Charity the big winner as 10k run mini-marathon

Men cross-dressing, runners of both sexes, charities jumping for joy — the Evening Echo Women’s mini- marathon attracted it’s usual quota of outrageous outfits, pink wigs and big hearts, all out for a good cause.

With the number of participants hovering above 10,000, calling it a mini-marathon seems something of a misnomer — it’s now a massive event on the mini-marathon calendar, from humble beginnings of around 300 participants when it was first held 33 years ago.

Those who took part yesterday ranged from seasoned athletes to women for whom exercise is an annual event — but whatever the fitness level, the motivation was unquestionable. Whether you sprinted or strolled your way around the four-mile course, the goal was the same for everyone — to raise funds for that special cause. And judging by the t-shirts women were wearing, the causes were many and varied, from the Irish Heart Foundation and Breakthrough Cancer Research to the Epilepsy Ireland, Irish Guide Dogs, and Cork Simon Community — the list goes on.