The Club had a whopping 50 entries at the Dublin Marathon held last Sunday, 30th October. The event is the focus for the majority of our athletes over the 12 weeks of summer, with all following the plan laid out by Tony and Gary. All appeared well at the track last week with our athletes ripe’n ready and eagerly anticipating DCM. The hay was in the barn.

The usual variables for consideration on the day – the weather and the course. For the first time in a long time the weather gods played ball for the race, conditions were as good as they get for both racing and spectating, however there was no moving the hills. Dublin has its fair share of drags relative to other marathons. What it lacks in smoothness it makes up with in atmosphere, its not known as the friendly marathon for nothing. Our own ‘fans’ made up no small part of this crew.

Many of the crew were in the Park and Castleknock for the first viewing, 6 or 7 miles into the race. Our 7pm’rs were led through by Coach Gary, who, by this stage unknownst to us had done damage to himself, an injury he would sustain for 22 torturous miles. Everyone was in good spirits and full of energy, Loughlin capturing all in various poses as they shook off the nerves and niggles and gave the odd high five.

Most on the sidelines at this early stage wouldn’t see our athletes again until the latter miles of the race in the city and at this stage target times and how the day panned out would be determined. Mental notes made of running orders and positions relative to balloons as all made their way into the city.

Between those two points is where the real action happens in the marathon. Most will have made their way to that part of the city for practice runs but nothing can really prepare you for the particular dread that are hills on empty legs, particularly during a first attempt at the distance. The first real test is the steep hill out of Chapelizod, just shy of the nine mile mark. The openness of the run past Crumlin towards the Halfway House is tough but quickly forgotten. The Templeogue Road, almost a straight half-mile, feels long and monotonous. The three miles of torture – the stretch from the 19-mile mark to the 22 mile mark is the toughest part of the course, going from Milltown Road, through Clonskeagh, up Roebuck Road, to Foster’s Avenue. Most of that part of the course is uphill, draining the best of legs.

Most but not all the smiles of the Phoenix Park were gone, or at least hidden with gritted determination by the time our athletes reached the leafy suburbs of D4. We’d a couple of exceptions, Alan and Donal seemed to be enjoying the party and Paul Gorey put in a bit of a jig whenever summoned. Aside from the cameo’s, all were giving it all they could, as they did in training for the past 12 weeks.

The pecking order was pretty much as was seen in the Park, which lends us to believe most got their preparation and race right. Positions relative to pacing balloons changed slightly, unexpectedly for some, but that’s the nature of the beast that is the marathon. There’s always next year and we’ve already heard from some who’ve said they’ve had unfinished business with the distance which is a testament to their own steely characters and determination.

On the sidelines we reverted to the tracker and filtered through the results to spot our guys. We saw athlete after athlete of post super times, led by Derek and Gerry, who both looked effortless. We’d Stephen in third, just months after joining us. The people’s favourite Emilia, winning a national medal. The happy heads of McKernan, Cashin & Clancy, after their 26.2 miles of craic. Greg and Mick, running the race together as they did every race this summer. Rugby man Cian back at it. Tony running a PB. Stephen and Peter finishing off the last leg of a successful summer at the race series. O’Donnell and Douglas out for a canter after ‘A goal’ Berlin marathon’s. Ladies Jane, Katie and Sarah, combining with Captain Emilia for provincial honours. Rarely do our women run and not win. In there too was annual Dublin marathoner Fintan Crehan.

John O’Malley may be really bad at high fives but he got his race right. Tim was another debutant who excelled. Geoff stuck rigidly to the Hanson plan and hit his target. Ger followed up a good Charleville Half with an even better Dublin full. John Holian running his fastest marathon in recent years. Alan Doyle knocking a huge 15 mins off his PB, just ahead of his training buddy Paul Lord who’d another excellent outing.

Paul Gorey danced over the line, 50+ marathons to his name now. Newbie to us Mark Mac nipping in under 4 as targeted, just ahead of his early morning running buddy Michael O’Baille.

Special mention to Marathon Man himself Shay Dunne, completing another one, a name still in the small pot that is someone who has run every one of the Dublin City Marathons to date.

We’d Philip and Ray, in next, who’ve completed many of these road races and training runs in preparation for them together with Paul Gorey over the past couple of years. Sean Manning notched up another DCM. Paul Da Silveira another finishing off a successful race series.

Running a marathon may be slightly painful but watching it is anything but. Katherine Switzer once said that if you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon. Sunday was a fantastic day out for Dunboyne AC. The whole of the Club is immensely proud of every athlete, both Senior and F4L, who committed to training 12 weeks ago and made the start line for the race this year.

Well done to everyone, enjoy a couple of weeks of down time.

Thanks to the many photographers like Claire Clifford whose fab photos can be viewed here on Flickr, Rob Webb’s photos on Flickr too, Oihana Trojaola’s on FB and our own Loughlin’s here.