Portmarnock AC Beach 5k Race
Portmarnock, Dublin
28 Aug 2026
⚠ Start times change frequently. Always check with race organiser or their website for this year's confirmed start time before travelling.
Course map
Map based on 2025 route
⚠ This map is for indicative purposes only — routes can change, or be reversed, year to year. Check with the race organiser for this year's confirmed map.
Elevation profile
About this race
The Portmarnock AC Beach 5k Race is a popular summer event run on the firm golden sand of the Velvet Strand in Portmarnock, on the northside coast of County Dublin. The race starts and finishes at The Shelters, by the main beach entrance near the ice cream kiosk, and follows a flat out-and-back loop along the strand, with panoramic views of Ireland's Eye and Howth Head. The compact, firm sand makes for a fast, flat course quite different from a standard road race, welcoming club runners, casual runners and walkers alike. Alongside the main 5km there is a 2km juvenile race and a 400m kids' colour run. Organised by Portmarnock Athletic Club, founded in 2012, as its flagship annual fundraiser, the chip-timed event is known for its festival-like beach-party atmosphere complete with music, a finisher t-shirt and the traditional free ice cream. It is a beloved fixture on the Dublin summer calendar.
Course profile & record eligibility
World Athletics record-eligibility rules cap net elevation loss at 1m per km of race distance, and require the start and finish to be no more than 50% of the race distance apart — both meant to stop a course gaining an unfair edge from downhill grade or a point-to-point tailwind. This is based on this course's recorded elevation and GPS data, not an official measurement or certification.