Article Summary
What this article covers: Belfast City Marathon route, entry rules, team relay legs, spectator tips and how to plan a weekend in Belfast around race day.
Who this is for: Runners travelling to Belfast for the marathon or relay, friends and family coming to watch, and visitors who want to see Northern Ireland’s capital on race weekend.
Key takeaway: The Belfast City Marathon starts at Stormont Estate, finishes in Ormeau Park and passes through north, south, east and west Belfast, so race day doubles as a tour of neighbourhoods that many visitors to the city never reach.
Expert insight: “Most runners see Stormont at nine in the morning and Ormeau Park in the afternoon, and the miles in between go by in a blur of noise from the pavements. Stay an extra day and walk a stretch of the Falls Road or the Castlereagh Road at your own pace, because those are the streets that carried you round.”, Ciaran Connolly, Founder of ConnollyCove
Quick facts:
- The 2027 Belfast City Marathon is scheduled for Sunday 2 May 2027, starting at Stormont Estate and finishing in Ormeau Park.
- Marathon entrants must be over 18, and every participant must finish the course in under six hours.
- The 2024 race had a record 5,500 marathon entrants and 12,500 team relay participants, according to The Irish News.
Table of Contents
The Belfast City Marathon is a 26.2-mile road race that runs from Stormont Estate in east Belfast to Ormeau Park in the south of the city, passing through all four areas of Northern Ireland’s capital on the way. It has been held since 1982, and the 2027 edition is scheduled for Sunday 2 May. For visitors, the race is one of the easiest ways to see Belfast beyond the city centre, because the course reaches residential streets and local landmarks that a short city break rarely includes.
This guide from ConnollyCove, the Ireland-based travel and culture platform founded by Ciaran Connolly, covers what you need to know whether you are running, walking or watching. It explains the route and relay legs, the race rules, the wider events series and how to turn race day into a long weekend. If Belfast is new to you, our complete guide to the city of Belfast gives the background, and the sections below link to ConnollyCove’s guides on the places you will pass.
The Belfast City Marathon has been part of city life since 1982
The Belfast City Marathon was first run in 1982, and the organisers marked 44 years of the event in 2026. The Irish News describes the race weekend as Northern Ireland’s biggest mass participation sporting event. Over those years the event has grown into a full weekend programme, with a team relay, a wheelchair race and a walk running alongside the main marathon.
Charity fundraising is a large part of the event. The organisers describe the team relay as a team event more than a competitive one, with friends, work colleagues and schools forming teams to raise money for good causes. Local charities, including NI Hospice and the Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke charity, recruit runners and relay teams every year.
The race has changed shape more than once. In 2019 the organisers introduced a new course, which they described as faster and flatter than the old route, and around 5,000 people ran it. That first year on the new course also produced the race’s best-known mishap. The lead car left the official route, and the organisers later confirmed that runners had covered 544 metres more than the marathon distance, adjusting finish times to compensate. The 2021 race was held on Sunday 3 October, an autumn date well outside the usual spring slot.
The title sponsor has also changed several times, so you will see the race listed under different names in older results and photographs. That is worth knowing if you are searching for past finish times or race reports from a particular year.
Running belongs to a much older Irish sporting tradition. Our guide to ancient Irish sports and their Gaelic origins traces it back to the Tailteann Games, and ConnollyCove’s round-up of successful Irish athletes covers the champions who followed, including Belfast’s own George Best.
