Andrews runs a big race before getting down to business

POLITICIANS:HE MAY have predicted pain in the forthcoming budget, but Minister for Children Barry Andrews appeared to surmount his own pain barrier yesterday.

Mr Andrews (43) hoped to complete the marathon in a time of around four hours. Instead, he came home in a very impressive three hours, 43 minutes and 11 seconds, shaving 20 minutes off the time he ran in the New York marathon two years ago.

Compared to many of the bedraggled and exhausted participants, Mr Andrews looked remarkably chipper crossing the finishing line in Merrion Square.

He went off to have a massage, a shower and then a sleep before heading off to Farmleigh House last evening for a more perilous marathon of discussing cuts in the next budget.

The Minister enjoyed the atmosphere of his first Dublin City Marathon: “That was positive Ireland out there. People were in good form and getting on with it.”

In all, 11 Oireachtas politicians took part in the race. Fianna Fáil Senator Brian Ó Dómhnaill, a former international race walker, finished in under four hours while Senator Cecilia Keaveney finished in an impressive time of just over four hours.

Fine Gael TD Jimmy Deenihan finished in 4:22:38. “I knew Barry Andrews was going to run a very good marathon, but we were very pleased with how we did. We were making a positive statement for the Oireachtas in general,” he said. Fellow Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton finished in 4:44:03 for the Friends of St Luke’s charity. She said she ran through the pain barrier having hurt her ankle after just six miles. “I felt very energetic, but there was a lot of pain. I think I’ll stick to half marathons in future.”

Fine Gael deputy leader James Reilly said he finished the marathon in “well under six hours”. Senator Fidelma Healy-Eames also finished despite an injury.

Labour TD Mary Upton walked the course in seven hours and 37 minutes along with Fine Gael Senator Nicky McFadden. “My goal was to finish and to finish it before dark. I had no ambitions beyond that. It was tough going for the last few miles, but it wasn’t horrific. I was sore and I had a few blisters. It was something I wanted to do,” she said.