There are a variety of dreams that have their beginnings in the most unusual of circumstances. Over 20 years ago, two young Mayo students found themselves sitting together in a science class and so begun an odyssey that, over two decades later, would see them, after having gone to college together and later share a house together in London, eventually in their thirties hit on a dream to run a Marathon.

Pictured at Stensons Bar in Ballyvary Peter Jordan and PJ McHale at the launch by David Brady (Mayo Team Player), of their fundraising New York Marathon in aid of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation on 4th November 2007 L-R: Peter Jordan, Michael Downes (Mayo Roscommon Hospice), P J McHale, David Brady. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2007

Three years ago PJ McHale of Ballyvary and Peter Jordan of Breaffy, after some years of talking about it, finally got down to training for the Dublin City Marathon of 2004. After a summer and early autumn of criss-crossing the roads around Castlebar in miles of training, they completed their first Marathon in Dublin on the October Bank Holiday Monday of 2004.

As often happens in such situations, rather than satisfying that particular hunger, such achievement only caused them to set their sights further, and, in terms of urban marathons, there is probably none bigger and more celebrated and truly the ambition of every person that dreams of great marathon achievements, than to compete in the New York Marathon.

Pictured at Stensons Bar in Ballyvary Peter Jordan and PJ McHale at the launch by David Brady (Mayo Team Player), of their fundraising New York Marathon in aid of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation on 4th November 2007. L-R: Peter Jordan, Michael Downes (Mayo Roscommon Hospice), Walter Cusack representing Ballyvary Blue Bombers who sponsored banners and posters for the event, P J McHale, David Brady. Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2007

It has taken PJ and Peter three years since their initial Dublin achievement to begin to see that dream come to fruition, but in April they were both accepted as entrants for the 2007 New York Marathon which will take place on Sunday November 4^th 2007.

As well as the requirement to get straight into training for the big event, PJ and Peter were anxious that their efforts would also benefit some worthy cause, preferably once with personal significance for them, and so with PJ having lost his mother Nora "Babe" McHale to cancer last summer, they have decided to use the opportunity to raise funds for Mayo Roscommon Hospice foundation, who offer support to the seriously and terminally ill of counties Mayo and Roscommon as well as their families.

It is the hope of PJ and Peter that their efforts will succeed in raising a minimum of €10,000 for this worthy charity.

In the coming months, in addition to putting in over 600 miles of training on the highways and byways of Mayo, PJ and Peter will be organising a number of fundraising activities which they hope will be generously supported.

They have set up a website www.NYrun07.com where details of these upcoming events will be advertised or anyone wishing to contribute to the fund can make a donation to a bank a/c specially set up for the purpose at Permanent TSB Bank, Ellison St Castlebar, A/c Nr: 10890983, Sort Code: 990729

Pictured at Stensons Bar in Ballyvary Peter Jordan and PJ McHale at the launch by David Brady (Mayo Team Player), of their fundraising New York Marathon in aid of Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation on 4th November 2007 Peter Jordan, Michael Downes (Mayo Roscommon Hospice), P J McHale, David Brady, Walter Cusack with a group of supporters Photo © Ken Wright Photography 2007

The Peter and PJ New York Marathon 2007 fundraiser in aid of Mayo Roscommon Hospice was launched in Stensons Pub, Ballyvary on Sunday 10^th June by celebrated Mayo Footballers David and Ger Brady.

The generous support of Blue Bombers FC and Westaro is also acknowledged in their sponsorship of the official launch.

For further Information Contact PJ McHale on 087 7665956 or Peter Jordan on 087 996 1422 or visit http://www.nyrun07.com/