Almost every single one of the 35,000 women who gathered on Dublin’s Merrion Square ahead of the 34th mini-marathon were there for a heartbreaking reason.
They had come out to run for friends taken too young by cancer or for children fighting for their lives in hospital or for siblings struggling with depression or for parents looked after until the end in hospices and care homes across the country.
All the women - and some heavily disguised men - getting ready to run and walk the 10km route had a story to tell, and while many of the stories were tinged with sadness, good spirits were still the order of the day and the sound of laughter echoing off the Georgian buildings at the starting line was striking.
Almost as striking was the presence of a Clonakilty van giving away free black and white puddings to runners as they readied themselves for the race.
The queue at the van was long moments before the off, and suggestions that, perhaps, it wasn’t the best food to be eating right before running a mini-marathon were dismissed with a wave by the Clonakilty lady.
‘A superfood’
“What you need to do is have just a little bit of pudding beforehand and then a whole lot afterwards,” she said. “And sure isn’t black pudding a superfood nowadays anyways.”
Nearby, a dance troupe from Hula Hoops were giving out free bags of crisps to anyone prepared to do the hula for a few seconds. There were many takers.
In the face of such stiff competition, the fitness coach from the Society of Chartered Physiotherapists who was lepping about on the back of a truck like a whirling dervish trying to encourage passing athletes to do some stretching didn’t stand a chance.
Close to the starting line stood a group of people wearing T-shirts with the slogan Our New Ears. Among the group were two suspiciously hirsute women. One identified herself as “Larry”, while the introduced herself as “Roger” before saying “No, make that Rose.”
Rose and Larry were running for the Our New Ears Charity because they have a friend with a child who needs cochlear implants.
Marie Spriggs Campion is the friend and she is here to run for her son Jake. He was born profoundly deaf and has already had one implant so he can hear to some degree now.
“Sometimes I think he can hear everything except me calling his name. He is a four-year-old rogue,” she laughed.
He needs more treatment, and the State has been found sorely wanting. “He needs another implant, but there is no funding available. Our New Ear is filling a gap that isn’t being filled by the State and it is all completely voluntary,” she stressed.
Katie Nestrich from Bray was running for the Open Door. "It is a great local charity. My aunt uses it. She has Parkinson's and they are great with her. They don't get much funding, so hopefully the money we raise will help."
Her friend Cliona Byrne was running for the same charity. "My granny used to be in Open Door," she explained. "And they always looked after her very well."
Carla Brunell and Roisin Bradley from Crumlin were standing at the starting line having a final smoke before the race started. They were both drinking Lucozade - and they didn't look entirely racing fit. "We're as hungover as hell," admitted Carla.
Hungover or not, they were always going to make it to race. They were running for Headway. “My cousin had a brain haemorrhage last year and they helped her out with the after-care. They were absolutely brilliant. She is here somewhere, she’s also running this year.”
Stubbed out
With that the cigarettes were stubbed out and they got ready to race.
Mary Sheridan and Liz Coffey were both running for their friend Rachel Mackey, who died last year, and for the Hospice in Harold's Cross and Blackrock.
“She was beautiful and she was bonkers,” said Liz. “She was a remarkable person. She worked as a fashion designer and a yoga teacher. We have raised over €3,000. People have been so kind. We have been genuinely overwhelmed.”
Geraldine Bird from Citywest was munching on a bag of jellies as she waited for the starting pistol to sound. "This is my ninth mini-marathon, so I'm prepared," she said.
She and her sisters were hoping to do the race in less than two hours, she claimed. Then her sister Angela interjected: “It usually takes us about four hours, so I don’t know what she’s talking about. We plan to stop in Donnybrook for more jellies. I’m looking forward to that.”
Then the race got under way, and as it did Under Pressure by David Bowie and Queen blared from the PA . It was an odd choice. Nobody was under any pressure at all. It wasn’t that kind of day.
Charity tally
By the time all the money raised by the 35,000 participants who took part in the 2016 Vhi Women's Mini Marathon is counted in the weeks ahead, more than €5 million is likely to have been collected for hundreds of charities.
Last year almost €5.3 million was raised by participants and if that is matched in 2016, then the total raised for charities by mini-marathon runners since the event began in 1983 will top €200 million.
‘Fantastic day’
"Today has been a fantastic day for women and charities from all over Ireland. It's very uplifting to see so many women walking, jogging and running together through the streets of Dublin today," said the event's chief executive, Kathy Endersen.
“This is a phenomenal event that promotes health and fitness around the country, as well as raising much-needed funds for hundreds of worthy causes nationwide,” said John O’Dwyer, chief executive of event sponsor, Vhi Healthcare.
The race was won by Siobhan O'Doherty from Tipperary in a time of 34.30.
Natasha Adams from Donegal was second across the finish line in 34.33 and Sarah Mulligan secured third place in 35.28.
Sinead Kane won the Visually Impaired Category in a time of 71 minutes.
