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A half marathon in Dublin that still manages to showcase Ireland’s natural beauty? Yes please. The Joe Duffy BMW Clontarf Half Marathon is a great July race for people who don’t want to travel to an extremely expensive northern European country.

I started the year of 2023 with the goal to run a half marathon every month in a new country. I didn’t know where it would take me, or what would happen but it has been the best experience of my life. The problem arrived when I needed to select a race for July. I had run my June race in Norway, and the majority of July races were also in the cooler Nordic countries, and I simply couldn’t afford that. Then I found the Clontarf Half Marathon. 

If you’re looking for someone to plan a vacation around the Clontarf Half Marathon for you, look no further. I offer trip consultations, tailored travel itineraries, and end-to-end trip planning. I even support running clubs traveling in large groups.

This gorgeous out and back course takes runners through some of the amazing nature and waterways on the outskirts of Dublin. The paths are a bit narrow at times, and the wind was very strong, but it was still a great race.

Clontarf Half Marathon Overview

This course by Bear Races runs through the Clontarf area of Dublin. From what I could see while running, I would say this is a wealthier, waterfront neighborhood. There were beautiful flowers and sights along this entire course. The crowds were a bit small for this run, but to be fair this was a smaller race in general. Although I ran the July race, there is also a November version along the same course.

Course

As mentioned above this is an out and back course along the water. There is a small outshoot in the second half onto a small island filled with tall grass. I really enjoyed this part as it felt like you weren’t even in Dublin anymore. This course is also completely flat, a major bonus when covering such a long distance. Majority of the course is along bike paths which does make it a bit crowded for runners to squeeze by, but since this a smaller race in terms of total runners, the squeeze wasn’t too bad.

Refreshments

I loved the water stations on this course. They had reusable cups for water that you put in a collection bin at the end of a race. After running 6 other half marathons this year and being increasingly annoyed by the water cup choices, this was an amazing sight to see. I wish all races did this, it would reduce so much waste from people throwing away cups and water bottles.

Crowds at the Clontarf Half Marathon

Most of the people who came out to support runners were there for specific people. I did try to get some people to cheer for me near the finish line and they looked at me like I was insane (they also did not cheer). I would recommend you find good music before this race and dig deep into your own motivation, because the crowds will not deliver.

Weather

The Clontarf Half Marathon takes place in July, which does mean there is a risk of heatwave, but Ireland is a cool country overall making it a safe bet. It was also windy, which did help drop the temperatures even more. That said, this level of wind provided a challenge. I couldn’t figure out why I was going so fast for the first half of this race, I didn’t feel as though I was putting more effort in. Then I turned around, and was immediately pushed over a foot by the wind. Suddenly, every single step was a fight against the wind and I worked harder in the second half of this race than any other half marathon this year. It was like running through jello. 

What To Do in Dublin

While traveling for this race, I highly spending the weekend in Dublin. There are lots of free museums that I took advantage of, including the Dead Zoo and the National Gallery of Ireland. I also recommend getting some Fish and Chips while in town, and doing your shake out run in Phoenix Park.

Where to Stay for the Clontarf Half Marathon

The beauty of this race is that while it is in Dublin, you are out of the busy downtown and it feels like a whole new world. However, if you like the hustle and bustle, it is very easy to travel from the downtown to the race start/finish.

Overall, I think this is a great race for people looking for a cheaper country to run in during the summer. If you want to sign up for the Joe Duffy BMW Clontarf Half Marathon check here.

Note:

If you choose to do this race, please note that bib pickup was a bit confusing. They do not send an email with your bib number, instead you have to go to a board located near the pick-up station, find your number, and then return to the pick-up station. Also, if you want to pick up your bib before race day, the location is rather far from the course. This means lots of people are picking their bibs up on race morning, so add extra time for that.