Women around Tipperary are donning their running gear today as the county’s Mini-Marathon takes place.
However, COVID has forced this year’s event to be done differently – participants are being encouraged to run 10km individually or in small groups.
It’s also taking place over the course of two days rather than one.
Valerie Connolly of the Tipperary Sports Partnership says they felt it was important for the mini-marathon to go ahead in some form:
“We debated for a long time about how we would go about the women’s mini-marathon this year, and I suppose it’s a very important year for women to be participating in sports.
“It’ll be Sports Week for Sport Ireland and it’s also the 2020 Campaign, so we decided we’d go ahead.
“This year we’re doing it ‘virtually’ – it’s a virtual 10km. What that means is that people can pick their own route, they can pick their own time of day that they want to do it, and they can pick their own company – bearing in mind the HSE guidelines.”
Continuing, Valerie said the virtual event has allowed them to extend it across the weekend:
“Normally it’s on the last Sunday of September, but this year because it’s virtual, people can do it on the Saturday or the Sunday at their own time and in their own locations.
“It’ll be a little bit different but, look, I think it’s important for people to be out there and I think it’s important to keep the event on the calendar.”
If you’re taking part, you’re being encouraged to tag @TipperarySports in your photos and videos on social media.