Parkrun..

yaboya1

pointer28 wrote: »

Is Waterstown a particularly tough course or is it just less competitive?

Haven't been there yet myself, but I think it's a bit of both.

yosser hughes

pointer28 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Heading to Dublin next Saturday and thinking of taking in a Parkrun along the way, the two most convenient ones are Girffeen Valley and Waterstown.

I've done Griffeen before and was thinking of doing Waterstown for a change. When I look at recent results there seems to be a large difference in finishing times with Waterstown being the slower of the two.

Is Waterstown a particularly tough course or is it just less competitive?

I've done Waterstown. There are a few tough inclines,one at the end is particulalry hard when you're bursting a gut. Compared to St.Anne's which is the only other one I've done; it's harder in my opinion.

PS: Yes, I'd say it's less competetive as well.
It's a lovely course though and well organised.

SamforMayo

edisonolmy wrote: »

The Ballina event page is now on the official site - no pin on the map as yet.

"Leaving the Ballina AC track we will start our run down towards the soccer pitch with the beautiful River Moy on your right, where we will enter the woods along the main avenue also known as "The Heritage Trail", this takes you to the duck pond where you will hear lots of quacks as you run past.

"Keeping the River Moy to your right as we continue down to where the wood opens out to a big picnic area, and it is here you will see the ruins of the stone ship SS Creteboom (one of 12 ships constructed during the 1st world war for use as tug boats).

"Continuing for another 50 metres we will then take a left which will take us on a small loop before coming back out onto the picnic area again. We will continue our run back up the same way as we came down finishing on the Ballina AC track."

That's a lovely route, finishing on a hill though! Looking forward to it, hope it's well supported.

Wubble Wubble

@pointer28: Yes and yes are the answers to your questions. Of the four parkrun courses I've run on at the time of typing (St Annes and Malahide being the others), Waterstown is the most difficult, with even the flattest part being into the wind, and a tough uphill finish. Numbers are a lot smaller, to the extent that although my times were slower than my Lucan efforts, I still comfortably made the top ten in Waterstown on both occasions...which has yet to happen anywhere else! Best of luck.

who_ru

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

@pointer28: Yes and yes are the answers to your questions. Of the four parkrun courses I've run on at the time of typing (St Annes and Malahide being the others), Waterstown is the most difficult, with even the flattest part being into the wind, and a tough uphill finish. Numbers are a lot smaller, to the extent that although my times were slower than my Lucan efforts, I still comfortably made the top ten in Waterstown on both occasions...which has yet to happen anywhere else! Best of luck.

The route has changed at waterstown to take out the particularly sharp uphill finish, it's still uphill to a point but not the gut busting one that was there. Just follow the yellow signs. There is still a good deal of incline along the route, but it's a great track imho.

Wubble Wubble

Cheers, I ran there last week, when it was a different finish to the one on my first attempt (mid July). I think in the first 2 weeks they ran the loops in the opposite direction, in other words all the way up from the river to the finish line at the top corner !!

RonanP77

I did my first ever Parkrun this morning in Cootehill, it was well organised and I really enjoyed it. I'm still struggling with ankle and calf injuries so it took me around 25 minutes, that's over 2 minutes off my PB. There are a few hills on it but nothing serious, I was glad to see such a good turnout for its official launch. Some of the lads that are runing it will be finishing around 16 minutes so I haven't a hope of ever getting a decent result, I'll just push for full fitness and go for a PB. I'd love to eventually get below 20 minutes.

gerard_65

Over 500 at Marley Park this morning. Great numbers. I thought they would ease off with more runs around Dublin, including Tymon which is very near, but the numbers just keep showing up ever week. Brilliant to see. 'Build it and they'll come'.

AdpRo

Surprised Tymon starting hasn't taken some of the crowd from Marley. 503 at Marley this morning and 86 at Tymon and in my opinion Tymon is the easier course.

TheBazman

RonanP77 wrote: »

Some of the lads that are runing it will be finishing around 16 minutes so I haven't a hope of ever getting a decent result, I'll just push for full fitness and go for a PB. I'd love to eventually get below 20 minutes.

