Best First half Marathon to do in Late Aug/Sep '10 ?

Seres

really excited , goin to start training for my first half marathon from next week , to complete in late august or september . Only problem isd there are so many . Anyone recommendations and why ? i see my option as

1. longford half , Aug
2. Galway half , August
3. National Half , Sep
4. Dingle Half , Sep
5. Adidas Half : Sep

other considerations

longest race to date 10km
doing Gael Force in august : for fun, no real intended training
want to choice a course with maybe a good female turnout

all suggestions welcome

aero2k

Hi Seres,

Out of your list I've only done the Adidas, so that's the only one I can comment on. If the course is the same as last year then you'll have about the same amount of hills as in the Great Ireland Run, but all after about 7.5 miles, so you get a nice flat warm-up. If you pick this it'll give you longer to train, and a few weeks to recover after GF. The field will be big so lots of ladies.

If I remember you do about 45 miles per week, that should be plenty to run a good half.

Best of luck!

brutes1

If you want to run a good time and in a competitive race then both the National half and Adidas in the park will have strong fields..plenty of women ( and men) sub 1hr 30 in both - even more will do the adidas half than the national at that time level there were c 400 under 1hr 30 in the adidas half last year if u look it up - national half gets small fields.


But ..bear in mind the phoenix park is not flat!, and this years national half in in carlow - st abbans club host
National half =medals too ..possibly..!

Dingle - hills?? lots of them
Longford and Galway both reasonably flat and fast ,but for you are very close to gaelforce being the week after, galway will have a good buzz to it being first time out, and very fast last few miles in salthill

Will probably do two and maybe three myself of these ,

I would go for dublin half if i had to choose, this is based on competitive/pb reasons , good field- makes you run better, big event buzz, and if location is not an issue and you dont mind the odd drag !

RacoonQueen

If you're looking for a fast time - Dingle is not the one to go for. I did it last year and it was quite a hilly course - PB'd on it but two weeks later I PB'd again in the Adidas and knocked a massive 9 minutes off my Dingle time. Although I'd probably put the difference between the two courses at about 5 minutes.

I'm considering the National Half myself if I don't do the Dingle Ultra/half but I don't want to finish last :pac:

Longford I think is a fairly flat course, anyone who has run the full would know I'm sure.

No idea about Galway - but I think thats the event where marathon runners were sent in the wrong direction last year.

Adidas half and the national half will have the best turnout probably, field is going to be much more competitive in both of them. Downside of the Adidas half is the size of the field so if you start too far back you can be stuck there for a while.

The mooathon half in Donegal is the week after Dublin I think but that would be similar to Dingle in how difficult the course is. Cliffs of Moher half is the same weekend, again, I'd imagine the course is pretty tough.

There is also the Kilkenny Half in September which asiminov would probably be able to give you info on.

Krusty_Clown

You won't get more local than Longford and as such family and friends could cheer you on, but it's not the most entertaining of courses. But I reckon the half marathon is less remote than the full marathon, and it is very flat, so good for a PB. Based on previous performances, you'd be looking towards the top end of the field.

The Adidas half is good, as it's well organized (since the organizers took and feedback and made it a much better race) and it's also a big spectacle. I haven't run the new route, but didn't enjoy the old route due to the hills (which has been somewhat rectified).

Based on previous results, the national is a lot more competitive, so if you enjoy the challenge of facing a higher calibre of opponent, then this'd be the race for you.

Seres

thanks all
didnt realise that GF was week after galway and longford so would be stupid training for two months to blow it with GF which im just doin for fun . Ist half so National Half might be a bit scary , dont want to turn myself off them on the first go , will go for the adidas half and see how i get on , will def get a pb anyway , will try for maybe for sub 1.40.

Speedy44

No idea about Galway - but I think thats the event where marathon runners were sent in the wrong direction last year.

Different event and organisers. I believe the Galway half that was mentioned is the new one that is part of the Galway Marathon.

asimonov

RacoonQueen wrote: »

There is also the Kilkenny Half in September which asiminov would probably be able to give you info on.

My OH ran this last year and it was a good race - but i reckon you'd be better off with the adidas half - you're familiar with the area and the set up of phoenix park races and importantly there will be loads of people there for you to run with, in a smaller race you might get isolated.

BTW, if you can run 10k in 40 minutes; are you planning on walking the last mile and a half to hit your sub 1:40 target?

