We rain supreme!
Showers could not dampen spirits at the Women’s Mini Marathon
NOT even the darkest of yesterday’s clouds hovering over Dublin could dampen the absolute joy of cancer survivor Mary Nelis as she togged out with 33,000 other brave souls yesterday.
Taking part in the Women’s Mini Marathon was ‘magical and emotional’ said the Drogheda woman who was given the all-clear from breast cancer just last year.
This is her third year doing it and she said: ‘I wouldn’t not do it. When you get to see all the ladies, the young ones and the old ones here, all in the one situation, looking for donations, its magical.’
She was one of the many who gave up their bank holiday Monday to take part in one of the largest fundraising activities of the year, helping hundreds of causes around the country.
So the rain, when it came, could not dampen the spirits of the runners, walkers and joggers of all abilities, who set out to complete the 10km route, encouraged by cheering family members – old and young – along the way.
TV presenter and former model Amanda Byram, 43, was joined by her mother Betty to walk the route of the largest all-female event of its kind in the world, now in its 35th year.
The Dubliner, and ambassador for the Mini Marathon, who recently finished up presenting RTÉ’s Dancing With The Stars, said: ‘I’m walking with my mum, she is not a runner, and when I asked her if she wanted to do she jumped at the chance.
‘It’s a special day, 33,000 women out there, I can’t fathom it right now, I am passionate about women, I empower women in sport, women are my best mates. I’m a woman’s woman and to be out there with 33,000 of them, it will be brilliant.’
A 26-strong group travelled up from Leitrim to raise funds in honour of a young woman killed by cancer. Catherine Earley’s niece, Laura McLaughlin, died on St Stephen’s Day aged just 22.
Catherine and other family members and friends raised about €7,000 for Galway University Hos- pital, where Laura was cared for.
Ms Earley, from Mohill, said: ‘My niece passed away on Stephen’s Day, so there’s cousins, sisters, aunts, friends and neighbours participating today. There’s 26 of us, we have been fundraising for a while, and it has been very good, we got a great response.’
Simona Volkovaite and her daughters took part to raise money for a life-saving operation for a two-month-old baby with a rare illness. She said little Ilya Krushnikova was born prematurely and can’t breathe on his own. She said: ‘He has to go to Israel or Germany because they are the only countries which do that kind of surgery. Only, to fly him costs €30,000, so that is expensive, the surgery can go from €20,000 to €100,000 because he can’t breathe on his own.’
The Today FM dancers led the crowd in some eye-catching dance routines, while Today FM’s weekend breakfast presenter Alison Curtis took part for the second year running.
And while most runners were there for the fun and fundraising, there were winners too. Ann-Marie McGlynn from Strabane, Co. Tyrone, came first in a time of 33 minutes and 55 seconds, Laura Shaughnessy from Rathfarnham, Dublin, was second in 34 minutes and 27 seconds and Sinéad Kane from Youghal, Co. Cork, won the Visually Impaired Category in 46 minutes, eight seconds.
This year’s event featured a reversal of the race’s route, starting at Fitzwilliam Place, and ending on Lower Baggot Street.
Organisers also announced yesterday that next year’s Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon will be moved to the Sunday of the June Bank Holiday Weekend, taking place on June 3.