Setting up a new road race/funrun.

Amazotheamazing

I'm thinking about trying to start up a new 10k roadrace for runners of all categories in the Limerick area, based around the city and the Shannon river. I'm wondering what kind of pitfalls and problems I would encounter if I were to start on this project? What advice would people give me? What costs should I expect to incur?

I think it would be great to add a new run like this in Limerick, open to all, like the Ballycotton in Cork, the Streets of Galway and the summer runs in the Phoenix Park.

Andy27981

Great idea - id enter for sure !

Cant offer any advice - but good luck with it

damianmckeever

Hey,

It wouldn't be too hard. First off I suggest contacting the county council and informing them of your plans. I've run a Triathlon for the past four years and it's a bit more complicated as the bike and swim are the hard parts the run is easy, less likely to have an accident or someone getting into trouble.

The very best of luck with it. Ireland needs more of these.

Damian.

DaveH

Its a good idea, always good to have races on the caladner particuarly when they become established.

look at the background here first!
What market are appealling to?
Do you want just fun runners or do you some good quailty runners?
What time of the year are you looking to run it in?
Winter\Summer
Winter can be a nice break from the Cross Country for runners
Summer..you wont get much of a field up front.
You'll also need a permit, are you a member of a club?

PM me if you need some help? Although Im from Dublin so dont really know the landscape for road running in the west!

aburke

Go For it!
Thats the the best advice you can get.
You WILL hit obstacles - have the courage, imagination and determination to get around them.

Others:
Join a Club, and ask your County secretary for an AAI permit.
This is fairly straightforward, and means you have some sort of insurance cover.

Get plenty of volunteers, and delegate as much stuff as you can. Have as many marshalls on the course as you can. Mark the course well.

Some races suffer because the course is neither marked well, nor do they have enough stewards. This really pisses off the backmarkers, who might be well spaced out, and can't follow others.

Have your first race fairly low key, and use it to learn lessons.

Lastly, tell people about it.
Tell ME about it so I can put it on my website!
I might even come down and run!

Good Luck
Alan

Amazotheamazing

Thanks for the feedback guys. I guess I can give more details about the plans now, though it's still very early stages.

The run will hopefully be part of the Riverfest festival in Limerick, which runs on the May bank holiday weekend. The festival itself is focussed on the river (name might have given that away I guess) and the course of the run would try and be riverside for as much as possible, it would pass a good number of Limerick's historical sites and should be an enjoyable course.

All standards of runners would be welcome, with, of course, prizes for the top guys and goodie bags for everyone. We will be inviting every charity (local and national) to enter runners and use it for charity purposes, it is not the intention to tie it to any one charity. I guess I'd compare it the Streets of Galway or the Ballycotton 10, a very mixed field. Currently it is progressing as a evening run, though that is not certain (say, start time of 8 in the evening)

I have the backing of 2 local councillors already, so hopefully they'll liase with the City Council for us. I am hoping 2 local Rowing clubs will allow us use of their halls as changing rooms. (One has given a noncommital yes already).

I am meeting the organisers of Riverfest on Thursday, I know they want this run to happen, so hopefully I'll have more feedback on Thursday/Friday.