Feet of flames
30,000 runners brave sweltering heat for mini-marathon event
MORE than 30,000 people pounded the pavements in sweltering heat for the annual VHI Women’s Mini Marathon yesterday.
Runners endured 23C heat and high humidity as they raced through Dublin.
The 10k contest, the biggest of its kind in Europe, was won by Cork’s Lizzie Lee who finished in 34mins 18secs.
Local girl Laura Shaughnessy was runner-up in 34mins 30secs.
Sinead Kane, from Cork, won the Visually Impaired Category in a time of 47mins 54secs.
Evergreen Maureen Armstrong, 93, from Thurles, Co Tipperary, was competing in her 24th mini marathon.
Despite the searing heat, Defence Forces member Aoife Curran ran in full combat gear and a 30lb pack on her back to fundraise for Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital and The National Children’s Research Centre.
Meanwhile, in Cork, 8,500 people took part in the city’s annual marathon.
Gary O’hanlon was too quick as he crossed the line with a course record time of 2hrs 21mins.
He said: “I said to myself I’ve been in the Cork City Marathon four times and I was second twice and third once and I just said I had to win at some stage.
“I’m nearly 44 so I mightn’t be here next year for it – this year was the year I said I’d give it a go, especially for my 11-month-old son coming to his first marathon.
“I pushed it out very hard from mile three to mile 16 where I think I was around
1:08 for that part.
“So I knew then it was going to be a fast enough time. The first three and last four or five miles were very slow with a fast mid-section. I’m delighted.”
Mark Kirwan and Eoin Callaghan finished second and third respectively.
Mini-marathon runners were left fuming after 17 cars were clamped while drivers queued at machines to get their parking ticket.
Mary Cullen, who was clamped, said: “We all had tickets but the warden said, ‘Not my problem’. You’re there to do something for charity and then you’re getting penalised.”