Charities may be the main winners at the Women's Mini-Marathon but the consensus yesterday was that the feeling of achievement is second to none - and 31,000 women can't be wrong.
Yesterday in Dublin, women gathered from all over the country and abroad to take part in the biggest event of its kind in the world.
The air of triumph when the entrants crossed the finishing line, whether running or walking, was almost tangible at the event and even the weather was good.
As the mini-marathon started at Fitzwilliam Square, the clouds began to lift and by the time wheelchair winner Patrice Dochery and runner Magdaline Chemjor from Kenya passed the finishing line in St Stephen's Green less than half an hour later, the sun was shining.
Sonia O'Sullivan came in second and immediately went over to her daughter who was sitting calmly in her pushchair, quite the old hand at dealing with media attention.
After the leaders, all went quiet for a while but then just before the hour, the multitudes started arriving and then kept on coming in their thousands.
They ran in aid of every possible charity, for local hospices, cancer research, associations for every type of disability and disease, children's groups and hospitals, and rape crisis centres. Millions are expected to be raised this year.
Some of the entrants were veterans of the event like Mary O Colmain from Dalkey. "This is my 19th year and I've run in it since it started. I'm thrilled we did it in within the hour," she said.
She runs with her friends, Mary Reilly and Patsy McCann. The one quibble they had, albeit a good-humoured one, was that walkers got in the way.
"I think we did about eight miles because we had to weave around the walkers," Ms Reilly joked.
One entrant who has particular reason to be proud of her achievement is Sheila Champion of Harold's Cross, Dublin. Ms Champion, who is 65, said she had run in the event since 1983.
"But three years ago I had a stroke so I'm delighted to be running - full stop," she said happily. Annette Glynn-Nelly from Gort, Co Galway, said she ran in the event last year. Her friend, Helena Quirke, said: "It's a good way to raise money for charity without any effort."
Overseas visitors included Swedish women Elizabeth Neilsson, Pia Kardell, and Carina Olofsson, who have taken part in races in Stockholm and London. Ms Kardell has run in the Dublin race four times and her bright yellow shirt carried the slogan: "Do it the Swedish way".
Four friends from New Ross in Co Wexford said there was a good atmosphere. For Mary Connolly it was her ninth mini-marathon and she ran with Paula Fox, Deborah Laffan and Debbie Quinn. They especially liked the music on the trailers along the way and they actually danced and sang.
"We sang `It's raining men!'. Geri Halliwell would have been pleased with us!" Ms Connolly said.
Actually, the event was not exactly a man-free zone. There were certain clues among some of the entrants, like beards, for instance, and brightly coloured wigs with all manner of fancy dress. These rather more masculine "ladies" brought wolf-whistles from the crowd as they strode down to collect medals.
The event was sponsored by the Evening Herald and Tesco Ireland and organised by the Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club.