Women’s mini-marathon: runners tell their stories

Ali Cunningham (19), Sankhill, Co Dublin
Finishing time: 56 minutes
I'm doing it with my Mom and my sisters and aunties so it's a family affair! My uncle was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer so we all want to help out and try and raise some money He's doing well now and has been through treatment and is waiting for surgery. There are actually eighty people here running for oesophageal cancer which is incredible. I run a lot so am hoping to get it in under one hour, I probably run three to four times a week. People have been so nice while we've been fundraising and we've got all the cousins up today and my four aunts. It was the aunties who decided to do it first and then we wanted to take part too. It's great people can run for different charities and for themselves. We've just been trying to so something positive to help and the atmosphere here is brilliant.

Feena Bermingham (46), Mountmellick, Co Laois
Finishing time: 2.11
A couple of years ago we lost a good friend to suicide and we got involved in Pieta house and brought the Darkness into Light walk to Mountmellick. I'm here with my brother, and it was our good friend we lost. I just felt if we knew about Pieta house then maybe he would still be here. So that's how we got involved and sure I haven't really been training at all, but I did it once before. It's not really about that or raising money it's about raising awareness. If you can crawl at all you should do it. A lot of people are nervous of crowds but the trick is to stick to the outside. It's all about the atmosphere.

Ellen Conroy (22) and Rachel O Brien (22) , Castleknock, Co Dublin
They crossed the finish line together at 1hr 13minutes
Myself and Rachel are running for Cystic Fibrosis in memory of our friend Becky, we just thought it would be a good way to remember her. She was always so full of life and so we got our bracelets made, they say 'Breathe that beautiful air', because that's sort of what she symbolised and we're handing them out to everyone. It's our first time doing it and we live near each other so have been running through Phoenix Park almost four times a week - we've been trying. People have been so generous and supportive, we're aiming for the hour, or just over it. It's great to be part of the longest running event for women, we got here an hour ago and the spirit is just great. So far we've raised €1,100 euro. Beky was a medical first, she had the first transplant for someone with Cystic Fibrosis who had a certain type of bacteria and afterwards all the nurses were calling her Bambi because her legs were trying to catch up with her new lungs so me and Rachel today I suppose our legs are trying to catch up with our lungs so it's the other way around. We're running for Bambi.

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Leila Quinn, Dalkey, Co Dublin: “I’m here today with my famiy and friends and we’re doing it for my uncle who was diagnosed with leukemia at Christmas. So it’s for bone marrow leukemia research and development because he’s going for a bone marrow transplant in July . . . My wig is already roasting but sure it’s brilliant and we’re so appreciative of everyone coming out.” Photograph: Cyril Byrne

Christine Cronin (52), Wexford Town, Co Wexford.
Fishing time: about 1hr 50
I'm part of team Run for The Room and we're doing it for a multisensory room for the John of Gods School in Wexford. It's's important to us because my daughter's boyfriends sister has a type of autism and for him to get the best value from school he needs one of these rooms. We're funding for the room to get the multisensory and all the lights that will go with it, it's going to be the second one in Wexford town and there are so many children effected by this. I'm hoping to do it in less than an hour, there were about 28 of us on the bus and it's a great day for it. We've been doing lots of fun runs with the kids and everything we can. I haven't been training much but I'm a big trekker.

Maureen Armstrong (88), Upperchurch, Co Tipperary
Finishing time: 1 hour 40 minutes
My two daughters are here with me today, I keep them going and they trot along after me. We got lovely treatment last year in the VIP tent, which is good so I don't have to queue up. But you get special teas and cakes and everything there too, anything you could want to eat. The women go for the wine but I'm still keeping my pioneer pledge. I'm a pioneer and have never broken my confirmation pledge, I still wear both my gold and silver pins. And I can still dance too. The secret is hard work. I keep fit and walking up and down the hills at home helps. This is my 19th year, I first did it in 1994. I really want to thank my neighbours and friends who just arrived at the door giving donations, they are so good. I'm walking this year for the sake of cancer and I wish everyone would get out and do the same. I just started doing it after saying I would go out and do something. There's so many people around the place affected by so many things.

Joanne Clarke (27), Dundalk, Co Louth
My veil and sash are from my hen party the last bank holiday. We're up with the Dundalk Runners today, they've been doing it for 30 years, but this is my 10th. I'm here with my mother in law to be, my mammy and my bridesmaid. We're all doing it for Autism because I have a nephew in Dundalk who has it and the unit there was great when he was younger. He's 10 now - I've nine of them so it's hard to remember the ages! I've done it before, but never in this outfit! Hopefully this will be the one and only time. Himself isn't supporting today, he's at home. But it's only about the women today - we don't want any men! It's great craic and I ran it for years but after an injury I've hand to now walk it. We always get the sun and we've the factors lathered on to us! It's tradition to get an ice cream afterwards too, so we'll be doing that. This is Mammy's fourteenth mini marathon and we've only got rain once. I haven't had much time for fundraising this time - I'm planning a wedding! Eight weeks and five days I was told this morning!'.

Dr Shahez Shah (35), Co Dublin
Finishing time: 1 hour 48 minutes
This is actually one the best things I have ever done, random strangers were cheering me on all along the route and the entertainment and music was great. Basically I didn't do much training and only really started two weeks before the race. I walked from work in St Vincent's Hospital to my clinic in Baggot Street each day and that was about it, I would definitely train next time. This is my first time doing a 10km as I only did a 5km before. Because of cutbacks the school for autistic children in Rathfarnham is effected and needs resources so I'm doing this for them. I am actually post call so I was working all night in hospital but I decided I would just try my best - I was kind of terrified but it was ok. I walked and jogged as much as I could and the support from the crowd really keeps you going, it's wonderful.

Leila Quinn (26), Dalkey, Co Dublin
I've never done anything like this before and the atmosphere is so exciting. When women get together it's just electric and so positive. I'm here today with my family and friends and we're doing it for my uncle who was diagnosed with Leukaemia at Christmas so it's for bone marrow Leukaemia research and development because he's going for a bone marrow transplant in July. There's about 30 of us here and we've raised nearly €8,000 and it keeps rising. My cousins are his daughters so we've all got together and are calling ourselves team 'Ronan's Rockets' in aid of him. Some people are doing it seriously, but I haven't been training and I'll be walking especially in this heat. My wig is already roasting but sure it's brilliant and we're so appreciative of everyone coming out.