Family fun and fast times at Great Duckett Run
The Great Duckett's Family 5K and 10K Run at Duckett's Grove gets underway
HISTORIC Duckett's Grove welcomed a record 300 participants to the third annual Great Duckett Run on Sunday 2 February, marking significant growth from last year's 248 runners.
The family-friendly event featured 5km and 10km routes, with registration beginning at 9.30am. The 10km runners set off at 11am, followed by the 5km participants ten minutes later, in a strategic move to manage the flow of runners.
"We could have actually taken on more participants. It's becoming really popular, so next year we're hoping to increase to 400," said Karen Somers, one of the event organisers.
The event attracted participants of all ages and abilities, from competitive runners to families with buggies and dogs. While some runners were looking to beat their personal bests, others, aged from toddlers to pensioners, were walking along, enjoying the fresh air, some chats and some snacks.
A special highlight was the participation of Team Kerr from Northern Ireland – parents Sandra and David, who completed the course with their son Aaron in his wheelchair. The team, who have completed 53 marathons across all 32 counties, praised the route as accessible and wheelchair-friendly.
‘On arrival we had a lovely surprise when we spotted a welcome sign just for us. Such a lovely personal touch, and made us feel so welcome,’ said David and Sandra on their Facebook page.
The run was also attended by minister Jennifer Murnane O’Connor and cllr John Pender.
The run raised over €2,000 for local causes, with proceeds split between Grange GAA and the Grange Village Committee. The community spirit was evident throughout, with local volunteers manning water stations, marshalling the course and providing refreshments.
"It's a real community spirit," said Ms Somers. "The GAA members were out running, while the village committee were doing the tea, coffee and cake after. We all just came together, all the dads and granddads came out to do the marshalling on the roads and parking."
Twelve prizes were awarded across both distances for male and female runners, with every participant receiving a medal sponsored by O’Toole Builders and Skip Hire.
