Miles for a Cause: Munich Half Marathon in Support of Haemophilia NI

By Ronan Smithson

On the 12th of October 2025 I undertook the Munich Half Marathon and represented Haemophilia NI in Germany. Having taken part in the Belfast Marathon Relay for the last 4 years with Haemophilia NI, I decided it was time for a new challenge. This was a daunting challenge having never ran more than 10k before and one I signed up for with less than six weeks' notice.

The run itself starts at the Olympic Park, which hosted the 1972 summer Olympics. The run then takes you straight to the heart of the city. You run past the city’s most beautiful spots to the turning point at Sendlinger Tor, where fans cheer you on and the atmosphere gave me goosebumps. The return route takes you via Rindermarkt and Siegestor back to the Olympic Park, where runners were greeted with loud cheers at the finish line. The run itself was very challenging, but it was full of city vibes and unique moments that brought people from all across the world together. I was able to complete the half marathon in a time of 1 hour and 49 minutes.

As well as running the marathon with my Haemophilia NI t-shirt on to raise awareness of the charity and the bleeding disorder, I was able to raise £1,154 for Haemophilia NI. This blew me away, the generosity of friends, family and colleagues and it gave me a drive for my training and a boost to try and complete the marathon in as good a time as possible. 

Overall, it was a great experience and one I would definitely do again. It also made me highly respect anyone who runs full marathons, as the thought of doing the same distance again after I reached the finish line was not a pleasant one.