Limerick Marathon/Half/6 mile/relay May 4th

viperlogic

Don't forget the non existent mile markers! The few I did see were painted on the road in faint red paint when I was running on my own. Impossible to see if running in a group

ger664

jmccann wrote: »

I hate to put dampener on what a lot of runners found an enjoyable experience but for me this years Great Limerick Run won't go down as one I enjoyed for various reasons:

Myself and my running partner did go out too fast which is always going to bring trouble but a lot of things out of our control did make it tougher and less enjoyable!

1. Cones on the road were a hazard and I nearly fell over them on numerous occasions./
2. I felt road closures were non-existent - a metre along the road to run on - on one occasion we were instructed to get on to the footpath asap!! At another occasion, whilst admitedly in trouble - I was told to get on to the footpath and make way for marathon runners!!! by a friendly member of an Garda Siochana (have to admit though - he was huge motivation for me!!)

These 2 points go hand in hand. Full road closure would cost so much it would make the race nonviable. Partial road closures mean cones have to be placed on the road for runners safety. I do agree they are a hindrance and I have fallen over the in the 2 previous years but the organisers have no choice but to place them on the road.

3. The amount of times we seemed to loop around the same places was mind boggling!
4. Atmosphere in places was a bit flat.
5. The turn after Thomond Park was mentally a disaster - and then being a mile from home running through some housing estate with no sign of fininsh line!
6. The ridiculous lap of industrial estate we did to obviously to make up mileage!

Limerick is not a big enough city to get a course like Dublin/Cork or Belfast. There are going to be parts that will go through boring areas loops etc. As regards the atmosphere I felt it was generally better then the last two years. From non runners prospective it is pretty hard to stand at your front gate and jump up and down cheering on people for 5-6 hours so those that make any sort of an effort at it should be appreciate.

We must also remember and its was said by an old dear around Raheen that we are a major inconvenience to the people of Limerick and should be grateful that we do get to borrow their city for the day.

RayCun

I thought it was well-organised overall (rose-tinted glasses:) )
course was accurate
results out quickly
plenty of stewards out on the course
physios after

and they're the important things.


Signs pointing to the Expo on Saturday would have been good.
There were a few places where I didn't know which direction I was going until I was almost on top of a corner. Signs or stewards pointing the way would have been nice. (I was never in danger of going the wrong way though, and some of the stewards did give you the early shout)
Post-race sugar - chocolates, jellies, sports drink - would have been great
The t-shirt situation was annoying

frankeee

RayCun wrote: »

I thought it was well-organised overall (rose-tinted glasses:) )
course was accurate
results out quickly
plenty of stewards out on the course
physios after

and they're the important things.


Signs pointing to the Expo on Saturday would have been good.
There were a few places where I didn't know which direction I was going until I was almost on top of a corner. Signs or stewards pointing the way would have been nice. (I was never in danger of going the wrong way though, and some of the stewards did give you the early shout)
Post-race sugar - chocolates, jellies, sports drink - would have been great
The t-shirt situation was annoying

This would be my only real gripe, one steward got a bit odd with me when I asked which way,as if to say isn't it obvious? On leaving UL I thought I was gone wrong for a few hundred metres until I saw Jerry Kiernan's quite distinctive head up ahead!

Itziger

ultraman1 wrote: »

so what were the bad parts..:rolleyes:

I've seen this sarcastic response to criticism on a few occasions. Of the many 10k to Marathon races that I've run in Lux, Germany, France and Spain I have never encountered so many negatives. Recently I did a Half in Spain that cost 10 euro and was perfectly organised, a few cones was about as bad as it got.

Why do people accept this crap in Ireland? I'm not blaming the organisers necessarily, I hear road closures are crazy prices. Don't know why or how they can do it in other countries.

In the last 24 months I've read some basically unacceptable crap such as incorrectly measured course and lack of timing mats, (Waterford and Cork Half.) Lots of lads come on saying, 'Ah, you're all spoiled, sure no one was killed.......'

