McGarry one of six finalists for August race

Navan man James McGarry has been announced as one of the finalists for this year’s inaugural Rock 'n' Run Idol contest. McGarry competed in last Friday night's Simon Cumbers Memorial Road Race organised by Navan AC and he completed the 6km event in 24:43.

The finalists - one each from Clare, Meath, Galway, Down and two from Dublin - were selected by an expert panel of judges who managed to narrow the wide pool of entries to six inspirational men and women.

All six finalists are currently training to take part in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin Half Marathon & 10k race on Sunday 7th August.

They are also battling it out in a public vote to become the first Rock ‘n’ Run Idol and win an all-expenses paid trip to take part in Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas next October.

James sees himself as an ordinary runner hoping to inspire others to do extraordinary things through running.

However, his story is far from ordinary!

Three years ago James was over 16 stone and took up running to lose weight.
Over a three-year period he shed four stone and along the way he realised there was little support for non-club runners so he set up a facebook group called The Runners Support Page.

This page now boasts over 4,000 members and is the largest running group in Ireland.

Last year the group raised over €16,000 for Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

The Navan man's inspirational story caught the attention of the Rock ‘n’ Run judges and he is now competing to become the first Rock ‘n’ Run Idol and win that trip to Las Vegas.

The Rock ‘n’ Idol contest was judged by sports personality Anna Geary, editor of Irish Runner Frank Greally, running coach Ash Senyk and two-time Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin champion Lizzie Lee, who is currently training for the Rio Olympics.

The 2016 Rock ‘n’ Roll Idol finalists are:
James McGarry, Meath
Suzanne Alcock-Thompson, Dublin
James Bermingham, Dublin
Niamh Conroy, Clare
John Quinlivan, Galway
Helen Sexton, Down