Sunshine and smiles aplenty as the Mini-Marathon turns sweet sixteen

The sun was shining and there were smiles aplenty at The Mall in Castlebar last Sunday morning.

Female runners, joggers and walkers - young and old, from near and far - gathered to take part in this year’s Mayo.ie Western People West of Ireland Women’s Mini-Marathon.

I wrote this article live from the Mall, as the enormity of the event struck a chord, with approximately 2,000 women and girls descending on the town, as well as hundreds of youngsters who took part in the Mini-Mini event.

For the past two months, I have been covering the lead-up to this year’s Mini-Marathon, writing a weekly article for the paper, covering the launch event and attending a weekly meeting.

The preparation by Mayo Sports Partnership was second to none throughout, and Sunday was finally the day it all came together.

From the generous sponsors to the volunteers, the charitable support was there for all to see.

The story of the day was the winner of the 2025 Mayo.ie Western People West of Ireland Mini-Marathon - Freya Renton.

The saying ‘remember the name’ is certainly true in this case as the 15-year-old Westport AC athlete put up a sensational 10km time of 35:59.

“It was a good race with a lot of good people. I just kept going, and my sister keeps pushing me on, so it is great,” Freya told the Western People following her well-earned victory.

Freya was referencing her twin sister, Holly, who finished in fourth place, which showcased the siblings’ running talents. Freya is the youngest-ever winner of the Mini-Marathon - by some distance - and her victory against a very experienced field underlines her immense potential.

The other top five runners on the day were Norah Pieterse (2nd), Roxane Sands (3rd) and Serena Tuffy (5th). Both Norah and Serena are former winners of the event.

The Mini-Marathon ran smoothly, with MC Oonagh O’Carroll, of iRadio, bringing a friendly atmosphere to the occasion, while the stalls, music and the good weather made it an enjoyable day out. Plenty of GAA fans who had made their way to Castlebar early for the Connacht Final clash between Mayo and Galway also dropped down to the Mall or lined the route around the town, creating a party atmosphere for the participants.

This was the 16th anniversary of the Mini-Marathon and it was the first time to be held in Castlebar since 2022, having been hosted by Ballina for the past two years.

“The event gets women and girls active,” Charlie Lambert, Head of Mayo Sports Partnership, said. “We have had great input from many organisations. A big shout-out to the many volunteers who made this event possible. They are the people that make it happen.”

Aidan McNulty, Commercial Manager of the Western People, remarked: “Women, teenagers and national school children have run in this event. Over 70 charities have raised €1.75 million on the back of this event down through the years - that is huge local fundraising. It is a credit to the people taking part.”

The ‘Mini Mini’ race also went down a treat and all participants picked up a medal upon passing the finish line.

Joanne Grehan, Director of Services for Mayo County Council, added: “Today has been a fantastic event. We have had some fabulous female athletes attend from all around Ireland. This event is a staple in the County Council’s diary. It is a team effort; everyone works together, which helps in succeeding with the event. Year on year, the mini-marathon keeps growing, and everybody looks forward to it.”

From the launch event in Davitt College in February to the big day last Sunday, the time has flown by.

The sponsors have also played a big part, in particular for their generosity in providing the early bird prizes.

I have enjoyed covering such an important female event for the county. Thanks to Western People’s Aidan McNulty, Elaine Arthur, Stuart Tynan and Michael Marigliano for the support last Sunday.

It was the first time producing a ‘live blog’ on our website, www.westernpeople.ie, for the occasion, which was viewed by thousands and, hopefully, added to the experience.

Well done to all participants, volunteers and businesses who made the event possible. Until next year!