Running News Daily

Asefa Bekele from Ethiopia won the 2018 men's Dublin Marathon

Ethiopia's Asefa Bekele won the 2018 men's Dublin Marathon while his fellow compatriot Mesera Dubiso won the women's race. Over 20,000 participants turned out for the annual race with Bekele coming home in a time 2:13:23 with Dubiso crossed over the finishing line in a time of 2:33:48 to take the women's title. Meanwhile, there was a strong Irish representation in the field with Mick Clohisey of the Raheny Shamrocks club claiming the Irish Athletics National Marathon, finishing in a time of 2:15:57. It was the fastest time to win the National title since 1991. The Dublin man placed sixth overall. Cork native Lizzie Lee took third place in the women's race and finished in an impressive time of 2:35:04 after winning the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon earlier this year. She also claimed the Irish Athletics National Marathon title in the process. Lee said: "An Irish woman on the overall podium, I am thrilled with that. I am thrilled with the time, I am thrilled with the place and I know my little girl is out there somewhere I can’t wait to give her a hug. I needed redemption after Berlin. "I felt like the last few miles got away from me. I am absolutely over the moon. I am a Mum of two small girls and I work full time. "Running is my hobby and I am on a podium with two Ethiopian girls.  I am thrilled,"  said Lizzie Lee with a smile. (10/29/2018) Views: 1,565 ⚡AMP

Lizzie Lee will lead the Irish charge at the Dublin Marathon on Sunday

Lizzie Lee, Mick Clohisey and Gary O’Hanlon are expected to lead the Irish charge at the Dublin Marathon on Sunday, October 28.  Lee finished 29th in the marathon at the European Championships in August, will face Remalda Kergyte of Lithuania, Caroline Jepchirchir of Kenya, and Ethiopian duo Motu Gedefa and Mesera Dubiso. Kergyte, has a personal best of 2.35.13, while Jepchirchir won this year’s Belfast Marathon. Lee has a personal best of 2:32.51 from Berlin in 2015 and last competed in the Dublin Marathon in 2006. The Olympic marathoner has shown good form this season, setting a new personal best of 1:13:19 at the World Half Marathon Championships in March.  The Irish national title will be a battle between Lee and fellow Olympian Caitriona Jennings who placed second in the 2017 National Championships. (10/24/2018) Views: 1,627 ⚡AMP

The marathon is not a young women’s game says 38-year-old Irish Olympian Lizzie Lee

Most athletes will tell you that age is only a number, and Lizzie Lee is certainly no exception. She turns 38 this week, and nearly two years after running the Rio Olympic marathon, and 11 months after giving birth to her second daughter, she’s back training at full tilt for the European Championships in Berlin in August. She’s not alone either: Lee is one of five Irish women selected for the marathon in Berlin, and not only have they an average of 38, they also have 11 children between them: another small step or perhaps even one giant leap for gender balance in sport. “Look at the all the major marathons, and the average of the top women is 33, 34,” says Lee. “ And we’ve just seen Des Linden winning Boston at age 34, in her sixth attempt.  “The marathon is not a young women’s game. Yes, you have some 22, 23 year-olds, but to me, the marathon is so mental and so physical that you only really get to know it as you get older. I’ve had two babies, and can tell you that at the end of a marathon you’re head goes to places that it will never go to at any other point. “And in endurance running, in the second half of your 30s, there’s no reason why you can’t still be improving.” Joining her in Berlin will be Breege Connolly, 40 earlier this year and who like Lee developed late in her career to qualify for Rio; Gladys Ganiel, a mother of one, is 41 and Claire McCarthy, a mother of four boys, turns 42 next month. Laura Graham is the youngest at age 32, and also a mother of four. Lee’s first daughter Lucy (now three and three-quarters) was born in late 2014, and she came back in late 2015 to run her fastest marathon (2:35:51 in Berlin), qualifying her for Rio (where she finished 57th); her second daughter Alison was born 11 months ago, and the Cork woman sees no reason why she can’t run faster again. She’s also a full-time employee of Apple and that hasn’t slowed her down either. (05/16/2018) Views: 2,046 ⚡AMP