Wexford Half Marathon

Dilbert75

If it's any consolation in 2012 we had horizontal hailstones around there.

Aimman

Dilbert75 wrote: »

If it's any consolation in 2012 we had horizontal hailstones around there.

I remember that. They came down just a I was passing McD's. If I wasn't pacing, I'd have gone in for a hot apple pie and coffee until it stopped.

pointer28

If I remember correctly we had a tailwind for the last 7k last year, made life a whole lot handier.

F'ing race organisers, can they get nothing right!!! ;-)

On a serious note, really well run event again and the few criticisms that I had after last year were all addressed and improved upon for this year. Big thanks to Eoin for taking the criticisms and dealing with them, shows that he wants to run a good event.

beertons

Aimman wrote: »

Guilty. I had the three balloons stuck to my back because the wind just kept turning them around until they wound into a tight knot. lol.

Well done on pushing ahead to get sub 2h. It's amazing how people find an extra burst just at the end. The finish is usually a bit more enjoyable, but the headwind was doing it's best to make everyone work right up to the end.

Thank you. I was down with no supporters for this run, kind of got to me after 16. I meant to write my name on a sticker, in the hope that someone would yell, move it beery. It was just what I needed.

NoGutsNoGlory

eoin ryan wrote: »

Eary Bird ends on Jan 31st. Biggest crowd has entered to date so far

helps this plan

2014 Charity Initiative

A potential pot of €4,000 for 2 x Charities
If race reaches 1,500 participants in 2014 organisers will donate
€3,000 to Pieta House and €1,000 to Wexford Marine Watch.
- In 2012 the race had 1,100 participants.
- In 2013 the race had 1,300 participants.
- For 2014, +200 extra entrants is very achievable.
This 2014 charity initiative in conjunction with Race Director Eoin Ryan doing the ‘Marathon de Sables‘ for Pieta House

well how did this charity initiative go ??

eoin ryan

Great - thanks

tommycahir

Aimman wrote: »

I was doing the 2h pacing. I presume that was you that ripped past me in the finishing chute to go sub 2, brilliant finish!

Yip guilty as charged, was not leaving 2hrs behind me today even with dodgy knees and head winds..

eoinín

Aimman wrote: »

I was doing the 2h pacing.

I met one of the 2hour pacers at an ATM queue later. Was that you? Nice to meet you! (or him if it was not you!)

Muppet Man

http://www.redtagtiming.com/results/WexfordHalf2014.pdf

Fiona44

2nd year doing this and once again a great race and very well organised. Even managed to shave a minute off my PB despite the headwind!

Good to see the feedback from last years race seems to have been taken on board. Water stations were top notch this year!

Aimman

eoinín wrote: »

I met one of the 2hour pacers at an ATM queue later. Was that you? Nice to meet you! (or him if it was not you!)

Yep, that was me. Nice to meet you all too. I think that was the only ATM in Wexford town. I had to walk the whole length of the main street from the Talbot to find it.

KingMambo26

Great day for a race. My first half marathon and a sub 2-hour one as well (chip time 1:57:46). I had every intention of sticking to Aimman for the 2hour pace but got left behind 4k into the course. After the castle thankfully i picked up the pace and caught up with the group just before the orange slices (no idea what km it was but you know the spot).

Thanks to the organisers for such a nice event and for sorting our the weather after the previous day

average_runner

Aimman wrote: »

Yep, that was me. Nice to meet you all too. I think that was the only ATM in Wexford town. I had to walk the whole length of the main street from the Talbot to find it.

Now now, we have more than one atm in town and there is one, 100m from the talbot hotel!!

Aimman

average_runner wrote: »

Now now, we have more than one atm in town and there is one, 100m from the talbot hotel!!

Everybody knows I don't do 100m's

donnacha

Can't recommend this race enough - love the medal, haven't worn the tshirt yet but it looks fine. Have put up a race report over on the DCM 2013 graduates thread if anyone wants a read.

Anyone know who the press photographers were at the finish line? Probably working for a local newspaper as they asked for our names (I should have really asked him for his )They got a shot of myself, the Mrs and a couple of friends that I'd love to get a copy of.

pointer28

donnacha wrote: »

Can't recommend this race enough - love the medal, haven't worn the tshirt yet but it looks fine. Have put up a race report over on the DCM 2013 graduates thread if anyone wants a read.

Anyone know who the press photographers were at the finish line? Probably working for a local newspaper as they asked for our names (I should have really asked him for his )They got a shot of myself, the Mrs and a couple of friends that I'd love to get a copy of.

Loads of photos on the FB page, might be worth a look.

Oryx

donnacha wrote: »

Can't recommend this race enough - love the medal, haven't worn the tshirt yet but it looks fine. Have put up a race report over on the DCM 2013 graduates thread if anyone wants a read.

Anyone know who the press photographers were at the finish line? Probably working for a local newspaper as they asked for our names (I should have really asked him for his )They got a shot of myself, the Mrs and a couple of friends that I'd love to get a copy of.

Either Jim Campbell from Wexfod Echo (grey hair, windswept and interesting) or Ger Hore from Wexford People (shorter, more rotund, less windswept)

NoGutsNoGlory

eoin ryan wrote: »

Great - thanks

Good .. will there be a photo of you handing over a cheque in the local press. great publicity shot.. ??

Aquals

This was my second year doing the race and I thought it was really great! I was also appreciative of the fact that feedback from last year really seems to have been taken on board.

