The Sunday of the October bank holiday follows a similar pattern for Olympian and performance psychologist Jessie Barr.
She will join the thousands that line the streets of the Dublin and watch runners of all abilities file past. From the elite runners, to PB chasers, to those whose sole target is to cross the finish line, the performance psychologist has fleeting moments where she considers the possibility of tackling more than 26 miles meandering in and around the city centre.
"Never say never," she says, but such aspirations are a long way off.
The Waterford 400m hurdler - a finalist on her European Championship debut in 2012 and an Olympian in the 4x400m in London 2012 – saw the final two years of her life as an athlete dogged by injury before finally hanging up the spikes in 2019.
She will tip around the Phoenix Park, but running has taken a back seat. By her own admission, retirement meant she had little motivation to continue prehab and rehab work and now she is more likely to be doing yoga and Pilates than lacing up the runners.
"I have probably learned the hard way about how to manage injuries well and poorly."
Barr won't be among the 20,000 signed up for this year’s Irish Life Dublin marathon, but is well-versed in the complex relationship between mind and body when it comes to participating in a marathon.
While her PhD centered around mental health in elite athletes, Barr comes across runners of all abilities, from pace-setters to fast walkers. The anxiety that comes with such a challenge can be overwhelming for some, especially those making their 26.2 mile debut.
"When you think about running a marathon, it’s really daunting," she tells RTÉ Sport. "They say how do you eat an elephant, one bite at a time, the marathon is the same.
"You can’t think about it as this massive chunk of a run. Break it down this far out, incremental goals. What is the goal for this week?"
Barr has watched on with interest how running has continued to evolve from a solitary sport into a powerful community-driven experience.
Firstly, it’s something relatable as Barr recounts her own training experiences. While she operated in an individual sport, the reality was she was only ever on her own on race day, the rest of the time she was part of a wider training group.
"If I had to catch up on training, that session on my own I found really challenging.
"I missed the buzz of people, sharing in the emotion, even if it’s low. There’s a 'we’re all in this together feel'. Social bonds and enhanced motivation, it’s hard to quantify."
Secondly it was the next layer of her understanding. Previously she looked at the benefits of running in terms of mental health, but how did group running fit in? Could it clearly be shown to improve performance?
Recent research - including a 2024 UCC study and work from Plymouth Marjon University – looked at data from five London marathons from 2018 and covering more than 200,000 runners.
The results showed that training with a group significantly boosts runners’ motivation, mental health, enjoyment and race-day performance.
In short, the social connectedness cannot be understated.
Running and social running clubs are the obvious starting point, but there are other options.
"Running clubs are great, but not everyone is close to them," she says. "Work and life commitments could also come into play, but perceived support is really valuable.
"Take Strava - the social network and fitness tracking app – for example. You might have to train on your own, but you can track and upload your runs. There is a community there, full of encouragement and support.
"Friends and family can keep you accountable if there is no group. Involve them. It's about finding ways to create that support."
Applicable to all runners, but especially marathon debutants, Barr says the anxiety around goal-setting is understandable. The first question many will field upon completion will centre around time, but that shouldn't be the sole aim.
"Sometimes there is a fear of setting a goal in case you don’t reach it," she says. "Having a really strict goal – sub four-hour, sub five-hour – can lead to disappointment.
"Setting other goals, such as 'I want my family to see me lining up, I want to raise money for charity, I want to wave to my friend who will be at the 20km mark, I want to enjoy the experience’, can make it a really enjoyable day. The time can be a bonus on top."
