Polytechnic Marathon City Stadium in front of the Royal Box, a distance that turned out to be 26 miles, 385 yards. There was immense public interest in the 1908 Olympic race, with its dramatic finish in which Dorando Pietri of Italy entered the stadium well clear of the field and staggered around the last lap to the finish line—only to be disqualified for receiving assistance. Building on this interest, "The Sporting Life" newspaper offered a magnificent trophy for an annual international marathon that would be second in importance only to the Olympic event itself. The Polytechnic Harriers were again asked to organise
Dublin Marathon levels have since increased significantly year-on-year with 19,500 completing the 2016 event. In 2001 the marathon became part of the Dublin Race Series, which includes pre-marathon events of 5 miles, 10 kilometres, 10 miles and half marathon distance over the preceding months, run in the Phoenix Park and Swords. A competitor died while running in the 2006 marathon and another in the 2013 marathon. The Dublin marathon is associated to a series of 4 other races in the calendar year. These races include, The Irish Runner 5 mile, The Frank Duffy 10 mile, Fingal 10k and the Dublin half Marathon.