Every June, Dublin city centre turns into a 10 km ribbon of runners, joggers, and walkers — and the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon is the reason. The 2025 edition was confirmed as a sell-out by Vhi (official event organiser), with more than 28,000 women expected for the 12:30 pm start on Sunday, 1 June. For anyone planning the next one, the route, road closures, and registration window are where the day is won.

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Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles) · Founded: 1983 · 2025 field: 28,000+ women expected · Total raised to date: Over €100 million · Closure window: Sat 08:00 – Sun 19:00

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Final 2025 turnout; Vhi expected 28,000+ women before race day (Vhi, official event organiser)
  • 2026 date and registration window, not yet announced (Vhi, official event organiser)
  • Whether the event name changes as entry opens beyond women (Vhi, official event organiser)
  • 2026-specific street closures; Dublin City Council published the 2025 list in May (Dublin City Council, road notices)
3Timeline signal
  • 2025 marked the 43rd edition of an event first held in 1983 (Vhi, official event organiser)
  • Open to all genders since June 2023 (Vhi, official event organiser)
  • Race numbers collected on the Saturday before race day (The Irish Times, race-day guide)
4What’s next
  • Registration for the next edition is expected to open early in the year; the 2025 event sold out (Vhi, post-event announcement)
  • Watch Dublin City Council for the next closure notice, published nearer race day (Dublin City Council, road notices)
  • Charity totals for 2025 typically land after the final participant count (Vhi, post-event announcement)

Key Facts: VHI Mini Marathon 2025

Eight details, one pattern: the 2025 edition was a single 10 km city-centre loop built for mass participation.

Attribute Value Source
Event name Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon Dublin.ie, city event calendar
Distance 10 km (6.2 miles) The Irish Times, race-day guide
Location Dublin city centre Dublin.ie, city event calendar
2025 race day Sunday, 1 June 2025, 12:30 pm start Dublin.ie, city event calendar
Founded 1983 — 43rd edition in 2025 Vhi, official event organiser
Expected field (2025) More than 28,000 women Vhi, official event organiser
Status (2025) Sold out Vhi, post-event announcement
Road closures 08:00 Sat 31 May – 19:00 Sun 1 June Dublin City Council, local authority road notices

The pattern: these are the details the organisers repeat in every release — 10 km, city centre, open entry — because they answer most first-timer questions before the starting gun.

Can Men Do the VHI Mini Marathon?

Is the event open to all genders?

  • Yes. Entry has been open to all genders since June 2023, while the event kept its historical Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon name (Vhi, official event organiser).
  • Vhi still frames the event as women-first, saying more than 28,000 women were expected for the 2025 edition (Vhi, official event organiser).
  • Everyone who registers runs the same 10 km route with the same 12:30 pm start, regardless of gender (Dublin.ie, city event calendar).

What is the official name of the event?

  • The official name is the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon (Dublin.ie, city event calendar).
  • Health insurer Vhi is the long-term title sponsor, and the event is widely searched as “Vhi mini marathon” or “Dublin mini marathon” (Vhi, official event organiser).

The 2023 rule change

  • : the event opened registration to all genders, reversing the women-only entry policy that dated back to the first edition.
  • : the 43rd edition ran with open entry and sold out before race day (Vhi, post-event announcement).
Why this matters

The gender rule change redraws the participant pool: open entry plus a 28,000-women marketing focus is how the event reached a sell-out in 2025.

The implication: the brand stays women-focused, but the field is now a mass-participation 10 km with a wider base of entrants, volunteers, and fundraisers — and that wider base helped fill the 2025 cap.

How Long is the VHI Mini Marathon in Kilometers?

The exact distance

  • The race distance is 10 km (6.2 miles) (Vhi, official event organiser).
  • Vhi describes the event as a 10 km route open to people who wish to walk, jog, or run it (Vhi, official event organiser).

10 km vs a full marathon

  • A full marathon covers 42.2 km; the Mini Marathon is roughly a quarter of that distance.
  • The 10 km route runs through Dublin 2 and 4 via Fitzwilliam Street, Leeson Street Upper, Morehampton Road, and Donnybrook Road (The Irish Times, race-day guide).

What this means: 10 km is short enough for a first charity effort and long enough that the road closures — not the distance — are the real planning problem.

What Time Does the VHI Mini Marathon Start?

The 2025 start time

  • The 2025 event started at 12:30 pm on Sunday, 1 June (Dublin.ie, city event calendar).
  • The start line was near Fitzwilliam Place in Dublin 2 (Dublin.ie, city event calendar).
  • Vhi’s official event release also lists the 12:30 pm start for the 43rd edition (Vhi, official event organiser).

