Boston Scientific Half Marathon - Clonmel

iceage

2 stars (poor)

It seems the mistake was the second loop at the beginning for the HM runners. When we swung left again at that junction rather than right out the Wood Rd I knew it was a wrong one.

I think maybe the confusion was caused because the 5K runners were to make the 2 circuits and we were to make one...maybe if the 5K route was either completetly seperate from the HM route, or it kicked off maybe after the HM start..

My first HM ever, Oh and christ it was warm. I have Ire in the funniest places. you Can't blame the organisers for this cock up, it was a marshalling error at that junction.

Great course, Some challenging bits, the marshalls were great, Civil Defence were brilliant...got a bit worried when the Ambulance seemed to be following me. I was carrying an injury which flared at knocklofty... guessed it might, but I wasn't going to miss this Half Marathon.

pab_lowe

1 star (terrible)

Started running this year (in January) so thats where I am coming from in my comments below.
Had done the burren half marathon and so was looking to this to benchmark my half marathon time from a purely road perspective. I know its an inaugural event but its disappointing that the lead car wasn't familiar enough with the route to take the correct turn at the right time.
There was no official comment on the mistake just a 'laughing off' of how lucky we were to get an extra mile to run.
I got in at about 1 hr 58 and was looking to be at 1hr 45. Though I knew there was something wrong I wasn't confident or knowledgeable enough to understand the mistake until I was told at the end, therefore my time is fairly meaningless even if I 'count back' taking the additional distance into consideration.
Fair play for the cars delivering water towards the end of the event, that was important given the hot day...also perhaps with the realisation that people were running more than they had bargained for.
Maybe showing my naiviety here but the goody bag was ****e....got a t-shirt for my efforts. Goody bag had taytos??? a flap jack, and an energy drink??? and a pile of crap for my recycling bin!!!!
Tea/coffee and food afterwards was welcome, especialy the biscuit cake but again only smart comments about the extra distance rather than any official explanation of what happened.
Finally, while this was a grand course, why all the bull**** about a fast course, ideal for a PB etc. This is probably more relevant to events in general but I would appreciate if it was just advertised for exactly what it is. In my limited experience, Clonmel had a steady climb over 3-4 miles with a rolling finish. Don't advertise it as a fast course perfect for a PB when its not that exactly.
Other comments, well marshalled at intersections, could have done without the ladies in the vocational school who scoffed repeatedly at the simple questions from competitors about toilets, way to the start, car park etc... it made it seem as if you didn;t want us to be there.
Seems like just another event trying to fit into an ever more over crowded calander with a lack of planning or forethought as its abiding memory

ggp

1 star (terrible)

as we came back around the town, the marshals were directing us back around the town fo the second time. lads near me were shouting that we should be turning off but the marshal's insisted that we should go around again. very poor.... Really annoyed me that when i mentioned it to the officials at the finish, they pratically turned and walked away from me...

Negatives
Very expensive for the quality of race experience.
Distance wrong
Goody bag very poor.
No marshals at some dangerous blind bends.
Dual carridgeway niot nice to run on.
Roads not closed and traffic weaving in and out of runners on back section.

Positives
T-shirt was nice.

Won't be back I'm afraid. Even though it was the first year and anyone can make a mistake this race was littered with problems. Ballybunion had their first half earlier this year and it was brilliantly organised and supported. It was 50 quid but you got a great experience, goody bag, medal etc etc...

hawkwing

More reports here :
http://munsterrunning.blogspot.com/2010/08/results-of-clonmel-half-marathon-sun.html

buck65

2 stars (poor)

My better half ran this too and the extra distance was a nightmare on such a hot day. Busy road out of Clonmel and an undulating run when advertised as flat. She also said that when they asked about the distance the organisers made a jibe about the extra mile would be good for DCM training!
Poor. They will earn it to get numbers back next year.

hawkwing

Some pics up :
http://tipperaryphotos.com/Boston-Scientific-Half-Marathon

plodder

buck65 wrote: »

... the organisers made a jibe about the extra mile would be good for DCM training!

That attitude would put me off more than anything

sideswipe

1 star (terrible)

Negatives
Very expensive for the quality of race experience.
Distance wrong
Goody bag very poor.
No marshals at some dangerous blind bends.
Dual carridgeway niot nice to run on.
Roads not closed and traffic weaving in and out of runners on back section.

Positives
T-shirt was nice.

