Conan McCready runs seven marathons in seven days to raise money for epilepsy

A DERRY man has run 200 miles from Down to Derry over the course of a week in memory of his uncle who died six years ago.

Conan McCready ran the equivalent of seven marathons in seven days to raise money for Epilepsy Action.

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Michaela Boyle, welcomed Conan to the Guildhall after successfully completing his marathon efforts.

Said the Mayor: “I was honoured to welcome home Conan McCready who ran 200 miles from Down to Derry for Epilepsy awareness and in memory of his uncle Shaun McCready who died in 2013

“Conan you have done your family and Derry proud.”

The mechanical engineer, who is currently based in Belfast but is due to move to America in September, took on the mammoth task as a New Year’s resolution.

“I always set myself something big to do each year. I was really heavy until about three or four years ago I started to lose weight. It never really stuck until I had a goal.

“In 2017 I decided to do the Galway marathon and when started training for that the weight loss came with it. I stayed with it and now I’m hooked on fitness!”

This year, Conan decided to set himself a bigger challenge before he sets off for the States.

“I wanted something big to do and a friend suggested running from Malin Head to Mizen Head. I started looking into it and realised a lot of people had already done it, so I decided I would run the North coast from Down to Derry.

Conan ran the 200 miles over seven days in seven stages, while raising money for a charity close to his family’s heart.

“I chose to raise money for Epilepsy Action. My uncle Shaun died suddenly six years ago and he had epilepsy.

“The cause of death was never really established and it was registered as unexplained death due to Epilepsy.

“I often wondered if there was more research into Epilepsy and there was another death like this it might help the family understand the reason why.

“My family have done a lot of fundraising for the charity in his memory and hold an annual football tournament for them every Summer.

“I decided I would do this challenge for them as well and I have set myself a target of £5,000.”

Conan set off on August 24 in Newcastle, Co. Down and over his seven days documented his progress via social media.

Well done Conan!

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