Great Limerick Run 2025

There certainly seems to be a lot more younger runners at races in general. I have ran Kinsale 10 Mile, GLR half and Dublin half recently and there was lots of people in their 20's running. I put a bit of it down to the the popularity of Hyrox that people are accidentally finding they like running

10 years ago when I took up running in my mid twenties I felt like one of the youngest people at races

Of course this is all anecdotal and no hard facts to prove it!

Running is much more democratic now - maybe Parkrun has something to do with that?

An older friend of mine always felt that you had to be a very good athlete to join a club, so they never did.

it might have been that way in the 80's and 90's,20 years ago even.

But pretty ordinary runners join clubs these days and enjoy the camaraderie it brings -, ordinary runners such as myself! 😊

Ended up smashing my previous best marathon time by around 10 minutes (set in Westport earlier this year). I ran Limerick last year and suffered a bit from the heat. Wasn't as bad this year but I was started feeling it from 11:30 or so. Up until kilometre 36 a sub 3hr 30 was a possibility however I knew from (probably) km 25 that this was not really going to happen. Stated feeling tired at that point but kept the wheels on for another 10k and then started fading a bit.

Km 41 was a nightmare 😄. The drag up that hill nearly killed me. Got about halfway up and felt the back of both my upper legs about to go. Sense overcame bravado at that point as didn't want a dnf so walked for that section ultimately losing 2mins 30 on that km. Once I got to the top of the drag I was ok going in to the finish. Finish time was 3:36:01. Delighted with that.

I really enjoyed the day. Plenty of water, lovely day, usual chats with other runners and even had a couple of supporters down from Dublin (they were there for someone else but still good to see them).

2 gripes

Around the 10:40 I ran into the back of the half marathon. It was a virtual wall of people that were very difficult to get past. I was running 3 minutes a mile faster than these guys so had to go into the right hand lane to get by which was into faster runners coming the other direction. Marshalls shouting all the time to stay left but the road just wasn't big enough to fit all of the runners.

The crowd control at the end was a disaster. Thousands of runners being pushed up the road that seemed to have public access with only a very narrow way out. Just needed to sit down at this point but having to negotiate buggies and elderly people in a tightly packed crowd. One of the only ways out was by a pub that was also allowing people drink on the street so causing more of a people jam. It was actually dangerously overcrowded as I have seem marathon runners drop after completing marathons but if that happened in that crowd it would have been impossible to get into them.

Still glad I did it. Probably won't do it next year as I have other goals I want to achieve but well done to everyone who did it. Decent medal aswell 😊

Hi,.where did you find the discount code I can't see it in my emails?

Thanks

Seems very quiet this year alright, anyone else doing it?

I wonder has the Dublin Half being on the same day taken a bit out of the numbers.

Anyway, year 3 for me this year. I’ve done both the half and the full now, and back for the full this year. There are a few quieter stretches, particularly along the riverbank and out on the Rosbrien Road heading towards Dooradoyle, but you get to hit the city three times after that.

First by St. John’s Hospital and Colbert Station, then up O’Connell Avenue and Henry Street and out over Sarsfield Bridge. That final stretch, back over Sarsfield Bridge and up O’Connell Street, is a great finish, just a wall of noise. The estates around Dooradoyle and the North Circular are usually great for support too.

Both the half marathon and 10k have been pushed back a bit this year, which should help with congestion particularly for anyone running a 3.30/4 hour marathon.

Save a bit for the hill along Brookville Ave(after Galelic Ground) and the drag up the Ennis Road at the end. It’s not the worst , it just comes at the worst time. Legs may be gone, but the crowds will carry you over Sarsfield Bridge and up O’Connell Street to the line.

And best of all, you barely have to leave the finish area before you have a pint in your hand. Lets hope the weather plays ball, it's been great the last 2 years.

Good luck with it. The NCR does seem to go on for ever and I think that loop after the Gaelic Ground is nearly worse than the return up the Ennis Rd but there is solace in that you’re not far off at that stage.

Think it might just be lucozade sport.

think I recall high 5 gels last year. I wouldn’t be relying on them though if I was you.

Massive running weekend in Ireland bext week with Limerick, Belfast and Dublin half taking place.

I am running in the 6 mile race. Would anyone who has done this before have any recommendations on where to park/how early to arrive given the full and half distances are starting earlier

I know this is very late, but what time is the half tomorrow? The GLR website is down, I had originally booked the full but emailed to drop to half which they were fine with (despite my bib coming as full still..) - Eventmaster says 11am but I've read comments on Reddit that say 11:30 !

Did the Half today. Hated pretty much every step tbh. The decision to move the Half back 30 minutes so that we emerged into 4-4:30 marathoners was a disaster (for HM runners at least). Spent 6-7 miles stopping/starting, slowing/swerving trying to get by other runners and many walkers. The roads (4 abreast in many spots) in those miles are too narrow to expect such different paces to run alongside each other.

It’s a hard one to get right with the course have and do it. Previously you had low 3 hours running into half. Now it’s the half starters running into a lot slower marathon runners.

Did the half, didn't get 'released' until about 25 minutes past the gun which is a really long time to be standing around waiting if not expected. What I do like though is there is at least pacer balloons so anyone half competent will slot into the right place - I have heard and read a lot about the 6 miler being a bit of a s show due to walkers being up the front etc.

I can't remember which half pacer it was but at one stage, maybe after punches cross where the was a lot of congestion coming against me between than half pacer and also a marathon pacer - probably where Mr Guappa referred to above. I've done it 4 years in a row now but I'm not 100% sure I'll do it again next year unless I do the full.

On the bright side I did PB the half, broke the sub 6 min per K duck I had (landing on 5:59 per k lol) - so now looking for another run this year to try go sub 2. Is the Run Galway Bay race a good candidate?