Martin Kelly
I have no words to describe this Spotlight as he has said it all himself. There is definitely a book in this man somewhere. Meet Martin Kelly ...
Name : Martin Kelly
Age : 65
Work/School/College : Retired
Married/single/kids : Married to Lynn, 5 Children and 5 Granchildren
How long have you been a member of Menapians AC : 2 years
Interests & achievements outside athletics : Pilot & Skippers License --- Black belt in karate ---- Extreme skiing mainly in Canada --- bungy jumped the highest over 700 ft (backwards) --- sky dived –Flew in a Microlite over the Victoria Falls --- Shark Cage diving in S.A --- Abseiling down kynsna Heads --- Canyoning ---- Grade 5 White Water rafting on the Zimbabwe River--- Bobsleighed down the Winter Olympics run in Innsbruck Austria --- Heli skiing in Whistler Canada --- Waterskied from the Poolbeg Lighthouse up the River Liffey to the Houston Station
Events you have competed at : everything from 100m (10 events) to the Marathon
Favourite event : 1500m
Least favourite event : Cross country
Biggest athletics achievement: Won the double 800m & 1500m in M45 at the North & Central and Caribbean Championship 2000. 18th in Dublin Marathon 1986.
Other athletics achievements : Won several National Masters Championships ………………. I had a good year in 2000 and won the 400m 800m 1500m in the National , I Won the 800m & 1500m in South Africa followed by being 3rd in the European Championships
Do you hold any records : Won the three 400m 800m & 1500m in the one afternoon M45
Favourite moment of your athletic career : Won the first Raheny5 miles (23.43) in 1985
Favourite track you have competed on : Belfield
Least favourite track : Sligo
Who has been your inspiration both in athletics & outside athletics: John Walker, when I started running in 1975 he was my hero. In 1977 he came to Dublin and he ran the fastest mile 3.52. I spent the weekend in his company (he told me how to run faster). Tony Farrell, my coach and mentor, Wow !!! what a man …… he could tell me things before I thought of them …….. Dave Taylor, he was unbelievable on the track & cross country, John Treacy said “I hope he does not run the marathon because he would win it”.
Bishop Desmond Tutu, in 2003 I spend the night in his company and was mesmerised by him
Favourite food/drink : My wife is the best cook in the world mainly Indian with beer & red wine
Post training snack : Banana & EQ Shake
Some unusual facts about yourself : At 40 yrs old I had a tendon transplant and was out of action, as a result I was voted onto the Board of The Irish Masters Athlectics Association and served as Secretary, PRO, International Secretary, Treasurer and finally President for 4 yrs.
Myself and a few other Committee members wanted to raise money for our club ,Dundrum, so we, started The Women’s Mini Marathon in 1983 with 9,000 women. A good friend of mine, Fintan Dunne, had to manually input all the entrants onto the old computer system and we had to work 24 hours a day to try and get them logged in.
I was married 5 times . In 1982 spent weekend with Mick Jagger as his personal Body Guard in the Shelbourne Hotel (my lips are sealed) --- Enda Kenny is my cousin ---- I am the 7th child of a 7th child but my brother is the 7th son of a 7th son --- at 24 I ran my first 10km 32.59. Over the next 20 years I never ran slower than 32.59 --- I liked to travel and have been in 60+ countries in my life (so far) --- I water skiing from the Poolbeg Lighthouse right up to the River Liffey up to Heuston Station --- In 1983 I flew with Concorde to Paris for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe --- My current resting pulse is 38 bpm ---Lynn and I started and ran a small Athletic Club in Roosky for 2 years under Athletics Ireland –
My Biggest Disappointment: Because I was injured, I never ran the Wanamaker Masters Mile in Madison Square Garden’s, New York 1995.