Galway will be well represented in this year's Fáilte Ireland International Connemara Marathon 'Connemarathon' on Sunday 6 April with over 700 Galwegians due to take part.

The annual event, set against the rugged beauty of the Connemara region, started with a modest 72 participants in 2002 and has grown each year. This year's event was a complete sell out and is set to be the biggest yet, with over 4,000 runners, joggers and walkers, from 40 countries, aiming to find solitude, find themselves and fulfil personal ambitions as they take on this challenging route.

Over 400 international participants from as far as New Zealand, Japan, Kenya and almost every state in America will travel to Connemara to take on this difficult race. Participants range from 18 to 81 years and many are completing the race to raise much-needed funds for local charities.

The Connemarathan comprises of the popular half (13.1 mile), the traditional full (26.2 mile) and the gruelling ultra (39.3 mile) marathons. The course meanders past bogs, hills, lakes, and the Twelve Pin mountains rising up over the great expanse of Killary Lough, through the quiet village of Leenaun, around the Maam Turk Mountains and all the way back up to Maam Cross, where the races finish.

By the end of the day, over 58,000 cumulative miles will be completed by the participants. That's around the world twice with an 8,200 mile warm down! The ultra marathon, launched in 2004, is Ireland's only on-road ultra distance race with an impressive 110 people set to participate. Surprisingly, another 15 per cent of all participants are walkers.

The event is now the largest athletic event in the West of Ireland and demonstrates the extreme popularity of marathons across the world. Marathons are fast becoming a training ground for professional athletes but also for recreational runners and walking enthusiasts alike.

This year Kenyan Lezan Kimutai will be aiming to complete the half marathon in a record-breaking time of just under one hour and seven minutes. Although this time falls short of the world record in this distance of 58 minutes, the toughness of the course, which is more challenging than most urban courses, must be taken into consideration. The Kenyan previously won the Connemarathon half marathon in 2003 and 2004 and is the former record holder of the Dublin City Marathon.

Another runner who hopes to reach a milestone this year is Peter Ferris, who is aiming to complete his 300th marathon. Peter, who holds the Irish record for the most marathons completed, has just returned from running The North Pole Marathon.

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