Key facts for the 2027 race weekend
The marathon, the team relay and the wheelchair race all take place on the same Sunday and follow the same route, while the rest of the Belfast City Marathon series is spread across the year. The table below sets out each event and who it suits best.
| Event | Date | Start | Finish and format | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon | Sunday 2 May 2027 | Stormont Estate | Ormeau Park, 26.2 miles, six-hour limit, 18 and over | Runners ready for the full distance |
| Team Relay | Sunday 2 May 2027 | Stormont Estate | Ormeau Park, five legs of about 4 to 7.5 miles | Friends, colleagues and charity teams |
| Wheelchair race | Race day | Stormont Estate | Ormeau Park, same route as the marathon | Wheelchair athletes |
| Eight-mile walk | Race day (confirm for 2027) | Stormont Estate | Ormeau Park, the first eight miles of the course | Walkers who want the race-day atmosphere |
| Women’s 10k | Sunday 20 June 2027 | Titanic Quarter | 10 kilometres | Runners wanting a shorter summer race |
| Half marathon | September (20 September in 2026) | Ormeau Park | Ormeau Park, 13.1 miles | Runners who missed out on a spring place |
| 5k Fun Run | November (15 November in 2026) | Belfast City Hall | 5 kilometres | Families and first-time runners |
The route runs through all four areas of Belfast
The marathon starts on Prince of Wales Avenue at Stormont Estate, loops through east, south, west and north Belfast, then returns through the city centre and crosses the River Lagan to finish in Ormeau Park. The organisers publish a street-by-street route narrative before each race, so check the latest version if you are planning where to stand or how to pace yourself.
East Belfast: Stormont and the first miles
The start is on the long avenue that leads up to Parliament Buildings, and our visitor’s guide to Stormont Parliament and its estate explains the history of the building that watches over the first few hundred metres. From there the course heads into east Belfast along the Upper Newtownards Road and the Beersbridge Road before turning back up the Castlereagh Road.
The first relay changeover is on Montgomery Road, close to Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre, about four miles into the race. These roads are largely residential, which makes the early miles a convenient place for east Belfast families and friends to watch close to home.
South and west Belfast: Woodstock to the Falls Road
The route then takes in the Woodstock, Ormeau and Ravenhill Roads in south and east Belfast before swinging west. The second relay changeover is on Boucher Road, and the third is on the Falls Road in west Belfast.
The Falls Road is at the centre of Belfast’s Gaeltacht Quarter, where the Irish language is promoted in local shops and services. If you are visiting after the race, this is a good part of the city to hear Irish spoken in everyday life and to see the murals and memorials that tell the story of the community.
North Belfast and the finish at Ormeau Park
From the west the course heads north around the Waterworks park, with the fourth relay changeover at Duncairn Gardens. Runners then come back through the city centre and the Belfast One business district, cross the Lagan once more and finish in Ormeau Park, where the organisers expect the event to finish at around 3pm. Ormeau Park is a 62-acre park on the Ormeau Road, and ConnollyCove’s guide to Ormeau Road and Ormeau Park covers the cafés and attractions within walking distance of the finish line, which is useful when you are waiting for a friend to come in.
“The Belfast course is the best introduction to the city’s geography I know of. In a single morning you go from the parliament on the hill in the east to the Irish-speaking streets of the Falls Road and then up towards the Waterworks in the north, and you only realise how much of Belfast you have seen when you look at the route map afterwards.”, Ciaran Connolly, Founder of ConnollyCove
The team relay splits the course into five legs
The team relay is the most popular way to take part, and the 2024 relay set a record of 12,500 participants. Teams of two to five people share the full marathon route across five legs, and one team member can run two legs if the team is short. The organisers note that each changeover point can stretch over half a mile, so actual leg distances vary depending on where you hand over.
| Leg | From | To | Approximate distance | Good fit for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stormont Estate | Montgomery Road | 4.2 miles | A runner who enjoys the crowds at the start |
| 2 | Montgomery Road | Boucher Road | 6.8 miles | The strongest runner in the team |
| 3 | Boucher Road | Falls Road | 4.5 miles | A newer or less experienced runner |
| 4 | Falls Road | Duncairn Gardens | 5 miles | A steady mid-distance runner |
| 5 | Duncairn Gardens | Ormeau Park | About 5.7 miles (calculated) | A runner who wants to cross the finish line |
The organisers recommend that relay runners bring two bags: one for the kit you take off before your leg and one for the clothes you want when you finish. Relay participants must be over 16, and the whole team must complete the course within six hours.