Pretty much sums up my experiance except I'd put the T-Shirt in the negatives section:D

Does anybody know where the race results can be viewed online?

psychozeb

sideswipe wrote: »

Pretty much sums up my experiance except I'd put the T-Shirt in the negatives section:D

Does anybody know where the race results can be viewed online?

no results up yet,you'd think with chip timing they'd have been up already.

eliwallach

pab_lowe wrote: »

There was no official comment on the mistake just a 'laughing off' of how lucky we were to get an extra mile to run.

Maybe showing my naiviety here but the goody bag was ****e....got a t-shirt for my efforts. Goody bag had taytos??? a flap jack, and an energy drink??? and a pile of crap for my recycling bin!!!!

"

You are dead right - an accurately run course is a basic expectation.

However, on the goody-bag front - get used to it .

sideswipe

1 star (terrible)

no results up yet, you’d think with chip timing they'd have been up already.

I hope the cock-up and subsequent incorrect half marathon times is not making the organizers’ think twice about posting up the full results!

Can't agree more about an accurate course being a basic expectation.
I would have found the attitude of 'ah sure we go the extra mile for ye' infuriating had I experienced it but in fairness the lady who handed me the Baddie goody bag apologized about the mess up.

Plodman

3 stars (average)

I think all the negative comments are a little over the top. Apparently the guy who was to drive the lead car was called away urgently and the person who stepped in for him got confused and did two loops of the town by mistake (the 5K runnners were doing 2 loops). It was a genuine mistake on the part of one individual. People are forgetting all the time and effort that is put in on a voluntary basis to organise something like this - the bulk of the effort is always put in by just a few dedicated people. There were physios available to give people a rub down afterwards - one guy beside me was complaining that he didn't get a full 30min treatment! The physios were there, again voluntarily, and would not have the time to give 30 minutes to over 300 runners. It just shows that people are so quick to complain. I know the distance mistake was unfortunate but all things considered I believe the organisers should be congratulated on their dedication in organising this event and I look forward to running again next year (13.1 miles next time).

runsalot

I wouldn't say the complaints are over the top.

RayCun

Plodman wrote: »

It was a genuine mistake on the part of one individual.

I'm sure it was, as was the mistake with the placement of the start line at the Irish Runner 5 mile.
But it's a mistake that overshadows everything else about the day, including the efforts of all the other volunteers.

TFBubendorfer

Plodman wrote: »

It was a genuine mistake on the part of one individual.

That may well be, and if they apologised afterwards I'm sure most people would have accepted it as that.

But to dismiss it and say how lucky the runners were to get an extra mile, and to say it should just count as a long run for DCM is completely out of order. If that's their attitude then they deserve to stand on the start line on their own next year, wondering why nobody bothered to turn up.

Plodman

3 stars (average)

I can only speak from my experience and that of my friends who also ran - the organisers apologised to us about the confusion. I decided not to let the mistake detract from my experience and enjoyment of the day as a whole. I would have been annoyed if someone laughed off the extra mile but that was not my experience. The race organisers should not be tarred and feathered if some volunteer made light of the extra distance.

buck65

2 stars (poor)

Plodman wrote: »

I can only speak from my experience and that of my friends who also ran - the organisers apologised to us about the confusion. I decided not to let the mistake detract from my experience and enjoyment of the day as a whole. I would have been annoyed if someone laughed off the extra mile but that was not my experience. The race organisers should not be tarred and feathered if some volunteer made light of the extra distance.

That's a fair comment but getting the course wrong is such a big mistake that when it happens it sours the day for most.
Glad you put it behind you and enjoyed the day others obviously did not.

hawkwing

a few more pics :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/o_hairless_1/sets/72157624732404244/with/4897818602/

no sign of any results yet

plodder

Plodman wrote: »

I think all the negative comments are a little over the top. Apparently the guy who was to drive the lead car was called away urgently and the person who stepped in for him got confused and did two loops of the town by mistake (the 5K runnners were doing 2 loops). It was a genuine mistake on the part of one individual. People are forgetting all the time and effort that is put in on a voluntary basis to organise something like this - the bulk of the effort is always put in by just a few dedicated people. There were physios available to give people a rub down afterwards - one guy beside me was complaining that he didn't get a full 30min treatment! The physios were there, again voluntarily, and would not have the time to give 30 minutes to over 300 runners. It just shows that people are so quick to complain. I know the distance mistake was unfortunate but all things considered I believe the organisers should be congratulated on their dedication in organising this event and I look forward to running again next year (13.1 miles next time).

It's none of my business really since I wasn't there. But even though I'd agree, often a lot of complaints are unfair, it is the organisers fault if they don't have good backup plans for various things that can go wrong. Even having a complicated course, where a mistake can be made, is a classic example of the original Murphy's law in action (if you create opportunity for a mistake, then sooner or later, someone will make that mistake).

