Sun, stars and good sports all came out for the day

Big Bird was there, as were dozens of highly unconvincing female impersonators. Elvis was there too, collar flipped up and white flares flapping as he ran. Catherina McKiernan might have won the day, but the real sports at yesterday's Flora Women's Mini-Marathon were the 40,000-plus runners.

Crowds flocked to a sunny St Stephen's Green to watch the first of the athletes cross the finishing line shortly after 3.30 p.m. in what was the biggest race in the competition's 21-year history.

As the first fast finishers were crossing the line tens of thousands of the not-so- competitive, but nonetheless enthusiastic, runners and walkers were still at the opening stages of the route, which stretched from Fitzwilliam Square through Ballsbridge to Belfield and back to St Stephen's Green.

The huge number participating this year had to be split into two groups, one starting from Merrion Square and the other from Leeson Street, to allow for a smoother take-off. The dense crowd meant progress was a slow walking pace, but most were content to cross the finishing line no matter how long it took.

Everyone who made it to the 10km mark received a medal.

As always, officials turned a blind eye to the "ladies for the day" competitors who bearded and butch were less than ladylike, but nonetheless part of the overall effort to raise millions of euro for charity.

Pink "ladies" Ben Kelly and Michael Marsh, both from Clonee, Co Dublin, looking fetching in cerise skirts and matching hair, collected €2,000 for St Francis Hospice, Raheny, Dublin, from customers at their local pub, the Village Inn.

Ms Gabrielle Comiskey, from Whitehall, was walking the route for St Luke's cancer care hospital.

"I had radium treatment there a few years back and they took very good care of me," she told The Irish Times.

Now 60, Ms Comiskey said she has taken part in the mini- marathon five times to raise money for the hospital.

"I think I was one of the very last to cross the line last year. Catherina McKiernan was finishing as I was starting."

Ms Dolores Corcoran and her daughter, Jennifer, were collecting for the Aoibhneas women's refuge in Coolock. A stalwart of the mini-marathon, Ms Corcoran has taken part every year since the first race in 1983. A fit 58-year-old, she was aiming to complete yesterday's course in three hours.

Ms Deborah McArdle, from Donabate, made €500 for the Alzheimer's Society, while 62-year-old Phyl Mullen, from Whitehall, was collecting for Third World charity Fighting Blindness.

"I've been in the mini-marathon every year and I choose a different charity each time.

"I don't think there's any danger of me running out of them," she said.

As well as raising money herself, Ms Mullen encourages other women to join in the day. But this year a number of friends, as well as her sisters, were turned away.

Organisers said the number of entrants was so great this year they had to stop taking applications for logistical and safety reasons.

However, they intend to examine the possibility of expanding the race for next year's event.

Last year, €6 million was collected, which brings the total since the race started in 1983 to over €66 million.

With 3,000 more competitors running in this year's race, even greater proceeds are expected from what has become the biggest single-day charity event in the State.