Hotel manager to run marathon with Colin Farrell in aid of Debra Ireland

A KILDARE hotel has taken on a marathon challenge in aid of a good cause.

Killashee Hotel’s general manager Ger Alley is running the Dublin City Marathon for Debra Ireland, the charity that supports people born with EB (Epidermolysis Bullosa), while his colleagues are also undergoing a 40-day fitness fundraising challenge.

The Killashee Hotel has been a long-standing supporter of Debra. Dating back to 2012 when the beautiful Butterfly Garden dedicated to the charity was officially opened on the grounds, the hotel has been closely associated with EB sufferer Emma Fogarty, who dreamed of having a garden in a location where those affected by EB could go and enjoy peace and tranquillity.

This year, Emma celebrates her 40th birthday, which is nothing short of a miracle, as people born with the same type of EB as Emma do not tend to live past 35 years of age.

To mark this significant milestone, Emma announced that actor Colin Farrell would be running the Dublin City Marathon for Debra, and now Colin will be joined by Ger, who has also signed up to run the marathon on Sunday 27 October in aid of Emma Fogarty and Debra. The plan is that Ger and Colin will join Emma, who will be doing the final 4km of the marathon – one km for every decade of her life – and cross the finish line together.

The team at Killashee is also supporting Debra with a ‘40 Days of Fitness and Fundraising’, which finishes on the marathon day. This fitness challenge aims to get the team active for 40 days, whether that is walking, swimming, running or cycling. Each day, the team logs its activities on a Strava app to keep track of them.

There is a long-standing connection with Ger – who is from Durrow, Co Laois – and Emma, who grew up nearby. Emma’s father was Ger’s maths teacher in secondary school, and being of similar ages their paths often crossed. Ger was always aware of Emma’s condition and the challenges she faced and admired her strength and resilience.

Running the Dublin City Marathon has been a long-standing aspiration for Ger, who is passionate about fitness and believes in pushing himself to achieve new goals, especially within the demands of a busy schedule. The marathon represents not just a personal challenge but the opportunity to participate in an iconic event which is truly motivating, and to see how far he can go.

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Speaking about the response from friends, family and work colleagues Ger said: “When I said that I’d be running the Dublin City Marathon, their reaction was more of recognition than surprise. They know how much I thrive on challenges and how determined I am once I set my mind to something. The support I’ve received has been incredibly encouraging.

“It has been heartening to see how much they believe in me, giving me even more motivation to cross that finish line. I really want to contribute in whatever way to raise awareness of Debra and financially support the invaluable work the charity does. Maybe I can make it an annual event and some of the team join in!” As a father of four young children, balancing work, home life and training keeps Ger on his toes. Fortunately, his wife Eimear shares his love for running and fitness, so they support each other in maintaining a healthy balance. Most of his training happens early in the morning or late at night, when the house is quiet and the kids are asleep.

Ger is following a 12-week training plan designed by Emmet Quinlan, with whom he’s trained before. His plan includes three days a week in the gym, focusing on strength and conditioning, along with five days of running each week.

Emmet’s guidance and approach to both nutrition and fitness has been invaluable, and he’s confident this plan will have him ready to give his best on race day.

Find out more information about Ger Alley’s Marathon Run and Debra and Emma’s birthday wish, visit this link.