No Drama, No Guesswork. Dublin City Half Marathon Ballot Gets It Right

Emails are landing and runners around the country are finally finding out how they fared in the Dublin City Half Marathon ballot. So far, the reaction feels noticeably calmer than in previous years.

That is no small thing. The Dublin Marathon ballot has, in the past, left runners irritated and second guessing themselves. Timelines were vague, updates were slow, and plenty of people were left wondering if something had gone wrong or if they had missed an email. This time around, it feels like the organisers took those complaints seriously and quietly fixed the basics.

Key dates were clearly laid out in advance. Runners knew when the ballot would close, when results were due, and what the next steps would look like. That alone removes a lot of unnecessary stress. When people are planning training blocks, travel and time off work, clarity matters far more than fancy comms.

One of the strongest improvements was how results were handled. Successful and unsuccessful entries were processed at the same time, which meant no prolonged limbo. No dragging it out. No days of inbox refreshing while WhatsApp groups compared notes. You got a straight answer and could move on with a plan, either towards race day or towards an alternative.

There was a minor snag for some runners, in that results appeared on the ticketing platform before the confirmation email landed. It is not a serious flaw, but tightening the timing between those two would make the experience feel more polished and less piecemeal.

For those who secured a place, entry fees will be taken automatically between 3rd and 5th February. If a payment does not go through, runners will receive a follow up link to complete the process. The bib transfer window is open from 2nd to 8th April for anyone whose plans change down the line.

None of this is revolutionary, but that is kind of the point. The whole process felt calmer, clearer and more respectful of runners’ time. When a ballot works quietly in the background, that is usually a sign it is doing its job properly. It is encouraging to see that the experience away from the start line is finally being treated with the same care as the race itself.