It's that time of the year, most road races are coming to a close with the Christmas races around the country give us a last chance to post a best time for 2015. Spare a thought also for the East of Ireland Marathon Club who will be running back to back marathons this weekend.
It's sometimes difficult to gauge our time. Even trying to compare your time for the Cork Marathon to the Dublin Marathon, the difference in terrain and race day conditions can easily add 5 or 10 minutes here or there. With that in mind, I was found myself stumbling on a Wikipedia article showing the top celebrity marathon times and to be fair, I found myself wondering just who I was better than. The competitive side soon kicks in and you'll be saying "Surely I can beat them" before you reach the end of the list.
15. Ronan Keating - London Marathon 2008 - 3:59:33
Ronan Keating said he was "hurting all the way round". It was certainly an admirable attempt and a sub 4 hour marathon is a great achievement for the former Boyzone front man. Hurting all the way round a marathon is something we all experience showing these 'celebs' are mere mortals like the rest of us.
14. Will Ferrell - Boston Marathon 2003 - 3:56:12
Funny man ran Will Ferrell in the 2003 Boston Marathon and he wasn't cracking jokes, Will is a serious runner! A great time but he has also run marathons in Stockholm proving this wasn't a flash in the pan
13. Ryan Reynolds - New York Marathon 2008 - 3:50:22
The Green Lantern actor ran the New York City Marathon like a true superhero, completing the race in an impressive time, and doing it as a member of the Michael J. Fox’s Foundation for Parkinson Research’s Team Fox in honor of his father, who has Parkinson's Disease.
12. Pavel Nedved - Prague Marathon 2012 - 3:50:02
Described as one of the best footballers of his generation, he is also regarded as one of the most successful players to emerge from the Czech Republic. The former Ballon d'Or winner ran the 2012 Prague Marathon in a time of 3:50:02 for the 42-km course
11. Edward Norton - New York City Marathon 2009 - 3:48:01
Actor Ed Norton, well known for his roles in American History X, Primal Fear, and Fight Club, ran the New York City Marathon in support of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, which supports the preservation of biodiversity within the Maasai tribal lands of East Africa. He was posting updates and asking for donations on Twitter, even as he started the marathon. But he definitely put his phone down at some point, finishing in a very strong time.