This was my first time in Ireland, and I really enjoyed this marathon. The course took us through the old city and out through the parks beyond (a bit hilly there), to return back to the center - with crowds cheering all along the route. It was cool day with a drop or two of rain, but ideal for running.

The only difficulty was the last 10K, where the organizers only closed down half of the road through the center, causing a bottleneck of jostling bodies all going different speeds towards the finish line. It is a big race now - 12,700 runners - and it's time to close down the whole road to traffic.

I would gladly run this again.

Fantastic weather for the race (14 C). Well organized, with lots of water/gel stations. Great crowds with a true tour of Dublin and a city-center finish on Dublin's premier Georgian Square.

This was my first marathon overseas and it was amazing. The city, the people, the race, and the weather were all great. Yes, it is possible to run in Dublin and not have wind or rain.

PROS:
- The people of Dublin lined the course and were cheering, "Well done!" They really embrace the nickname "The Friendly Marathon."
- The plastic water bottles and sports drink bottles were a genius idea. I wish more races would use these.
- The port-a-johns in the starting area were abundant and organized in such a way that the lines moved quickly.

CONS:
- The first couple of miles in the city are very crowded. There was actually a 90-degree turn that forced runners to walk. Ouch! Once you get out of the city, it opens up, but in the first 5 miles or so I was only really finding running space on the sidewalks.
- The post-race lunch box left me wanting something else. The cheese sandwich was disappointing to say the least.
- Be warned that this is not a flat course. It is actually rather hilly. If you train in the hills, as I do, it really isn't bad at all (I had an 8-minute PR). However, if you train on mostly flat land, it can be a shock to the system.

Would I run this marathon again? Maybe. There are so many great marathons....

Would I recommend this race? No question.

Overall, a great experience!

Having done a few marathons abroad, I was keen to experience the home marathon for comparison. I was proud of it and I couldn't find fault with anything really. Will be very keen to do it again, even if it is wet and windy (can't always get perfect weather).

A fantastic course that starts in the narrow Dublin streets and stretches through parks and green space. The race welcomes all runners and pulls in awesome spectators who cheer you on all the way. Perfect weather, and you can't beat celebrating your finish with an authentic pint of Guinness. We traveled from Washington DC and California to run this race; it was very well organized and easy to find, and everyone was super friendly.

This was a fantastic experience. My first visit to Dublin and my first marathon - and both were very impressive. The support was very encouraging, especially in the latter stages. Excellent organization throughout. Locals were every bit as friendly as the billing suggested. Highly recommended!

This was my first marathon and the course, crowd, weather and city FAR exceeded my expectations. Thank you for a very memorable experience!

This was my fourth marathon, and after doing London last year, I was interested in seeing how it would compare. I'm delighted to say that Dublin did not let itself down!

Can't say a bad word about the race. Organization was excellent, from the efficient number collection at the expo, to the very handy 250ml water bottles during the run.

I liked the model and top-quality long-sleeve running top from Adidas for the finishers.

Support was terrific at the later stages when it was needed.

It's easy to plan, since entry is guaranteed. The course has some moderate hills in the second half, but I think it's great. Expo is okay; get your pasta elsewhere unless you really want an Adidas t-shirt. Toilets indicated on the map near the corrals did not exist, so the baggage area was the last chance until the first water stop. Fans were great, although sparse in spots. I think we got lucky on the weather (light wind, no rain).

This was my first ever marathon and I couldn't have chosen any better. The weather was perfect - blue skies, mild temp, no breeze. The pre-race organization was great and easy to follow. The course wound through some beautiful parts of Dublin, including a full four miles within Phoenix Park. The atmosphere and support generated by the crowds was terrific, and a huge help in the latter stages of the race. Loved my medal and Adidas souvenir running shirt that I got at the end. I do not have a bad word to say about the whole experience and would recommend this race to anyone.