1,400 kilometres. One huge challenge. And a cause that means everything.

Carrick-on-Suir man and WLR familiar face Gary Russell is preparing to push himself further than ever before taking on an extraordinary ultramarathon challenge in aid of the Solas Cancer Support Centre.

And this isn't Gary's first time going the extra mile for Solas.

Gary Russell's 2026 Challenge

Last year, he ran an incredible 235km over just 10 days, raising more than €5,000 for the centre.

That distance had a very personal meaning. It represented the 235 men who had sought support from Solas during the previous year.

This time, Gary has set his sights considerably higher.

He began training back in November 2025, and when his 2026 challenge is complete, he will have covered more than 1,400km on the road.

It's a staggering physical and mental undertaking, but for Gary, it's about far more than running.

It's about giving something back.

Every cent raised will go to Solas, which provides vital services, support and therapies completely free of charge to people affected by cancer from its bases in Waterford City and Dungarvan.

The need for that support is enormous. Last year alone, it cost €1.2 million to operate the centre, with 1,433 people accessing its free services and therapies.

For someone who is willing to put his own body through more than 1,400 kilometres of running to help others, it's perhaps no surprise that Gary is described as a man with a very big heart.

He joined Ollie and Dymphna on The Big Breakfast Blaa to talk about the mammoth challenge ahead, the months of training already behind him, and the reason he's prepared to go the distance once again for Solas.

1,400 kilometres. One huge challenge. And a cause that means everything.
Carrick-on-Suir man and WLR familiar face Gary Russell is preparing to push himself further than ever before taking on an extraordinary ultramarathon challenge in aid of the&nbsp;<a href="https://solascentre.ie/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Solas Cancer Support Centre</a>.
And this isn't Gary's first time going the extra mile for Solas.
Gary Russell's 2026 Challenge
Last year, he ran an incredible 235km over just 10 days, raising more than &euro;5,000 for the centre.
That distance had a very personal meaning. It represented the 235 men who had sought support from Solas during the previous year.
This time, Gary has set his sights considerably higher.
He began training back in November 2025, and when his 2026 challenge is complete, he will have covered more than 1,400km on the road.
It's a staggering physical and mental undertaking, but for Gary, it's about far more than running.
It's about giving something back.
Every cent raised will go to Solas, which provides vital services, support and therapies completely free of charge to people affected by cancer from its bases in Waterford City and Dungarvan.
The need for that support is enormous. Last year alone, it cost &euro;1.2 million to operate the centre, with 1,433 people accessing its free services and therapies.
For someone who is willing to put his own body through more than 1,400 kilometres of running to help others, it's perhaps no surprise that Gary is described as a man with a very big heart.
He joined Ollie and Dymphna on The Big Breakfast Blaa to talk about the mammoth challenge ahead, the months of training already behind him, and the reason he's prepared to go the distance once again for Solas.

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Start your day with Ollie Carroll, Dymphna Nugent and the WLR News team on The Big Breakfast Blaa, who will bring you plenty of on-air banter, laughter, great music, fantastic competitions, features and much, much more… And as well as being entertained you’ll also be kept well informed with all the very latest news, sport and traffic updates from our team. It's as much a part of Waterford life as the Blaa itself! The Big Breakfast Blaa is brought to you in association with&nbsp;&lt;a href="<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://coffeehouselane.ie/">https://coffeehouselane.ie/</a>" target="_blank" rel="noopener"&gt;Coffee House Lane&lt;/a&gt;&nbsp;&lt;a href="<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.wlrfm.com/listenback&quot;>Listen">https://www.wlrfm.com/listenback"&gt;Listen</a> back to The Big Breakfast Blaa here&lt;/a&gt;.