DSD MTR Race Report: Dublin Marathon 2025

By Emma Howard

After hundreds of miles and 12 weeks of Gary and Maria putting us through our paces, nearly 70 DSD Meet and Train Racers made it to the end, ready to taper and take on the Dublin marathon. Race week arrived, and preparations weren’t confined to counting gels and carb loading. Barry O’Grady was busy sourcing us a new race HQ for marathon day. We were all relieved that he was giving us a second chance after we blocked all the toilets in the building last year. Tadgh thought he only had to

make the sign and buy the toilet paper (extra quilted, only the best for DSD), but on Thursday evening they made the grim discovery that the toilets in our new HQ weren’t working. An emergency plumber came out and said new water pumps were needed, and he could get them in by Tuesday. Race day plans were in serious jeopardy, but not one to accept defeat, Tadgh as ever rose to the occasion, managing to find old water pumps at home, fix them up, and get the toilets in working order, ready for Sunday morning.

From just before 7am people began to arrive, full of nerves, excitement, and adrenalin. Bananas were eaten, hugs and race plans exchanged, ibuprofen taken, deep heat applied, and race numbers attached. Before long it was time for the team photo, and as we gathered on the steps there were lots of smiles from other runners as they passed. A final cheer, some fist pumps, and our wave 1 speedsters headed to the start line, while the rest of us took one last chance to use the HQ toilets, still in good working order.

On the start line, Quentin tried to recruit some running mates to join his sub 3 train but there were no takers. He ploughed on undeterred, determined not to let anyone from DSD pass him. His strategy clearly worked as he knocked a massive 33 mins off his PB, coming in at an impressive 2:51. For Mícheál Johnny there was blood, sweat, and a PB as he shaved nearly a minute off his previous best effort, securing 2:55. John Walsh, also clocked the same time, a PB for him too. Cormac ran the first 13km with Richard and Alan Egan. They helped set him on his way to a 10 min PB of 2:56. 

Training partners Ruth Wilson and Lisa spurred each other on to phenomenal PBs, running 38km together before Lisa produced one of her trademark kicks to finish in 3:01, slightly ahead of Ruth on 3:03. Their times, together with Meghan

Ryan’s outstanding time of 2:40, won them the bronze national team prize. 

Despite being sick and on antibiotics for the week, Len ran a great race, achieving a PB of 3:01. Duracell Dillon showed no signs of tired legs from his recent ultramarathons and secured a PB of 3:04, alongside Richard who ran the same time, also a PB for him. Eugene worked hard in the second half and secured himself a big PB coming in at a stellar 3:07. Eight years after her first marathon, Sinead took 32 mins off her previous time, running an incredible 3:12. Despite only taking two gels she managed to feel good until the last mile or so, and just needed a little direction towards the finish line at the end!

On their way to wave 2, in plastic bin bags and threadbare jumpers, Barry and John O’Grady, Thomas, Paul Croke, and Roly were feeling the cold and regretting their choice of clothing. Luckily for them, the good folks from wave 1 had discarded some top-quality kit and they helped themselves to upgrades. Roly scored a Nike jacket, while John found a Rice Krispie bar in the pocket of his new gear. He promptly ate it, having lost his own earlier. They got good mileage out of their new clobber; it was so cold that they kept the jackets on well past the Phoenix Park. The group picked up Valerie in Crumlin who ran with them to Milltown, enjoying the banter, with Thomas and Barry whipping the crowd into a frenzy at regular intervals. The cheers spurred a delighted Valerie on to a fantastic PB of 3:49. John was feeling the strain at the end, but he dug deep and running with his brother finished strong and smashed his PB. Roly managed to squeeze in under 4 hours, valiantly putting the foot down to stay ahead of the balloons in the final stretch. Paul, who had been giving his foot a break

for the last 7 weeks, had initially intended to only run half the marathon. But his FOMO was stronger than his common sense, so even though he’d done almost no training, he ran the whole thing anyway.

