On the 20th November 2016, The Philly Fab Four (Caroline OBrien, Eddie Hoyne, Tom OHalloran and Tom Britton) will "COMPLETE" the Philadelphia Marathon. When we signed up for training - just 1 had previously ran a marathon (ran is a loose term).  Ater 6 months of training........training being a loose term too! We are off to Philadelphia. Why Philadelphia - it's a great city, tax free, and we'll need to buy new runners after all the training! 

Through th travel trade funday, an event organised via travel agents, tour operators, cruise lines,  travel insurance companies and car hire - 5000 Euro was donated to "our cause". in addition, the members of the group so far have collectively raised an extra 3200.00 euro or so.  NOW we're on the final push! We're at 8200.00 Euro......with your help we can make it to 10,000. The money raised will assist Children of Chernobyl which are still at the mercy of a man made event many years later. Funds will assist them to live basic lives, nothing fancy! They are cared for by a group of people in the Irish community who by and large give of their time - freely. However funds are always required to keep the wheel spinning - unfortunantely volunteering alone won't do it. 

So, MSC Cruises gave us a very special prize - "Lunch for 10" on board MSC Preziosa - which - is the largest cruise liner to be able to "park" in Dublin port. And Preziosa will be parking it's mighty fine ass? Aft.....oh it's AFT..... in Dublin next May!  Some might say, also the most glamourous AFT. . ..........anyways - we've lunch for 10 on this incredible ship ........and here's how you can. Pick a time from which - the first one of us crosses the line. The official clock time is what will count. If you pick that minute and no one else has........Congratulations - you've lunch you for and 9 of your buddies/friends/family whoever. If there is a tie - then we'll put the names in a pot and select one. Now that's a day out with a difference........

All you need to do is donate whatever you feel like (five euro and over), you can take as many guesses as you wish. And we can safely say we've no clue how we'll do - as it's very much on the day for the 4 of us. (We will say it'll be more than 3 hours 40 minutes...............((unless there is a miracle)). 

Special thanks go to Rebecca Kelly MSC Cruises Ireland for the donation of the prize, Jenny Rafter - Aer Lingus, Greg Evans and Svetlana Yazovskikh - Philadelphia Tourism, The Board of the Travel Trade Funday and all who contributed. Our family (and staff), who've seen us vanishing at strange hours, for long periods of time, KCLR96FM, the Hampton Inn Convention Centre - Philadelphia Downtown. And Buzz Lightyear for his quote "To Infinity and Beyond". 

For those who have already contributed - your times are logged - so no need to go again!:) ((You can if you want to)). 

The members of the Fab Four have paid their own trips individually. Every penny raised is going to the Chernobyl grouping. 

To the 11 other who began this endeavour and between dodgy legs, dicky hearts and other ailments - thanks for coming as far as you did.