Having said that, Im glad to hear they were apologetic about it (I don't think there was ever any acknowledgement of the Irish Runner 5 mile mistake), and I hope it goes well for them in future. It sounds like a great location for a half.

AlmostQuick

Plodman wrote: »

I think all the negative comments are a little over the top. Apparently the guy who was to drive the lead car was called away urgently and the person who stepped in for him got confused and did two loops of the town by mistake (the 5K runnners were doing 2 loops). It was a genuine mistake on the part of one individual. People are forgetting all the time and effort that is put in on a voluntary basis to organise something like this - the bulk of the effort is always put in by just a few dedicated people. There were physios available to give people a rub down afterwards - one guy beside me was complaining that he didn't get a full 30min treatment! The physios were there, again voluntarily, and would not have the time to give 30 minutes to over 300 runners. It just shows that people are so quick to complain. I know the distance mistake was unfortunate but all things considered I believe the organisers should be congratulated on their dedication in organising this event and I look forward to running again next year (13.1 miles next time).

What about the time and effort put in by the runners? I was gutted, mentally shattered when I realised their mistake. What was the point of my run, I'd aimed for a PB but that was out the window and that was in my head, grinding me down all the way around. I stopped and walked the last (14th) mile, nothing left. I paid €27 for that, I'm not willing to write it off as 'ah well, they did their best, it's all voluntary'. No results on the Clonmel AC website, no apology on the Clonmel AC website two days after the event. We deserved better...

shels4ever

AlmostQuick wrote: »

What about the time and effort put in by the runners? I was gutted, mentally shattered when I realised their mistake. What was the point of my run, I'd aimed for a PB but that was out the window and that was in my head, grinding me down all the way around. I stopped and walked the last (14th) mile, nothing left. I paid €27 for that, I'm not willing to write it off as 'ah well, they did their best, it's all voluntary'. No results on the Clonmel AC website, no apology on the Clonmel AC website two days after the event. We deserved better...

You could apply for a refund . Think its only a matter of time before someone decides to do this.

opus

2 stars (poor)

While I can well understand people being annoyed over how things turned out, personally it didn't bother me too much. Only disappointment was that it was my first 1/2 marathon but don't really have an official time for it as I've only got the time from my Garmin for the 13.1 mile distance that was on my training plan but that doesn't feel quite right. I found the people maning the race hq very friendly both at the start & end, impressive spread of food as well, the toffee cake was delicious!

A mass email just to say sorry for what happened would be a good idea or even just something on the website. Speaking of which surely the results should be ready by now seeing as it was done with chip based timing


Just spotted the results on the munsterrunning blog spot!

psychozeb

just recieved an e-mail apologising for sundays race.pity because i know clonmelac run excellent races,did the 10k earlier in the year and really enjoyed it.for the future would like them to drop the goody bag and t-shirt and just give the people a top race.i will be back to race in clonmel and won't leave the race on sunday put me off too much even though i was disapointed.everything else went smoothly for me.

Plodman

3 stars (average)

AlmostQuick wrote: »

What about the time and effort put in by the runners? I was gutted, mentally shattered when I realised their mistake. What was the point of my run, I'd aimed for a PB but that was out the window and that was in my head, grinding me down all the way around. I stopped and walked the last (14th) mile, nothing left. I paid €27 for that, I'm not willing to write it off as 'ah well, they did their best, it's all voluntary'. No results on the Clonmel AC website, no apology on the Clonmel AC website two days after the event. We deserved better...

I am not writing off the mistakes. I am merely expressing my opinion which I am entitled to do. I realised that a mistake had been made early in the race but I had to continue my run and keep to my pace from the two mile marker. I did not let it "grind me down all the way round". Most runners are made of sterner stuff - you have to be to keep going when things are not going well, be it hills, weather, injury or an honest mistake by someone else. I am not of the opinion that it is ok to say they did their best but I am merely pointing out that sometimes it is also nice to acknowledge that while people make mistakes they should also be congratulated for the commitment they give on a voluntary basis. Running in this country would not have the following it has were it not for the commitment of people such as these

iceage

2 stars (poor)

Received an E mailed apology from the Race organisers last night and the results. At least they bothered to apologise guys.

Thats good enough for me, there was a mistake, Sh*t happens. Yes the second lap threw me, but hey it was my first HM. I won't forget it thats for sure I was just delighted to finish.

AlmostQuick

The apology finishes the matter, I hope to run it again next year.

opus

2 stars (poor)

AlmostQuick wrote: »

The apology finishes the matter, I hope to run it again next year.

Same for me, not sure about next year but I certainly wouldn't rule it out cause of one mistake.