When to arrive on the day

  • Roads in the event zone close from 08:00 on Saturday 31 May and stay closed until 19:00 on Sunday 1 June (Dublin City Council, local authority road notices).
  • The Irish Times said race numbers could be collected on Saturday between 10:30 am and 5:00 pm at the Conrad Dublin on Earlsfort Terrace, so participants were not queuing on race morning (The Irish Times, race-day guide).
  • With the 12:30 start, aim to be in the Fitzwilliam area by late morning; bus and Luas routes shift around the closed streets (Dublin City Council, local authority road notices).
The catch

The 12:30 pm start sounds civilised, but the street closures that protect it begin at 08:00 on Saturday — and on race day several surrounding streets close from 04:00 (The Irish Times, race-day guide). A car-first plan fails before the start gun.

The pattern: the official start is 12:30, but the practical arrival window opens much earlier. Treat 11:30 am as your real deadline.

What Roads Are Closed for the VHI Mini Marathon?

The official course

  • The 2025 course began on Fitzwilliam Street in Dublin 2 and continued via Leeson Street Upper, Morehampton Road, and Donnybrook Road (The Irish Times, race-day guide).
  • The route also used the R138/Stillorgan Road between Fosters Avenue and Belfield Bridge, closed on 1 June from 11:30 to 16:00 (Dublin City Council, R138 closure notice).

Which streets close

  • Herbert Street closed from 08:00 on Saturday 31 May until 19:00 on Sunday 1 June (The Irish Times, race-day guide).
  • On race day itself, closures ran from 04:00 to 19:00 on Herbert Lane, Pembroke Row, Fitzwilliam Street, Merrion Square, St Stephen’s Green, and Baggot Street (The Irish Times, race-day guide).
  • Dublin City Council published the full 2025 closure list as a temporary traffic notice covering 31 May and 1 June (Dublin City Council, closure notice PDF).

When roads reopen

  • Closures lifted at 19:00 on Sunday 1 June, the end of the council’s published window (Dublin City Council, local authority road notices).
  • The R138/Stillorgan Road section reopened at 16:00, per the 1 June notice (Dublin City Council, R138 closure notice).

The implication for residents and drivers: the closure schedule protects the course from the city centre out to Donnybrook, so crossing Dublin 2 and 4 on race weekend takes a different route — or a different mode.

Bottom line: The 10 km course runs on a 35-hour closure window from Saturday morning to Sunday evening. Drivers: plan around the city centre. Walkers and Luas users: you can bypass most of the disruption.

The pattern: closures are extensive but well-communicated; residents and drivers can plan around the centre.

How Do I Register for the VHI Mini Marathon 2025?

The 2025 registration process

  • Online entry opened ahead of race day, and Vhi confirmed the 2025 edition sold out (Vhi, post-event announcement).
  • There was no mandatory fundraising amount; participants supported the charity of their choice through the event’s fundraising model (Vhi, official event organiser).

Race-number pickup

  • Numbers were collected on Saturday 31 May, 10:30 am–5:00 pm, at the Conrad Dublin on Earlsfort Terrace (The Irish Times, race-day guide).
  • Picking up the number a day early means the start line is the only queue on Sunday.

How registration will likely work next time

  • The 2025 pattern — entry opens early in the year, then sells out — is the clearest signal for the next edition (Vhi, post-event announcement).
  • Watch Vhi’s media releases for the next date, and Dublin City Council’s road notices for the logistics around it (Dublin City Council, local authority road notices).
What to watch

The next registration window is the real race. The 2025 edition sold out, so the next portal will likely fill fast — set an alert on Vhi’s release page, not your training plan.

The trade-off: a low-cost, no-minimum fundraising model keeps entry open, but demand runs ahead of capacity. The 2025 sell-out turned registration into the most competitive part of the day.

Bottom line: Charity runners who wait for a training block to finish will miss the window. Register as soon as the portal opens, then train with a number already in your name.

Vhi Mini Marathon 2025: Event Specifications

Eight planning specs, one pattern: the event lowers every barrier — flat course, Saturday pickup, no fundraising minimum — so the 10 km stays walkable.

Specification Detail Source
Course length 10 km (6.2 miles) Vhi, official event organiser
Format Run, jog, or walk Vhi, official event organiser
Start location Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2 Dublin.ie, city event calendar
Start time 12:30 pm Dublin.ie, city event calendar
Race-number pickup Saturday 31 May, 10:30 am–5:00 pm, Conrad Dublin, Earlsfort Terrace The Irish Times, race-day guide
Route spine Fitzwilliam Street, Leeson Street Upper, Morehampton Road, Donnybrook Road The Irish Times, race-day guide
Closure window 08:00 Sat – 19:00 Sun Dublin City Council, local authority road notices
2025 status Sold out Vhi, post-event announcement

The takeaway: every specification points back to one goal — get more people over 10 km, and make the logistics simple enough that the distance is the only hard part.

