Guest Article : GOING FOR 39-IN-A-ROW By John Walshe

Guest Article : GOING FOR 39-IN-A-ROW... By John Walshe

They number just an even dozen but you could claim they’re arguably the most committed marathon runners in the country.

Of the 1,420 runners who finished the first Dublin City Marathon on October 27, 1980, just 12 remain who have taken part each and every year since.

One is Seamus Cawley from Rathkeale in County Limerick, the only Munster representative among the dozen. He was aged just 21 when he dipped under the magical three-hour barrier on that Bank Holiday Monday in 1980 with a time of 2:59:34.

Seamus would go on to run 2:35:56 in 1984, knocking another half-minute off of that time 12 months later, and was comfortably inside the three hours in the first 17 of his Dublin marathons. He was also to the fore in the old Cork City Marathon, finishing in eight position in 2:35:46 in the last of that series which concluded in 1986.

On Sunday next, the West Limerick athlete he will line up for the 39th consecutive year in the country’s premier marathon. Going by recent performances in the Charleville Half-Marathon (1:39:22) and Cork to Cobh 15-mile (1:55:43), he should be again capable of something in the region of the 3:35 he recorded two years ago.

“Last year was a bit of a struggle but I still got home in 3:49, so I hope to do a bit better than that,” said Seamus, who will be 60 in December.

“My slowest was back in 2013 when I had to walk some of it as I had a tear in my knee, but I still finished in 4:20.”

Of course on Sunday next it will be all about getting around once again - before no doubt looking forward to what should be a unique and special occasion for the 40th anniversary event in 12 months time.

SEAMUS CAWLEY : DUBLIN MARATHONS 1980-2017


(Times from recent years are all gun times)

1980 2:59:34
1981 2:42:43
1982 2:55:33
1983 2:37:04
1984 2:35:56
1985 2:35:24
1986 2:41:41
1987 2:40:19
1988 2:40:43
1989 2:48:32
1990 2:49:18
1991 2:39:57
1992 2:39:45
1993 2:42:47
1994 2:50:00
1995 2:52:43
1996 2:56:10
1997 3:33:04
1998 2:58:32
1999 2:53:41
2000 2:56:40
2001 2:53:54
2002 2:58:32
2003 3:02:17
2004 3:06:22
2005 3:02:49
2006 3:05:47
2007 3:05:00
2008 3:10:58
2009 3:19:09
2010 3:19:51
2011 3:26:34
2012 3:28:49
2013 4:22:01
2014 3:40:21
2015 3:31:04
2016 3:35:19
2017 3:49:25