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FEATURE: English teacher to finish stay with marathon effort

Neil O'Maonaigh-Lennon runs along a street in Taipei City last month in preparation for his 30-day marathon that begins in April. PHOTO COURTESY OF NEIL O'MAONAIGH-LENNON

Neil O'Maonaigh-Lennon has been teaching English in Taiwan since last February. His contract expires next month, but rather than pack his bag and leave quietly, O'Maonaigh-Lennon has something else in store.

"I decided to run one marathon a day for 30 consecutive days," he told the Taipei Times recently. "I want to leave Taiwan with a bang and run for a good cause."

In so doing, O'Maonaigh-Lennon hopes to raise funds for Cancer Research UK and the Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders.

The idea of running for cancer did not come to him by accident.

"Cancer research was something that interested me all through my university years," he said. "Also, Terry Fox, the fight he went through, was another reason."

Fox -- sporting a prosthetic leg -- is famous for running the "Marathon of Hope" across Canada to raise funds for cancer research.

The run around the nation's coastline, scheduled to begin on April 1, will also lead O'Maonaigh-Lennon to some of the nation's best-known tourist attractions, including Taroko Gorge (太魯閣) in Hualien and the beaches of Kenting (墾丁).

To him, the grueling feat is just another exciting adventure.

O'Maonaigh-Lennon remembers watching the London marathon every year on TV when he was growing up in the capital. In 2002, he decided to run the race himself.

Since then, he has run 13 marathons on three continents, the most recent being the ING Taipei marathon in December.

"My ambition is to run one [marathon] in every continent," he said.

A year ago, O'Maonaigh-Lennon was offered the chance to teach in Asia and was given a choice between China and Taiwan. He chose Taiwan because he said it "is an island, like the UK."

O'Maonaigh-Lennon said that, before he arrived, he found it hard to believe how foreigners could live in Taiwan for seven or eight years.

"Now I can understand why," he said.

"Everyone here is friendly and willing to accept you and help you," he added. "[Taiwan] has a great social scene as well. For a single man, it is a lot to take in."

O'Maonaigh-Lennon will begin his trek at Fugueijiao (富貴角), the nation's northernmost point, running along the east coast and passing through Chialuoshui (佳洛水) at the southern tip, before heading north via Kaohsiung.

He said that he would stay on or close to the coast, but occasionally move inland to see must-see scenic spots.

The Briton plans to start his day on the road at 7am and finish at 2pm so that he can have time to explore.

Whatever he sees, hears or encounters will become material for an online journal of his journey, which he hopes will help introduce Taiwan to the rest of the world.

A friend will ride alongside him on a scooter and make sure that he runs 42km every day, the standard distance for a marathon.

As the two are doing this at their own expense, they plan to sleep in school classrooms or camp outside to save money.

O'Maonaigh-Lennon said he would not be in a hurry and welcomes other runners to join him along the route.

He also said he had not set a goal on how much money to raise. Both organizations have donation links on their Web sites, so the money will go straight into registered accounts, he said.

"People can choose which organization they want to donate to," he said.

It is still more than a month before he starts the adventure. And although there are many things that could go wrong -- be it a leg injury or bad weather -- O'Maonaigh-Lennon said he was determined to accomplish his mission.

"I won't leave Taiwan without completing my 30-day marathon. I will stay until I finish it," he said.
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