Entry rules, prices and charity places
The Belfast City Marathon is open to runners over 18, and everyone in the marathon and wheelchair race must finish in under six hours. The course is AIMS certified, which means it has been officially measured to the full marathon distance.
Entry prices rise in stages through the year. For the 2026 race, prices started at £66 for runners registered with Athletics Northern Ireland and £68 for unregistered runners, rising to £80 and £82 at the final rate. General entries for 2026 sold out before race day, leaving only charity places, so enter early if you want a guaranteed number for 2027.
Charity places are the main route in once general entries close. Several charities hold places for the relay in return for a fundraising commitment, and others do the same for the marathon. The organisers operate a strict no-refund policy, and the participant instructions for recent races allowed a deferral to the following year only with medical evidence of injury or illness. Check the current terms on the official site before you enter, because transfer and deferral rules can change between years.
Spectators can follow the race across the city
Watching the Belfast City Marathon is straightforward because the course loops through the city, so you can see a runner at the start, catch them again on the route and still reach Ormeau Park for the finish. On race day in 2026, shuttle buses ran to the start from Belfast City Hall between 7am and 8am and from Lanyon Place station between 7.30am and 8am, with some buses bringing spectators back to Stormont.
The relay changeover points on Montgomery Road, Boucher Road, the Falls Road and Duncairn Gardens are good places to watch, because you see marathon runners and relay handovers in the same spot. Ormeau Park is the obvious place to finish the day, with space to meet runners once they have collected their medals.
Road closures affect much of the city on race morning. The organisers publish the full list of closures, the route narrative and projected participant times on the official Belfast City Marathon website, and it is worth checking all three before you plan where to stand.
Phrases you may hear along the route
The organisers point to the local support and crowds as one of the race’s best-known features, and a few local phrases help you follow what is being shouted. “Bout ye” is a Belfast greeting meaning “how are you”, “wee” means small and is used for almost anything, and “craic” means fun or good company.
If you want to cheer in Irish, “Maith thú” (pronounced “mah hoo”) means “well done”, and “Go n-éirí leat” (pronounced “guh NYE-ree lat”) means “good luck”. These are phrases to try yourself, and our guide to saying goodbye in Irish has more everyday expressions. The city’s own Irish name, Béal Feirste, is explained by the Northern Ireland Place-Name Project as “mouth of the sand-bank ford”, and our article on Belfast’s history and the origins of the city tells the story of the crossing that gave Belfast its name.
Plan a long weekend around race day
Race day takes up a single Sunday, but the early May bank holiday gives visiting runners and supporters an extra day for sightseeing, so a long weekend is easy to arrange. Belfast has two airports, George Best Belfast City Airport close to the city and Belfast International Airport about 15 miles to the west, and ferries from Scotland and England arrive at Belfast Port.
Staying in the city centre puts you close to the shuttle buses from City Hall and the finish at Ormeau Park, while east Belfast near Stormont offers good value and a short trip to the start. Because the race falls on a bank holiday weekend, book accommodation as soon as you have your place.
What to see before and after the race
Titanic Belfast is an easy first stop, and ConnollyCove’s guide to the Titanic Museum in Belfast covers the galleries on the site of the shipyard where the liner was built. It works well on the Saturday before the race, as long as you are not on your feet all day.
St George’s Market, a Victorian covered market built between 1890 and 1896, trades from Friday to Sunday, so it suits a relaxed Saturday morning of local food, crafts and live music. Our guide to what to do in Belfast includes the market alongside City Hall and the city’s other landmarks.
Belfast Castle and Cave Hill are better saved for the Monday, once your legs have recovered. Our history of Belfast Castle on the slopes of Cave Hill covers the estate, and the Cave Hill Country Park guide explains the walking routes and views over Belfast Lough.
