The much-loved annual Irish Life Dublin City Marathon returns on the 26th of October in the heart of the city, starting its 26.2-mile course on Leeson Street and ending on Mount Upper Street.
The event celebrates the beauty of the capital, bringing runners and supporters together for an important and joyous tradition.
The event begins with five different waves of start times every twenty minutes, beginning at 8.40am until 9.45am. The course closes at 5pm and participants are asked to move to the footpaths after this time to allow the roads to re-open.
With multiple road closures, traffic will be heavy. Luas and bus routes may be affected, and more information regarding this can be found on the Irish Life website.
The somewhat flat course showcases landmarks of Dublin, such as Trinity college, Dublin castle and Phoenix Park. Runners will cross the Grand Canal and then face a stark incline in the 21st mile as they face Roebuck Road. There will be water and aid stations throughout the course, as well as pacers provided every ten minutes for runners wishing to reach their time goals.
First established in 1980, the race has gained high popularity amongst athletes across the world, including the highly acclaimed Irish actor, Colin Farrell who participated last year as he ran for charity organisation Debra Ireland. Likewise, this year, the marathon has garnered huge interest, with over 22,000 runners set to tip the finish line.
For the runners, the marathon expo will open before the race in the RDS, where they will receive their race number and goodie bag. For any supporters who cannot attend the race, there will be a live tracker available on the Irish Life Dublin City Marathon app and a live link shared on their website before the event.
For those who wish to line up along the streets of Dublin and cheer on their friends and family, there will be designated areas throughout the marathon route for those interested. The race celebrates the beauty of iconic Dublin landmarks as well as fostering a great community atmosphere for the residents of Dublin.
For this extraordinary achievement, runners who complete the race receive a t-shirt and medal which celebrates Dublin’s landmarks such as the Ha’penny bridge and Custom House, while also carrying depictions of Molly Malone and James Joyce, paying homage to Ireland’s rich historic culture. This medal will be a great keepsake and testament to those who have trained so hard to achieve this extraordinary accomplishment.
With the countdown to race day on, there is no denying that this event is not one to miss as it creates an electric buzz of community, athletic strength and cultural enrichment around the city.
