Dublin Marathon 2013: Mod Note #316 NO RACE SWAPS

Ososlo

boodiebhoy wrote: »

Will it be lucozade gels on the course as well?

no it's high 5 gels same as other years

Sin e

Hiya. Dublin is going to be my second marathon. I wont be breaking any records but hoping to enjoy it. Any recommendations on where to stay for 2 nights?

kit3

Kurt Godel wrote: »

There'll be pacers again, as there have been for the past few years, sourced from this forum. A call for pacers will go out in June/July.

***This is totally unofficial, just getting soundings***

Previous years have had pacers every 15mins from 3:00, 3:15, ..., 5:00. What would people think about having pacers every 10 mins (so 3:00, 3:10, 3:20,...,5:00)?

I stress this isn't necessarily something they are actively considering, I'm just personally interested in people's views?

Hi, curious to know - any decision made yet as to pacers at 10/15 min intervals ? Thanks

Ososlo

kit3 wrote: »

Hi, curious to know - any decision made yet as to pacers at 10/15 min intervals ? Thanks

From Menoscemo over on the Novices' Thread:
"There will be pacers for every 10 minute interval between 3hrs and 5hrs."

menoscemo

kit3 wrote: »

Hi, curious to know - any decision made yet as to pacers at 10/15 min intervals ? Thanks

Just before anyone accuses me of posting trade secrets It was announced on the public forum a few months ago
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=85076081&postcount=6

Kurt Godel

kit3 wrote: »

Hi, curious to know - any decision made yet as to pacers at 10/15 min intervals ? Thanks

We're going with pacers every 10 mins from {3:00, 3:10, 3:20, ..., 4:50, 5:00}. Most of the pacers are runners from this forum. (Details of who is pacing what band isn't finalized yet).

They'll wear backpacks with large flags corresponding to their finish time on them. No need to sign up or anything, just position yourself behind them when you line up at the start and run with that group all the way to the finish.

Pacers will start their watches crossing the start line and will aim to cross the finish line 30 seconds faster than their goal time- so 3:30 pacers run to finish in 3:29:30 etc. The goal is to run the same steady pace throughout the race (+/- a few seconds for each 5km split for example).

Aim to keep the pacers flags in sight, and run with the loose group around them, and you'll hit your target. Don't be that guy/girl who literally has to stick to a pacers shoulder!;)

Kurt Godel

menoscemo wrote: »

Just before anyone accuses me of posting trade secrets It was announced on the public forum a few months ago
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=85076081&postcount=6

J'accuse, moi?

I may as well point out that all the pacing slots are now full, and we have a list of people on standby to cover injuries etc, so we are no longer looking for pacers.

TRR

Kurt Godel wrote: »

J'accuse, moi?

I may as well point out that all the pacing slots are now full, and we have a list of people on standby to cover injuries etc, so we are no longer looking for pacers.

Never mind him keep p-ming kurt your details. If any of you can think of any ridiculous pace related questions as well he is the man to contact. He isn't a narky bastard and loves getting frivolous messages.

Murph_D

What, no 3:45 pacer? Ah well, maybe 3:50 was more realistic for me anyhow...

10 Toe Runner

Will the 3:50 pacer group be at the back of wave 1 or the front of wave 2?

Hard Worker

Kurt Godel wrote: »

We're going with pacers every 10 mins from {3:00, 3:10, 3:20, ..., 4:50, 5:00}. Most of the pacers are runners from this forum. (Details of who is pacing what band isn't finalized yet).

They'll wear backpacks with large flags corresponding to their finish time on them. No need to sign up or anything, just position yourself behind them when you line up at the start and run with that group all the way to the finish.

Pacers will start their watches crossing the start line and will aim to cross the finish line 30 seconds faster than their goal time- so 3:30 pacers run to finish in 3:29:30 etc. The goal is to run the same steady pace throughout the race (+/- a few seconds for each 5km split for example).

Aim to keep the pacers flags in sight, and run with the loose group around them, and you'll hit your target. Don't be that guy/girl who literally has to stick to a pacers shoulder!;)

Does everyone get a free pacer?

Kurt Godel

Hard Worker wrote: »

Does everyone get a free pacer?

From the Dublin Marathon Terms & Conditions:

Free Pacers will only be available on the day to those runners in the Goldilocks band of 3:00-5:00. Everyone else can pick up their personal Free Pacer in McGrattans pub after the race.

RacoonQueen

Hard Worker wrote: »

Does everyone get a free pacer?

Some require payment in the form of a pint following the race.

Kurt Godel

10 Toe Runner wrote: »

Will the 3:50 pacer group be at the back of wave 1 or the front of wave 2?

I'm not 100% on what the wave zones are, but on the FAQ it currently states Wave 1 is for runners aiming for a finish under 3:50. In that instance, the 3:50 pacers will start right at the front of Wave 2 (they'll still finish just under 3:50). Thats how we did it last year and it worked well.

