The Belfast City Marathon Starts

May 3, 2026, 09:19
EuropeSports

Introduction

The 44th Belfast City Marathon started today. About 24,000 people are running 26.2 miles.

Main Body

The race started in 1982. In 2025, Tilahun Nigussie ran the fastest race. This year, runners started at Stormont. They ran past City Hall and finished at Ormeau Park. Many runners are collecting money for charities. They want to help people with heart and mind problems. A boxer and an actress are running to help others. Some roads are closed today. The city has extra trains and buses. This helps people go to the start and finish lines.

Conclusion

The race is still happening. Some roads are closed and buses are slow until the end of the day.

Learning

🏃 The "Right Now" vs. "Finished" Rule

In this story, we see two ways to talk about time. This is the secret to A2 English.

1. Things happening NOW (The -ing form) When we see -ing, the action is moving.

  • People are running → They are moving their legs right now.
  • Buses are slow → This is the current situation.

2. Things that already HAPPENED (The -ed form) When we see -ed, the action is over. It is in the past.

  • The race started → It is not starting anymore; it already began.
  • Roads are closed → Someone closed them earlier.

Quick Comparison:

  • Are running → Now! 🕒
  • Started → Before! ⬅️

Vocabulary Bridge

  • Collect money → To get money for a good cause.
  • Extra → More than usual (Extra trains = More trains).
  • Finish line → The end of the race.

Vocabulary Learning

marathon (n.)
a long running race
Example:She trained for the marathon every day.
race (n.)
an event where people run or compete
Example:The marathon is a type of race.
running (v.)
the action of moving quickly on foot
Example:They are running in the park.
people (n.)
human beings
Example:Many people attended the event.
money (n.)
currency used for buying goods
Example:Runners collected money for charity.
charities (n.)
organizations that help people
Example:The event supports local charities.
help (v.)
to give assistance
Example:They want to help people with problems.
city (n.)
a large town
Example:The race started in the city.
roads (n.)
paths for vehicles
Example:Some roads are closed today.
closed (adj.)
not open
Example:The roads are closed to traffic.
buses (n.)
large vehicles that carry many passengers
Example:Extra buses were arranged for the race.
start (v.)
to begin
Example:The race will start at 9 a.m.
finish (v.)
to complete
Example:They finished the race at Ormeau Park.
lines (n.)
boundaries for the race
Example:The start and finish lines were marked.
slow (adj.)
moving at a low speed
Example:The buses were slow until the end of the day.