Cork Marathon 2025

Are there many runners in cork marathon that wear headphones? I realise it’s advised for safety and to get atmosphere to not wear them, just wondering what the reality on race day is

Very disappointing experience at the junction of Washington street and Grand parade at the old Finn's Corner for the 10km. Reduced to a stop and walk for a good 45-60 seconds at this section. Appeared to be an attempt to coral everyone down the right hand lane between the barriers rather than using both lanes. Very poorly stewarded. A really bad start to the race. We pay enough to at least expect a well organised stewarding effort. It was pedestrian. Stop start nature of it was very disappointing. Could see people starting to run down the left lane after a while but a hugely disruped start for most. It was dangerous as those behind me basically bumped into me as they were not expecting a stop at this stage. At first I was wondering was there a mass collision but quickly realised it was substandard organisation.

Again the proliferation of ignorance amongst those walking that position themselves in the front 20%-30% of participants is disappointing. I wonder would some sort of signage around estimated finish times work before the start. I found myself still passing walkers along way out Western Road.

Awful news. RIP

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/young-woman-running-in-cork-city-marathon-event-dies/a1855577832.html

Second tragic instance of this in a week.

A young lassie from Ennis died during the Edinburgh half last weekend, desperate sad on what should be happy times, can't imagine how families deal with such things happening.

From the race website:

Are (bone conducting) headphones allowed?

It is greatly discouraged to use any type of headphones during the race. A runner who uses headphones is less aware of their surroundings. People with headphones can’t hear people behind them passing them out and can’t hear instructions from pacers and stewards such as ‘to watch the kerb on the left’ etc. It takes away from their concentration. Thus, runners who wear headphones are more susceptible to injury. Therefore, we ask all runners to not wear any type of headphones during the race to make the event safer for everyone.

just a point re walkers. I don’t walk marathons myself but know people who do. I’d be all in favour. The problem with Cork is the cut off time for the tunnel. Walkers feel they need to be close to the front to make it. Unique to Cork I’d say. After that it’s no problem. Not sure there’s a way around this

I didn’t hit my A goal but hit the B goal of sub 2:50. I feel I have unfinished business with the course after hitting the wall badly in the last section. Not sure we’ll get such good conditions next year though.

Either way I’m hungry to start the marathon process all over again, but probably not until a 2026 race.

I already signed up. Glutton for punishment.

I've never done Dublin but Cork is good. There's great support along the route to be fair. The worst thing about Cork is that it's on at end of May/early June so it can fall on really hot days. Thankfully that wasn't and issue this year but I did it in 2023 and it was torture.

Yeah I did it last year was a little surprised at how small it was last year TBH, a little under 2k finishers, it definitely felt quite sparce on the course at times. Its obviously a different event to Dublin, but it certainly looked like it could accommodate more