special to Irish Runner.com by Eoghan Young-Murphy.

While the competitiveness of the adidas Dublin Marathon has recently declined substantially, with the winning times in the men's race sometimes being as slow as 2 hours 20 minutes, the fun-run that precedes the event has evolved and this year looks set to record its largest entry ever.

For some years now, a couple of thousand youngsters aged between nine and eighteen have hurtled around the 2.5km event. The organisers have been successful in attracting such an abundance of eager athletes because of the fact they have specifically targeted schools, with entry forms being distributed.

This year the runners will finish under the gantry set up for the principal event, and this is likely to not only increase the number of those competing but also generate an atmosphere - something that is normally non-existent.

The organizers are keeping light-lipped as to who they have managed to draft into competing in the race, probably an indication that few, if any, big name stars have been recruited.

Yet, as ever, there is sure to be sprinkling third-rate runners from Kenya, the country that produces a conveyer-belt of middle-distance talent.

There is a live prospect of a home winner this year; the form recently displayed by Neil Cusack suggests he can mount a serious challenge for glory.

Cusack is again in action this weekend, in the Loughrea 5 mile Road Race. Gerry Ryan, from local club Galway City Harriers, is likely to be his nearest challenger in a race that has experienced a decline since BUPA desisted from sponsoring it a few years ago.

Meanwhile, Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie is said to be targeting a world record in the ING Amsterdam Marathon, which takes place this on Sunday.

In the only other serious attempt he has made at classic distance, he clocked 2:06:35; the world of 2:04:55 was set by Paul Tergat in Berlin two years ago. The fact that he ran 44:24 in posting a phenomenal 44:24 or 10 miles last month is perhaps a propitious omen.

Tergat has opined that his record will be bettered; he even reckons Gebrselassie could run 2:02.