Team Geared Up

DUBLIN, IRELAND (Team Geared Up) My entire weekend has been consumed in various ways by the adidas Dublin Marathon. Firstly a visit to the pre-race expo where I tried to stock up on running gear not available in this country. There was also a stand for the new Dublin running shop whose website is not yet up and running but they tell me it will be soon at Runways.ie.
Sunday morning, me and a gang of girlies led out the international breakfast run which is an event for the international athletes to mix and run and mingle and watch some Irish dancing while they eat breakfast! Seriously! It’s a great atmosphere event!
Sunday night was spent at my brother’s house where, every year, the night before the marathon, all Kenyan athletes meet and make their traditional Kenyan pre-race meal: Ugali. I’m sure it’s rocket fuel but the maize itself is fairly tastless, but mixed with their special concoction of chicken etc, tastes great. Photos from the Ugale pre race party on my flickr set here.
Next to the big event. I was on duty in the baggage area (my flickr set here) and you get to see everything there. To be honest this year there were very few walking wounded, people generally in good shape. I think that has to do with the cool weather. Funniest thing was the fact that the start gun went missing and shouting Go was what had to be done!! Race was won by the Russian Sokolov (that’s him below) in a course record time of 2:09:07. Other provisional results here.

I took this cheeky picture of the eventual winner just before the start, ya see I just knew…..

And just to show my Team geared Up t-shirt is starting to get around:

-Aisling-

All photos are mine!