Over 4,500 runners — and not a few leprechauns — got St Patrick's Day off to a speedy start today at the tenth annual SPAR Craic 10K.
THIRSTY WORK: The LORAG water station at Ormeau Park with Conor, Natasha, Gerard and co
Clad in 40 shades of green, participants, who came from as far away as France, Holland, the USA and England, were sharmocked off from City Hall at 9am by Lord Mayor Ryan.
The winding 10K course took runners up the Falls - where they were met by a cheering contingent from St Comgall's — down the Grosvenor to the Dublin Road and through Botanic Park to the finish line in Ormeau Park.
First male home was the 'running poet' Stephen Connolly of the Annadale Striders club in 31:42 while first woman over the line was Sophie Ward from Sale Harriers in Manchester in a time of 35:08.
Full results are now online.
The PSNI, Island Events and St John Ambulance crews complemented a large team of marshals, many from run charity Marie Curie, to ensure the safety of the biggest field ever at a 10K in the North.
Run organiser Connla McCann of Aisling Events said the goodwill of the public and "99.9 per cent of road-users" made the event a mammoth success.
"Our aim was to get St Patrick's Day off to a spectacular start with an inclusive, healthy, fun-filled event which really puts a smile on the face of Belfast. We are really grateful to the Lord Mayor for starting the race but also to the Council for opening City Hall for the first time so that runners could have access pre-run to the toilets. We hope all our runners go on to have a mighty St Patrick's Day."
BUS STOP: Having the Craic on St Patrick's Day
