antrim coast half marathon 1

National World

Judge Craig Mitchell (Skid Row) and James McIlroy BEM explain the benefits of running and how this year's Antrim Coast Half Marathon will see an expanded field, with competitors from 26 countries taking part.

Transcript

00:00My name is Craig Mitchell.

00:07I am a judge in Los Angeles, California, and I am here in Northern Ireland to run the half

00:15marathon.

00:19I was induced to come over here because I heard it is an absolutely gorgeous course.

00:25The added treat is that I've had an opportunity to meet world-class runners who are inspiring

00:33to me beyond words.

00:39I want to get the message out that running, whether you're an elite athlete or someone

00:47like myself who is pushing 70, running can bring incredible experiences into your life,

00:55can make you a healthy person, not only physically, but mentally and spiritually.

01:03My program in Los Angeles is focused on helping people overcome addiction to either alcohol

01:10or drugs, people, many who have been incarcerated for long periods of time, people who have

01:17been living on the street, that if you get into a community that is positive, that is

01:23doing something on a regular basis such as running, it can dramatically change and improve

01:29your life.

01:31And I think that is a message that applies to communities around the world, and it is

01:37a message that I want to get out there.

01:41My name is Matt McElroy, I'm the Condor Executive under the Coast Half Marathon, so we're kicking

01:46off the media day, today is Friday, and it's the start of a weekend, a global event in

01:53Belfast at the new Ulster University Sports Centre in Nelson's Place, and also on the

01:58beautiful Coast Road in Larne, which will be the headline on Sunday.

02:03We're lucky to be here with 26 countries, we've expanded to 5,000 runners, 5 continents,

02:09and we think, fingers crossed, we've probably got the best women's race maybe ever put together

02:15with first, second, third, fourth in the world, all racing this year, all four of them world

02:20record holders, and some of the best male runners with the third fastest all time marathon

02:28runner attending, and seven men under 60 minutes, which is an amazing barrier for half marathon

02:35running.

02:36Everyone will be very, very welcome, it will be a celebration of running, we've got the

02:41Skid Row Marathon movie production, the movie producers and the headline judge, both all

02:48running, the premier, their premier is tonight in Belfast, for their Northern Ireland premier,

02:55I should say, so that will be good, followed by Q&A, so that will keep the momentum going

03:00for a festival of running weekend.

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