Ashling Murphy memorial road race retains high profile with large entry expected

THE Ashling Murphy memorial road race should once again include some very good athletes when it takes place in Tullamore on Sunday, May 19.

Now in its third year, the race commemorates the memory of murdered school teacher, Ashling Murphy. The killing of the 23 year old Blueball woman while out jogging along the Grand Canal near Cappincur shocked and horrified the nation.

A 4 mile road race was organised in her memory by Offaly Athletics and it has gained a real national profile.

Over 800 ladies and men competed in last year's race, including some very good runners from outside the county. The ladies compete for the Ashling Murphy Perpetual Trophy and was won by Clonmel's Courtney McGuire last year while the first winner was Olympian Lizzie Lee.

The race is part of both the Puegeot Race Series and the Offaly Athletics Endurance Race Series. The Peugeot Race Series is a great feather in the cap of the Tullamore event as athletes compete for attractive prizes over a series of races.

The Streets of Portlaoise and Kilkenny 5ks have already taken place and the Ashling Murphy 4 mile race is the third in the series. It will be followed by the Bob Heffernan 5k in Enfield, Dunshaughlin 10k, Roscommon and Edenderry 10 miles, Cork City 10k and the Charleville International half marathon in Cork in September.

There is a prize fund of €33,000 for the series and athletes chasing this will try and take in all the races.

The Ashling Murphy 4 mile race starts and finishes in the centre of Tullamore, at O'Connor Square and it will once again be a gala event.

Ashling's parents, Ray and Kathleen and officials from Offaly athletics and clubs gathered for an official launch last Friday evening.

The entry fee is €15 for athletes who are members of clubs or €17 for those who aren't. There are prizes for 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd males and females in addition to category prizes for firsty over 40, 45, 50, 60 and 70.

There are also team prizes and entries are open online on popupraces.ie.