Glendalough Lap of the Gap Marathon
Join Glendalough Lap of the Gap Marathon 2025
Irelands toughest road marathon!
Cyclists have long known the allure of the 'Lap of the Gap' circuit taking you from the village of Laragh to the highland pass of Sallygap and back past Lough Tay (the 'Guinness Lake'). A scenic route with plenty of ups and plenty of downs. From quiet country back lanes to the barren and dramatic heather landscapes once you pass the Glenmacnass Waterfall.
Both our marathon and half-marathon adds a 'tail' to the traditional Lap of the Gap to allow you to start in the monastic village of Glendalough - one of Ireland's most popular tourist destinations.
We hope you will get not just a race out of our event - but an experience for a lifetime.
Course details
A classical cycling route slightly re-done to add up to exactly 42.2 kilometres or the full marathon distance running clockwise up to Sally Gap via the Glenmacnass Waterfall before meandering past Lough Tay and returning via the Drummin/Oldbridge townland.
To say the route is hilly is not doing it justice - its a marathon to run for the pure experience, the physical and mental challenge and the scenery rather than the personal best potential!
Start address: Glendalough, Ireland
Finish address: Brockagh Resource Centre, Ballard, Glendalough, County Wicklow, Ireland
Register
Registration closes on 24 May (187 days left)
selected tickets
Total
You can, within 24 hours after your registration, get a full refund if you change your mind.
What’s included
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done Finisher medal
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done Finisher’s T-shirts
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done Cash prizes info
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done Timing chip (single use)
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done Photo Service
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done Post-race meal info
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done Parking
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done Shuttle to Start Line
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done Drink Stations
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done Nutrition Stations info
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done Medical Assistance info
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done Bag drop
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done Toilets
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done Shower info
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done Dressing rooms
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done Name on bib
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done Lead vehicles
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done Sweeper vehicles
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done Race announcer
Frequently asked questions
When and where can I collect my BIB/race pack?
All bibs ship no later than the Monday pre-race and arrive Tuesday-Wednesday to Irish and UK addresses. Bibs not received or those with non-Irish/UK addresses should collect their bibs Friday evening (6:30-8:30 pm) in Lynhams Hotel or Saturday morning in Glendalough Hotel from 6:30 am and no later than 20 minutes before your race starts.
Can someone collect my race pack for me?
No, you must collect it yourself
How do I get to the race location?
You can use public transport (Friday evening), take your own car, or purchase a ticket for the Saturday morning bus from Dublin city centre. A shuttle also runs from the Race Car Park in Laragh to the Glendalough Visitor Centre (1.5 km from start line). Last bit you must cover on foot so leave the Glendalough Visitor Centre 20 minutes prior to your race start
Can I change the distance after I purchase a ticket?
yes, you can change distance down to half-marathon free of charge or pay an additional fee to upgrade to the full marathon.
What is the cancelation/refund policy for this event?
You can receive a free refund within 24 hours. There is a strict no refund policy after this point but you can avail of a transfer to future years or transfer your ticket to a friend up until one week before the race. WorldsMarathons offer refundable tickets through Refundable dot me but please note this has nothing to do with the race organiser (Glendalough AC)
What type of course is the race?
It's a road race (on tarred surfaces) but through very hilly scenic roads in the National Park (so expect an adventure - not a PB!).
Can I have support on the course?
No support is allowed outside of the official water/aid stations as support vehicle and bikes on the course would provide a hazard for traffic.
Why is the start so early? Are the roads closed?
It is not possible currently to close the roads of the National Park for a race such as this, so you are sharing the road with other road users. For this reason we start the events early, so we can clear the busiest stretch of road (the first 3 km) as early in the day as possible. For this reason: - 8 am start for the marathon - 8:30 am start for the half-marathon
I haven't received a follow-on email in the final weeks leading in?
You will most likely find the answers to all questions on our Facebook page and in our Competitor Handbook - but we recommend emailing us to confirm. Sometimes your email was typed in wrong or newsletter was caught by your spam filters.
What toilet facilities are in place for the event?
When you arrive at race parking (near the finish line) you can find a limited amount of portaloos in the parking field as well as toilets in the Brockagh Centre (building by the finish line). There are overflow portaloos 500m/200m from the full/half start lines in Glendalough as well and toilet access in the Upper Lake from 7:00 am onwards.
Can I defer my entry to future years?
Yes, at the organiser's discretion this can be organised.
The race information has been found on the official website of the event or through publicly available sources. Always refer to the official website the latest race information. Please let us know if any data is wrong or missing, by emailing us.