Firefighters and fundraisers blaze a trail as thousands take to the streets for marathon
Wearing steel-toed reinforced boots, fire-retardant pants and jacket, as well as his 3lb helmet and visor Alex completed the Cork City Marathon in a time of 3 hours, 41 minutes and 10 seconds, destroying the previous record in London earlier this year.
He raised money for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and his local Ballineen Enniskeane District Association’s playground development fund.
Bartosz Muzerski won the men’s race for the second year in-a-row with a time of 2hr, 28min and 38sec, seven seconds ahead of Gary O’Hanlon, while Irish Olympian Pauline Curley took the women’s title, crossing the line after 2hr, 43min and 47sec — a course record.
More than 7,500 runners of all ages, professional and amateur, took part in the full and half marathons.
Among them was visually impaired runner Sinead Kane, 32, from Youghal who completed her first half marathon in 1hr 49mins. She plans to run a full marathon in Dublin in October.
East Cork Relay Team retained their title, while Sergio Ciobanu won the Tony Brauders Half Marathon in a time of 1hr, 10min and 19sec.
Race director Jim O’Donovan congratulated everyone who crossed the finish line. “We are particularly thrilled that Alex O’Shea has set a new Guinness World Record here in Cork through his extraordinary feat of endurance and perseverance. He truly is a hero, and has raised both awareness and funds for his charity, Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and his local playground in West Cork,” he said.
Cork wasn’t the only city to be overrun yesterday. Around 40,000 women raised more than €12m for charity when they pounded the streets of Dublin.
The colourful bunch who took part in the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon had the perfect day for it too — it was overcast and the rain stayed off.
The mini marathon is the biggest all-women event of its kind in the world and the largest one-day charity event in Ireland. More than 800 charities used the event to raise money.
Rose Healy from Athboy, Co Meath, who was one of the 9,000 participants who completed in the first all-women’s 10k, enjoyed her 31st mini-marathon experience yesterday.
Now in the over-65s age category, Rose said she was bitten by the running bug when the mini-marathon started in 1983.
“I just do my own thing — I know my own limits and don’t push myself,” said Rose.
“Just getting around the route on my two legs is enough for me now and, sure, I had the perfect day for doing it,” said Rose who in recent years has run to raise funds for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin.
Another seasoned participant was Cathy Curley from Lucan, Co Dublin, who has been running in the event for 15 years. “I do it to keep fit and to do something for charity,” said Cathy, also in her 60s.
This year Cathy was among a large group running for the Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice.
Sophie Olech from Poland who has lived in Ireland for the last 10 years was among a group of women from Boots chemists who were running to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society.
Julia Matiz from Colombia, now an Irish citizen and living in Balbriggan, Co Dublin, completed her fifth mini-marathon yesterday.
Julia ran to raise funds for Dublin Simon. “I enjoy planning for the run as much as taking part.”
The mini-marathon was won by Barbara Cleary from Dublin who passed the finish line in a time of 34min 7sec.
The oldest participant was retired farmer, Maureen Armstrong, 89, from Thurles, Co Tipperary, who has always liked keeping active. Maureen, who completed her 20th marathon for the Irish Cancer Society, neither smokes nor drinks and proudly wears her gold pioneer pin.
Another participant, model and broadcaster, Daniella Moyle, was among another large contingent who raised funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young.
Many of the women taking part in the marathon on behalf of the charity have been affected by sudden cardiac death.
Among them was Marian Finn, from Ringsend, Dublin who ran with all her women relatives in memory of her son, Andrew, who died aged 28 from sudden cardiac death in April 2010.
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