Women all over the country are currently running, jogging and walking in preparation for the Evening Herald’s 22nd Women’s Mini Marathon, which will take place on Bank Holiday Monday June 7th.

Dads everywhere will be left ‘holding the baby’ as Mothers, Grannies and Daughters leave them lumbered as they head off to make the 6.2 mile journey for their chosen charity. The Women’s Mini Marathon is the biggest event of its kind in the world, dramatically increasing in numbers since it began in 1983, when 9,000 women took part. In 2003 the numbers had risen to 37,000 and to date a whopping 66 million euro has been raised for different charities. It is now the biggest single day charity event in the country.

This festival of women is open to ladies 14 years and upwards, you can run, walk or crawl in your own time, no pressure is put on anyone, after you’ve done it once chances are you’ll be hooked. The craic on the day is 90, and the sense of fulfilment afterwards when you wear that medal is tremendous.

The starting point is Fitzwilliam Square and the finishing point is St. Stephen’s Green, although the celebrations certainly don’t finish there, restaurants and bars in the area are packed to the rafters with ladies discussing the antics of the day until well into the night.

Very little training is necessary as a good brisk walk 2 or 3 times a week will get most people through. The emphasis is on fun and there’s usually plenty of that around on the day. Remember, it has the highest finishing ratio of any event with less than one per cent failing to reach the finishing line, just avoid those blisters and bunions by wearing the old comfy trainers as opposed to the new, stylish ones.

Over the years a sinister element has been making its way into the marathon. Ladies who may not be all they seem, or perhaps a little bit more. Hairy-legged ladies, sporting wigs and mini skirts to die for, large breasted nuns and nurses, and others resembling ladies of the night, all add to the fun and excitement.

The closing date for this year’s entry is gone, but there’s always next year. All you have to do is get an entry form from the Evening Herald, fill it in and send it off, then pick a charity of your choice and they will supply you with a t-shirt and sponsorship card and bob’s your uncle.

The current entry is €12, which will also get you two free tickets to the Women’s World Show in the RDS where you collect your number and goodie bag. In 2003 Sonia O’Sullivan from Cobh in Cork finished in first place in 33 minutes and 21 seconds, so get cracking– you have 12 months to beat that!