Runners hoping to take part in next year’s Waterside and Strabane Lifford Half Marathons can seal their place now after registrations were officially opened by race organisers Derry City and Strabane District Council.
The Strabane Lifford Half Marathon will take place on Sunday May 18th 2025 and the Waterside Half Marathon has been pencilled in for Sunday September 7th 2025.
Festival and Events Manager at Council, Jacqueline Whoriskey, recommended for runners to seal their spot now as both events are expected to sell out well in advance of race day.
“We are delighted and proud to be hosting the Waterside Half Marathon and the Strabane Lifford Half Marathon in 2025,” she said.
“They are two of the longest running and most popular events on the Irish athletics calendar and help meet the huge appetite for athletics events that exists in our City and District.
“We were overwhelmed by the demand for places for last year’s events, so much so that there were over 500 people on our waiting list to take part in the Waterside Half Marathon.
“We are aiming to have a record field for both events this year and they will sell-out well in advance of race day so our advice is to register now to avoid disappointment.”
The Strabane Lifford Half Marathon is one of only two athletics events that operate on both sides of the Irish border and welcomed a record field of almost 1,000 finishers last May.
Numbers were swelled by the event’s inaugural three-person relay element where many runners were part of a Half Marathon field for the first time.
In 2025 the number of relay teams being accommodated will rise to 100, meaning the total capacity will rise to 1500, with 1200 Half Marathon entrants and 300 relay runners.
It will again start and finish in Strabane centre and cross the border into Donegal via Lifford.
The Waterside Half Marathon, sponsored by the LYCRA Company, sold out weeks in advance this year and had its highest ever number of finishers, passing the 2,000 mark for the first time.
A new course that incorporated the city’s four bridges proved popular with runners and has been retained for 2025.
This year over 600 people signed up to a waiting list for the event after it sold out and the capacity for 2025 has been increased to a record breaking 3,250 in total to help meet the high demand for places.
Athletics NI have confirmed that the Waterside Half will be the 2025 event for the Northern Ireland and Ulster Half Marathon Championships.
Council’s Sports Development team are organising Couch to Relay initiatives for both events, details of which will be released in the New Year.
The entry fee for both Half Marathons will remain at £27 plus booking Fee and £70 plus booking fee for the Relay.
Both events are chip-timed and the courses are fully marshalled with water stations and first aid.
Every finisher receives a commemorative medal and t shirt.
You can register for the Strabane Lifford Half now at www.derrystrabane.com/slhm and the Waterside Half at www.derrystrabane.com/whm.
