There's one thing we can still be proud of

ATHLETICS:GOOD MORNING, the headlines.

Some 13,000 people take to the streets of Dublin in a sort of unplanned protest against the continuing panic in the economy, creating scenes of frenzied euphoria across the capital.

A Dublin business announces record gains, with further growth expected next year.

Several Irish charities benefit from an injection of €10 million.

Visitors from 74 countries praise the city’s culture and friendliness.

And 11 of the country’s politicians are applauded for their honesty, bravery and efforts.

Seriously, has there been a better Good News Day this year than last Monday? I am, of course, talking about the Dublin Marathon, which more than anything else raised the spirits of so many people this week – with the possible exception of that lucky man who collected the €16.4 million Lotto jackpot.

As a country we may be financially doomed, but if our health truly is our wealth then some of us are feeling a lot better off, physically and mentally. It’s all as simple as putting one foot in front of the other, albeit for 26.2 miles.

It got me thinking we should designate every Monday of the week our Good News Day. All newspapers, television and radio should be banned from carrying any stories that don’t somehow lift the spirits of the nation, or at least don’t contain the words “banks”, “bailouts” or “bullets”. Because there are so many tales of ambition and success and positivity out there, and few events, sporting or otherwise, capture them better than the Dublin Marathon.

Even if it was just for one day, to witness so many people intoxicated by endorphins – rather than alcohol – was a welcome relief from the frightening tales of budget cutbacks, crumbling house prices, etc. Perhaps marathon running is the secret to turning this country around. It certainly made my week, refreshed my ambitions and hope for the future, and I didn’t even run the thing.

What has always set the marathon apart, and of course not only in Dublin, is the sight of ordinary people doing an extraordinary thing, sometimes for no other reason than the sheer pleasure of it. If running has become an opiate for the masses – and it’s no coincidence that these periods of heavy addiction happen during a so-called recession – then there is no more powerful shot of it than at the finish of a marathon. We shouldn’t underestimate the potential of this on the national psyche.

But don’t take my word for it. All week I’ve been getting emails from people who did run, people justifiably proud of their achievement, but, more importantly, fully appreciative of whatever positive vibes are left in this country, and refuse to be beaten down by power, greed and corruption. Here is just a small sample:

“Hi Ian. Got through the day with pb of 4.13 (hardly merits pb term!). Crowds were amazing the whole way around. You could have opened a sweet shop with the amount of sweets they were giving out, folks with their stereos outside their houses, and four plus hours free of any mention of the all the crap going on in Ireland right now.

"I must have looked a mess when some guy in a wheelchair offered me a ride. But the fact I got to run the last 300 metres with my eight-year-old son and got so many high fives and cheers for it and nothing but encouragement from stewards to do it, really singles us out as being the friendliest nation around." – Paul Aherne

“Ian, Just to let you know I finished the marathon in 5 hrs 10 mins, along with my daughter Sarah and two nephews, Gavin Hillery and Ronan Davy.

“The support from the public was tremendous, such a goodwill day by all. If a runner bumped you it was ‘Oh, sorry are you okay?’ With family and friends urging me on I was happy to complete it knowing I was doing this for Aware, as there are so many out there who just can’t put one foot in front of the other as their depression is so severe.”

– Bernadette Griffith

“Hi Ian, I finished in 3:50 which I was delighted with. Perfect conditions, great course, phenomenal support and exemplary organisation. The organisers should be well and truly proud for showcasing the best that Dublin has to offer: warm, friendly people, a beautiful city steeped in history and the triumph of the human spirit in endeavour . . . something to be justifiably proud of in these times.

"Our son George, who is 18 months, was born with Down Syndrome. I am now planning a unique running event in conjunction with Special Olympics and downsyndromecentre.ie." – Bob Manson

“Ian, It was my second marathon attempt, Dublin both times, having started running about 18 months ago. This year I had two targets: run every inch of the course, and do so in under 4hr 15 (actually 3 goals: the third was to finish before they ran out of T-shirts in my size – the downside to a slow time last year!)

“Thankfully, all three targets were achieved (the T-shirt fits like a glove!). The only thing that kept me going was the desire not to walk – that and the crowds, which as with last year were fantastic. Every one of them were brilliant (especially those with jelly babies!), but the guy that stands out the most was standing in his garden in Chapelizod blasting the sounds of Neil Young to all within a two-mile radius.

"After that sort of day, the agenda was to come home and put the feet up – not a hope with a nine-month-old teething baby. Marathon or no marathon, she wanted daddy's attention, especially having spent her day out watching him. And what she wants, she gets! That said, after the pain of the last few miles, I swear I'll never run another marathon again . . . until next year that is!" – Paul Reilly

See what I mean? The Dublin Marathon now stands out as a rare day of national pride, even more so than St Patrick’s Day, which seems to have become a day of intoxication of the other sort. Running is also a potent anti-depressant, and if there are some desperate cutbacks in mental health funding coming down the tracks, at least some of us have nothing to fear.

Believe it or not, the Dublin Marathon is organised largely on a voluntary basis – but that’s not to say it will survive and prosper without sponsorship. Monday’s event marked the end of the deal with adidas and Lifestyle Sports, and let’s just say replacements are being actively sought. It’s not a huge amount of money, something like €250,000 – and about half of that, or €120,000, is handed out in prize money on the day.

What the Dublin Marathon needs now is a strong and enthusiastic sponsor to attract more runners, from more countries, for even more charitable causes – and if that includes a small injection of Government funding then better again, preferably from the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

It’s one of the few ventures left where they’re guaranteed a positive return, and can guarantee us all at least one Good News Day every year.