Travelling to Dublin for the Mini Marathon? 5 things you need to do!

Brought to you by Vhi Women's Mini Marathon.

So much to do, so little time.

So how is everyone getting on with their mini marathon training? Good? Bad? A work in progress? Haven't started yet? (Us neither) Well, don't be worrying yet - there's still plenty of time to get yourself hyped up and ready for the Vhi Women's Mini Marathon. Three months, actually (sure that's plenty!). The marathon, which is 10km long, is being held on Sunday, June 2, and is open to any woman aged 14 or over. It starts on Fitzwilliam Street Upper and finishes up on Baggot Street Lower. No pressure to be Speedy Gonzales here though - if walking is your thing, that works just as well. Every year 30,000 women take part in the marathon, either walking, jogging, or running, so you won't feel alone no matter what speed you take it at. If you want to sign up for the Vhi Women's Mini Marathon, you can do so over on their website. For those of you who are travelling up to Dublin for the mini marathon, you might as well make a little holiday out of it. After all, it is over the June bank holiday weekend (sure it'd be rude not to). We've put together a list of five of our favourite things to do and places to go in Dublin for anyone who is taking the trip up to the capital and wants to explore some city gems.

1. The National Gallery

This stop is just around the corner from the finish line of the mini marathon so the perfect place to have a little cool off and walk around after you're done. The exhibitions here change every month and in June there should be plenty to see, including paintings from the the exhibition 'Shaping Ireland: Landscapes in Irish Art' and 'Nathaniel Hone: Travels of a Landscape Artist' (we're definitely in for a treat with those) as well as a few others. There are usually some great workshops for children too, if the kids are joining you.

 2. Temple Bar markets

There are three markets to experience every Saturday around Temple Bar - the food market (with loads of yummy organic and homemade goodies), the book market (you can find both new and used books here), and the Designer Market at Cow's Lane (this is filled with jewellery, art, fashion, photography, you name it). All markets start at 10am on Saturday morning and go on for most of the day until around 5-6pm (though the food market usually closes up at 4 o'clock). It's such a treat to wander through these markets on a sunny day, pick up a book or two, and snack on some of the delicious food. Well worth a visit and the perfect way to relax the day before the mini marathon.

3. The Abbey

[caption id="attachment_450960" align="alignnone" width="640"] original photo source[/caption] There's always a show on at the Abbey and, more often than not, they're fantastic productions. With the relatively small size of the theatre, the experience is always an intimate one. Citysong, a play that looks at three generations of a Dublin family on one day, will be playing the weekend of the mini marathon in June. It seems the perfect play for anyone who wants a glimpse of various different aspects of Dublin life.

4. Teddy's

[caption id="attachment_450958" align="alignnone" width="640"] original photo source[/caption] Now, this one is a must-visit. For anyone who doesn't know, Teddy's is an ice-cream shop in Dun Laoghaire that just happens to serve the best 99s in the world. Their ice-cream is thick and creamy, generously dolloped, and tastes even better if you eat it while walking along the Dun Laoghaire pier.

 5. Phoenix Park

If you're looking for a good spot for a stroll, look no further than the lovely Phoenix Park. Home to Áras an Uachtaráin, Dublin Zoo, and the American Embassy, this park is one of the largest city parks in Europe. Its beautiful scenery is perfect for a morning jog or a walk with the family. There are also a huge number of resident deer living in the park so if you're lucky you might spot a few on your stroll. There you have it, five exciting things to do on a visit up to Dublin. If you're smart about time, you might even be able to get all of these AND the mini marathon squeezed into the weekend. You'd have a blast! One thing's for sure, we'll definitely be having a Teddy's ice-cream to cool down after the Vhi Women's Mini Marathon. Brought to you by Vhi Women's Mini Marathon.