FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Belfast Goes 'Dutch' for Marathon Effort
Organisers of the Deep RiverRock Belfast City Marathon are going on a
'Dutch date' this weekend.
The event's management team will be attending Sunday's Amsterdam Marathon
to promote next year's May Day Bank Holiday extravaganza. And they're
hoping that the trip will help to swell entry numbers to a record level in
what is a very important year for the Belfast race.
"This is our 30th Belfast City Marathon, and we're looking to celebrate by
bringing the highest number of participants ever to the city," explained
event manager Claire O'Reilly, who is leading the Belfast 'team' in
Amsterdam.
"Obviously, it's important that we build the international profile of the
event, and continue to attract quality runners from all over Europe and
beyond, which is why we travel to marathons such as Amsterdam to spread our
message," she added.
'Team Belfast' also will be heading to the Barcelona and New York to
promote their home event - and each time they take with them an added
incentive to attract potential entrants.
"At each of the overseas marathons we attend, we run a competition for an
all expenses paid trip to Belfast to run here," said Claire.
"Experience shows that runners like to take part in 'landmark' or
'anniversary' events, and so we are very hopeful that there will be a high
level of interest in our 30th birthday," she added.
The Marathon team will not be alone in Amsterdam this weekend: taking part
in the big race itself will be 15 members of the East Antrim Harriers club,
led by veteran athlete and club chairman Sam Crawford, who himself is
celebrating something of a landmark this weekend, by taking part in his
50th marathon.
"I've run in Amsterdam three times before: it's a nice marathon - well
organised and friendly," commented Sam, who took up running in 1983 and has
taken part in some of the world's top races since then.
"Each one is unique: London's got famous landmarks, Belfast's got the home
crowd, Venice and Barcelona have got nice temperatures to run in, New York
and Boston have atmosphere - but, they all have one thing in common: they
all have 26.2 of hard miles.
"I'll always come back home, though. I've run at least 22 Belfast
marathons, and they always give me my best times," said Sam.
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