It’s time again to tell us what you loved — and what you’d love to see improved — at Lap of the Gap 2025. Every survey respondee will be entered into a draw to win a ticket to Lap of the Gap 2026!
🎯 Take the 2025 Post-Race Survey now:
👉 https://form.jotform.com/251453488322357
📝 What You Said in 2024 — and What We Did
Here’s how your feedback last year shaped this year’s race:
✅ Fully Implemented
- Slate medals – We combined the most popular options from 2023.
- Portaloo at the Half-Marathon turnpoint – Added.
- Clash with Wicklow Way Relay – Resolved.
- More signage for spectators – Improved directional info.
- Extra buses & new Arrival Area – Adjusted to car park closure; doubled bus capacity.
- More portaloos (especially at Parking) – Done, but 2025 showed we need to expand at the Start line as well. We tried to get permission for toilets at HelpDesk but this was not possible.
- Shuttle ticketing system – Worked well, though the 5-min walk added delays.
🟡 Partially Done or Informal
- Fewer emails / no handbook – Website now has key updates, but emails increased due to necessary info. Handbook kept for those who prefer it.
- After-party – No official one, but an informal gathering did happen!
❌ Not Yet Done
- Bike Corps – Not feasible due to limited local volunteer interest.
- Guided warmup to the start – Held off in 2025 to avoid logistical overload.
- International Info Page – Planned for summer 2025.
👕🚌💧 Proactive Learnings – T-Shirts, Shuttle Timing & Aid Station Strategy
We’re constantly learning and adapting — here’s a breakdown of a few key topics that came up this year.
👕 T-Shirt Fit & Sizing
We know that some participants didn’t find a race t-shirt that fit properly, despite us having a substantial surplus in stock. Sizing this year proved trickier than expected:
- Our supplier warned that the women’s fit ran one size small compared to Irish norms — but in practice, some runners needed to go up two sizes.
- The men’s sizing was also tighter than most expected.
Unfortunately, we can’t include sizing charts in the registration process, and the final t-shirt model is often not confirmed when ticket sales begin.
🛠️ For 2026, we’ll automatically order all t-shirts at least one size up from each runner’s stated preference and build in larger buffer stock while maintaining our commitment to low-waste practices.
🚌 Return Shuttle Timing
Some early finishers noted that the 3:00 PM Dublin Bus return shuttle meant a long wait — even though it was pre-advertised. To clarify, this return shuttle is entirely separate from the morning buses and scheduled independently.
🚍 What we’ll do in 2026:
We’ll budget for two return departures, at 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM, to better align with natural finish times — especially for marathon runners finishing in 3.5 to 5 hours. While this adds cost, we believe the improved flow will make it worthwhile.
💧 Water Stations, Cups & Semi-Self-Sufficiency
We’re still exploring the feasibility of replacing compostable water cups with bottles or other sustainable options — but to date, we’ve not identified a cost-effective and low-waste alternative that meets both our values and logistical needs.
Additionally, adding new water stations remains a challenge due to limited viable locations on this mountainous route. The course crosses long, remote stretches with few safe or practical places to set up full aid stations.
📍 Current water points are at:
- 4 km
- 10 km
- 16.1 km
- 23 km
- 27 km
- 32 km
- 37 km
That’s an average spacing of ~5.3 km, with denser coverage in the second half — deliberately designed to provide more frequent hydration as the race wears on.
🌄 For marathoners finishing in 4–5+ hours, we will strongly encourage and advertise the semi-self-sufficiency ethos, such as carrying a refillable soft flask or bottle, as is common practice in trail and adventure marathons. This race is not structured like a flat, inner-city marathon, and our hydration strategy is tailored to the unique demands of the route and terrain.
💬 Tell Us What You Think
If you could change just one thing about Lap of the Gap 2026 — whether adding or removing something — what would it be, and why?
We’d love to hear from you.
👉 Take the survey now
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