With events like this I would worry about placing, better to concentrate on improving your times gradually. I would much prefer to run a PB and be down the pack, than finishing in the top 10 with a much slower time. My times tend to get me around 12th in Naas but I know if I ran somewhere like Marley park I would struggle to get in the top 100.

RonanP77

I got an email of the results, I was 41st out of 110, if I run my PB I'll be top 20 based on todays results. Concentrating on my own times is definitely the way to go though.

Wubble Wubble

I went back to Malahide today, in amongst a 400+ runner field. I spent most of the first lap stuck in traffic, having started way way too far back. I used up far too much energy sprinting around and between pockets of runners, to the extent that I was pretty much stuffed after 3k. Even so, my time was quicker than last week's Waterstown effort, although the finishing position was nowhere near as good....

Did anyone here try out Poppintree this morning? I might give it a whirl next week.

belcarra

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Did anyone here try out Poppintree this morning? I might give it a whirl next week.

I ran Poppintree this morning alright (only a few minutes from my place). It's very flat but the current layout means 1 small lap followed by two bigger laps which means lots of sharp corners. It was a little greasy this morning and with leaves meant it was necessary to slow down taking corners. We had about 95 turn out so decent enough.

As an aside, Frank Greally from the Irish Runner took part also. Before the run he mentioned something about a club that used to be based in the area - Poppintree AC - and unless I heard wrong it sounds like he's gonna try reform it with the support of a few locals. Would be interesting...
HelenAnne/Eoinin - Did ye get the same understanding as me?

paddybarry

Weetabix wrote: »

Surprised Tymon starting hasn't taken some of the crowd from Marley. 503 at Marley this morning and 86 at Tymon and in my opinion Tymon is the easier course.

I have run both a fair few times and think that Marley is much the quicker. There are a lot of turns in the 1st mile of Tymon and a long drag over last mile.

Once you crest the hill at half way at Marley, you are in a great place psychologically and can really fly towards the finish.

I'd reckon Marley is about 30 seconds quicker than Tymon.

Both are great courses. I find Tymon to be a great workout.

eoinín

belcarra wrote: »

As an aside, Frank Greally from the Irish Runner took part also. Before the run he mentioned something about a club that used to be based in the area - Poppintree AC - and unless I heard wrong it sounds like he's gonna try reform it with the support of a few locals. Would be interesting...
HelenAnne/Eoinin - Did ye get the same understanding as me?

That seemed to be what he was saying but I was unclear at what stage plans are at, whether it was a vague aspiration or if more concrete work was being done.

I had a really enjoyable morning - it was great to see the enthusiasm and excitement of the first run - and so nice to see a few familiar faces from the other Dublin parkruns who had traveled over for the morning. In terms of the course, I think all the corners and junctions will take a bit of getting used to - i was never quite sure which way I'd be turning next. But another run or 2 there and I'm sure I'd know it better. The muddy corners did require a wide berth, often sending you out in to the path of oncoming runners! But there was talk afterwards of reworking the course a little to reduce the numbers of junctions / corners, so I'd like to go back at some future point to check it out.

AdpRo

paddybarry wrote: »

I have run both a fair few times and think that Marley is much the quicker. There are a lot of turns in the 1st mile of Tymon and a long drag over last mile.

Once you crest the hill at half way at Marley, you are in a great place psychologically and can really fly towards the finish.

I'd reckon Marley is about 30 seconds quicker than Tymon.

Both are great courses. I find Tymon to be a great workout.

I have only done Tymon once (Marley over 20 times I think) but I really liked it. Crowds are much smaller so 1st lap turns are ok. I always find the first concert field loop in Marley very crowded and once you leave it and enter the woods you are climbing for a full mile to the top of the main hill. Completely agree that once you crest the hill it is a great last 2k!

I must go back and try Tymon again soon.

edisonolmy

I've run three Dublin events so far - St Anne's, Tymon and Waterstown. I'd rank them in that order too. I did the inaugural run at Waterstown and really struggled up the final hill. I think it was about 400 metres of a climb, which is nothing compared to Ardgillan, which I've still not done.

