Emotion and pride as sisters cross finish line

The girls, from Pinley Crescent, were running for NI Chest, Heart & Stroke and, to date, they have raised over £4,000!

Their dad, who was 59, passed away suddenly on November 23, 2021, while on his way to work.

Niamh and Aisling were inspired to fundraise for the charity to help other families - “so they’ll not be in the same position that we were in”.

Speaking to the Chronicle, Niamh said her dad would be “over the moon” with the amount raised.

“We were both emotional before the race and, on Saturday night, we were very nervous,” she revealed.

“The weather wasn’t ideal on Sunday and we were absolutely soaked before we even started.

“The paths in Ormeau Park aren’t that wide and we just had to run through the puddles, so there were a lot of squelching feet! Then, the blisters started to form halfway through.

“We had lots of support along the route which kept us going. Mum, my auntie and Aisling’s partner were at the start, and then they moved on and we met them again at the finish.

“A group of Aisling’s friends, who she plays football with, were out supporting us and, at about 18k, my friend joined in and ran a bit with me which was a great boost.

“The crowds in Belfast were amazing and local residents were handing out sweets and oranges.”

The girls were elated and emotional to reach the end.

“It was a brilliant feeling,” Niamh enthused, “and very emotional.

“My cousin and her husband were at the finish line so, again, it was good to see a friendly face.

“Mum was proud, she was at the finish with a tissue in her hand, so I think there were a few tears.”

The girls’ much-missed dad was very much in their thoughts throughout.

“At the start we were saying, ‘he probably doesn't think we’re going to finish this!’

“He’d be pretty shocked that we did it, but I’d say he’d be over the moon with the amount of money we’ve raised.

“We’re just over the £4k mark, so we’ve absolutely smashed our target. We can’t really believe it, especially given the position a lot of people are in at the moment, as times are tough.

“It is a testament to the respect that people had for dad - it’s really great.”

The sisters appreciate the kindness of everyone who has donated so far, and also thank Rebecca Napier, of Banbridge business ReNew.

“Rebecca invited us for a sports massage, ice-bath and sauna on the Friday before the marathon, so a wee shout out to her as it was much appreciated.”

The Justgiving page will be open until the end of this week, so there’s still time to donate: www.justgiving.com/page/niamh-cull-1691851456235