Course Map
Elevation Profile
Course Details
- Course type
- Loop
- Elevation gain
- 90m
- Elevation loss
- 90m
- Highest point
- 80m
- Lowest point
- 55m
- Net drop
- 0m
- Start
- Rhode National School
- Cutoff time
- 6h 0m
About this Race
The Rhode AC Marathon is a brand new race — its inaugural edition was held on 13 September 2025, making it the youngest marathon on the Irish calendar — organised by Rhode Athletic Club in the village of Rhode in County Offaly, with all proceeds going to local sports development. The course starts and finishes at Rhode National School, opening with an out-and-back section that tracks through Rathcobican, Ballybryan, Fahy and into Rhode village before rejoining the towpath of the Grand Canal for the meat of the race: three flat 11-kilometre loops along the canal corridor, a slow, glassy waterway that threads through the raised boglands of the Midlands in a landscape of unusual stillness and wide skies. The surface is tarmac throughout, the elevation is negligible, and the terrain changes little from one loop to the next — this is a course defined by its rhythm and its quiet Midland character rather than dramatic scenery. Roads remain open for the duration of the event, with marshals directing traffic at key junctions, and wave starts are assigned based on estimated finish time. Entry is through Pop Up Races with limited places, and the event carries a six-hour cut-off. With only one edition run to date it is still finding its identity and audience, but the infrastructure of a flat, certified course, GAA-community organisation, and a September date that avoids the congested spring marathon calendar gives it strong foundations. It suits recreational runners and club athletes who want a flat, no-fuss autumnal marathon in the heart of the country, and those who enjoy the particular experience of running beside water through a genuinely quiet corner of Ireland that most marathons never reach.
Course Insight
Departing from the quiet streets of Rhode village, the course quickly transitions onto the wide, exposed bog roads of North Offaly. This flat, rural asphalt is a classic pacing trap; the smooth surfaces and seemingly effortless lanes tempt a fast start, making strict early discipline vital to saving fuel for later. As the route extends onto long, straight country roads, it offers expansive pastoral vistas but leaves you entirely unshielded from sudden, punishing headwinds that can break your rhythm. The middle miles pull you into an isolated landscape through quiet agricultural lanes where spectator zones disappear completely, forcing you to rely on deep mental toughness to keep your legs moving without the lift of local crowds. The definitive test of the day is the psychological grind of the long, flat return stretches, featuring a relentless, unchanging horizon that challenges your focus precisely when physical fatigue is at its peak. Making the final turn rewards you with a welcome momentum shift back toward the community hubs, though it requires careful stride control to prevent severe muscle cramping on the final approach. Crowds are thickest at the vibrant Rhode AC grounds finish line, while support drops to its thinnest along the remote, weather-exposed bogland stretches.
Difficulty Breakdown
Mostly due to very flat, repetitive or complex course layout.
Race History
The Rhode AC Marathon is the youngest event in this collection, having held its inaugural edition on 13 September 2025 — making it, at the time of writing, a race with a single edition behind it and everything still to prove. It was established by Rhode Athletic Club, a community running club based in the village of Rhode in County Offaly, with the explicit purpose of raising funds for local sports development. Rhode itself is a village with a strong tradition of community sporting identity — its GAA club, also called Rhode, is the most decorated in Offaly's history with over thirty county senior football championship titles — and the marathon fits squarely into that tradition of using organised sport as a vehicle for community investment and cohesion. The course was designed around the Grand Canal, which runs just south of the village and was completed in the early 1800s, giving the race a historically resonant towpath at its heart and a flat, accessible terrain that requires no specialist experience to navigate. Logistics were kept deliberately simple and grassroots in character: roads remained open throughout, wave starts were organised by predicted finish time, and entry was managed through Pop Up Races with limited places. The event was backed by a small group of local sponsors led by the Kilmurray Group, alongside Ryan's Pharmacy, Glenisk, and Lidl, reflecting the club's reliance on the goodwill of the surrounding community rather than commercial infrastructure. The winner of the inaugural marathon was Dermot Gorman of Carrick-on-Suir AC in 2:38:30, with the 10K taken by Luke Mahon of Tullamore Harriers in 36:20. Whether the event establishes itself as a fixture on the Irish calendar will depend on whether the club can build on the momentum of that first edition — but the bones are solid: a flat, certified course, a September date with no major calendar competition, and a community with a proven track record of turning out for sport.
Plan Your Trip
Rhode village for staying right at race HQ, Tullamore for the nearest town with hotels and restaurants 20 minutes away, and Athlone for premium hotels and a lively city on the River Shannon within easy driving distance.
- Nearest airport(s)
- DUB Dublin Airport, NOC Ireland West Airport Knock
- Best area to stay
- Rhode village for staying right at race HQ, Tullamore for the nearest town with hotels and restaurants 20 minutes away, and Athlone for premium hotels and a lively city on the River Shannon within easy driving distance.
- Getting to the start
- Rhode is a rural village with no public transport links, so a car is essential; the start and finish are at Rhode National School with parking available on site.