Dublin Marathon
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The Dublin Marathon is a marathon run every year in Dublin, Ireland. The marathon is normally run in late October, on a Monday which is a Bank Holiday in Ireland, each year and has been held since 1980. In 2005 there were about 10,000 race participants, half of whom were from overseas.
The course is reasonably flat. It starts at Nassau Street in the city center and concludes at Merrion Square.
[edit] History
The race was founded in 1980. 2,100 took part that year with Dick Hooper claiming first place in a time of 2:16:14. The women's winner was Carey May who finished in 2:42:11.
The event record, which was shattered in 1982 by Jerry Kiernan in 2:13:45, is currently held by Aleksey Sokolov, a Russian national who ran the race in 2006 in a time of 2:11:38. The women's record is by Ruth Kutol (from Kenya), being 2:27:22. By 1988 the number of participants had increased to 8,700; up from the 4,000 the previous year.
It was 2000 before the 1988 participation record was finally broken when 8,900 took part. In 2001 the marathon became part of the Adidas Marathon Series. It is expected that 10,000 will take part in the 2006 event. A competitor died while running in the 2006 marathon. It is thought he died of heart failure.
[edit] Prizes
The overall winner receives the Noel Carroll Memorial Trophy as well as €15,000 cash prize. Prizes are also given for first Irish finisher, first masters finisher and first team finshers. A €5,000 prize is also given to any competitor who breaks the Dublin marathon record.
