Waterford Viking Marathon 2014

mr.wiggle

Received this in an email today.

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Irelands oldest city celebrates its 3rd Viking Marathon Success

Saturday June 28th saw the third annual Waterford Viking Marathon set off from the Mall in Ireland’s oldest city.Over 2,100 participants travelled from Europe, Australia, the US and from all corners of Ireland to gather at the start line. The full, half and quarter marathons set off together at 9.14am to coincide with Waterford’s 1100 anniversary with a rapturous cheer and an electric atmosphere.This year’s event took in over 5 miles of the Viking city’s streets before the full marathon runners made their way out to the seaside town of Tramore. It was all about entertainment, with music and song in abundance over the entire route and whilst no marathon is easy, this year’s marathon was held over a flatter course and resulted in many personal bests. The new Quarter marathon option was a very popular addition to the race line up and first home for the day getting proceedings underway, was Brian Murphy from Carrick On Suir AC in a time of 35.07. Brian was the marathon’s first winner 2 years ago was delighted to reach the podium again. Ladies winner Martina O ’Dwyer from the same club and a very popular local athlete lead the ladies home in 40.38.The half marathon route was a huge success this year and will likely prove an even bigger attraction next year given the runner’s praise it garnered. On the winner’s front, West Waterford’s Phillip Harty continued his recent successes with a top class finish in the half marathon in a time of 1.10.46. In the women’s event last year’s first and second places went unchanged this year as St.Abban’s AC’s Teresa Agar finished in 1.24.59 followed by Susan Finn in 1.28.56.Gary O’Hanlon, Clonliffe Harriers took the marathon race out at a great pace, but was overtaken in the second half by Keith Russell, originally from Carrick on Suir but living in Redding, Keith took 1stPlace finishing in a time of 2.29.51, Gary crossed the line shortly after in 2.31.56, with Paul Lynch of Sliabh Buaide Rovers 3rd in 2.38.48.Last year’s female winner and recent Cork Marathon winner, Pauline Curley, floated around the course in 2.46.40. The hugely popular Tullamore Harriers athlete had a quick shower and headed back to work in Tullamore for the evening!A festival feel then took over as a nonstop stream of tired but determined runners crossed the line with many extraordinary and emotional moments to behold.So all around a huge success was the overwhelming consensus for most who took part, be it organising, running, stewarding or supporting. An impressive 350 stewards lined the route, along with marshals, water stations and medical personnel ensuring the safe return of all runners to the Waterford Regional Sports Centre.A memorable event created not only by the heroics of the participants but by a sense of Waterford taking the Waterford Viking Marathon to its heart.

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No mention of the error or an apology. I'd say its time to move on. Should be interesting to see next year's thread!!

Oops69

I wonder how Gary o Hanlon feels about this , could the **** up have cost him his win ? , it's clear theses races in waterford are only about making money , will never run this again under current management.

menoscemo

Oops69 wrote: »

I wonder how Gary o Hanlon feels about this , could the **** up have cost him his win ?

No because he was going backwards at the end.

ASIMON0V

menoscemo wrote: »

No because he was going backwards at the end.

was he trying to make up the shortfall?


/sorry.

dublin runner

Oops69 wrote: »

I wonder how Gary o Hanlon feels about this , could the **** up have cost him his win ? , it's clear theses races in waterford are only about making money , will never run this again under current management.

Openly admits he went out too fast, running alongside the leader of he half Philip Harty before the heat and humidity got to him. Very unlike him. Can happen to us all. He ended up walking bits of the last three miles. A very tough day for him but not many would have finished.

Dilbert75

mr.wiggle wrote: »

No mention of the error or an apology. I'd say its time to move on. Should be interesting to see next year's thread!!

Agreed. I don't see anything coming out now that will change anybody's dissatisfaction. I really feel for the organisers TBH - afaik they're all associated with Waterford AC, who have a long & proud tradition of running excellent races.

Last year's error was probably not easily foreseeable, so was more easily forgiveable. This year's error looks on the surface to have been more fundamental, a decision to not get the courses verified in advance. It's done now, it can't be changed. Time to build a bridge and get over it.

Itziger

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Agreed. I don't see anything coming out now that will change anybody's dissatisfaction. I really feel for the organisers TBH - afaik they're all associated with Waterford AC, who have a long & proud tradition of running excellent races.

Last year's error was probably not easily foreseeable, so was more easily forgiveable. This year's error looks on the surface to have been more fundamental, a decision to not get the courses verified in advance. It's done now, it can't be changed. Time to build a bridge and get over it.

Not quite sure I get this. For me it's completely made up my mind not to do this marathon. As can be seen from earlier pages here, I was thinking of doing this year's. Boy am I glad I didn't. First serious go at sub 3 as well.

Gavlor

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Agreed. I don't see anything coming out now that will change anybody's dissatisfaction. I really feel for the organisers TBH - afaik they're all associated with Waterford AC, who have a long & proud tradition of running excellent races.

Last year's error was probably not easily foreseeable, so was more easily forgiveable. This year's error looks on the surface to have been more fundamental, a decision to not get the courses verified in advance. It's done now, it can't be changed. Time to build a bridge and get over it.

There not all associated with WAC so let's keep the viking marathon separate from waterford ac, it's half marathon and other such events including the up coming Woodstown 5 miler

Hard Worker

I don't like to be critical of events, especially when safety and other aspects were fine. However, this part of the email from the organisers is very disappointing as it makes clear that they still haven't acknowledged any error in the course: ...........this year’s marathon was held over a flatter course and resulted in many personal bests.
While TFB has indicated that it can still count as a marathon, it certainly could not count as a pb as it would appear to have been in or around 500 metres short.

Dilbert75

Itziger wrote: »

Not quite sure I get this.

For the record I'm the same. But we've had one half-hearted half-apology from the organisers and I don't see anything else coming. All I see is a carpet and a big sweeping brush. So there's little point in us continuing to thrash it out and expecting satisfaction.

But the wheel will turn full circle and no doubt this will come up next year.

Dilbert75

Gavlor wrote: »

There not all associated with WAC so let's keep the viking marathon separate from waterford ac

Fair enough. It's true to say that the marathon is run by a company because Mrs D won a prize this year and it was a cheque with the company name on it. I had understood that this was run by WAC but am happy to be corrected.

Gavlor

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Fair enough. It's true to say that the marathon is run by a company because Mrs D won a prize this year and it was a cheque with the company name on it. I had understood that this was run by WAC but am happy to be corrected.

No prob C

Oisin11178

If you think the course was short or that the organisers are not giving you satisfactiory answers, vote with your feet next year. 90% of the people will go back.
In my opinion what people do and don't count as a marathon or a pb is a purely personal thing.
I love seeing this sort of statement everywhere. "its a marathon because the Marathon club Ireland say it is"
I know sometimes its tongue and cheek when some people say this but the Marathon club Ireland set rules for their own members and are not the Authority on what is and is not a marathon in Ireland. I get so many e-mails asking me if races I organise ahere to marathon club Ireland rules ect.....
I have many friends in that club and they do a lot for marathon running in some respects but that **** is getting out of hand

Macaonbhuit

Oh what to do?

TFBubendorfer

Macaonbhuit wrote: »

Oh what to do?

Running a different race next year, that's what I'll do.

I was actually reasonably sanguine about it all, but that email where they congratulate themselves on the new course which had so many PBs really pissed me off.