You can't help loving Dublin, it is a great city with a fantastic atmosphere and on the day of the marathon there is no exception. You can tell there is a little hangover from a heavy bank holiday weekend over the city but there are still large numbers of people milling around the start of the race. It is interesting to see the large numbers of international runners both charity and club that make the journey to take on Dublin, even as far afield as Australia. As you set off from the city the crowds do not stay as you would expect it slightly thins out almost immediately as you head over the River Liffy and out into the North of the city. The Irish people and charities that are on hand do give huge shouts of encouragement and put you in a good mood for the rest of the race. You carry on to the beautiful Phoenix Park which is a great part of the course but unfortunately there is a stretch of several miles after this which most runners who came to see Dublin will find a little dull. When this is over you do get to see the University College Dublin before you head back to Merrion Square for the finish of the race. On crossing the line the crowds have really picked up and a great charity presence can be seen. It is great that the Irish charities are really starting to embrace this run as they are helping to add some real colour on the day.
This is a great marathon for the fundraiser, not much thought needs to go into a fancy dress outfit and a Guinness night won't go a miss either. Aim for £1,250 for your charity of choice. Check out the run for charity fundraising A to Z for some great ideas to help you reach your target.
The support on race day is not quite as spectacular as you would imagine. It might be because the people of Dublin are sleeping off the weekends festivities but it might just be that it takes place on a bank holiday. The music that you hear around the course is great though and the charity support is really growing.
This is a very flat running event in a city centre so a marathon training plan will suffice.
The information before the race is not quite as good as it should be and the website really needs to be updated to fit with a potentially big race. The organisation on the day though is fantastic and the goody bags and medals are very nice.
To choose a charity to support in this event click here or if you already have a charity in mind click here
