Organisers wanted to give Limerick a good-news story, writes EMMET MALONE
STRAGGLERS CAN often present a bit of a problem for organisers of marathons but the folks behind the first Great Limerick Run yesterday were helped by the Heineken Cup as the vast majority of participants in three different races were anxious to ensure they had their feet up, in front a television, by 3.15pm.
Sure enough, as the Munster match kicked off in San Sebastian, Limerick’s main street had largely cleared, with the vast majority of the 6,000 or so runners and walkers having crossed the finish line after successfully completing full or half marathons or, for most people, the 10 kilometre race.
Some looked as though they had only started around the corner from O’Connell Street while quite a few others, including some who had actually covered one of the shorter distances, had the appearance you’d expect of people who had just hauled themselves through 26 miles.
At the finish, though, just about every single one looked justifiably proud of their achievement.
Those behind the event, which was sponsored by The Irish Times, had good cause to be happy too. One, John Cleary, spoke beforehand of their desire to generate a positive feeling and publicity for a city that often makes the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Between the hours of noon and 2pm yesterday, so many hugs were exchanged between runners and/or their relatives that Limerick briefly eclipsed Philadelphia in the brotherly (and sisterly) love stakes.
It had been a point of particular pride locally that this event attracted the largest entry in its first year of any Irish maiden race bar the phenomenally successful women’s mini marathon.
It was entirely apt then, that the winner of the most gruelling men’s event should be a first timer.
Though not quite the first across the line due to two fellow competitors having somehow strayed off the official route and cut two miles off their run, George Waugh from Bandon’s time of 2:37 was marginally faster than he’d been hoping for while his placing was way beyond his dreams. “I thought I’d be well back,” he said, with a broad if tired smile, shortly after crossing the line.
A good home leg to Munster’s afternoon was completed when Liz Hussey came home first in the women’s marathon in a time of 3:03.
After years off competing in Dublin, where she had been 12th a couple of years back, the 30-year-old from Monaleen had jumped at the chance to run in her native city and hailed the whole event as “fantastic”.
She then became the first confirmed entrant for the race’s second running by announcing she’d be back to defend her title. “Sure, I’d have to,” she said with a laugh, “the pressure’s on now.”