Been running marathons for over 20 years.
What was wrong:
1) No facilities at the start. What were the race officials thinking?
2) Too many slower runners at the front to include walkers.
3) Handing out T-shirts at the finish! Wrong move. I got the wrong size but after running a marathon I did not check the sizing until I got back to my hotel. Had other things to think about like drinking fluids and finding my wife.
4) Runner greeting areas were not marked. How about putting up a sign next time for areas A/B/C.
5) Post-race water/sports drink or food? Never saw it.
I carry my own food and drink; I do not expect a lot on the course but the basics of supporting a marathon were lacking at the start and finish.

Enjoyed my time in Ireland but I'll skip this marathon next time.

No washrooms in the starting area, and almost none during the race; no food during the race (at least bananas would have helped, or power gel???); a sticky Snickers bar afterwards (no protein bars, no salty bagels...?); rare water stations, and even rarer Gatorade supply; and miles and miles without support by the crowd. The great things about Dublin: the pints afterwards, the great people and the scenic course - but don't think it's flat out there!

This was my second marathon and first international. The weather was almost perfect and much of the course was very scenic. The one "steep" hill in the first half of the race didn't take take anything out of you. The crowds, although sparse in parts, were very warm in the local neighborhoods and at every turn in the course. The lack of Gatorade was a problem and the water stations not being placed where they were expected was a little confusing. Having water in plastic bottles vs. paper cups made it much easier to drink, however. Having porta-loos only at the finish and not in the starting area caused many to seek foliage cover in nearby parks to take care of last-minute business on the long walk from the clothes drop-off point to the starting line. No one seemed to mind. I would recommend this race.

This was my first Dublin Marathon and I loved it. The course was great - not too hilly - and the crowd was so encouraging. I found the spectators made their comments personal and really encouraged you when you needed. The people were so friendly even allowing you to use their washroom in their homes. The runners where amazing, I never talked to so many runners during a race. The weather was perfect. The only thing was there weren't many Gatorade stations and washrooms at the start. I will be back next year for sure. Thanks, Ireland, for a great experience.

I previously ran this marathon in 2004. The course has been changed marginally for the first two or three miles, but the rest is the same as back then. The race is very well organized, and the start and finish are in the city center and easily reached by public transport. In 2005, the race was plagued with rain, but this year the weather was perfect (as it was in 2004) with the slight exception of a blustery headwind as we were nearing the halfway mark. I can heartily recommend this race to anyone. It's not as massive as the big-city marathons, but with over 10,000 participants it's not a small-scale event either. The spectators are very enthusiastic, especially over the last six miles when you need them most. The one thing I didn't like is the surface on some parts of the course; it's concrete, and rather unforgiving on the joints, though I certainly won't blame my blisters on that. I'll definitely be back in years to come.

A very well organized, medium-sized race (10,000 runners). The crowds were sparse in parts but built up at the end to keep you going through the later stages. The course has a few hills but nothing too serious. I was 5 minutes off my PB and posted 3.17 without destroying myself. And Dublin is incredibly friendly and welcoming. I recommend it.

Clocked a PB by 18 minutes despite higher elevations than I was expecting.

Course is nice - expecially the park and the finish though the town center. City streets are just that - be prepared. The organizers had PLENTY of water stands but little Gatorade... so there were crampers. No gels... so bring one if that helps you through. The organizers were at every mile or so (nice), but did not keep the cyclists out of the course - be warned. I was eating dinner later in the day at mile 23 pub and noticed the later walkers getting lost because the staff left and the course direction signs were poor. TIP: Big sign for the walkers at Merrion/Shelbourne may prevent the 8+-hour finishes.

The fans and town. Well, the fans... mom and pop water stands, candy from mile 17 on, etc. My last 6.2 were the best, at 52:49 minutes, due to a bag of Haribos and the fans. The lodging was wonderful, and everybody was friendly and helpful.

Thank you, Dublin - I will revisit.

Having run marathons all over the U.K. I have chosen Dublin to run my 100th marathon/ultra in 2006. I shall be running as Supergirl with Superman. I am raising money for a Christian charity to build an orphanage in Uganda.

The 2005 Dublin City Marathon was my first marathon and it was a dream come true. I can't say enough good things about the race. The course was fairly flat, just a few inclines. The crowd was so encouraging. The course was very scenic (loved Phoenix Park). I hit 'the wall' at mile 20 and the crowd from mile 20 to the end truly helped me to finish the race. I have no complaints or suggested areas of improvement. I strongly encourage everyone to run this fantastic marathon. The only bad thing I can say is that this was so fantastic, I can't imagine I can ever top the experience.

2005 - I was soaked before I started but as this is my local marathon, I was well used to that. I dried out after the park. With a break of 3 years, I have to say the organization, course, water stations have all improved immensely. The crowds (or lack thereof) are an issue - Dublin is not a big city, so the support on the streets was wonderful, if a bit sparse. The runners were very cheerful, and something of note: our American visitors were FANTASTIC. At every corner, they were cheering everybody along, offering sweets (yum, yum), pretzels (huge bags of them), and loads of support - so THANK YOU. (And they have encouraged me to do NYC in 2006!) This marathon is a good one if you are a charity runner, a first-timer, or if you want to experience 4 seasons in one day!