Athlone ¾ Marathon, Sun 2nd Oct 2011 11am

bazman

4 stars (good)

Race Briefing Pack: http://www.athlone3quarter.com/userfiles/2011_A3Q_RaceBriefingPack.pdf

28064212

bazman wrote: »

Race Briefing Pack: http://www.athlone3quarter.com/userfiles/2011_A3Q_RaceBriefingPack.pdf

Hi bazman, in the briefing pack it says there are only pacers up to 4hr marathon pace, but on the website main page it says that there are 4.5 hr pacers as well, can you confirm which is the case?

bazman

4 stars (good)

28064212 wrote: »

Hi bazman, in the briefing pack it says there are only pacers up to 4hr marathon pace, but on the website main page it says that there are 4.5 hr pacers as well, can you confirm which is the case?

Mistake on the homepage - not sure how 4.5 slipped in there. Corrected.
• 3:00 Marathon Prep Pace = Approx. 7:20/mile or 4:35/km = RED balloons (2hr 25mins for ¾)
• 3:30 Marathon Prep Pace = Approx. 8:35/mile or 5:20/km = GREEN balloons (2hr 50mins for ¾)
• 4:00 Marathon Prep Pace = Approx. 9:40/mile or 6:00/km = BLUE balloons (3hr 10mins for ¾)

SnappyDresser

Normally I am not nervous before a full marathon. But somehow I am much more anxious about this race and then I realized why. I had not put the long runs in just a few very hilly 1:45 runs. Hoping that will get me to 15 miles before the deep pain starts. And the fact that there is a few interesting and challenging hills. You gotta love those hills

28064212

bazman wrote: »

Mistake on the homepage - not sure how 4.5 slipped in there. Corrected.
• 3:00 Marathon Prep Pace = Approx. 7:20/mile or 4:35/km = RED balloons (2hr 25mins for ¾)
• 3:30 Marathon Prep Pace = Approx. 8:35/mile or 5:20/km = GREEN balloons (2hr 50mins for ¾)
• 4:00 Marathon Prep Pace = Approx. 9:40/mile or 6:00/km = BLUE balloons (3hr 10mins for ¾)

Damn

Actually aiming much better in the DCM, but carrying a cold at the moment, so don't have high hopes for this race :-/

Mr Marenghi

Gonna rely on some sort of zen strength (and a Garmin) - but mainly zen strength to "feel" I am consistently halfway between the 3hr and 3.30 pacers - to get me on track for my 3.15

dernipper

4 stars (good)

Might be worth trying to see if there are other runners looking at a 3:15 and try and maybe form a group and pace together?

Either post here or even ask the organisers to announce as a by the way after the race briefing before the race, last year this was outside the hotel before we walked to start so presume something similar this year. Was thinking 3:15 ish pace myself but feeling a bit of a cold so just going to take it easier,,, looking forward to it though

Mr Marenghi wrote: »

Gonna rely on some sort of zen strength (and a Garmin) - but mainly zen strength to "feel" I am consistently halfway between the 3hr and 3.30 pacers - to get me on track for my 3.15

Mr Marenghi

dernipper wrote: »

Might be worth trying to see if there are other runners looking at a 3:15 and try and maybe form a group and pace together?

Either post here or even ask the organisers to announce as a by the way after the race briefing before the race, last year this was outside the hotel before we walked to start so presume something similar this year. Was thinking 3:15 ish pace myself but feeling a bit of a cold so just going to take it easier,,, looking forward to it though

Yeah thats cool - i might try and suss some out on the morning !

Thanks

greenplain

4 stars (good)

i'd be up for 3.15 pace

AngelaRI

bazman wrote: »

We will certainly be providing a bus service from Athlone bus & rail stations to the race start. The exact times are to be finalised, but will be in line with bus and rail arrivals. Race briefing pack will be distributed on Thursday morning to all online entrants with the final details.

We want to be an eco friendly race and encourage people to use public and communal transport.

is this bus service limited to runners only, or can our significant others also make use to support us on the race??

seanin4711

4 stars (good)

are they t-shirts ie cotton or are they technical tops?
thanks
no gels anywhere?
j

Name Changed

I think the t-shirts are technical ones. I hope they are anyway.

Quick question. We don't need anything with us to collect our packs, do we? I don't see it in the race email. Do we just show up with our names and take it from there???

pistol_75

Good luck to everyone tomorrow. Unfortunatly I wont make it. Nursing an injury since last week. Back running now but going to do a shorter LSR closer to home. Don't fancy trying this and getting stranded somewhere.

