colour of the rainbow to correspond to their finishing time e.g. 4-5 mins is red, while 10 mins plus is violet. For further information see Venues Antrim – Antrim Forum, Antrim Town Carlow – St. Laurence O’Toole Track, Hackettstown Road Clare – Lees Road, Ennis Cork – Ballincollig Regional Park, Ballincollig Cork – Bandon AC Cork – CIT Track, Bishopstown Cork – Mardyke Track Donegal – Letterkenny Dublin – Esker Track, Lucan Dublin – Irishtown Stadium, Ringsend Dublin – Morton Stadium, Santry Dublin – Tallaght AC, Greenhills Road Galway – UCG Track, Dangan Kerry – An Riocht AC, Castleisland Kerry – Tralee Town Park, Tralee Kildare – Station Road, Newbridge Kilkenny – Scanlon Park, Kilkenny Limerick – University of Limerick Arena Mayo – Ballina AC Meath – Claremont Stadium, Navan Monaghan - Beech Hill College, Monaghan Offaly – Tullamore Harriers Stadium Tipperary – Templemore AC, Templemore Sligo – Sligo IT, Sligo Waterford – Waterford RSC, Cork Road Westmeath – Mullingar Harriers Stadium Wexford – DMP Track, Sinnottstown Lane Wicklow – Charlesland Park, Greystones Santry Spar Mile Details26-06-07. Launch of Take the Spar Mile Challenge at Claremont Stadium, Navan on July 7th. 2007. Rita Brady, Secretary, Claremont Stadium Committee photographed firing the starters gun for the start of the Mile Challenge between Michael Heery (Left) President, AAI getting a push from Thomas Clinton, Claremont Athletics Coach and Christy Reilly, Lord Mayor of Navan getting a push from Robbie Byrne, C'Man. Claremont Stadium Committee at the launch of "Take the Mile Challenge" to be held at Claremont Stadium Navan on July 7th. 2007. Photo: John Quirke. ©John Quirke Photography, Unit 17, Blackcastle Shopping Cte. Navan. Co. Meath. 046-9079044 / 087-2579454.