Crowds 10ft deep cheered as runners completed the final stretch of yesterday’s Dublin Marathon.

A record 20,000 runners will stride out on Merrion Square South tomorrow morning for the SSE Airtricity Dublin Marathon, with club runners from Acorn AC right through to Youghal in search of that coveted finishing medal.

World junior cross-country champion Gelete Burika is a last-minute recruit to challenge pre-race favourite Tirunesh Dibaba for the VisitScotland Great Edinburgh Cross Country title on Saturday.

DATHAN RITZENHEIM plans a second big surprise when he defends his Belfast International Cross Country title at Stormont today.