A Belfast firefighter will take on a gruelling challenge next month in memory of friend and former mentor Kurtis Robinson who died at just 32 years old. Kurtis suffered from an issue with his kidneys, which led to a heart attack in October 2023.
After going into heart failure, the father-of-one was induced into a coma in January last year and sadly passed away in February.
He was a hugely popular and much-loved colleague of everyone he worked with, including Anthony Byrne who worked under Kurtis during his early training with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.
Kurtis touched the hearts of everyone who met him, including Anthony who has decided to take on next month's Belfast Marathon and raise some money for Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke.
What makes the challenge daunting is that Anthony will run the 26.2-mile distance wearing his full firefighting suit and carrying his breathing apparatus kit.
"That adds about 27 kilos to the load, all in," Anthony told Belfast Live.
"But there will also be the heat. A fire suit doesn't let heat in, but it also doesn't let heat out. And the BA kit is tough on the shoulders and lower back.
"I have a lot of issues to get around, but hopefully I can do it on the day. I have done one training run with the kit on and one in my fire suit. I have wanted to do more but we have so busy in work, and I can't take the suit away from the station.
"I have been doing a lot of runs with a weighted vest on which is 20 kilos, so that mimics it in some way. I haven't had much chance to do much with the kit on because work has been very busy.
"I have done some training in the fire station gym, running on the treadmill with the fire kit and BA set on. I am doing as much as I can, in and around my work schedule."
Anthony, who is based at Cadogan Fire Station on the Lisburn Road, also works as a personal trainer at GymCo in Belfast. He says fitting his training around work has been "hectic".
This will be his third marathon in total, but only his second 'official' one.
"I ran one during coronavirus > Covid and then did the Dublin Marathon. But I have never done one like this before!" he joked.
"I don't know if I would ever want to do something like this again. It is one that I hope to tick off and will be proud of, but it has taken up so much time and energy.
"I am sacrificing days. I ran a marathon last Monday to get miles in the legs. That was four hours of running. I am doing about 15 training hours a week at the minute.
"I am trying to do two jobs and it proves to be a lot."
Anthony hopes to run the final few miles of the Belfast Marathon alongside Kurtis' wife Natalie. She is aiming to complete the final leg of the relay.
"Natalie being there will hopefully spur me on. As long as I make it to her, which will be around 21 miles or something, then I am sure I can get through the last part," he added.
"It is for such a special cause.. I worked with Kurtis when I first came into the Fire Service. He was my mentor over at my first station at Knock in East Belfast.
"Whenever you join the Fire Service you get someone who sort of looks after you, like a mentor, and Kurtis helped me. I worked with him for a number of months and he was a wonderful person."
"It is so sad what happened to Kurtis. It ended up being heart damage through an issue with his kidneys. Unfortunately it got to the point where he got so sick that his body wasn't recovering.
"He was only 32 when he passed away. He and Natalie have a wee son Benny. I saw Natalie and Benny about a few times at football matches we have been playing with the Fire Service.
"That motivated me to do something, and give something back in Kurtis' memory. So I decided to run the marathon."
Anthony has set up a Just Giving page which has already raised over £2,100 for Northern Ireland Chest, Heart and Stroke.
"I have been overwhelmed by the donations so far, and hopefully more come in before the marathon on May 4. It is still quite raw for people," Anthony said.
"I always try to do charity challenges every year and they are usually well supported. And this one is the same.
"It is going to be a gruelling challenge. I'm not sure people realise how tough it will be.
"But I am giving it my all in training to ensure I give myself the best chance of completing the marathon wearing this kit.
"This is the biggest challenge I have ever done, by a country mile. This will be the most intense. But I will give it everything."
Anyone wishing to donate to Anthony's charity page can do so HERE
English (United States) ·