IRELAND’S CLAIRE MCCARTHY has finished 33rd in the IAAF World Championships women’s marathon in London.
The Cork runner clocked a season’s best time of 2:38:26, which is just outside her personal best.
41-year-old McCarthy, who runs out of Leevale AC, made a cautious start to the race but it paid dividends in the latter stages as she climbed the ranks.
“You have to try and keep going,” she told Athletics Ireland afterwards. ”The last two laps are really tough, those sharp, 90 degree turns to deal with.
“Your body is tired — your calves, and your Achilles tendons are all pulling and screaming at you. You just have to put your head down and stick in there.”
“I had the best build up in a long time for a marathon. The best training partners that anyone could ever ask for, the support around Cork has been amazing. I can’t say there was anything wrong with my build-up.
“I would have loved to come out with a PB, but this is the best I can do. I’m happy with it.
“The crowds outside on the roads. I fell into tears at times, the support was absolutely incredible. It was unreal, it’d give you chills.”
When asked about balancing her running with her family commitments, the mother of four responded:
“My kids are part and parcel of my running career. They make me a better runner, and give me a good balance that I need.”
Mayo-born Sinead Diver meanwhile, who was running for Australia, finished 20th with a time of 2:31:37, while America’s Amy Cragg — wife of former Irish Olympian Alastair — finished third.
Rose Chelimo of Bahrain in 2:27:11 won, while Kenya’s Edna Kiplagat finished second.
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In the men’s marathon earlier, Dubliner Mick Clohissey finished 22nd with a season’s best.
Clohissey clocked a time of 2:16:21, with Kilkishen runner Sean Hehir — winner of the 2013 Dublin City Marathon — finishing in 63rd place in 2:27:33.
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