The Inspiring Stories Behind This Weekend’s Waterford Viking Marathon

Jun 19, 2026

There are marathons, and then there are marathons that make you want to sit down with a cup of tea and have a proper cry in the best possible way. This weekend’s sold-out WLR Waterford Viking Marathon is firmly in the second category.

Taking place across Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June in Waterford city, the event will welcome over five thousand runners from across Ireland and beyond — and the stories they’re bringing with them are something else entirely.

From the summit of Everest to the streets of Waterford

Leading off Sunday’s events will be the Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Councillor Seamus Ryan, alongside 22-year-old Adam Sweeney, who recently made history as the youngest Irish person ever to summit Mount Everest. If that sentence didn’t make you feel simultaneously exhausted and inspired, read it again. Adam is also a member of the Dunmore East RNLI crew and will be running in support of the lifesaving organisation.

Adam Sweeney

Then there’s Wexford mum Kim Woods. Her son Luke suffered a catastrophic brain injury after a motorcycle accident just before Christmas — a skull fracture and massive brain bleed that left doctors giving him little chance of survival. He has since made an extraordinary recovery and is continuing rehabilitation. This weekend Kim, three of her children and a group of friends will run the 10K to raise funds for the National Rehabilitation Hospital. That one hits differently when you’re a parent.

Lee Nolan will take on the full marathon in memory of his mother Linda, who died last year after a nine-year battle with cancer. He’s running in aid of Waterford Hospice, where she spent her final days, and has already raised more than €6,000. You’d need tissues at the finish line for that one.

First-timers, fundraisers and a man ticking off the alphabet

The human interest doesn’t stop there. Local runner Tara Coady will complete her first half marathon this weekend after overcoming a difficult pregnancy and only taking up running a little over a year ago. Anyone who has ever laced up for the first time post-baby knows exactly what kind of grit that takes.

Eoin Dowley is running the Half Marathon to raise funds for The Alzheimer Society of Ireland in memory of his grandparents, while a team from Limerick’s Back 2 Boston Project — which supports people from disadvantaged backgrounds through running, mentorship and community — will also be among the participants, including one member whose life has been transformed through the initiative.

From further afield, Michael Petit will travel from Strasbourg in France to run his very first half marathon, and it’ll also be his first Father’s Day as a dad. Meanwhile, marathon enthusiast Rob Clarke is ticking the letter W off a 17-year quest to complete marathons from A to Z around the world. Honestly, some people make the rest of us look very sedentary.

Ireland’s only autism-friendly running event makes its return

One of the most anticipated moments of the weekend will be the return of the Waterford Viking Run for All — Ireland’s only autism-friendly and disability-friendly running event. Now in its second year, it ensures that participants of all abilities can experience the joy of crossing a finish line, and by all accounts it’s one of the most uplifting parts of the entire weekend.

Before any of the races get underway, Waterford’s Quayside will come alive with the now-beloved ‘Viking Haka Clap’, which has become a bit of a signature moment for the event and sets the tone for what follows.

Race Director Joe Cawley put it well: “Whether they are running in memory of loved ones, overcoming personal challenges, fundraising for charity or achieving a goal they once thought impossible, these are the stories that define the Waterford Viking Marathon. The event is about community, resilience, inclusion and celebrating what people can achieve.”

The full event programme includes the Full Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, Marathon Relay, Children’s Fun Run and the Run for All. Race entries have sold out, but if you’d still like to take part, a Virtual Viking Marathon option is available — you complete your chosen distance anywhere in the world and receive an official medal and commemorative t-shirt. Details are available at the Waterford Viking Marathon website.