10,000 runners to set off in a blaze of marathon glory

MORE than 100 gardaí will be on duty to ensure today’s Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon runs smoothly.

An estimated 10,000 people will participate in the 26.2 mile course, with the race getting under way by 9am.

It will finish six hours later and after that all roads, except Patrick Street, will be reopened.

Inspector Colm O’Sullivan said he expected all roads on the northside to reopen after 11.30am, as runners will have to be in the Jack Lynch Tunnel before noon.

Roads on the southside will open later as the runners pass them on their way back into the city and the finish line on Patrick Street.

Motorists are urged to use the North and South Ring Roads, which will give access to most parts of the city and suburbs.

The Park and Ride from the Black Ash into the city centre, will operate from 7.30am to 7pm.

Some of the city’s regular bus services will be disrupted for the duration of the race and will operate on a shuttle service.

The much-anticipated event is expected to raise more than €3 million for 170 different charities.

Athletics legend Sonia O’Sullivan will make the 34,863km round trip from her home in Melbourne to be on the starting line in St Patrick’s Street to run the first leg of the team relay race.

Some of the other entrants come from as far away as Canada and New Zealand.

Among the participants will be 74-year-old Cork woman Kay O’Regan who will be running her 98th marathon.

Mike Jones, who successfully rowed 5,000 miles across the Atlantic, will run with his whole family in tow, including his parents who are both in their 70s, his sisters and brothers and their extended in-laws

Niall O’Crualaoich will run the course in a fireman’s uniform complete with breathing apparatus, while an entrant from Germany will be running the race in a clown suit, and a team from France will be dressed as musketeers.

It’s expected that 50,000 bottles of water will be gulped along the route, along with 5,000 organic fair trade bananas.

Last year, first time entrant Michael Herlihy won the marathon in a time of 02:30:36. The first female over the finish line was Lucy Brennan from Sligo in a time of 02:51:25.