10 Toe Runner

Kurt Godel wrote: »

I'm not 100% on what the wave zones are, but on the FAQ it currently states Wave 1 is for runners aiming for a finish under 3:50. In that instance, the 3:50 pacers will start right at the front of Wave 2 (they'll still finish just under 3:50). Thats how we did it last year and it worked well.

Great thanks. Hope you're right. I'll try not to stick onto the shoulder of one of them.............much!

kit3

Hard Worker wrote: »

Does everyone get a free pacer?

That's not a bad idea - as a way of attracting more entries you could raffle Kurt as a personal pacer......... (gets coat & leaves .....)

mr.wiggle

Is this a new idea, the 10min pace slots, I must admit ive never heard of it before?

TFBubendorfer

mr.wiggle wrote: »

Is this a new idea, the 10min pace slots, I must admit ive never heard of it before?

It's new in Dublin, but plenty of American marathons have 10 minute pacer slots. I've heard about 5 minute pacers slots at one race as well (can't remember which one though).

belcarra

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

It's new in Dublin, but plenty of American marathons have 10 minute pacer slots. I've heard about 5 minute pacers slots at one race as well (can't remember which one though).

Chicago has every 5 mins alright.

Cartman78

Anyone out there not planning on running in a pace group?

All this regimented pacing will take away the romance of the marathon....no more blowing up after 5 miles, gigantic positive splits, walking the last 10k etc

IIRC from a previous thread on pace groups for DCM, it transpired that being part of a pacing group might exclude you from certain prize categories - anyone know if this is still the case?

28064212

Cartman78 wrote: »

Anyone out there not planning on running in a pace group?

Yep. Well, sort of. My typical strategy is to start well back from a pacing group, crossing the line maybe a minute behind them or more. Catch up with them over the first few miles, passing them out before half, and then running the second half by feel

Cartman78 wrote: »

IIRC from a previous thread on pace groups for DCM, it transpired that being part of a pacing group might exclude you from certain prize categories - anyone know if this is still the case?

That sounds bizarre. How do they define being part of a pacing group? If you run a 3:00 marathon in even splits, are you part of the pacing group?

Krusty_Clown

28064212 wrote: »

That sounds bizarre. How do they define being part of a pacing group? If you run a 3:00 marathon in even splits, are you part of the pacing group?

It's like the 50k walk. They have adjudicators around the course. If you're seen running with a pacer, you get a red card. If you get three red cards you're disqualified. Keep an eye out for those guys with the flags/backpacks. They'll scupper your race.

pistol_75

There tends to be a big fascination with pacers and sticking to them and even in previous years people ammending their goal up or down by 15 minutes based on the pace bands.

A lot of the time it is easier to just run your own race. For example you might want to ease off a bit on hillier sections and pick up a bit of time on flat/downhill sections. If you are following pacers running at even pace the effort might be too much going up hillier sections and could scupper your race. There is no reason why somebody shouldn't be able to pace their own race in my opinion.

fletch

Would you not benefit from the draft effect if you ran behind the big group of people that typically surrounds a pacer?

Krusty_Clown

pistol_75 wrote: »

There tends to be a big fascination with pacers and sticking to them and even in previous years people ammending their goal up or down by 15 minutes based on the pace bands.

A lot of the time it is easier to just run your own race. For example you might want to ease off a bit on hillier sections and pick up a bit of time on flat/downhill sections. If you are following pacers running at even pace the effort might be too much going up hillier sections and could scupper your race. There is no reason why somebody shouldn't be able to pace their own race in my opinion.

Probably best to move the pacing debate back to the other recent thread.

TFBubendorfer

Cartman78 wrote: »

All this regimented pacing will take away the romance of the marathon....no more blowing up after 5 miles, gigantic positive splits, walking the last 10k etc

You'd be surprised by how few runners actually manage to stick with the pacers for the entire 26.2 miles! No more than 1 in 10.

Shedite27

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

You'd be surprised by how few runners actually manage to stick with the pacers for the entire 26.2 miles! No more than 1 in 10.

Last year I was a spectator and at about mile 19, some of the pacer groups were very large, think the 3.45 and 4.00 the biggest. Must be a nightmare at the drinks stations.

Murph_D

Shedite27 wrote: »

Last year I was a spectator and at about mile 19, some of the pacer groups were very large, think the 3.45 and 4.00 the biggest. Must be a nightmare at the drinks stations.

They were probably a lot smaller at the end of Fosters Ave.

Gumbyman2000

Nothing worse on a bad day, when you know you're slowing, than hearing the herd of a pacer group catching up with you!! I guess the obvious solution is NEVER SLOW DOWN!! ;-)

crisco10

murphd77 wrote: »

They were probably a lot smaller at the end of Fosters Ave.

Yup, Watched the marathon last year at 20 mile marker and at UCD flyover. In the small distance of the uphill at Roebuck followed by the downhill on Fosters the pacing group had stretched significantly. Think it was the 3hr pacing group i spotted at both points and noticed it for.