Speed isn’t everything in Dublin City Marathon

KENYA believe it? The first five runners home in the Dublin City Marathon were all from Kenya, and their front man set a record for the course by crossing the finishing line in a breath-stealing two hours, eight minutes and 31 seconds.

But not even the super speedy Geoffrey Ndungu got the biggest cheers of the day. Those were reserved not for the human cheetahs who finished the race as fast as they started it, without losing an ounce of pace during the 26 miles in between, but for the drooping-shouldered, foot-dragging, wobbling strugglers who had to fight every inch of the last few miles to make it home.

It seemed the weaker the runner, the stronger the roars as the crowd of determined well-wishers urged those with flagging spirits and failing limbs to keep on going.