DublinDilbert

Good luck to everyone in the morning. Just got all my gear out, should be fun, hope to be running with the green balloons / 8:35 group.

tHE vAGGABOND

3 stars (average)

We clearly need serious help, missing another big Rugby World Cup Game to run 19.something miles in Athlone of all places

Aimman

4 stars (good)

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

We clearly need serious help, missing another big Rugby World Cup Game to run 19.something miles in Athlone of all places

dont worry Joe. i'll have it on in the car on the way down. We should get there for the last 15 mins. :-). Best me luck to all. Be kind to the 4.00 pacer.

dernipper

4 stars (good)

Great event, very hard to fault any aspect of it, tough course though but no doubt will at off in Dublin



vAGGABOND;74706394]We clearly need serious help, missing another big Rugby World Cup Game to run 19.something miles in Athlone of all places [/QUOTE]

dont worry Joe. i'll have it on in the car on the way down. We should get there for the last 15 mins. :-). Best me luck to all. Be kind to the 4.00 pacer.[/Quote]

subscriber

3 stars (average)

jebus, what a tough course, soo hilly, dont think i could put another 7 odd miles into the legs based on today, a whole new level of pain experienced, although coming in at 3.30 I was happy with. Was told there was 4.00 hr pacers coming across the finish line at 3.20 roughly??? What's that about??

diddleyland

4 hour pacers were going at 4 hour marathon pace not 4 hours for the 3/4 marathon

menoscemo

diddleyland wrote: »

4 hour pacers were going at 4 hour marathon pace not 4 hours for the 3/4 marathon

Nope, both wrong. They were going at LSR pace as per what was advertised by the organisers. i.e 90-95% of Marathon pace.

Excuseless

Well done all who completed today's race

Provisional Results Here

New Course Records set by Gary O Hanlon and Linda Byrne!

Photos To Follow Shortly

Slogger Jogger

4 stars (good)

T-shirts were a lovely technical top with a slogan along the lines of Eyeballing the Wall

Gave this 5 stars. Great route, marshalling, registration, feeding stations, signage. All went like clockwork.

I ran with the 3 hr pacer (Dublin marathon time) so our aimed for time today was around the 2.25 mark. We had a bit in store as we were expecting a difficult hill in the closing stages. We could have slowed to take it easy but all in our group were going strong and 2 of them headed ahead at that point. Crossed line just under 2:23

And, physio afterwards. Brilliant.

ultraman1

3 stars (average)

diddleyland wrote: »

4 hour pacers were going at 4 hour marathon pace not 4 hours for the 3/4 marathon

were to finish at 3:09,came in at 3:08:45 afaik remember...perfect pacin again from aimmo and issord

tHE vAGGABOND

3 stars (average)

Very good event, feel it was perfect training for Dublin.

One problem I would raise was that the food at the end was a bit crappy - fruit and water from a container and that was it. We were clearly expected to buy tea/coffee/bar food from the hotel. A lot of races could learn from club races around the country who look after the runners afterwards.

I gave up the wait for the massage, as the queue was not moving at all. Im sure the poor girls were wrecked, but it was a very good idea.

spanx

3 stars (average)

Had a great time today. Tough but good course and great weather for it really - kept things nice and cool.
The hotel were very accommodating, I hope they did a good trade out of it (receptionist is running DCM - the mark of a good establishment).
Like diddleyland, I thought the pacers were going to run marathon pace, but I wasn't actually following them so no matter. Got in a decent enough time I think.
Refreshment stations were well stocked and well staffed and was nice to be cheered on by spectators.

Whatever happened with the small t-shirts? Are they being sent out or did I miss them afterwards?

ultraman1

3 stars (average)

very good event,and great trainin for DCM,nice few sneaki hills to keep it honest....only issue was wit a few cars on the course who slowed me down on a few back roads ,but that was not the fault of the the organisers and a few sambos would of gone down well,will defo do again..

Slogger Jogger

4 stars (good)

There was a wide selection of fruit (bananas, orange and melon), water and fruitcake at the end. There was that and oodles of fruit sweets at refreshment tables en route. Not sure what more the organisers could have done.

Mind you, if you an run and eat a banana or cake you are a better man than me

I would expect tea at a club race but I wouldn't expect to get free tea or coffee at a bigger event? Its fair the hotel should get some business their way I expect.

When I got to the physio area the line was about 10 ahead of me. It probably took a 20 min wait to get the bit of physio. Worth the wait. When I finished the queue had grown a bit. Just needed a bit of patience. Fair play for laying on the physios I say, many events don't.

ultraman1

3 stars (average)

im just been picky SJ i,couldnt fault the race or the organisation ,...

The Hammer

ultraman1 wrote: »

im just been picky SJ i,couldnt fault the race or the organisation ,...

The major issue for me is - I registered in March this year - so almost 8 months ago - go in this morning for my small t-shirt (at 9am) and was told "sorry - we have no small left" - how can this be? There was a list with people's t-shirt size - and as people came to collect they were crossed off the list.

So I have to wear around a "Large" - which is like a tarpaulin - so I won't be wearing it around - and I liked last year's so much.

So my question is - how early do you need to register and how early do you need to come to collect numbers to get the correct t-shirt size? I was too tired and sore to go back and search at the end.

Slogger Jogger

4 stars (good)

Sorry to hear that The Hammer. I guess Bazman or Excuseless (the Race Organisers) will seek to rectify.