It's one of the greatest community events of the year, where physical endeavour meets high spirits and above all, a desire to change things for the better.
But thousands of women who had planned on taking to the streets of the capital for the Vhi Dublin Women’s Mini Marathon found themselves at a loss this June Bank Holiday weekend.
Another inevitable cancellation due to Covid-19; another of the landmark sporting events that so reliably bring energy and verve to our year, gone by the wayside.
The event, which attracts over 30,000, was to have seen a colourful force of positivity on 31 May - with the usual uplifting anthem of Molly Malone being belted out by the crowds just before the off.
Instead, the would-be route, though sun-drenched, was virtually empty and silent.
One veteran runner has her own take on the cancellation.
"Take a year off your life," advises Joan Brady, 81, from Dundalk, Co Louth.
Her bid to take part in her 38th consecutive mini-marathon scuppered, Joan is keeping upbeat and is already counting down to the iconic event's return in 2021.
"The mini-marathon is only around the corner," she says from her back garden, as she keeps mobile by jogging in circuits.
And she knows it will be worth waiting for, with the pent-up energy generated by the cancellation bound to make next year’s event even better.
"Can you imagine the fun?" asks Joan.
"And by the way I’m telling everybody take a year off your life cos the mini-marathon isn’t on you see, so you are all a year younger!"
The octogenarian has participated in the mini-marathon since it began in 1983 and during that time, she has made many long-standing friendships through the training and participation.
"I want to wish every one of the girls, I’m going to give you all the biggest hug," she says, adding: "I won’t manage 40,000 but I will manage all the people we’ve met."
"It’s peculiar - you forget the day of the week, but I’ll never forget the date when we hear the mini-marathon is going to be on again."
Hundreds of charities depend on what is the biggest all women’s sporting event of its kind in the world, for a large part of their fundraising efforts.
Sponsors Vhi says it will announce details of a special virtual race in the future. All entries for 2020 will still be valid for next year.
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