Marathon: The prize-money will exceed €90,000 and there will be preliminary races and a better course for this year's marathon. Ian O'Riordan reports

A better route, increased prize-money and a countdown series of races - these are some of the incentives added to this year's Adidas Dublin Marathon to help boost entries to beyond 10,000.

Details were announced yesterday for the 23rd running of the event, to be staged as usual on the October Bank Holiday, this year Monday 28th. Race director Jim Aughney believes this year will see the race develop further as a major city marathon.

"We all saw the amazing event in London last weekend," he said. "I believe fast times can also be run in Dublin, and I know the drive and enthusiasm is now there to bring the entry level through the 10,000 mark."

Last year's entries totalled just under 8,000 - despite some fall-off because of the September 11th attacks in New York. The number of Americans is expected to increase this year, with further interest coming from Canada.

Title sponsor Adidas are midway through their three-year deal, and will promote three races this summer to entice more home runners to the event. On July 20th, there is the Irish Runner five-mile, on August 18th the Frank Duffy 10-mile, and on September 21st the BHAA half-marathon. All will be staged in the Phoenix Park.

Paul Moloney of Adidas Ireland is confident the race series will bring even more to the 26.2-mile distance.

"We are saying to people who maybe feel the marathon is that bit too much, here is a challenge you can meet. We hope once people start training for one of these races they are encouraged to keep going and maybe go for the big one in October," he said.

To attract more elite runners to the event, the Dublin prize fund will total over €90,000. Winners of the men's and women's races will get €15,000 - up from €10,000 last year - and there are also improved time bonuses. The prize fund for the top Irish finishers has also been extended.

Last year's winner, Zacharia Mpolokeng of South Africa, has indicated his intention to return (he won a North Korean marathon in 2:15 last weekend), and the Kenyan presence is again expected to be high.

Catherina McKiernan, a former winner in London, Berlin and Amsterdam, attended yesterday's launch, but she suggested that this year's Dublin race may be a little too soon in her comeback to competitive running. Last month she gave birth to her first child, daughter Deirbhile.

"I'm back into easy training now but this year's race is probably too soon," she said. "We'll have to see but I definitely would like to run it at some stage in the future if possible."

In a change from recent years, the race will start on Nassau Street and finish on Merrion Square. Fifty thousand entry forms have been printed, and entries can also be made at:

www.dublincitymarathon.ie