Gringo78

St. Finbarr’s A.C. Cork Half Marathon will take place on Sunday September 12th 2010 at 11.00a.m. in Blarney Co. Cork. €20 for pre entry or €25 entry on the day. Hard to beat that for value. Fantastically organised race, usually 500-600 runners.

Seres

asimonov wrote: »

My OH ran this last year and it was a good race - but i reckon you'd be better off with the adidas half - you're familiar with the area and the set up of phoenix park races and importantly there will be loads of people there for you to run with, in a smaller race you might get isolated.

BTW, if you can run 10k in 40 minutes; are you planning on walking the last mile and a half to hit your sub 1:40 target?

maybe 1.35 more realistic then ? think 1.30 is a bit ambitious , might just cause me to blow up ?

Gringo78 wrote: »

St. Finbarr’s A.C. Cork Half Marathon will take place on Sunday September 12th 2010 at 11.00a.m. in Blarney Co. Cork. €20 for pre entry or €25 entry on the day. Hard to beat that for value. Fantastically organised race, usually 500-600 runners.

think its a bit far , was kinda rulin out dingle cause of distance too
oh by the way well done on sub three , think that was a rolled forward target from last year cork marathon ?!

Sosa

I am seriously thinking of the national half in Carlow on Sept 5th.
Competition will be stiff and the chances of running on your own are slim
The cork one is on the same day as a 10k down here that i like so i will probably miss that.

brutes1

If you wanted some build up races to racing a half these could be good - if you dont mind a step up in distance

http://www.athenryac.com/longford-marathon-preparations-take-shape-summer-series-races

10 mile tomorrow - ??!!
half mara 18/07/10, do it as a good training run , at 1 45 pace perhaps, just to get the distance before you race one flat out!!

eliwallach

Gringo78 wrote: »

St. Finbarr’s A.C. Cork Half Marathon will take place on Sunday September 12th 2010 at 11.00a.m. in Blarney Co. Cork. €20 for pre entry or €25 entry on the day. Hard to beat that for value. Fantastically organised race, usually 500-600 runners.

Think you forgot to mention the continuous uphill from mile 3 to mile 6 ;).

Seres

brutes1 wrote: »

If you wanted some build up races to racing a half these could be good - if you dont mind a step up in distance

http://www.athenryac.com/longford-marathon-preparations-take-shape-summer-series-races

10 mile tomorrow - ??!!
half mara 18/07/10, do it as a good training run , at 1 45 pace perhaps, just to get the distance before you race one flat out!!

couldnt get off to this today against my best efforts , how was it ?, may do half though next month , just as a training sesion

village runner

eliwallach wrote: »

Think you forgot to mention the continuous uphill from mile 3 to mile 6 ;).

Maybe i am losing my marbles but i thought it was miles 6 and 7. Lost 40 seconds over 2 miles with the last 4 miles very flat i found it a great half. Serious grub after it. Pity its two weeks before Berlin. I might do it at mp. The rebels know how to run a race.

tisnotover

village runner wrote: »

Maybe i am losing my marbles but i thought it was miles 6 and 7. Lost 40 seconds over 2 miles with the last 4 miles very flat i found it a great half. Serious grub after it. Pity its two weeks before Berlin. I might do it at mp. The rebels know how to run a race.

The Cork half is a great race, and I'd nearly pencil my holidays around it, I like it that much !

There is a two mile uphill between 6 and 7, but steady up-it without giving yourself a heart-attack and its great running then to the finish, a lot of it downhill or flat.

The Waterford half is also one I want to do again this year, spoilt for choice down here

brutes1

Seres wrote: »

couldnt get off to this today against my best efforts , how was it ?, may do half though next month , just as a training sesion

Dont know didnt do it myself!!! will probably do half in July

By the way one more half for the mix - it seems like one a week pops up!!
http://thebogtrottersmarathon.ie/
Looks more suitable for training run/hard effort than pb course , unless you havent done a half before, then pb guaranteed...

Seres

brutes1 wrote: »

Dont know didnt do it myself!!! will probably do half in July

By the way one more half for the mix - it seems like one a week pops up!!
http://thebogtrottersmarathon.ie/
Looks more suitable for training run/hard effort than pb course , unless you havent done a half before, then pb guaranteed...

thanks ,difficult to choose with all the options will prob do that one or longford half next month i think , just as a long run session or something