Cork City Marathon

Course highlights

Marathon

The course makes a single circuit of the city centre before heading north for the historic suburb of Blackpool.‌ Returning along the northern quays of the River Lee, the runners pass the four-mile mark along the picturesque riverside scenery of the Lower Glanmire Road (N8).

The first relay changeover is at about 5.2 miles, at the junction of the Tivoli Dual Carriageway. The race runs along the inbound carriageway before entering the Jack Lynch Tunnel.‌‌ You must reach the Jack Lynch Tunnel by 11am to facilitate reopening later in the morning. This should allow ample time, even for walkers.

The 360m-tunnel beneath the River Lee links Dunkettle to Ringmahon, and the 2007 marathon was the first time that pedestrians had been allowed through it since shortly after it was opened in May 1999. Then, about 100,000 people walked through the tunnel over two days raising huge amounts of money for charity. This run through the Jack Lynch Tunnel brings the race into Mahon, via the South Ring Road (N25) and the Skehard Road.

After the relay changeover point on the Ringmahon Road, the race takes a right-hand turn onto Castle Road. Just short of Blackrock Castle, the course turns right onto the Lough Mahon waterfront walkway. This popular local amenity walk runs for a mile-and-a-half along the river estuary.

It joins the Rochestown to Blackrock section of the Old Passage West Railway Line just after the 13.1-mile mark. Steep tree-lined embankments guide the runners along the line of the old railway and onto the Marina. The exit from the Railway Line is slightly different this year. We’ve put in a new path just short of the entrance to the pump house. This will bring you onto the Marina behind the half marathoners who will be emerging from Atlantic Pond.

The race runs along Centre Park Road to the third relay changeover on Victoria Road. From here, it joins the city’s South Link Road (N27) for a short distance to run into Turner’s Cross. The South Link Road will start reopening for traffic from 1pm so aim to be past this point by then. Again, this is ample time at a moderate walking pace.

Through Ballyphehane and the Lough areas and onto Glasheen, the race heads along the Wilton Road, through Dennehy’s Cross and onto the Model Farm Road (R608) and the final relay changeover at Kenley. There’s a short steep downhill immediately after the changeover, but the final four miles of the route are almost perfectly flat. At Inchigaggin Bridge the route takes a righthand turn onto The Orchards (Inchigaggin Lane) and a right turn again onto The Carrigrohane Road (N22).

At the start of the Western Road, the race turns left and right again, bringing the runners onto Mardyke Walk, passing the University’s Mardyke Arena and FitzGerald’s Park. At the Mardyke Bridge the course crosses onto Sli Cumann na mBan, onto the North Mall. There’s a change to the 2015 course at this point where the course crosses the North Gate Bridge, goes along Kyrl’s Quay, Coal Quay and Lavitt’s Quay to turn right onto the wonderful finish on St Patrick’s Street.

Half Marathon

The half marathon starting field will head off down Monaghan’s Road. Through the carpark near CAB, into the park at Atlantic Pond, turning right at the pond and along the path that rises up towards the Marina. After a sharp right, you’ll be facing the main marathon field at the entrance to the pump house on the Marina.

The merging of the half and marathon fields is one of the tightest points on the course. Please be aware that you’ll be following the path coming up out from Atlantic Pond, taking a sharp right and shortly after, a couple of sharp lefts before you’re onto the Marina. The marathon field will be running along the Marina at this point.

From there, the half runs the exact same course as the full marathon.