The real winners at yesterday's Women's Mini Marathon are all the children, women and men who will benefit from the millions of pounds collected for charities by a record number of runners.
The women of Ireland - and quite a number from overseas - turned out in their thousands; the grandmothers, the mothers and daughters running together, sisters jogging along side by side, the groups from clubs and organisations, the individuals, all injecting enthusiasm and triumph into a grey Dublin afternoon.
That is not to say that some did not look at least a little odd - nuns with moustaches? Huge muscular six-footers in skirts? Yes, a few men did get through in disguise under assumed names but it was all in a good cause and they did not qualify for a medal at the end like everybody else.
When the 36,868 competitors, 3,500 more than last year, began the 10-kilometre (6.2 miles) in Fitzwilliam Square they took 20 minutes to get past the starting post. And this was after a rousing chorus of Molly Malone just to get them in the mood.
The carnival atmosphere had begun early with eight pop bands, two marching bands, dancers and music providing the entertainment at the start and finish when, deservedly, We Are The Champions heralded those that completed the course.
The huge entry was the largest number to take part in an all-women's event of its kind in the world. The Co Cavan athlete Catherina McKiernan completed a hat-trick of victories by winning the mini-marathon once again. Second was Kenyan Madelaine Chemjar, who is coached by Mallow-born Brother Colm O'Connell in Eldoret. The wheelchair winner was Patrice Doherty.
This year it is estimated that around £4.5 million will go to causes like children's and women's charities, hospitals and hospices. And it was due to the thousands of women who poured past the post, not trying to beat any records, some running, others walking or jogging, or in wheelchairs.
These were people like Ms Brenda Cherry, Blanchardstown, and Ms Marion Moylan, Castleknock, who ran together for St Luke's Hospital and cancer research.
Ms Cherry said: "We've been doing this for the past 15 years. We do it for fun. We're not interested in doing it to break any records. We did it in 55 minutes."
Ms Teresa Conville came up from Ennis, Co Clare, to compete in the race. She is a 62-year-old with 10 children and 18 grandchildren. She said this was the 10th time she had run it for various charities. This time she had collected £1,150 for the RNLI.
Two members of Sports World, Terenure, Dublin, Ms Siobhan Bradford and Eilish O'Connor, are sisters and they too ran together. Another 25 came from a Canadian Women's Club, many of whom were based in London, and another group of over 40 women came from Wonderbra to draw attention to breast cancer.
Among the runners were Ms Adi Roche, Ms Diane de Burgh, and actress Sheila McWade.
And the men? One who donned black wig and skirt was Virginia (Peter) Whelehan, originally from Ballyhaunis, who was running for Croi to raise money for a heart unit for the west of Ireland. "I was quite relieved when I saw other men running here," he said.
Another, dressed as a St Trinian's girl, was Pamela (Robert) Clarke from Cabra, who was fund raising for a three-year-old who has spina bifida, Lisa Farrell.
This year's mini-marathon was the 17th and in 1983, the first race attracted 9,000. This year it was sponsored by the Evening Herald and Adidas.