A point-to-point marathon from Stormont Estate to Ormeau Park, with relay runners joining the event along the way. Learn your own start and finish logistics and do not let relay pace dictate yours.
01 Know what you are taking on
What is the race like?
The course, section by section
Open a section for the terrain and a practical pacing cue.
Stormont openingStormont Estate and first published relay endpoint
City roads
How to approach it Keep the opening measured and avoid following runners preparing to stop at the first relay changeover.
Southern city sectionPublished second relay endpoint at Boucher Road
Urban roads
How to approach it Settle into your own breathing rhythm and follow your practised fuel routine before fatigue changes your appetite.
Western sectionFalls Road relay endpoint
Urban roads and changes of direction
How to approach it Hold a steady effort while nearby groups change. Use official distance markers rather than the relay leg length to judge progress.
Northern city sectionDuncairn Gardens relay endpoint
City roads
How to approach it Focus on manageable sections, relaxed shoulders and the next practical task. Preserve the ability to keep moving consistently.
Ormeau Park finishOrmeau Park
Roads into the finishing park
How to approach it Increase effort only if it is sustainable for the remaining distance. Continue through the finish process before stopping to meet supporters.
Official maps & course details
- Finish
- Ormeau Park.
- Certification
- The organiser describes the marathon as AIMS certified.
- Shared relay route
- The 2027 relay follows the same course as the full marathon and wheelchair race.
- Route sequence
- Relay changeovers run from Stormont through Montgomery Road, Boucher Road, Falls Road and Duncairn Gardens to Ormeau Park.
The following course details are from the edition shown. They help you understand the route while your edition’s final information is being prepared.
- Detailed map
- The detailed embedded course map on the archived marathon page is explicitly for 2026.2026
Use the official map for the full route. The route overview helps you prepare; use the official map or GPX for full navigation details.
02 Choose your approach
Find your race strategy.
Choose your goal. These are our pacing suggestions, based on the published course, rather than organiser instructions.
My first finish
Start patiently from Stormont.
Use the published relay points as landmarks while following your own fuel routine.
Keep enough for the final run to Ormeau Park and the walk through the finish area.
A PB or time goal
Run to your own marathon splits, not the pace of a fresh relay leg.
Keep your line predictable around handovers.
Reassess your time goal in the final part of the city route before increasing effort.
If the weather or your pace changes
Check the forecast near race day and change the plan before conditions force the issue. A damp or windy start may require a waiting layer, while a warmer day calls for a more conservative opening effort. Use your practised approach to drinking rather than trying an unfamiliar amount because somebody else does. Take city corners carefully when wet. If the day feels harder than training predicted, adjust your target early and keep effort controlled through the changing sections of Belfast.
03 Know what is on the course
Drinks, fuel & toilets.
Station positions and products are not yet confirmed in the available information for this edition. Use the organiser’s final runner guide before deciding what you can collect on the course.
Toilet locations: a confirmed location list is not available here. Check the official course or runner map before race day; a drinks table does not automatically mean there is a toilet beside it.
Turn the station list into your plan
Mark the stops you expect to use and the fuel you will carry. If you use a gel that needs water, pair it with a published water point. Practise the products and cup or bottle format before race day; you do not have to try every item offered.
04 Before the start
Your race morning.
Times are local to the event. Work back from your own wave, allowing for the walk, toilets and bag drop.
Race number
2027 pack collection
All runners must collect at ICC Belfast on Friday 30 April or Saturday 1 May 2027; packs are not posted.
The start
Start
09:00 at Stormont Estate.
Pacers & course cut-offs
Earlier-edition arrangements
- Cutoff
- The published 2026 marathon terms require completion within six hours.2026
Your allocated wave, event emails and final runner instructions take priority. Read the guide for your distance before travelling.
05 Make the day work together
Supporters & getting around.
Plan your support
Choose a permitted city-course point or an Ormeau Park finish base. A supporter trying to follow every relay leg needs a closure-aware transport plan; the start and finish are not one venue.
The places below are viewing ideas from the linked route or spectator guide. Use your edition’s access map for barriers, permitted crossings and any crew restrictions.
City-street course section
Use the final map to choose a public pavement; relay changeovers are busy operational areas, not automatic viewing zones.
Ormeau Park finish surroundings
Arrange the reunion outside the runner exit. The finish is separate from the Stormont start.
2027
Official spectator or route informationMake the cheer easy to find
Agree a named point, the side of the road and your likely arrival window. Share your bib number for official tracking. Pick a separate reunion beyond the finish exit and a backup if the phone signal is poor.
06 Before you book
Entry, fees & time limits.
Registered and unregistered public marathon categories are sold out. The official ticket platform offers waitlists; allocated charity places require an access code.
Check official entry optionsWhat you need to enter
- Minimum age
- The published terms require marathon entrants to be over 18. Confirm eligibility with the organiser if you are 18 on race day.Published organiser terms; check the terms accepted with your 2027 booking
- Sold-out prices
- The listed public prices are £73 GBP for registered club runners and £75 for unregistered runners, including a quarter-zip top.
- Official waitlist
- Each sold-out public marathon ticket category has a waitlist option on Eventmaster.
Entry details from an earlier edition
Use these as background only. Your edition’s terms apply to your booking.
- Transfers
- The 2026 terms direct transfers through Eventmaster and prohibit informal sale or swapping of entries.2026
- Deferral policy
- The 2026 terms describe injury-related deferral requests with medical evidence at least two weeks before race day, subject to approval.2026
Stay in the loop
Email me event updates.
Spend more time training and less time checking. Get the key updates for your race, straight to your inbox.
07 Make your training relevant
Practise for this course.
One thing to rehearse
Practise steady running after a long run's quieter middle section. Arrange the Stormont journey and the separate Ormeau Park reunion in advance.
08 Put your plan together
Useful before race day.
Plan your pre-run fuel
Explore meals and snacks around the time you have before running.
Explore the fuel plannerMake race fuel feel familiar
Understand how to practise taking carbohydrate during longer runs.
Read the guideArrive ready, not worn out
Understand what changes in the final weeks before a marathon.
Read the guideA plan that fits your life.
Running, strength or both, with feedback and adjustments as your training develops.
Official race information
Use the organiser’s information for current entry terms, the published route and your final runner instructions. Course resources show their edition where it is known. Pacing and training suggestions are The Runner’s Journal’s guidance and should fit your experience, health and conditions.