For an event that had very modest beginnings back in 1980, the Dublin marathon is now acknowledged as one of the best mass long-distance athletics events in Europe. This weekend that growing reputation is likely to be further enhanced when more than 22,000 take to the streets of the city in the hope of achieving a personal ambition – whether it is to run a personal best, compete at an elite level, or simply just complete the gruelling 26.2 mile distance. That last objective will be the aspiration for the vast majority of those who will line up on Sunday morning, illustrating the mass participation ethos at the heart of event.
The early Dublin marathon runners may have been seen as outliers. But the unique appeal of the race quickly grew, helped by the popularity of mass participation marathons in big cities such as New York and London.
The jogging and running boom of the 1980s quickly turned the Dublin marathon into something recreational athletes could aim to complete on the streets of their own capital. This was reflected in the growing number of entries – from 2,100 in 1980 to 8,700 in 1988. While those numbers plateaued in the 1990s, the upward trend continued into the 2000s and entries have now reached record levels.
The appeal of the race has centred on its relatively benign course, the enthusiasm of the huge crowds and the fact that it takes place on some of Dublin’s best-known streets. That has led to annual complaints that the marathon is having an adverse impact on the city. Curtailed public transport and road closures are advanced as arguments why the marathon should be shifted to an enclosed area like the Phoenix Park.
But the advantages of staging the marathon on the city’s streets well outweigh those concerns, particularly as it brings many overseas competitors into the country at a quiet time of the year for tourism. Dublin should embrace the event like other big cities. Its communal spirit is life-affirming and cultivates a shared sense of pride and togetherness, which is rare enough these days.