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sport · Sunday 30 August 2026 · 09:00 
Abbott Longford Half Marathon 2026
At The Longford Arms Hotel (Start/Finish) · Main Street, Longford, Co. Longford
At The Longford Arms Hotel (Start/Finish) · Main Street, Longford, Co. Longford
The Abbott Longford Half Marathon is one of the midlands’ most established road races, now in its 26th year and part of a full race weekend that draws runners from across Ireland and beyond. The half marathon distance - 21.15 km of single-lap course - suits anyone who wants a proper challenge without the full 26.2-mile commitment. The flat profile makes it a solid choice for runners chasing a personal best, while the mix of town streets and quiet country roads gives it a character that purpose-built city circuits often lack.
The race starts and finishes outside the Longford Arms Hotel on Main Street, a landmark that has sat at the centre of town life since 1807. From there runners complete a lap through the town itself before heading out onto the N5 Strokestown Road for a couple of miles, then turning onto quieter rural roads that pass farmyards and scattered houses. The course loops back into Longford via the Battery Road. It is notably flat throughout, which tends to keep times honest.
Water stations are positioned roughly every three miles, with combined water and energy drinks at the nine-mile mark. Each mile is clearly posted on the course. Number collection opens from 6.00am on race day at the Longford Arms Hotel, so there is plenty of time to get sorted before the 9.00am start. Entry is open to participants aged 18 and over.
Longford town sits at the junction of the N4 (Dublin to Sligo) and the N5 (Roscommon direction), about 130 km from Dublin - roughly 90 minutes by car. The start and finish on Main Street means you are right in the town centre. Bus Eireann serves Longford on the Dublin-Sligo Expressway route, and there are direct trains from Dublin Connolly (Sligo line) with a journey time of around 90 minutes. If driving, town-centre parking is available on race morning, though arriving early is wise given the road closures around the start area.
Longford is a working midlands town with St. Mel’s Cathedral and the nearby Corlea Trackway - an ancient bog road from 148 BC - worth a visit if you have time before or after race day. There is more to see in Longford and across Co. Longford.
Heading to The Longford Arms Hotel (Start/Finish) in Longford? Longford has plenty more to see. Read the Longford area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.