The 37-year-old would ideally like to go out in winning style at a Phoenix Park event she helped establish four years ago. Entries have tripled to 9,000 runners since the Sydney Olympics 5000m silver medallist won the inaugural race. O'Sullivan said: "I think the Run has moved on magni"cently and is now a recognised as a very important annual event in the Irish sporting calendar. I was over here last week and everyone knows it is taking place."

The race includes a handful of world elite runners joined by mainly fun runners, eager to jog in O'Sullivan's slipstream. "I'm feeling a little bit nervous about Sunday and I really want to run well, particularly as it is my last race here. But I'll take whatever result I get, " she said.

The Cork-born athlete, said: "I now "nd sessions very hard and believe that the end is near at world-class level.

But, until then, I plan getting the best out of myself. I could say it might be December - or then it might be this time next year. I just don't know. For the moment, I'm just planning to compete, but not at such a high level. I'd de"nitely like to run a marathon this year. I've run out of pace for everything else. "