I hope to get down to Cootehill next weekend.

edisonolmy

I'd like to do Marlay some time but the numbers involved put me off a bit. I ran Cardiff once and it had 500 or so runners. You can spend an age just even reaching the start line.

I'm told there are plans for an event in Bushy Park starting next year, with the aim being to take runners away from Marlay, but then I thought Tymon might have taken some runners away as well.

gerard_65

edisonolmy wrote: »

I'd like to do Marlay some time but the numbers involved put me off a bit. I ran Cardiff once and it had 500 or so runners. You can spend an age just even reaching the start line.

I'm told there are plans for an event in Bushy Park starting next year, with the aim being to take runners away from Marlay, but then I thought Tymon might have taken some runners away as well.

Marley's not bad despite the numbers. Wide start area so only a few rows. It then spreads out quickly.
Not too sure if it would work in Bushy. Its a fairly small park even using the woods and I wouldn't like either hill. The field is 1200m around so it'd be laps.

edisonolmy

Cardiff's issue is the start area is quite narrow. As for Bushy, laps and hills could make it quite tough. Falls in Belfast has a hill that you have to do twice and it reduces you to tears the second time up it.

RayCun

Bushy is a very busy park as well, a lot of foot traffic in some places, and the path by the main road is a shared bike path (there's a signpost that directs bikes off the road and onto the park path for that stretch)

Murph_D

In St Anne's we have our own little "Mount Everest"(actually arguably there are two of them). It's all relative

plodder

edisonolmy wrote: »

Falls in Belfast has a hill that you have to do twice and it reduces you to tears the second time up it.

I really enjoyed Falls, once you know to expect the hill and not a PB

bisso

edisonolmy wrote: »

I've run three Dublin events so far - St Anne's, Tymon and Waterstown. I'd rank them in that order too. I did the inaugural run at Waterstown and really struggled up the final hill. I think it was about 400 metres of a climb, which is nothing compared to Ardgillan, which I've still not done.

I hope to get down to Cootehill next weekend.

Ardgillan is definitely tough but it's a nice challenge and a beautiful location, (i'm biased,it's my local parkrun)

I did Cootehill yesterday, lovely course and well organised. Well supported too, should be a success.

robinph

edisonolmy wrote: »

new parkrun starting next year, with the aim being to take runners away from existing parkrun .

LOL

That never actually happens. New parkruns just breeds more new parkruns.

iluvfatfrogs

Two points:

Speaking of turns / twists in parkruns, i find Knocknacarra very hard to get into a stride due to aforementioned turns. There are at least 30 90degree turns over the 5k which can disrupt rhythm.

Second point, the organisation of Knocknacarra parkrun is second to none. I've never came across such a happy/cheerful bunch. Plus, goodie bags organised and handed out for their Halloween run last Sat (Nov 1st) was a real extra bonus!

I love going back doing it, but can expect a PB due to continuous turning and twisting!

Johnnio13

Saturday in Malahide was one of the biggest attendances I've seen todate. Well done to all.

plodder

iluvfatfrogs wrote: »

I love going back doing it, but can expect a PB due to continuous turning and twisting!

I've just noticed that the results system records a separate PB for each location you run in. That's handy if you are regularly moving between different ones.

iluvfatfrogs

plodder wrote: »

I've just noticed that the results system records a separate PB for each location you run in. That's handy if you are regularly moving between different ones.

Its amazing the amount of info that is accessible on the website, if you run in different locations and are a bit of a statistics freak like me, its great for tracking progress

Firedance

Amigaman wrote: »

http://www.parkrun.ie/hartstown/course/
allow me :-)
Way to go Hartstown
Hartstown parkrun starts 15 November 2014

I'm really looking forward to this one, its 10 mins from me so think I'll move from Griffeen, I'd never been in the park before so had a scout around with the dog on Saturday and it looks good. One and a half laps reasonably flat although a small incline if I figured out the route correctly. I've done Marley, Malahide, St Annes & Griffeen since the start, great to see so many new ones cropping up.