They really do need to start erecting a warning sign at 20 miles: marathon starts here. Because, not for the first time, that’s where the Dublin Marathon got going.
It was where Eliud Too hit the front, and Dmitry Safronov hit the wall. For everybody it was where the wind seemed to hit them straight in the face.
It was definitely where the race for victory was won and lost, as Too, who trailed Safronov by nearly three minutes at half-way, cruised on to the finish, winning in 2:14:47.
It was only the second marathon for the 26-year-old from Kenya, who found himself in Dublin via Le Chéile AC in Leixlip, and his assistant coach and mentor, Neil Fleming.
Safronov held on bravely for third, the Russian clocking 2:15:12, with another Kenyan Paul Kimutai second man home in 2:14:56. First Irishman – or soon-to-be-adopted Irishman – was Sergiu Ciobanu, a native of Moldova resident here since 2006, who was fifth overall in 2:21:01
If Too was a somewhat surprise winner he didn’t necessarily see it that way. He wasn’t even listed among the elite runners, entering himself like everybody else. Yet he certainly looked the part, and comfortable at the finish, immediately paying tribute to Fleming, and Le Chéile AC, whose club singlet he wore to victory.
It’s a slightly roundabout story: Fleming, who now works in exercise physiology at Indiana University, credits one of his American students, James Walters, for first discovering Too, after he went to Kenya on a student placement.
“There are so many Kenyans running in Iten, so many fall through the cracks, and Too is really an unpolished diamond,” explained Fleming. “He ran the Cleveland Marathon last May, finishing second, and when it came to his second marathon Dublin was perfect. He’s been staying with my parents in Leixlip for the last two weeks. He’s not officially a Le Chéile member, but an honorary member, definitely.”
€10,000 prize
The Kenyan earned himself a tidy €10,000 for his efforts, and spoke eloquently of where that money might go: “We’re 10 in the family. My three sisters are all married. My parents are getting older, and I have many brothers coming behind me, who need to go to school. We’re farmers, only to feed ourselves, from a humble background. So I will spend the money well.”
He was eloquent in motion too, slowing closing the gap on Safronov between miles 13-20: once he passed the Russian, outside O’Shea’s pub in Clonskeagh, he never looked in danger.
By then, Ciobanu looked safe as the first Irish finisher. The 31-year-old, now living in Clonmel, coached by Jerry Kiernan, and running with Clonliffe since 2006, is now on the brink of receiving Irish citizenship.
“I would love to run for Ireland soon. I’ve been feeling Irish for a long time now. I’m going out with an Irish girl too, Eimear. We’re getting on well and we have plans.”
Completing the top Irish finishers was Barry Minnock from Athlone, ninth overall in 2:22: 42, and Dublin’s Eoin Flynn, who, at 34, ran a lifetime best of 2:25:01. Patrick Monaghan from Naas set a record in the wheelchair race at 1:52:53, clear of Paul Hannon (2:05:56), and Luke Jones (2:09:33).
