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On the run: shinty star to tackle seven marathons in seven days for Highland Hospice


By Alasdair Fraser

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Connor Golabek from Inverness will be running 7 marathons in 7 days to raise money for the Highland Hospice..Picture: James Mackenzie..
Connor Golabek from Inverness will be running 7 marathons in 7 days to raise money for the Highland Hospice..Picture: James Mackenzie..

A shinty player who has never run a marathon before is aiming to complete a remarkable seven in seven days for Highland Hospice.

Gutsy Glenurquhart forward Connor Golabek will seek to raise vital funds for the charity by embarking on the extreme test of endurance on March 28.

The 26-year-old cyber security expert happened upon the idea when reading about rugby league player Kevin Sinfield’s exploits.

The former Leeds Rhinos star raised £1.2 million for a motor neurone disease charity after racking up 26.2 road miles every day for a week.

Raigmore man Mr Golabek, the nephew of former Caley Thistle defender Stuart, admitted: “I’ve never actually run a marathon before, but I am fit, and the training runs I’m doing just now are no bother, so I think I’ll manage it.

“But the farthest I’ve done in lockdown is one half marathon distance, so I know it is going to be tough.”

Before he brandished the caman, Mr Golabek was on Caley Thistle’s books as a youngster. With Glenurquhart, he now teams up with another former Inverness football hero, ex-goalkeeper Michael Fraser. and was vice-captain in 2019, while winning the MacTavish Cup in 2015.

David MacFadyen, the ex-Caley Thistle physio now of Physio Inverness, will give post-marathon massages every day to assist Mr Golabek’s recovery.

Cousin Sean Chalmers, a champion runner with Inverness Harriers, devised his training routine.

An initial £500 was raised in January, while a similar amount was donated by local firm Highland Industrial Supplies, whose director Garry Mackintosh is Glenurquhart SC president.

Mr Golabek’s motivation is straightforward and he stressed: “I just want to raise as much as I can for what is such a good cause. I know a large amount of the Hospice’s running costs come from fundraising events that have been hit hard by Covid.

“Everyone I speak to has had someone they know or love in the care of the hospice at some point.”

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