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Waterford Marathon 2013

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    #212
    viperlogic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,304 ✭✭✭viperlogic


    As a guidance for anyone running around the 3:25-3:30 pace, I ran a chip time of 3:28:13 but my garmin shows 3:26:29 for the marathon distance.

    Weather started out perfect for a very fast race but as we got closer to tramore the wind dropped and the heat was savage, not forgetting those hills!

    Pro points
    well marshalled
    loads of hydrations stations
    nice tech t-shirt
    loads of parking
    finish area not overcrowded

    Neg points
    no KM markers
    no half split time thou there was a mat there
    relay runners not wearing number on rear (disheartening when someone flys past and you don't know if they are full or relay runner)


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    #213
    MacSwifty
    Registered Users Posts: 256 ✭✭MacSwifty


    Well I ran this again for the second time and thought it was great - knocked an half an hour of last years time - Support was great, I thought the organisation was top notch!! The RSC is lovely to finish in and no hassle hanging around afterwards with big crowds

    Remember even the Tour de France had a feck up on stage one and they are at it 100 years


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    #214
    invalid
    Registered Users Posts: 188 ✭✭invalid


    I did not run the race, although I helped in its organisation. I feel the event ran very well, but the distance error was unfortunate. But better long than short.

    I would like to say a big thanks to the volunteers at the water stations and junctions along the way. I would also give big thanks to the city council staff and Gardai for whom without this event could not have happened.


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    #215
    TFBubendorfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    viperlogic wrote: »
    As a guidance for anyone running around the 3:25-3:30 pace, I ran a chip time of 3:28:13 but my garmin shows 3:26:29 for the marathon distance.

    Was the course definitely too long? That's pretty much what I would expect to see on a correctly measured marathon course.

    E.g. In Cork my Garmin measured 26.51 miles and nobody claimed that the course was too long. All the other Garmin measurements I have heard from Waterford sound perfectly fine to me, none of them would start any alarm bells.


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    #216
    viperlogic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,304 ✭✭✭viperlogic


    TFBubendorfer wrote: »
    Was the course definitely too long? That's pretty much what I would expect to see on a correctly measured marathon course.

    E.g. In Cork my Garmin measured 26.51 miles and nobody claimed that the course was too long. All the other Garmin measurements I have heard from Waterford sound perfectly fine to me, none of them would start any alarm bells.

    The organisers announced on their FB page yesterday that the course was 0.25 miles too long due to the road works on the quay. The turn around cone was further up than should of been.


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    #217
    TFBubendorfer
    Registered Users Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    viperlogic wrote: »
    The organisers announced on their FB page yesterday that the course was 0.25 miles too long due to the road works on the quay. The turn around cone was further up than should of been.

    I've read that, I just find it hard to believe considering what all the Garmins seem to have measured.


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    #218
    Bahanaman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭Bahanaman


    TFBubendorfer wrote: »
    I've read that, I just find it hard to believe considering what all the Garmins seem to have measured.

    The problem is that from mile marker 1 the distance was out by .25 miles. That discrepancy had a big effect on everyone including the pacers who were running faster than they needed to. Also in a race like this it was very easy to run the shortest possible route along the road as there was no traffic (kudos to the organisers on that one!) and there were no runners around you to prevent you running whatever line you wanted. I know that I hit every tangent going!


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    #219
    Dilbert75
    Registered Users Posts: 4,724 ✭✭✭Dilbert75


    A lot of fairly straight road too - in and out of Tramore.

    For what it's worth my DCM measurement was also 26.51m - that's why I always add 1% to the distance before I calculate my target pace.


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    #220
    echancrure
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭echancrure


    Bahanaman wrote: »
    The problem is that from mile marker 1 the distance was out by .25 miles. That discrepancy had a big effect on everyone including the pacers who were running faster than they needed to. Also in a race like this it was very easy to run the shortest possible route along the road as there was no traffic (kudos to the organisers on that one!) and there were no runners around you to prevent you running whatever line you wanted. I know that I hit every tangent going!

    Some of the Pacers used their GPS watch and ran at the 'normal' pace but did not hit their time because the course was longer: check the times.


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    #221
    viperlogic
    Registered Users Posts: 1,304 ✭✭✭viperlogic


    Bahanaman wrote: »
    That discrepancy had a big effect on everyone including the pacers who were running faster than they needed to.

    I was planning on running a 3:25 (ran a 3:26) but while in Tramore when going down the big hill I saw the 3:30 pacers and they were only 20-30 secs behind me. Was thinking to myself they were going very fast, expected them to be 2mins behind.

    More here on the extra distance
    http://munsterrunning.blogspot.ie/2013/06/results-of-waterford-viking-marathonsat.html


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    #222
    123agh
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭123agh


    dear running colleagues I would first of all like to apologise for the mistake made on Saturday last and if i could change i would but most of all I thank you for making a great day despite the distance err. I wish to thank everyone who entered and who made the day a very special day. I realise that some of you are upset but unfortunately i cant change it. I have to admit that I am overwhelmed by the response of the local s here to the marathon. I would like if you would any suggestions as to how I could make the day even better. (I know i need to get the distance right )


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    #223
    Itziger
    Registered Users Posts: 4,016 ✭✭✭Itziger


    Good man for fronting up. Keep working at it.


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    #224
    123agh
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭123agh


    bahanaman how did you get on


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    #225
    mixer7
    Registered Users Posts: 48 ✭mixer7


    I won't add anything about the distance , it s all been said at this stage.
    The crowds were brilliant n Waterford , the loop coming back from Tramore was tough mentally , if a loop is necessary I would prefer it earlier in the race .
    Plenty of drinks ,gels and stewards . The small bottles of water were great ,a lifesaver would have died with the bigger bottles just would not have carried them. The high five gels were good ,easy on the stomach . Got under the 4 hours , 3.55 , so was happy over all.