Crumlin Road Gaol, designed by Sir Charles Lanyon and built between 1843 and 1845, held prisoners until it closed on 31 March 1996 and is now a visitor attraction. ConnollyCove’s guide to Crumlin Road Gaol covers the tours and the history of the prison. For a gentler morning, Botanic Gardens has its Victorian glasshouses and the Tropical Ravine, beside the Ulster Museum; our guide to Queen’s University and the area around it covers this part of south Belfast.
Food, music and recovery
The evening after the race is for a proper meal, and our food guide to Belfast covers everything from an Ulster Fry to the city’s restaurants. For a quieter Monday morning, ConnollyCove’s round-up of Belfast coffee shops and cafés has places to sit with the route map and compare times.
Belfast has been a UNESCO City of Music since 2021, and the Cathedral Quarter is known for regular traditional sessions; our guide to Irish folk music and where to hear live sessions explains what to expect. If you want to understand the neighbourhoods you ran through, a walking tour such as Dead Centre Tours and the history of the Troubles adds the background. Couples making a weekend of it will find more ideas in our list of Belfast dates on a budget, and our guide to free things to do in Northern Ireland helps once the entry fee and hotel are paid for.
Current conditions and seasonal information
The Belfast City Marathon takes place in early May (Sunday 3 May in 2026 and Sunday 2 May in 2027), usually on the Sunday of the early May bank holiday weekend. Spring weather in Belfast changes quickly, so runners should plan for cool mornings, wind and rain as well as sunshine, and spectators should bring a waterproof layer whatever the forecast says.
Entries for the 2026 race opened in May 2025, a full year ahead, and general places sold out before race day, so the practical booking window is the summer and autumn before the race. Hotels are also busier over a bank holiday weekend, which is another reason to book early. Final details such as road closures, shuttle times and the route narrative are usually confirmed in the weeks before race day, so check the official site close to the event for anything time-sensitive. If the May date does not suit you, the Women’s 10k in June and the half marathon in September give you a reason to visit Belfast at a different time of year.
Explore more of Belfast with ConnollyCove
ConnollyCove is an Ireland-based travel and culture platform that covers Belfast and Northern Ireland in depth, from the city’s landmarks to its food, music and Irish heritage. Ciaran Connolly founded ConnollyCove to help travellers look beyond the obvious sights, and race weekend is a good chance to do exactly that. Start with our complete guide to the city of Belfast to plan the days around your race, and watch ConnollyCove’s YouTube channel for video tours of the places on the route.
FAQs
When is the Belfast City Marathon and what time does it start?
The 2027 Belfast City Marathon is scheduled for Sunday 2 May 2027. The 2026 race started at 9am on Prince of Wales Avenue at Stormont Estate, and the organisers will confirm the 2027 start time on the official website. The race usually falls on the Sunday of the early May bank holiday weekend, which gives visitors an extra day in the city.
Where does the Belfast City Marathon start and finish?
The Belfast City Marathon starts at Stormont Estate in east Belfast and finishes in Ormeau Park in south Belfast. The route passes through all four areas of the city, east, south, west and north, before returning through the city centre and crossing the River Lagan to the finish. The team relay and the wheelchair race follow the same route.
Is the Belfast City Marathon flat or hilly?
The Belfast City Marathon is not a completely flat course, although the organisers described the current route as faster and flatter than the old one when it was introduced in 2019. A 26.2-mile route through four areas of the city still includes some climbs, so study the official route map and elevation details before you set a target pace, and save some energy for the later miles.
Can you walk the Belfast City Marathon?
Yes, you can walk the Belfast City Marathon if you finish within the six-hour time limit, which works out at an average of just under 14 minutes per mile. If you would rather walk a shorter distance, the race-day programme has included an eight-mile walk that follows the first part of the course from Stormont to Ormeau Park. Check the official site for the 2027 walk details.
