Trim coach to run 120km in 24-hour endurance challenge for charity

Laura Garrigan (28) will run 5km every hour for 24 consecutive hours, covering a total distance of 120km, during an event taking place at 41 Fitness in Trim from 12pm on Saturday 13th June to 12pm on Sunday 14th June.

The challenge will see Laura set off on a 5km run at the top of every hour throughout the day and night, with only the time remaining between runs to rest, refuel and prepare for the next lap.

Members of the public are invited to come along during the event to show their support, with Laura encouraging people to run a lap with her or drop by throughout the 24 hours.

Laura only began running relatively recently, taking her first tentative steps into the sport in 2023.

“At the start I could only do 5km — that was all I was capable of,” she said. “But once you tick one thing off the list you start looking for the next challenge.”

Since then she has steadily increased the distances she takes on, progressing from 5km runs to 10km races, then half marathons and eventually full marathons.

Last year Laura completed her first marathon in Dublin and discovered she had a real appetite for endurance events.

“Some people do it once and say never again, but I absolutely loved it,” she said. “There wasn’t a moment where I said, ‘Why did I sign up for this?’ I enjoyed every second of it.”

Her running journey continued to gather momentum earlier this year when she completed a 50km ultra marathon in Donadea Forest Park, an experience she says gave her the confidence to take on an even bigger challenge.

“I was nervous going into it because it was a looped course and you had to do ten laps of the forest, but the atmosphere was incredible,” she said.

“Every time you came around there was a crowd of supporters cheering you on. My family and friends were there too and that really helps to push you through.”

Laura has also previously taken part in a relay endurance challenge running from Galway to Dublin, where she covered 55km as part of a team of five runners, helping raise €30,000 for the mental health charity Grow.

“That was my first experience of overnight running,” she said. “It was a stop-and-start relay but it definitely gave me the urge to do more endurance-style challenges.”

Her upcoming fundraiser was inspired by similar endurance events she had seen online, though most involved running for 12 hours rather than a full day.

“I’ve seen a few people do this challenge for 12 hours,” she said. “But I decided I’d push the boat out a bit further.”

Laura works as a coach at 41 Fitness in the Oak Tree Business Park in Trim, where the challenge will be based. The gym has offered to act as her headquarters throughout the event, providing a place where she can store food, change clothes and take short breaks between runs.

Each 5km run is expected to take around 30 to 40 minutes, leaving her only a short window to rest before heading out again when the next hour begins.

“At the start you’ll feel fresh and probably want to go faster, but I’ll need to pace myself,” she said.

“As the hours go on the runs will naturally take longer, and your rest time gets shorter. Once the clock hits the hour, you’re heading back out again.”

Laura says preparing for a challenge of this scale is as much a mental exercise as it is a physical one.

Unlike a traditional race where the distance is completed in a single run, the 24-hour format means constantly restarting after each lap, something she expects will become increasingly difficult as fatigue builds.

“It’s nearly like starting a race 24 different times,” she said. “You finish the 5km, sit down for a few minutes, maybe grab something to eat, and before you know it the clock is ticking again and you’re heading back out.”

Fuel and recovery will be a crucial part of the challenge, with Laura planning to keep food and supplies ready at her base in 41 Fitness throughout the event.

“You can’t sit down and eat a big meal between runs because you’re heading straight back out again,” she said. “It’ll be small bits of food, keeping hydrated and trying to stay comfortable between runs.”

She expects the early hours of Sunday morning to be the toughest part of the challenge.

“I think the middle of the night will be the hardest mentally,” she said. “When it’s three or four in the morning and you’re tired and everyone else is asleep — that’s when you’ll really have to dig deep.”

However the Summerhill coach believes the presence of supporters throughout the event will help keep her going.

“Even if someone comes for one lap or just drops by for a chat it makes a big difference,” she said. “When people show up for you like that it really pushes you on.”

Laura also runs her own weekly run club at 41 Fitness, where walkers and runners meet at 8.30am every Sunday.

“It’s a great social activity and really good for the mind,” she said. “Everyone is welcome whether they’re running or walking. It’s about getting people out, moving and enjoying it together.”

Despite the physical challenge ahead, Laura says she is excited to test herself and see what she is capable of achieving.

“Part of me is nervous because it’s 120km with very little rest and probably no sleep,” she said.

“But I’m also really excited to push myself and see what I can do.”

She chose the Samaritans as the charity partner for the fundraiser because of the vital role the organisation plays in supporting people experiencing mental health difficulties.

“I wanted to pick a cause that’s close to a lot of people’s hearts,” she said.

“Many people struggle mentally, whether it’s something small or something much bigger. The Samaritans are there for people 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“That actually ties in with the challenge as well because I’ll be running through the night and they’re there for people through the night too.”

The running enthusiast said the charity’s around-the-clock presence for people in crisis resonated strongly with the nature of the challenge she has set herself.

“The Samaritans are there for people 24 hours a day, seven days a

week,” she said. “It’s a service that so many people rely on, often at the times when they feel most alone.”

She believes initiatives that raise awareness of mental health supports are increasingly important, particularly in smaller communities where people may sometimes struggle in silence.

“You never really know what someone else might be going through,” she said. “Even if someone seems like they’re doing fine, they might be having a really tough time behind the scenes.”

For Laura, the hope is that the challenge will not only raise funds for the charity but also highlight the importance of reaching out when things become overwhelming.

“If someone is struggling, there is always someone there to talk to,” she said. “Sometimes just having another person on the end of the phone who will listen can make a huge difference.”

She said the message behind the fundraiser is just as important to her as completing the physical challenge.

“If this can raise awareness and help even one person reach out for support, that would mean a lot,” she said.

The fitness lover says she has also drawn inspiration from others who have undertaken extraordinary endurance challenges for charity.

Last year, a friend of hers, Brendán O’Neill from Kerry, ran 32 marathons on 32 consecutive days across all 32 counties to raise funds for Focus Ireland.

“Seeing him achieve that really put a fire in my belly to do something big and bring a community together,” she said.

She also acknowledged the support of Step One Socks, whose founder Tomás previously sponsored her participation in the VHI Women’s Mini Marathon and advocates strongly for mental health awareness.

Laura says the support of family, friends and members of the gym community will play a huge role in helping her complete the challenge.

“My family and the people in the gym have been amazing,” she said. “Lots of people have said they’ll come along and run one of the hours with me.

“Some people are even looking forward to the novelty of the night runs — it’s not often you get to run 5km at three or four in the morning.”

To support Laura's fundraiser click here