The Irish Life Dublin Marathon follows a world-class, single-loop circuit that starts on Leeson Street Lower and concludes at Mount Street Upper near the iconic Pepper Canister Church. The course offers a city-wide tour of Dublin’s historic landmarks, navigating through the Liberties, Phoenix Park, and scenic southside suburbs like Terenure and Milltown. While officially classified as a relatively flat city marathon with roughly 205m of elevation gain, the terrain is famously "honest," featuring gentle rolling hills in the park and the testing "Heartbreak Hill" at mile 21. This late-race climb is followed by a welcome downhill stretch and a fast, flat finish through the heart of the city.