Good routes in Dublin for long marathon paced runs

demfad

Phoenix Park is the obvious one but are there other good roads/routes in Dublin area suitable to mimic marathon long runs/marathon pace training? I guess decent tarmac, quiet regarding traffic, at least early in the morning etc. might be requirements.

What are people's favourites?

(PP off limits Sunday morning so may be useful info for some 😉 )

Sandwell

If on the Northside, then you could follow Tolka Valley park/Royal Canal Way out as far as Blanchardstown, cut through the village and cross over flyover, head up past NAC and into the Ballycoolin industrial area. There are lots of different loops that can be added around there and the place is virtually deserted on a Sunday morning. Decent surface too. Loop back via Cappagh Road to Tolka Valley.

micar

Contarf to Sutton/howth along the coast.

skyblue46

Is the Park closed next Sunday?

skyblue46

I've done a couple of runs over the past few weeks that I really enjoyed. They were fairly similar but good to run. One was a 'loop' from Chapelizod, through the War Memorial Gardens, into Kilmainham and up to the Grand Canal which I followed as far as Grand Canal Dock before crossing the Liffey and following the Royal Canal before heading back to Chapelizod. The other I was a similar idea but using the north and south circular roads...

BKWDR

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120475252#Comment_120475252

A very popular route and i love to run it myself, however, having seen a fair few people who excelusively run here for marathon prep, the lack of elevation really doesn't train your legs not even for 'hills' but a rolling course. Good to get the miles in but flat as a pancake.

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120475082#Comment_120475082

I do a loop sometimes Ballybough-Royal Canal- Ashtown and back via dodder paths. So Tolka as far as Ashtown and then Canal to Blanch and to industrial estate etc.? BTW I looked on heatmap.strava.com and noticed a few people had managed to follow Tolka under M50. Don't think they managed to make the national sports centre but wondering has anyone tried this.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120475252#Comment_120475252

I often do it. Caveat if you're not fit it can be horrendous coming back into the prevailing wind. That said i sometimes come back via Baldoyle, Donaghmaghmede, Raheny, Howth Road, Fairview Park on such days. It's a good route for initial long runs or even long steady runs to prepare the groundwork for the long tempos etc.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120475406#Comment_120475406

Lovely route. Have used for some nice easy long runs. Changing all the time and a great one to have in the schedule.

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120476934#Comment_120476934

I've looked at that myself re following the Tolka but doubt it's possible without trail shoes and a spirit of adventure! There's a small park near the motorway flyover that backs onto the hospital campus and it looks like you might be able to access the river from there if you didn't mind clambering over a fence or two. I don't live close enough to have had a chance to properly explore so it's quite possible there is a route thats runnable.

I come off the canal just after the 12th Lock pub and follow the main road through the village and across the flyover.

MisterJinx

@demfad @Sandwell I've tried to do the route coming at it from the tolka park end. If you go over the bridge and head up toward the dog pound there are some fences that you could try and get over. It wouldn't be easy though and when you are over you're into fields so you'd have to have trail shoes. I tried to go along the river road to see if I could get over that way but you need to cross the river and nothing looked good and I had to get back off the road as its terrible to be on.

I've seen someone on my strava do it the other way but I'm not sure they got out at the tolka end, I'd have to go back in time to check. I actually asked him about it at the time and he said it was fairly rough going in there, dog walking trails at best.

Murph_D

Agree - the Tolka isn't really viable after the Ashtown end of Tolka Valley Park, far better to cut across to the Park or the Royal Canal at that point to elongate the run - opens up so many more options. I've run up the Canal as far as the Kildare Border. An option is to just keep going up to Maynooth or further and just take the train back. Or the other way round.

I like to run the Dodder to Tallaght also, nice run with plenty of variety. Quite a few road crossings and a few detours, but definitely doable at marathon pace.

Other options - if heading to Sutton on the coast, cut across to Baldoyle and take the greenway to Portmarnock. That opens up a potential return route via Malahide Road (if you're averse to out and backs). Plot carefully in advance, it's easy to end up running a few miles more than planned.

Howth is an obvious one, no further detail required.

N1 to Swords and across to River Valley Park. Try and find The Jacko (but don't expect to do marathon pace at the latter).

So many options really - Dublin is a great running town.

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120479600#Comment_120479600

Thanks good options there. Tolka Q was just a point of interest really, had wondered about it as a long easy run option.

I am cautious of routes with road crossings etc @ marathon race pace. I like runs where I am fully confident of no interuptions ie as close to race conditions as possible. So if possible, tarmac roads like the target race that can be run at pace for prescribed lenght at one go confident of no stops or pace changes for cars etc. Very Early mornings might eliminate this on some routes too ofcourse.

