The “three-quarter marathon” didn’t really exist until about a decade ago. It came out of the second running boom in the early 2010s, when first timers training for Dublin wanted to make their peak 20 miler less grim than another lonely slog. Stick a race number on it, add a medal, charge a handsome entry fee and suddenly the suffering felt more legitimate.
That being said the format has been popular and has stuck. Technically, a true three-quarter marathon is 19.65 miles (three-quarters of 26.2). But a lot of events round it up to a clean 20 miles, which means you’re running an extra 500 metres or so. Not a massive difference, but enough to make you mutter a few curses in the last half mile. So some events I am talking about are 19.65 miles and some are the round 20.
There are nine of them across Ireland this year, and they all take place on the same weekend, this year it’s the weekend of October 4th and 5th. but two early birds are happening in the Midlands, the Medic 3/4 in Kildare on September 14th and the Village Run 3/4 in Laois on September 28th. If your training is a week or two ahead of the rest of us mere mortals, they could slot perfectly into your plan.
One of the OG 20 Milers, the Lusk 20 Mile, is already sold out, so it’s not listed below. But fear not, there are still plenty of options left to suffer in style. And oddly enough, there’s nothing in Munster. Cough, cough… business idea for some race organiser out there, because I’m fairly sure a good chunk of the 20,000-plus heading to Dublin in October will be from Munster.
Here’s what’s on the cards that weekend:
Leinster
- Sunday 14th September - Medic 3/4 Marathon - Kildare - €40 - Monasterevin charity race for the Irish Red Cross, mixing flat canal paths and Moore Abbey woods.
- Sunday 28th September - Village Run 3/4 Marathon - Laois - €45 - Ballylinan event with a fast flat course and medals for all
- Saturday October 4th - Fastlane 3/4 Marathon - Dublin - €60 - Flat, fast, and along the Grand Canal, PB chasing heaven with parking and access so handy even your mam could find it.
- Sunday October 5th - Irish 3/4 Marathon - Meath - €65 - Another OG 20 Miler: 15th year running, flat canal-side miles, a t-shirt, a chunky medal, and exactly three weeks out from Dublin.
Connacht
- Saturday October 4th - O'Dubhda 20 Mile Challenge - Sligo - €45 - Coastal loop through Enniscrone and Kilglass with a zipped top for finishers, scenic, salty, and tailor-made for Dublin prep.
- Sunday October 5th - Tarmonbarry 3/4 Marathon - Roscommon - €53.75 - A one-lap rural route, famous for its friendliness and post race food spread that’s nearly as good as the medal.
Ulster
- Saturday October 4th - McKinney Games 20 Miles - Down - £44.50 - Flat looped course just outside Lisburn. Run by McKinney competitions with their trademark twist, every finisher gets a mystery prize envelope from a £100k pot.
- Sunday October 5th - Donegal East 3/4 Marathon - Donegal - €55 - Fast, scenic country roads along the River Finn in Ballybofey, pretty enough to distract you from the mileage.
Why Run a 3/4 Marathon or 20 Miler?
- It’s your dress rehearsal for Dublin, complete with portaloo queues and someone in front of you spitting every 30 seconds.
- You practise fuelling and pacing with real race-day pressure.
- You get your 20-mile run done without feeling like a lonely eejit on country roads.
Conclusion
The three-quarter marathon is basically marathon training with a crowd and a medal. Do one sensibly, and you’ll hit Dublin in October with confidence. Go full tilt, and you’ll be sitting in the physio’s office explaining why your “training race” became your “goal race”.
Image: Donegal 3/4 Marathon