If you ask me, either you close the goddamn road - at least half - and give runners some protection and respect or you can't hold the race. A metre of coned gutter space ain't quite the same. And I'm comparing like with like here, not Limerick Vs Berlin but Limerick Vs Metz, for example.

ger664

Itziger wrote: »

If you ask me, either you close the goddamn road - at least half - and give runners some protection and respect or you can't hold the race. A metre of coned gutter space ain't quite the same. And I'm comparing like with like here, not Limerick Vs Berlin but Limerick Vs Metz, for example.

While I 100% agree with your sentiment, if Limerick had full road/course closure the entry fee would be north of €100, at that price no one would run it.

Do as I have done ask all those nice smiley people calling to your door looking for a handy job for the next 5 years as to why we should pay local councils for exclusive use of a road for events like this.

Itziger

ger664 wrote: »

While I 100% agree with your sentiment, if Limerick had full road/course closure the entry fee would be north of €100, at that price no one would run it.

Do as I have done ask all those nice smiley people calling to your door looking for a handy job for the next 5 years as to why we should pay local councils for exclusive use of a road for events like this.

Fair point. I haven't lived in the old sod for quite a bit now but maybe Athletics Ireland could take this one up. It just seems a shame and potentially so dangerous. I've read reports on here of fellas saying things like, 'the traffic was a bit heavier on this stretch and dodging a couple of cars at 10k pace is always tough' !!

That should never happen. Between road closures, GAA matches and Sunday Mass, it's a wonder there are any road races in Ireland.

Luckyharry

Can someone update the table and insert my time of 3.27.00 please.... Exactly as I predicted and happy as it's my first marathon

Snail song-are you from Westport too?

ultraman1

Itziger wrote: »

I've seen this sarcastic response to criticism on a few occasions.
I'm comparing like with like here, Limerick Vs Metz, for example.

Any valid criticisms of races does get credence....,nearly falling over,givin out about a marshall/guard doin his job properly,being able to hear the finish line,running through an estate arent valid critisms, .... .. And ur doin Metz a disservice

snailsong

Luckyharry wrote: »

Can someone update the table and insert my time of 3.27.00 please.... Exactly as I predicted and happy as it's my first marathon

Snail song-are you from Westport too?

I am indeed.

I must know you?

Luckyharry

snailsong wrote: »

I am indeed.

I must know you?

Laura Gillen (nee Holmes), from Mulranny but living in Kildare. Michael Holmes' daughter - vote number 1 and all that :0)


You?

snailsong

Luckyharry wrote: »

Laura Gillen (nee Holmes), from Mulranny but living in Kildare. Michael Holmes' daughter - vote number 1 and all that :0)


I'll send you a pm.

snailsong

Username|Full/half/6|PB|Predicted time|Actual Time
RayCun|Full|3:29:12|2:56:00|2:59:06
ecoli|Full|3:00:06|2:59:40 (Pacer)|
drquirky|Full|2:50|3:14:30|(Pacer)|
viperlogic|Full|3:28:13|3:05:00|
Bulmers74|half|1:33:08|1:37:00| 1:38:30|
ger664|Full|3:21:21|4:29:30(Pacer)|
Toffeeboy|Full|3.47.03|3.44.30|
snailsong|Full|3:13:14|3:13:00|3:12:32
JohnnyCrash|Full|3:31:20|3:29:59|3:31:50
Irish_rat|Half|1:50:19|1:39:00
Mr Freeze|Full|n/a|3:45:00|3:50:11|
ChavezyChavez|Full|3:29:10|3:25:00|3:28:09|
belcarra|Half|1:32:49|1:50:00 (Pacer)|
Cabaal|Full|3:33:33|5:00:00 (Pacer)|
Aimman|Full|3:43:xx|4:29:30 (Pacer)|
opus|Full|2:54:xx|3:14:xx|3:12:54
RAL3|Half|1:27:06|2:00:00 (Pacer)|
Limerick 91|Half|1:49:17|1:49:59|
Calvin Johnson|Full|4:16:08|3:29:59|
AKW|Half|01:35:17|01:50:00 (Pacer)|
Kerrylad1|Full|03:19:03|03:15:00|3:12:48
JohnDozer|Half|01:40:40|01:48:30|
Luckyharry|Full|None|3:27:00|3:27:00

Adding Luckyharry