42.2
Irish Life Dublin Marathon
The Dublin Marathon is a loop through the city with no repeating sections, like a grand tour done at running pace: Trinity College, Phoenix Park, the Liffey quays. Dubliners turn out to cheer even in pouring rain — one runner counted nearly four hundred dogs along the course, brought out by their owners to support the field. The toughest climb waits around kilometers 33-35, which many call "Dublin's version of Heartbreak Hill" — annoyingly placed for already-tired legs.
Course records
Weather in October
Starter pack 2025
- Race bib and timing chip
- Finisher medal with Dublin views (Beckett Bridge, Ha'penny Bridge)
- Finisher t-shirt and a snack bag
Pacers & bib pickup
Run with locals
An easy run with a local club the day before the race — the best way to shake out the legs and meet the city.
- Wed19:00Workout
- Sat09:45Run + coffee the day before the race
- Mon19:00Easy run · 10 km · 5:20–5:40/km
- Sat09:00Run + coffee · 10 km · 5:00–6:30/km the day before the race
- Sat09:30Run + coffee · 5 km the day before the race
- Thu19:00Run + coffee · 4 km
- Sun10:00Run + coffee
Course map
What’s nearby
Dinner before the race
After the finish
Airports
Reviews
One of my favorites out of more than forty marathons — the course loops without repeats, like a grand tour of the city. Even in pouring rain, Dubliners came out to support, some with dogs — I counted nearly four hundred.
I've run this marathon every year since 2013. 2023 wasn't easy weather-wise — plenty of rain, though at least calm and cool — about the worst I remember.