THE XXIX Greencastle 5 Miles on St Stephen's Day looks set to remain the top running fixture of the festive season with race director Oliver McCullagh announcing details of the 2014 event this week.
McCullagh has already signed up Maria McCambridge and Eddie McGinley as headline performers for the race. Both are former national cross country champions with McCambridge having also represented Ireland at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
The event has come a long way since the first run in 1986 when only 80 runners faced the starter.
Since then some of best-known names in Irish athletics have graced the tough Greencastle circuit which includes the notorious Heartbreak Hill just before the four-mile mark.
Last year McCambridge claimed her sixth victory in the race while Stephen Scullion took the top prize in the men's event.
Over 800 runners took part with almost 500 walkers also setting off earlier than the main race.
One man sure to be on the start line is Ciaran McCaffrey. The 47-year-old Clones runner was so impressed by the organisation of the race last year that he telephoned Oliver McCullagh when he got home. He told Oliver that he was giving himself the challenge of running 100 races in the coming year with at least one in each of the 32 counties and ending at Greencastle.
McCaffrey may have overdone it slightly as he has already run more than 120 races in 31 counties since then. He now only has to race in Leitrim and already has plans in place to complete that objective before he returns to Greencastle on St Stephen's Day.
Entries are currently being taken on-line for the Greencastle 5 Miles at www.greencastle5.com. For anyone requiring further information the contact numbers are 077 6771 8029 or 079 2116 4451.