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    #226
    Bahanaman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,178 ✭✭✭Bahanaman


    123agh wrote: »
    bahanaman how did you get on

    I had a great day 123! It was an excellently organised race apart from the obvious which has been well discussed by now! My head was wrecked by the difference between my garmin bleeps and the appearance of the official mile markers a little later every time but look it happened and I know yourself and the rest of the crew involved are more disappointed than anyone. I bet it'll be the most accurately measured marathon in Ireland next year!! I got myself an official pb out of it too. I didn't go as fast as I was hoping and it wasn't all down to the extra distance either! I got a bit excited at the start and went a bit quick early on. Paid for it big time on the way back from Tramore when the sun came out! Some seriously dodgy moments in every way. The pace was getting slower with each step and lets just say I made some seriously risky decisions to pass the portaloos at the water stations and plod on to the end. Could've been very ugly :eek: The downhill finish was a bonus and was the reason I got the pb. It might seem to be damning with feint praise but apart from the "big" mistake everything else was brilliant. Having the Tramore road closed was a big plus as it allowed us to run the shortest line and not be afraid of being mowed out of it! Huge amount of water stations which were all needed on the day that was in it. Also at the start the location of the toilets was much better than last year and seemed to take the panic out of that situation.
    Comparing the course to the year before is a strange one. I ran slower last year but I was far more shook after this years race. The heat had a lot to do with that I'd say but I do think that this course might be a bit tougher. Those hills in Tramore are tough, especially after running over the prom into a gale! But where will you get a marathon in Ireland that's flat and we were all cribbing about the climb up from the Cork Road last year! You'll never win on that one! The council didn't really do anything about the Green Road. A few shovels of tarmac here and there is not really going to fix that one but that's not your call at the end of the day.
    Anyway enough rambling! Congratulations on organising a great event which will be even better next year I'm sure. Well done:D:D


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    #227
    JohnnyBingo
    Registered Users Posts: 154 ✭✭JohnnyBingo


    123agh wrote: »
    dear running colleagues I would first of all like to apologise for the mistake made on Saturday last and if i could change i would but most of all I thank you for making a great day despite the distance err. I wish to thank everyone who entered and who made the day a very special day. I realise that some of you are upset but unfortunately i cant change it. I have to admit that I am overwhelmed by the response of the local s here to the marathon. I would like if you would any suggestions as to how I could make the day even better. (I know i need to get the distance right )

    I know it may be a big ask but what I would like to see for next year is for the last 6 miles to be in urban areas. I don't care if its Tramore or Waterford city but having done it last year and this year I found that the biggest problem I had was running all alone - never going to be like Dublin where you are always surrounded by fellow runners - on roads which are very sparsely populated with support and which are monotonous with long straight stretches. How about starting on the mall and going straight out to Tramore. Do the loops same as this year and back into finish off with the city loops and back into RSC. I know this would close off parts of the city for longer but if it was ok to do it for 4 days solid for tall ships why not for half a day for the marathon. And while I am on the subject of the route, I appreciate it must be extremely difficult to get agreement with all the stakeholders but I have seen comments here from people who opted for other marathons because this one still wasn't finalised until a couple of months beforehand. I think the event could be even bigger if the draft route ( always likely to be minor tweaks) is available for the launch in oct / nov. As I said, its a big ask!! Well done on this years medals. They are so much nicer than last years. Haven't made my mind up on the tshirt yet - let me run in it a few times first!!


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    #228
    Trevster
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭Trevster


    Hi folks. Slightly off topic, but which would you consider the best May/June marathon for a PB- Waterford, Cork, or Limerick? Leaving weather out of it.

    Also, even more off topic, has anyone ever run the Hamburg Marathon? I really want to run a Marathon in May/June next year, as I like having the rest of the summer for shorter stuff.

    On topic, I ran the Waterford half. Organisation was top notch, apart from the obvious. Green Road required alot of concentration due to the surface. Still an unofficial PB for me, so happy enough.


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    #229
    breffni blue
    Registered Users Posts: 53 ✭✭breffni blue


    echancrure wrote: »
    Some of the Pacers used their GPS watch and ran at the 'normal' pace but did not hit their time because the course was longer: check the times.


    Myself and Dennis (4hr pacers) finished in 3.59.36, the stopwatch is your man for pacing:)


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    #230
    carsfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 701 ✭✭✭carsfan


    I have a query re. the competitor numbers.
    Before the race there were 600 entered for the marathon according to the organisers but the results go up to 462 competitors.
    Does this mean that 138 people either did not show up or failed to finish?
    It seems a huge fall off to me, or is this a normal proportion. Does anyone know?


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    #231
    123agh
    Registered Users Posts: 58 ✭✭123agh


    Carsfan
    the reason the number fell from 600 to the number that official finishers is that some of the full marathon entries changed to the Half on the day of registration as was there right . News update the waterford viking marathon has been announced for the 28th of June 2014 and I am measuring it as we speak so I can be sure it is the correct distance.


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    #232
    village runner
    Registered Users Posts: 1,656 ✭✭✭village runner


    123agh wrote: »
    Carsfan
    the reason the number fell from 600 to the number that official finishers is that some of the full marathon entries changed to the Half on the day of registration as was there right . News update the waterford viking marathon has been announced for the 28th of June 2014 and I am measuring it as we speak so I can be sure it is the correct distance.

    Is it certified ? Last year it was perfect to the garmin. I have ran a lot of marathons and not one was close to 26.2


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