My one point for next year is that the last few miles on the main road seem to be a little dangerous. Cars on the main road are travelling very fast past tired runners. Perhaps a few more cones or some more traffic controls might help?

Otherwise great race!

eoinín

Aquals wrote: »

My one point for next year is that the last few miles on the main road seem to be a little dangerous. Cars on the main road are travelling very fast past tired runners. Perhaps a few more cones or some more traffic controls might help?

Agreed, and not just on the N25. There were some fairly impatient drivers on the back roads (R739?), often driving at speed on the wrong side of the the road to get around the runners. I kept as close to the left edge as possible, but there were quite a few runners far out in the road - it didn't seem like the wisest place to be.

Oryx

eoinín wrote: »

Agreed, and not just on the N25. There were some fairly impatient drivers on the back roads (R739?), often driving at speed on the wrong side of the the road to get around the runners. I kept as close to the left edge as possible, but there were quite a few runners far out in the road - it didn't seem like the wisest place to be.

To be fair, you get that in lots of road races. Just one of the perils. The dodgiest point from my perspective was the rosslare road roundabout but it was well manned with a garda presence.

nop98

Oryx wrote: »

.... The dodgiest point from my perspective was the rosslare road roundabout but it was well manned with a garda presence.

I agree!

On the other hand, I kept wondering how on earth the guards would ever get all the traffic to cross through the stream of runners without actually stopping a couple of runners.

There was just one long single file of runners when I trudged past. Kept my mind off the sore legs and headwind for at least 30 seconds!

village runner

NoGutsNoGlory wrote: »

Good .. will there be a photo of you handing over a cheque in the local press. great publicity shot.. ??

Is the 3k donation to Pieta House for the half marsthon different to the money raised doing the oceans run ? As in did you pay for your own trip to the oceans run or do you raise a certain amount and go free ?
Well done on a seemingly well run event Sunday.

Slydice

I did the half marathon. I thought the race was well organised and the atmosphere was friendly. Lovely food at the end (water+banana+soup+roll nyom)

eoin ryan

village runner wrote: »

Is the 3k donation to Pieta House for the half marsthon different to the money raised doing the oceans run ? As in did you pay for your own trip to the oceans run or do you raise a certain amount and go free ?
Well done on a seemingly well run event Sunday.

Thank you.
What do you reckon yorself?
Take a wild guess....

village runner

eoin ryan wrote: »

Thank you.
What do you reckon yorself?
Take a wild guess....

It was only a question. Assuming tax was been paid a 3k donation to a charity through a company actually costs how much ??

I have nothing against a lad making a buck and going by a 50 euro voucher for 1st in 10k you did.
I just hope that the marathon de sables fund raising and the 3kdonation(less of course tax) was seperate.
On looking at results The standard of runners in the half for huge numbers outside top 5 was poor enough....

eoin ryan

village runner wrote: »

It was only a question.

So was mine.
You don't like the race. I get that.
Continue pouring cold water on it if you wish
The stardard of runners - was people out there doing their best.

Making 'a buck'.... This is my job and I'm passionate about it.
It all started from nothing and I've grinded my way over the years to be where it is now. I've made mistakes and I've made some good calls. I've lost more events than I currently run.
There is a perception out there that this is a handy number.
I suggest to anyone with that perception to turn it into reality and organise a race (some notable big races have gone over the years)

I wish you well with your running Village Runner and any future endevours you do.

I will answer you Q instead of playing games and tit for tat'ing
I paid for my trip to the MDS myself. I personally raised €116 via mycharity. Not great - but better than nothing.

I haven't a final figure on the race (it is over €4,000 )because I'm still cleaning up after the race and answering peoples emails. So maybe you'd cut me a little slack and let me get on with it please

pointer28

Maybe this is none of my business, but I'm going to say this anyway as I found some of the previous posts to be slightly inflammatory and accusatory. Again, maybe I'm wrong and I apologise if I am.

I have no issues with anybody making a living once they supply a good service and improve upon any issues that are brought to their attention.

I have done this race twice, I had issues last year (very minor) and I made my feelings known on the matter but other than that it was still a great race. These issues were dealt with and the race this year was even better than last year because of that and I made the effort to support the race again this year because my comments were taken into consideration and dealt with.

I don't know Eoin personally but I do think he deserves a bit of slack and I hope he does make a few quid for all his hard work.

Would I be happier if the race was cheaper? Of course!

Would I be happier if a Mars Bar, Hotel Room or anything else was cheaper? Of course!

Could I, or anybody else for that matter, go out and run 21.1k on my own and time it with my watch free of charge? Yes, and I frequently do but I choose to enter those events that I like the look of or have enjoyed in the past and I'm happy to pay for this service.

MacSwifty

I ran the HM for the first time as part of my Prep for the full in Waterford in June - I put in a tough week of training and did not "taper" or adjust for this event. I came in in the mid 1.35's about a minute off my PB. The head wind was a bummer for the last 4/5 miles but that's Ireland!

The question for me is would I do it again and the answer is a definite Yes! So Eoin and crew keep up the good work! and thanks

MacSwifty

NoGutsNoGlory

.



I don't know Eoin personally but I do think he deserves a bit of slack and I hope he does make a few quid for all his hard work.

prob clearing 20k .. :D nice.....

i would agree with VR .. the race website saw selling the charity line and it was on this thread as well.. so nothing wrong with asking how much the charity is getting... it is a fantastic charity. well worth supporting