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120480500#Comment_120480500

I know what you mean and that sort of unbroken route can be hard enough to find in Dublin outside of Phoenix Park or the coastal paths. I did all my marathon paced tempos in Ballycoolin last year for that reason. I live a bit too far from the PP to run down as a warm up but I can be in Ballycoolin in twenty minutes. There's not much in the way of scenery out there but there's miles of wide smooth footpath (with no dog walkers) and it's relatively flat bar the odd drag. There are a few roundabouts to negotiate but traffic is generally pretty light at weekends.

Coincidentally I see there's a BHAA 5k out there in a couple of weeks. It should be a pretty fast course I'd imagine.

skyblue46

If the 5k is Bristol Myers Squibb then yes, it's fast and flat!

Marty Bird

If your out the south side way along the sea front from Sandycove to Blackrock and back and do both piers, just watch out for the dog shîte on them it’s everywhere.

demfad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120480698#Comment_120480698

Did this one: about 23k @ tempo pace, 29 total. Its a great choice, of venue, thanks. Parked at National Sports Complex (Not long after 6am). Could have done a bigger loop but didn't want to make a mistake.

Sandwell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482313#Comment_120482313

Yeah, that the one. I hope to do it if I can get away from work etc. in time.

mollser

Southside - starting in Sandyford - over by lamb doyles, down through Marlay Park, St Enda's Park, cut across by Rathfarnham SC to Bushy Park, then follow the dodder all the way along to Clonskeagh, then a long long uphil all the way back to Sandyford on reasonably unbroken roads - can divert through UCD and Deer Park for added off roadness / greenery.

It's amazing how much of the sourth side you can link up offroad, would make for an incredible cycle network with a few gaps filled in, somehow!

Beautiful run, it was the one loop that I really enjoyed doing last year. About 30+km all in and a great bit of climbing for the last 10km to push the legs - worked for me as a loop anyway!

marathon2022

My absolute favorite long run is Swords to Howth, 14 or 15 miles one way, very little road crossing with mostly the coast path and estuary trail, early morning on a Sunday during spring or summer training this route lifts my spirits no end. When I get to Howth (I live in Swords) I usually meet the misses and have some fried calamari. I normally get a lift back but I have done the out and back 50k in the past, ouch.

The terrain is good, small rolling paths with very little real elevation.

Count Dracula

Up the Canal to Park West. loops, figures of 8, loads of parking.

UCD. Loops and plenty of figures of 8 or variance.

The River Dodder from Old Bawn to Ringsend is completely pedestrianised and apart from Beaver Row and Donnybrook it is Traffic light free now. if you time it right there is little disruption.

Tymon Park and surrounds.

I am a southside Vampire so don't have much knowledge of anything after Cardury's, but I would imagine there are similar options along the M50 and Finglas, Poppintree etc. Alfie Byrne Canal, Fairview Park and up the Coast Road must be an option, it is free to run over the East Link so you could easily run from Bray to Howth if it took your fancy? If you get bollixed just grab the Dart home.

River Tolka ? I don'y know but I have heard the path is fine there?

Enduro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120516078#Comment_120516078

By Lamb doyles!!! Are you nuts. That was an awful road to run on. It's now a building site. It should be OK once it's finished in a few months (the whole point of the roadworks being to widen it to put in footpaths and cycleteacks so its less lethaly dangerous for non-vehicular users). A better alternative would be to go on the road parallel to the M50 from the national mint towards Marley (accessed by pedestrians via Moreen estate). That's also flatter, and has less road juntions/crossings.

mollser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120528444#Comment_120528444

Yes agreed, except as a building site it was lovely and quiet, and for me the run started with a nice uphill to commence a lonnng down hill all the way to Rathfarnham. Anyhow yes absolutely, down along the m50 is the more civilised route for sure!👍️

Enduro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120528501#Comment_120528501

If you don't mind starting with real nice uphill then head up to Glencullen and run along there before descending back down to the city. Lots of options, all better for running on. But real hills!

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517684#Comment_120517684

Re Tolka, that 'Alfie Byrne Canal' IS the Tolka!

I run the Tolka fairly regularly but the only part that's good for steady running is the Tolka Valley section between the Finglas Road and Ashtown. There are some other brief riverside sections (Griffith Park and adjacent to Botanic Gardens) but not particularly continuous. Good for easy runs though!

pc11

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120476468#Comment_120476468

Pop in to St Annes Park on the way for a bit of hills and variety and get out of the wind for a while if needed.

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058292284/good-routes-in-dublin-for-long-marathon-paced-runs

What part of Dublin are you living?

I'm in D11 and the ballycoolin industrial area has an 11k loop with a few garages in case you need water etc. Usually fairly quiet traffic wise, decent smooth paths mostly etc.

Murph_D

Must check out this Ballycoolin 'hidden gem' myself!

Lambay island

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120528501#Comment_120528501

Yes I do both them routes or variations of them anyway, You can skip the dangerous part at lambs cross and go up slatecabin lane and come out at Lamb Doyles where the paths begin.. That lane is a tasty climb albeit not too long! You can alcso go through Kilcross housing estate and come out at Ticknock appartments down towards Marlay . Both of them bypass the building site section!