Marathon countdown

What the Tour de France taketh away, the Dublin Marathon giveth back. No need for city traders to grieve at road closures for the October Bank Holiday Dublin City marathon. While the knives were out for Pat McQuaid and his bicycles, the UCD's School of Graduate Business has declared that the 26-mile run will enhance Dublin traders' coffers by £5 million.

The 5,000-plus people who take to the streets will be running for a prize of £5,000. Avoiding the inequality that frequently exists in many sports, both the first male and female over the line will race for the same amount from a total prize fund of £20,000.

Approximately 2,400 runners are expected to fly in from America. Irish athletes are expected to account for 2,000 of the total. Around 1,000 additional runners are expected to arrive in from various European countries.

The sponsors, 98FM, in the second year of their four-year commitment to the race, say that approximately £250,000 has been committed to the event, comprising a direct financial contribution combined with advertising and promotional support. The race begins from O'Connell Street at 9.00 a.m. on October 26th.