11 Belfast City Marathon Runners Qualify for 2023 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championship
03 July 2023
The 2023 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championship is being held at the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on 8th October, and Belfast City Marathon are thrilled to hear that 11 runners have qualified through the Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon and took up the invitation!
Julie Kirwan of Clonegal, Ireland, set to take on the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on 8th October after qualifying through the Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon
Meet Julie Kirwan (who you might recognise from TikTok @runningphysios) who is one of eleven runners that have qualified through the Mash Direct Belfast City Marathon for the 2023 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championship.
Julie is from Clonegal, a small village situated at the end of the Wicklow Way Walk, bordering the three counties of Wicklow, Wexford & Carlow.
We asked Julie what has been her favourite marathon to date, and she told us ‘each marathon offers a unique experience & unique memories. It is difficult to pick a favourite but Boston and Valencia hold extra special memories, Boston for its history, Valencia for the level of running. It lives up to its name “City of Running”.’
Julie went on to tell us that ‘all the older runners (70+)’ inspire her – ‘their longevity is truly amazing.’ Julie hopes to run through the decades just like all the older runners she’s spotted on marathon day.
When asked what do you get most out of running, Julie said ‘running elevates everything… Food tastes better, the shower feels better & I sleep better. I also love the feeling of being fit and connected to my body. Running is not always easy but it is always worth it. Running simply makes life better!’
We asked Julie what advice she would give someone starting their running journey, and she shared some words of wisdom…
‘Appreciate every step. To run is a privilege and something we should never take for granted. A stress fracture in 2018 and a 6 month lay off from running thought me this. Also to remember to enjoy the journey. I ran my first marathon in 2014 in Huntington Beach, CA on Super Bowl Sunday… I never could have believed in my wildest dreams I would be heading to compete at the world marathon championships in Chicago in 2023. So keep going and remember we will all have good and bad marathon days and sometimes the clock time doesn’t match expectation and that’s ok. Clock times are fun games to play along the way but the ultimate goal is to remain healthy and strong to have fun chasing that clock! You never know where it might take you!’
Belfast City Marathon would like to wish Julie the very best with her training ahead of what will be her victory lap at the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon on 8th October.
