Athlone man is running 5K a day . . . and a marathon!

ATHLONE man Tom Burke is running 5K every day, in aid of Pieta House.

Tom has committed to run 5K every single day in December and January, followed by a full marathon to round it off at the end of January.
He is a keen runner and was involved in setting up the Moate Athlone Running Group two years ago.
Last year he ran 5K every day in January for Bressie's Lust for Life challenge and decided to step it up a gear this year.
While most of his current 5K challenge is run alone, he is happy to be joined by anyone who is interested in putting on the running shoes any day. He is also happy to receive donations, all of which is going to Pieta House.
“I am really enjoying it,” he told the Westmeath Independent.
“Nearly everybody knows something about the good work they do in Pieta House,” he says. “This is about raising awareness and raising money as well.”
He decided to opt for the 5K distance for a number of reasons. “5K is manageable and you can fit it into the schedule. A half hour a day is good head space,” he says.
He hasn't set himself any target times. It's not about time; rather it's about completing the challenge for a good cause and he won't put himself under any pressure time-wise. He doesn't stick rigidly to the 5K distance; he adds a mile here or there and is more than happy to do it! “It's officially 5K but there are days when I have done four or five miles,” he says.
The marathon which will cap off his 5Ks will take place in Lilliput, Westmeath, on January 28.
He is indebted to people who are offering support, not least his wife Helen and four-year-old son Sean, the runners who have joined him in the 5Ks and his work colleagues and friends.
Tom set an initial target of €1,000 but after this was surpassed, his new target is €3,000. He is indebted to his physio Wayne O'Neill of Westwood Physical Therapy Clinic in Clara who is providing support free of charge.
Anyone who wishes to sponsor Tom in his challenge can do so online on https://give.everydayhero.com/ie/tommy-s-5k-a-day-for-pieta-house#/?_k=rxhxdc or email Tom on tsoburke@gmail.com.