Marathon man aims to swim 500km of Irish coastline

22nd May, 2017

Marathon Man Alan Corcoran has recently set out on a 500km swim down the east coast of Ireland. The swim started at Giant’s Causeway, County Antrim and will finish at Dunmore East, County Waterford. Alan set out on Saturday, 13 May and will swim until he has completed the distance, which is the equivalent of swimming the English Channel 16 times.

This week he battled the weather and waited for favourable conditions to cross Belfast Lough. Five swims in, he had completed almost a fifth of his challenge and spent 21 hours in the water. “It sucks that things out of your control can zap the momentum and progress of the challenge,” says Alan in his daily blog on Facebook. “But the forced break will do no harm for the mind and body.”

As well as the ambition of such a challenging swim, Alan has also set a target to raise €50,000 for the Irish Heart Foundation and Solas Cancer Support Centre. Alan is no stranger to marathon events, in 2012 he raised €15,000 by running 35 marathons in 35 consecutive days around the Irish coast, but this quest claims to push himself further.

Alan is swimming to “grasp an opportunity to create some positives” from losing his father to bowel cancer last year. His dad died soon after diagnosis and Alan describes it “as the toughest experience” of his life. “There was nothing I could do but try and comfort my dad in those heart-breaking weeks in hospital,” says Alan. “We were all helpless. The swim is my small way of feeling like I’m taking some meaningful action and saying fuck you to Cancer!”

You can support Alan’s adventure in a number of ways. This week Alan has been seeking volunteers, as his support runs out this weekend (28 May). He needs first aiders and someone with a powerboat L2 licence that is competent at sea. If you can help contact him through his website you can also donate to his charities here.

“I’m finding this swim so much tougher than my 35 marathons. I had no doubts of completion on the run,” says Alan. “This swim, I honestly feel like I’m at my limit of quitting everyday but as long as there is crew there to support me I’ll keep swimming until I reach my goal of the south coast of Ireland.”

To follow his journey check out his Facebook , Instagram or Twitter