Dublin Marathon still running off around 6,000 unused entries

While organisers of the Dublin Marathon have expanded the preferential early entry for the 2024 event to increase the opportunity for women to secure a place, the percentage of runners not making the race start line remains high.

Last Sunday’s race was a 22,500 sell-out, down from the 25,000-entry of last year, and despite the introduction of a new refund option and transfer of entry, only around 16,540 runners made the race start, with 16,347 listed as official race finishers – meaning around 6,000 race entries went unused.

Most big city marathons expect an attrition rate on the overall entry, typically around 20 per cent, due to a variety of understandable reasons; illness, injury, doubts, fears, second thoughts, reality checks etc, in the days and weeks and even months before.

Still the drop-off of some 6,000 runners is over 25 per cent on Dublin’s initial race entry. It’s a drop too from the 2019 race, which was also limited to 22,500, and there were 17,724 official race finishers. The year before, in 2018, when the entry capacity was 20,000, there were 16,251 official finishers.

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The true impact of the double postponement during the pandemic, first in October 2020, then again in October 2021, was revealed in the actual number which took part in the 2022 event: of the original 25,000 sell-out, only 14,773 were listed as official finishers.

That situation was clearly compounded by the fact the majority of the original 25,000 had signed up to run the 2020 event, at the beginning of that year.

For this year, the new refund option was made available in the first two weeks of June. After that, a new transfer system was open to runners for July, allowing existing entrants to transfer their place to another runner. Both options will also apply for next year.

However, the preferential early entry, which guarantees all those who entered the 2023 race a place next year, whether they showed up or not, may also be contributing to the still large number of entries which in the end go unused, in part because they are committing a year in advance.

All 2023 paid entrants have 48 hours from this Tuesday to midnight on Wednesday, November 1st, to claim that option of early 2024 entry, if so desired. They will be provided with a code to enter the race by email.

For next year’s 2024 event, set for Sunday, October 27th, this preferential early entry will also be open for the same time frame for all women who entered the 2023 Dublin Half Marathon. This is to encourage and support more female entrants to the marathon.

Applications for entries via the lottery system will then go live on the event website this Thursday, November 2nd, and will close midnight on Sunday, November 19th.

There is an administration charge of €5 per lottery entry which is redeemable against an entry fee of €110 if successful, and non-redeemable if unsuccessful. Registrants will learn their entry status via email/text on November 25th. Only entry per person is permitted.

It’s unclear at this stage if race organisers will consider further entry refund or deferral options to improve the running rate versus the attrition rate. According to a spokesperson for the marathon, any of the race goody-bags which aren’t collected are de-packed and given to charity and clothing given to clubs.

This year’s entry was capped at 22,500, down from last year’s entry of 25,000, due to new “infrastructure restrictions” along the route. That same 22,500 is the likely capacity for 2024. The Dublin course remains open for seven hours, after the last wave start at 9.45am, which is typical for big city marathons.

Places will again be reserved for Athletics Ireland club members, as since 2003 the race also doubles as the national marathon championships.

Already planning his next marathon is Ryan Creech, the Cork runner who finished second in that national championship on Sunday behind Stephen Scullion, the Belfast runner who claimed third overall in 2:11:51.

For Creech, running only his second marathon, his Irish runner-up in 2:14:08 was also seventh best overall. That fell a little short of his best of 2:13:03 set in Seville earlier this year.

With his career repeatedly stalled due to a series of lower leg injuries, there is definitely more to come from the 31-year-old.

“It’s a tough course, and I thrive on rhythm,” he said. “Considering the toughness of the course, the support was so great, everyone had said that to me.

“Overall a little disappointing with the run, but at the same time it was such a heartwarming day, so you just have to keep dreaming for another day.

“I’m still really selective what I can do, training wise, and I know I’m not the only one who has been injured. But I’ve had my fair sure, really am compromised. All going to plan, once I recover from this, I’ll go for Seville again, I honestly believe there is a 2:10 in there for me. If I can stay healthy, keep on building, I think it will come.”

For more information on Dublin Marathon 2024 entry details see www.irishlifedublinmarathon.ie