Colleen and Fogo took on pacing duties for another group in wave 2 with, Nathan, Ste, Santiago, and me all rowing in behind them from the start. They differed in their leadership styles; Fogo had laminated cards with timing splits while Colleen was more mother bear/ sergeant major trying to keep her troops in line but were both

equally determined to help us succeed. Santiago dropped off the group with a knee injury but valiantly battled on to finish the race. Ste, a typical Gen Z, cut loose from the pack and found a runfluencer to help him on his way to a new PB, 12 mins faster than last year. Nathan and I followed our pacers all the way to heartbreak hill where

we split, him and Fogo surging ahead to bring Nathan home in a massive PB of 3:42.Colleen roared me on for the final stretch, getting every last second out of me. I crossed the line with a 15 min PB of 3:43 and needed her help just a little longer to wobble back to bag drop!

Elsewhere there were lots of other impressive achievements in challenging conditions. Fuelled and uplifted by the amazing DSD support throughout the course, Jane knocked 36 mins off her PB (I think the biggest margin this year!) to finish in 3:22. An interrupted training block didn’t hinder Claire Brides too much as she achieved the same time, a PB for her too. The dynamic duo of Tara and Deirdre ran together for the duration, crossing the finish line in 3:35, brilliant PBs for both. Susan also secured a PB, running 3:41 while Laura Kinsella ran a fantastic race, running a PB despite a challenging year with injury. She also clearly enjoyed it, giving Sallie a run for her money by beaming in all the race photos! Sorcha’s knee held up and she powered home in 4:00, a shiny new PB. Avril also had a great race, running a PB of

3:51.

Andrea failed in her attempts to charm the doorman at the Shelbourne into letting her

use the loo, but it was all success from there as she glittered across Dublin to a lovely new PB. DSD newbie Oriana ran the marathon with her 19yr old daughter, and although she was 2 mins off her PB, finishing her second marathon in as many months is a super achievement. Lynda got chatting to a guy she recognised around mile 2, wearing t shirt and shorts although he usually ran in speedos, lamenting his clothing choice as he wasn’t getting much attention. Later as she was struggling into

the wind on Crumlin Rd, she got a tap on her shoulder; it was the same guy, now stripped down to just a pair of pink budgie smugglers. They ran together all the way to Rathgar, getting so many cheers Lynda hardly noticed the kms ticking by. David Kelly faced a different marathon challenge this year, nursing a knee injury he walked the course and recreated a photo from 2017 by strolling down Fosters Avenue with a

happy meal!

The first timers this year had their work cut out for them with the weather, but they all rose to the challenge. Tracy was in good company pre-race, chatting with our own Olympian David Gillick and then running with his wife Charlotte to try and make the start of wave 3. They just missed the 4-hour balloon but the support along the route

and the crowd in the last two killer miles helped Tracy power on to a super 4hr finish.

Ruth Brogan and Edell Fitzpatrick both finished their first marathon in an impressive 3:55, and Laura Thompson was also delighted to get her first marathon in the bag.

All along the marathon route this year the support was phenomenal, and DSD were out in force. So many people mentioned in their race highlights how much of a boost it was to hear someone shout their name, or roar for DSD. From Rojo roaring in

Rialto, to Leggy and Sallie popping up around every corner, from all the stars and nappies aligning for Sarah to make it to Terenure, to Darren shouting to ‘keep those f**king legs moving’ near heartbreak hill and Colly’s rallying calls at UCD, we hardly went a mile without a clubmate cheering us on. It was like being a celebrity running past the water station at Milltown, where the encouragement was as enthusiastic for the last wave runners as it was for the first. Clare and Cynthia rescued many a race with their water bottles, and Cynthia got her own marathon session in racing after DSDers who fluffed the handover to get them their water.

The weather gods didn’t shine on us for the 2025 Dublin Marathon but the rays of DSD sunshine all along the route got us through. Huge thanks to all the supporters, volunteers, pacers, running mates, and our fantastic coaches Gary and Maria. The

countdown to the 45th Dublin Marathon is on.