Niall Breslin challenges the nation to join him and four newbie runners as they embark on one of the most testing of all endurance events, a Marathon; 26.2 miles starting in Niall’s hometown of Mullingar.
In March 2021, Niall, alongside a team of passionate professionals, began coaching, training and mentoring four individuals to complete a 26.2 mile marathon in a series called ‘Marathon Mind’, and has been documenting every step, setback and drop of sweat exclusively on Niall’s award-winning Where Is My Mind podcast. The aim of the series has been to train the mind to make the body strong, not the other way around – and to invite listeners to join on their own journey, too.
The culmination of the ‘Marathon Mind’ journey will bring together the four individuals at the centre of the podcast series, each with their own unique challenges in life, to end their journey and complete 26.2 miles of mental, emotional and physical endurance. And Niall, and other podcast listeners who have been following their journey too, will be with them for every step.
After a lengthy selection process with over 800 applicants, the Marathon Mind team of experts selected four individuals with powerful personal stories and who had overcome significant adversity in their lives and were looking for a challenge to focus on.
The individuals at the centre of the Marathon Mind journey and leading out the marathon in November are:
Marion Russell Glengarrif, Co. Cork
Michelle McDonnell Brehony Keash, Co. Sligo
Danny Leahy Cork City, Co. Cork
Phelim Gallagher Dublin/Co. Galway
Over the nine months these four brave souls have been coached by an incredible team of focused and driven individuals which consists of Olympians and world champions.
The ‘Marathon Mind’ expert team consists of:
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 itself will take place on Saturday 13th November 2021 and will start and finish at Columb Barracks Mullingar while 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 Marathon challenge too, and people can register for their place in the race from Wednesday 28th July 2021. The link will be shared across Niall’s and the Marathon Mind socials. 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.
Speaking about working with the four participants Niall says:
“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.”
Speaking 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 3 years ago and created local employment we are very much at home in Mullingar. We look forward to welcoming over 1000 athletes to Mullingar and supporting their journey along the way”
Marathon Mind has been an exciting venture for the Where Is My Mind podcast and the series were some of the most-listened to episodes this year. The podcast explores different coping skills for the ever-changing, always-on, head-melty world we’re now living in; from hormones, to politics, to tattooing, to managing rage, to uncovering what goes on in the therapy room. This year, Niall has spoken to some incredible guests, from An Taoiseach Michael Martin, to Mike Ryan (WHO), to global mindfulness guru Dan Harris. The podcast won creative podcast of the year at the British Podcast Awards in July 2020.
Stream the latest episode of Where Is My Mind?