Race-Day Steps for a Smooth 10 km

  1. Register before the cap. The 2025 event sold out, so treat the opening window as a deadline (Vhi, post-event announcement).
  2. Set up fundraising early. Choose your charity and start collecting before training peaks (Vhi, official event organiser).
  3. Collect your number on Saturday. 10:30 am–5:00 pm at the Conrad Dublin, Earlsfort Terrace (The Irish Times, race-day guide).
  4. Plan around the closures. Check Dublin City Council’s notice; most streets near the start close from early morning (Dublin City Council, local authority road notices).
  5. Arrive near Fitzwilliam Place by 11:30 am. The 12:30 pm start leaves room for the last bits of pre-race logistics (Dublin.ie, city event calendar).

The pattern: each step removes a failure point, so race morning is just the run.

Vhi Mini Marathon Timeline: 1983 to 2025

  • — the first edition of the Women’s Mini Marathon is held in Dublin (Vhi, official event organiser).
  • — Vhi becomes the title sponsor.
  • — entry opens to all genders.
  • — registration opens for the 43rd edition.
  • — the 43rd edition starts at 12:30 pm and sells out (Vhi, sold-out announcement).

Sources: Vhi (official event organiser) via its 2025 event release and sold-out update; The Irish Times (race-day guide).

The pattern: more than four decades of continuity, then a deliberate break — open entry — that pushed the event to a sell-out.

What’s Confirmed and What’s Still Unclear

Confirmed facts

  • 2025 race day: Sunday, 1 June, 12:30 pm start (Dublin.ie, city event calendar)
  • Distance: 10 km, open to walkers, joggers, and runners (Vhi, official event organiser)
  • Closures: 08:00 Sat – 19:00 Sun (Dublin City Council, road notices)
  • 2025 edition sold out (Vhi, post-event announcement)

What’s unclear

  • Final 2025 turnout — Vhi said 28,000+ women were expected, not counted (Vhi, official event organiser)
  • 2026 date and when the registration portal reopens
  • Whether the “Women’s” name will stay if the field keeps diversifying
  • 2026 street closure list, which Dublin City Council publishes closer to race day (Dublin City Council, road notices)
  • Bag-drop locations; The Irish Times guide covered them, but next year’s points are confirmed nearer the event (The Irish Times, race-day guide)

The pattern: most of the uncertainty sits a full year out; the confirmed facts are the ones that matter on race day.

What the Organiser, the City, and the Press Say

“The event opens its 10 km route to people who wish to walk, jog, or run it.”

Vhi (official event organiser), 2025 media release

“Temporary road closures run from 08:00 on Saturday to 19:00 on Sunday.”

Dublin City Council (local authority road notices)

“Race numbers can be collected on Saturday between 10:30 am and 5:00 pm at the Conrad Dublin on Earlsfort Terrace.”

The Irish Times (race-day logistics guide)

What this means: the official notices tell the same story — a flat, walkable course, a generous closure window, and a city that treats the event as a logistical fixture.

What the 2025 Sell-Out Signals for the Next Edition

The 43rd edition closed a chapter that began in 1983, sold out its field, and handed Dublin City Council a closure schedule that reshaped the weekend for anyone near the route. The next edition depends on one date: the day Vhi opens registration. For charity fundraisers, the decision is clear — enter the moment the portal opens, or watch another June from the sidelines.

Related reading: Dublin City Council · Vhi

Additional sources

www1.vhi.ie, dublincity.ie, gaisce.ie, vhiwomensminimarathon.ie, rte.ie, buseireann.ie, 3ts.ie

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Frequently asked questions

How many people typically run the VHI Mini Marathon?

Vhi said more than 28,000 women were expected for the 2025 edition, which sold out (Vhi, official event organiser). The event is branded as Ireland’s biggest one-day charity event.

What is the history of the VHI Mini Marathon?

First held in 1983, it reached its 43rd edition in 2025, with Vhi as title sponsor. Entry opened to all genders in June 2023 (Vhi, official event organiser).

Is there a minimum age to participate?

The event is open to participants aged 10 and over in the race year, in line with the event’s eligibility rules (Vhi, official event organiser).

Can I walk the VHI Mini Marathon?

Yes. Vhi said the event is open to people who wish to walk, jog, or run the 10 km route (Vhi, official event organiser).

What charities can I support?

Participants fundraise for the charity of their choice through the event’s model, with no mandatory fundraising amount (Vhi, official event organiser).

How much money has the event raised for charity since it started?

Vhi’s event communications put the cumulative total at over €100 million raised since 1983 (Vhi, official event organiser).

Is there a bag drop at the event?

Yes — The Irish Times’ 2025 guide covered bag-drop points alongside entry points and start logistics; next year’s locations will be confirmed closer to race day (The Irish Times, race-day guide).

The pattern: these are the most common queries, answered with official sources.

Related reading

  • Vhi: 2025 Women’s Mini Marathon media release — official event organiser
  • Vhi: 2025 event sold-out announcement — official event organiser
  • Dublin City Council: Mini Marathon roadworks page — local authority road notices
  • The Irish Times: 2025 Mini Marathon guide — race-day logistics
  • Dublin.ie: event listing — city calendar