Cork university lecturer Cathal O’Connell will run at altitude in Kenya in the first marathon of Standard Chartered’s four-leg marathon team relay. 
The fastest accumulative team time across the four marathons wins. The Nairobi Marathon, the first leg of the Greatest Race on Earth (GROE) 2006/07 will take place on 29 October, and is run at a breathlessly challenging altitude of 1,600m. St Finbarr’s Athletic Club runner O‘Connell and his three Ireland team-mates will need all the determination and spirit they can muster to challenge for a share of the prize money in the European / Oceania pool. Awaiting his team-mates, Pauric McKinney of Letterkenny AC, Michael O’Connor of Galway City Harriers and Gary Crossan of Letterkenny AC, in the next three marathons are tough running conditions such as intense heat, humidity and steep gradients. The marathons will take place in some of the world’s most exotic cities – Singapore in December, Mumbai in January and Hong Kong in February. O‘Connell’s will be focused on performing at his absolute best. “The pressure is quite intense as every runner in the team is a vital link in successful completion of the series.” Over 80 teams will take part in the competition, 30 of which will be official national teams lining up for the Nations Challenge. The Irish team will be looking to overcome the likes of Australia and Great Britain to win the ‘Europe & Oceania’ group. The internationality of the GROE series, with countries taking part from Argentina to Finland, China to Australia, Ukraine to Zambia, India to Taiwan, has led to it being dubbed the ‘World Cup of Marathons’. O‘Connell has completed 27 marathons and has previously competed in Belfast, Rotterdam, London, Boston, Vancouver and Nairobi. He says he is relishing the opportunity of running abroad again. The highlights of his marathon career include three national bronze medals in Irish marathon championships and most recently at Belfast in May 2006, where he finished in third place. For further information: Please contact the Race Office on +44 (0) 20 7345 3749 or run@thegreatestrace.com. Find out more at www.thegreatestrace.com
The fastest accumulative team time across the four marathons wins. The Nairobi Marathon, the first leg of the Greatest Race on Earth (GROE) 2006/07 will take place on 29 October, and is run at a breathlessly challenging altitude of 1,600m. St Finbarr’s Athletic Club runner O‘Connell and his three Ireland team-mates will need all the determination and spirit they can muster to challenge for a share of the prize money in the European / Oceania pool. Awaiting his team-mates, Pauric McKinney of Letterkenny AC, Michael O’Connor of Galway City Harriers and Gary Crossan of Letterkenny AC, in the next three marathons are tough running conditions such as intense heat, humidity and steep gradients. The marathons will take place in some of the world’s most exotic cities – Singapore in December, Mumbai in January and Hong Kong in February. O‘Connell’s will be focused on performing at his absolute best. “The pressure is quite intense as every runner in the team is a vital link in successful completion of the series.” Over 80 teams will take part in the competition, 30 of which will be official national teams lining up for the Nations Challenge. The Irish team will be looking to overcome the likes of Australia and Great Britain to win the ‘Europe & Oceania’ group. The internationality of the GROE series, with countries taking part from Argentina to Finland, China to Australia, Ukraine to Zambia, India to Taiwan, has led to it being dubbed the ‘World Cup of Marathons’. O‘Connell has completed 27 marathons and has previously competed in Belfast, Rotterdam, London, Boston, Vancouver and Nairobi. He says he is relishing the opportunity of running abroad again. The highlights of his marathon career include three national bronze medals in Irish marathon championships and most recently at Belfast in May 2006, where he finished in third place. For further information: Please contact the Race Office on +44 (0) 20 7345 3749 or run@thegreatestrace.com. Find out more at www.thegreatestrace.com 
