On Sunday, October 27th, over 18,000 people lined up along Leeson Street Lower to take part in the Dublin Marathon. Amongst them were several Trinity College students gearing up to tackle the 42.2 kilometres that lay ahead of them. Irish actor Colin Farrell also competed in the race, raising €774,000 for charity in the process.
Thousands more gathered round the streets of Dublin city centre to cheer on friends, family and loved ones throughout the race. Global Business student Lisa O’Brien was one of those cheering in the crowd at last year’s marathon, an experience that inspired her to take part in the 2024 race. “I decided to do the marathon after watching my sister complete it last year. After watching her cross the line, I was so incredibly proud of her it was quite an emotional experience”.
For others, the motivation came from a desire to complete such a challenging feat. “A few years ago I thought I’d never be able to run a full marathon so I wanted to prove to myself that I could”. Those were the words of Clinical Speech and Language Therapy student Alison O’Connor, who raised over €1,500 for the Irish Cancer Society through her participation in the marathon.
“A few years ago I thought I’d never be able to run a full marathon so I wanted to prove to myself that I could”
However, wanting to run a marathon and actually doing it are two very different things. Any runner knows how physically and mentally taxing the long hours of training and preparation can be, just to reach the finish line. It can be especially challenging as a full-time university student, trying to balance extensive and exhausting training sessions with lectures and course work. PPES student Ava Urquidez explained her determination to overcome such difficulties. “Most people can run, it is not a complicated sport, but the mental toughness one needs to wake early daily and run for hours requires the understanding of prioritising discipline over motivation”
This strict mental discipline can be especially challenging for those in their early twenties, surrounded by the social pressures of drinking and nights out.
For some, the sacrifice of cutting back is a step too far. Others, nonetheless, focus on their goal of making it to the finish line. “The hardest bit was trying to say no to nights out and take it handy on the pints in the run up” says Ian Jackson, a Biomedical Science student who also completed the race.
The reward for all that hard work, however, makes it worthwhile, as shown by the remarkable support at the Dublin Marathon. “I couldn’t believe the number of people cheering along the course,” Alison shared. “The crowd’s energy made such a big difference; it was really uplifting. All the runners were so encouraging and friendly—I was literally smiling the entire time.”
Ava had a similar experience running through Dublin’s streets. “I was running at an enjoyable pace with people cheering the whole way, and I couldn’t stop smiling. It was definitely a runner’s high.”
Crossing that finish line is the moment each runner dreams of throughout their marathon preparation, a moment experienced by 17,719 official finishers that Sunday, just shy of the event record. Scenes of joy, pride, and relief filled the air at the finish line near Merrion Square. When asked to sum up what finishing meant, Trinity students expressed profound emotions.
“Crossing the line, when I came up to the 600 metre mark I got quite emotional for a number of reasons.” Lisa admitted, “Mainly being grateful for such an amazing bunch of people coming out to support me and in slight disbelief that I was able to complete a marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes”.
Ian was also immensely proud of his achievement, saying “Afterwards I had a real sense of accomplishment. I finished it in a time I’m happy with and will definitely do more of them”. Alison shared the same enthusiasm for future races, saying, “I felt so proud to cross the finish line and relieved that I had survived the race in one piece. I definitely want to do another marathon, it was one of the best experiences of my life.”
“I felt so proud to cross the finish line and relieved that I had survived the race in one piece. I definitely want to do another marathon, it was one of the best experiences of my life.”
While marathon running may seem daunting or difficult to outsiders, the profoundly rewarding experiences of those who participate draw more people to the sport every year. It’s heartening to see so many smiles, encouragement, and mutual congratulations for such a fantastic achievement. I would be remiss not to extend my own congratulations to my former running coach, Hiko Tonosa, who broke the Irish national record for the Dublin Marathon this year. An incredible athlete and an even better person, no one is more deserving of acclaim and recognition than Hiko.
Overall, the 2024 Dublin Marathon was a wonderful celebration of the tremendous accomplishments of so many runners, made even better by the support of thousands of friends, family members, and loved ones who made the event truly unforgettable.
Photography by Quintin Lawlor
