Weather likely to set trial of endurance for Mini Marathon

Wind and rain are expected to be unwelcome guests at the Women's Mini Marathon in Dublin and the Cork City Marathon which both take place today.

The blustery and unseasonably cold conditions over the bank holiday weekend will continue with temperatures reaching just 13 degrees at the start time this afternoon in Dublin for the biggest event of its kind in the world.

Some 37,000 women will participate in the 10km event, which is in its 33nd year. The figure is slightly down on the 40,000 who participated last year.

Participants are expected to raise up to €12 million for various charitable causes.

One of the biggest fundraising drives will come through the Irish Cancer Society which will have 2,000 women taking part. The race begins at 2pm on Baggot Street and runs as a loop towards Stillorgan and then back into the city centre.

Paralysed

One of the biggest fundraising events surrounding the marathon will be the 180 women who are running to raise funds for Jonathan Ranson, the 21-year-old student from Clontarf who was paralysed from the chest down as a result of a freak accident while on a J1 visa to San Diego last summer.

The youngest participant is 14 and the oldest will be Betty Hand (80) who has taken part in every mini-marathon since the first one in 1983.

Irish comedian Maeve Higgins, who is a member of the VHI support team, said she is "very excited" about flying from New York to take part.

In Cork city, the annual marathon is set to attract more than 9,000 runners.

The marathon and team relay start on St Patrick's Street at 9am and the half-marathon at 10.45am on Victoria Road.

Monday Road Closures In Dublin

10.30am-6pm: Hume St , Ely Place, Merrion Row, Baggot St Lr. 6am-6pm: Baggot St Upr, Fitzwilliam Street Lr, Pembroke Street Upr/Lr.

1.30-3.30pm: Pembroke Road, Baggot Street Bridge, Fitzwilliam Street Upr. 8am-6pm: Fitzwilliam Place.

7am-7.30pm: Merrion Sq East , South, West, Merrion Street Upr, Lr Leeson Street.

12-5.30pm: Leeson St Bridge

1-5.30pm: Adelaide Rd, Nutley Lane. Traffic diversions

1.50-4.30pm: Pembroke Rd, Shelbourne Rd, Ballsbridge, Merrion Rd.

1.30-4pm: Cranford Estate, Fosterbrook, Seafield Rd, Teach Cloiche, Ashfield Park, The Elms, Glenomena Park, Trimblestown Rd, Stillorgan Rd from Fosters Ave to Donnybrook, Morehampton Rd, Leeson Street Upr.