Watch: All the sights and sounds from the Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon

There was an early start for runners of the Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon with a start time of 8.30am.

Sun, 02 Jun, 2019 - 15:08

Digital Desk staff

There was an early start for runners of the Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon with a start time of 8.30am.

Double lung transplant patient David Crosbie was one of those running, taking part in the relay.

There were plenty of others running for charity.

More than 8,000 took to the streets for this year's marathon, which is now in its 13th year.

Threre was plenty of support for the runners along the way.

Sanctuary Runners

350 people signed up as Sanctuary Runners to run in the humanitarian movement’s signature blue t-shirts.

The Sanctuary Runners initiative, founded in Cork in Jan 2018 by journalist, Graham Clifford, sees Irish residents, asylum seekers and refugees, running together every Saturday.

Some of the Sanctuary Runners before the race.

“For many of our runners the journey to the start line for this year’s race has been a very difficult one,”

“Running enables people in very difficult circumstances to taste liberation and the Sanctuary Runner concept breaks down the barriers which exist between those in Direct Provision and the rest of us in wider Irish society.

"Ours is a running group of hope, of solidarity and of decency and we would be so grateful to the people of Cork if they could cheer us on this Sunday.”

Marathon 450 for wheelchair athlete

Wheelchair athlete Jerry Forde is due to complete his 450th marathon in Cork today.

The marathon legend has raced in Cork 10 times previously.

Jerry Forde competing in his 450th Marathon at the 13th annual Cork City Marathon.

Irish Examiner’s greenest ever Cork city marathon

This year's marathon is set to be the most environmentally friendly race to date - medals will not be individually wrapped in plastic; water-station bottles are made of 30% recycled plastic; and runners crossing the finish line will be offered water in reusable tumblers provided by refill.ie.