Sir, - A few weeks ago, you described the Dublin City Marathon as the "Marathon of Suffering", referring to the weather that day. While this may have been so, our Joints in Motion team - representing hundreds of Canadians running on behalf of The Arthritis Society - respectfully disagrees with your description. What made it memorable was not the weather but the extraordinary support and friendliness of the Irish people.
What many people discount in this era of global tensions and misunderstandings, is the benefit of a simple warm welcome.
The majority of our participants were running or walking a marathon for the first time and many had never had the opportunity to travel overseas. They were nervous and facing a significant challenge, but it seemed to them that they received a special brand of Irish understanding and humour to speed them on their way.
Our participants, from Newfoundland to British Columbia, want to share their appreciation with your readers. The Dublin City Marathon is one of the very few that are run by volunteers (special thanks go to marathon organizers Liam O'Riain and Jim Aughney), and it certainly deserves its reputation as the "friendly marathon". Bravo and many thanks. - Yours, etc.,
Kelly Webb, National Co-ordinator, Joints in Motion, The Arthritis Society, University Avenue, Toronto, Canada.