Having entered the race months ago, Ann Hirst made the trip over to sunny Ireland last weekend, for the 31^st running of the Dublin marathon. This was to be her debut over the distance and she had mixed fortunes approaching the race. A few weeks of not running made Ann consider not attempting the distance that is more punishing to the unprepared than any other. However, a few solid runs either side of her injury encouraged an apperance on the start line on the Irish bank holiday Monday.

The weather was set fair, if a little chilly and Ann made good time until the 12 mile mark, when the knee that had stopped her training properly started to play up once again. Having gone through the first half in 2:04:44, it was really a case of battling through and making it to the finish and that first pint of Guinness (I am assuming!). Ann felt that she "didn't just hit the wall, she crashed into it!", but although she slowed in the second half, it was far from disastrous consider the knee and she covered the second 13.1 miles in 2:18:16 to give a finish time of 4:23 and a shiny new medal.

Ann claims it will be her first and last marathon, but as we all know, the pain dulls over time and that little nag comes along a year or two (or four!) later and you think weelllll, maybe?

Many congratulations to Ann. She will be down on a Wednesday in the near future to tell us all about her Irish expedition.