Clontarf Half Marathon, Saturday 5/7/2014

Wubble Wubble

Sorry if there's a thread about this deep in the bowels of A/R already. Anyone else from here running it?

frash

me

SharkTale

me too

belcarra

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Sorry if there's a thread about this deep in the bowels of A/R already. Anyone else from here running it?

For God's sake there's a thread 16 items below...http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057239005
It's even on page 1 of events!! Just how far into the bowels of the threads did you go??

<I think this post may need to be moved to the rant thread!!:mad:>

Wubble Wubble

I am/was well aware of that thread, but did not wish to hijack the organiser's general event information/requests for assistance. It was intended to start a discussion on whether people were entering, their expectations regarding times, conditions, that sort of thing. Interesting how Parkrun has a large thread on Athletics/Running, but Oldbridge Parkrun has managed to get one of its own without comment. In other words, hardly worth you getting up on your high horse!!!

belcarra

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

I am/was well aware of that thread, but did not wish to hijack the organiser's general event information/requests for assistance. It was intended to start a discussion on whether people were entering, their expectations regarding times, conditions, that sort of thing. Interesting how Parkrun has a large thread on Athletics/Running, but Oldbridge Parkrun has managed to get one of its own without comment. On other words, hardly worth you getting up on your high horse!!!

Oldbridge is a specific Parkrun whereas the general Parkrun thread is about the new events coming online, organisation, etc. and can refer to various events within the Parkrun family.
In general, duplicate threads are frowned upon and I would have thought your reasons for starting this one would have fitted in quite well with the other thread, afterall it's best to keep all talking points of an event within the same thread rather than chasing multiple threads.

Anyways, I ain't no moderator so the fact it hasn't been merged would point to them being happy enough with the status quo for the two threads and therefore I'll dismount my filly (ooh er, matron!) and let people get back to discussing the race, seeing as it's proven to be riveting so far!;)

Best of luck in the race and hold a little back for the return leg over the sand as it can sap the energy out of you if you are close to redlining at that stage!

Wubble Wubble

Ok, well the thread's only a couple of hours old, give it time strange as with a four figure entry you would think more Boardsies were involved in some way or other....

FYI.... I ran both of these races last year, July being my faster effort with a 1:47 in my first HM. Since then, I've run 1:37 in this year's (short?) Carlingford half. I've a bit more mileage built up, and completed a marathon, since the previous efforts, so might start off with the 1:40 group and see if I can power on through the sand and into the wind for a negative split and a PB In just under 2 years,at one time or another I've raced most of the more common distances up to marathon (but not track, too slow to start that carry on especially at my age) and the half is my favourite. Looking forward to it.

belcarra

Wubble Wubble wrote: »

Ok, well the thread's only a couple of hours old, give it time strange as with a four figure entry you would think more Boardsies were involved in some way or other....

FYI.... I ran both of these races last year, July being my faster effort with a 1:47 in my first HM. Since then, I've run 1:37 in this year's (short?) Carlingford half. I've a bit more mileage built up, and completed a marathon, since the previous efforts, so might start off with the 1:40 group and see if I can power on through the sand and into the wind for a negative split and a PB In just under 2 years,at one time or another I've raced most of the more common distances up to marathon (but not track, too slow to start that carry on especially at my age) and the half is my favourite. Looking forward to it.

I paced this race twice last year and the July event was very hot and lots of people suffered as a result. The later event was cooler but a little breezier.
Your approach sounds like the way to go - If you leave the sand feeling ok you then have 3km to kick on and gain time which should be plenty of distance to get a good time.

frash

Race numbers available now
http://www.runclontarf.com/images/Halfmarathon2014.pdf

Run and Jump

Running in it for the first time, looking forward to something different to all the Phoenix Park races I do!

Is the beach section on Dollymount fairly soft, and tough going? I haven't run there before.

ooter

Got a new PB queueing for my number this evening.:eek:

laura_ac3

Run and Jump wrote: »

Running in it for the first time, looking forward to something different to all the Phoenix Park races I do!

Is the beach section on Dollymount fairly soft, and tough going? I haven't run there before.

The majority of it is on compact sand so wouldn't be soft. The lead ins on and off the beach are on the soft sand so tough on the legs but they wouldn't be long stretches. If it's all the same as previous years anyway!

krafty

ooter wrote: »

Got a new PB queueing for my number this evening.:eek:

Was that in the first queue or the second queue?

ooter

krafty wrote: »

Was that in the first queue or the second queue?

I thought the second queue was for the water bottle,I was saying to myself do people really want a water bottle badly?

eoin ryan

quickie...

The race is closed. no more entries will be taken.
That includes Saturday.
Sorry if someone missed out - but we are closed.
Thanks

Dub13

Looking forward to this, I have not checked the weather yet hope its ok.

The Royal Scam

I have a nervous driver wife heading to this race , the parking in Eastpoint , is that free? it's no to far from the start is it?

frash

The Royal Scam wrote: »

I have a nervous driver wife heading to this race , the parking in Eastpoint , is that free? it's no to far from the start is it?

Presume it's free.
Yes very close by - see map at end of doc

http://www.runclontarf.com/images/FinalInformationJuly5th.pdf

eoin ryan

Its free.
Plenty of parking in side roads Prom car parks too
We never had east point before and parking wasn't a prob.
Best advice - take public transport (in case they bring the normal Erdinger) Joking

Easy Rider

Running it this year for the first time, in fact, first half. What distances are the water stations at and how many? Cheers.

eoin ryan

All details on this

http://www.runclontarf.com/images/FinalInformationJuly5th.pdf

ooter

Just got an email to say the bag drop is not covered so please leave your stuff in the car. If we get a down- pour of rain like they did at the 5 mile last week your stuff will be soaked/ ruined. Forewarned is forearmed...
While I appreciate the heads up the organisers must realise that not everyone has a car..

frash

A gazebo wouldn't break the bank

hurleronditch

I'm doing it tomorrow, really looking forward to it.

The organisers should do a "how not to run a registration" thread, after Wednesday nights shambles

Mind boggling waste of 45 minutes of my life.

Dub13

Clontarf Half Race Report.

Nothing unusual in the build up to this, up early big bowl of porridge and a couple of bananas. I got to the race starting area about 9 for a 10:00 start, so loads of time to chat to a few mates and do a warm up. Looks like the registration done locally on Wednesday was a very good idea as there did not seem to be big Q's at the registration desk. Their was a good vibe about the starting area and it was setup well.

This was my third half, my first was this race back in November. That day I had no idea what time to aim for I was hoping for under 2 hours so went out with the 1:50 paces, I lost them on the wooden bridge heading back in and ended up doing it in 1:51:58. I just did not have the legs to stay with them and had no real race plan so suffered near the end.

My other half was the laura lynn one in the park back in April, I did that in 1:48:57. So with both of these behind me I decided today to go out with the 1:45 pacers and see how it went. The target was a PB, the closer to 1:45 the better. The heat was unreal, not in a Mediterranean unreal way just more from a surprise as I had got emails from the organizer's saying its going to rain heavy on the day. So I was glad I just happened to have my running shades in my gear bag as the first half of the race is right into the sun.

So we set off in wave 2, the first few KM's were grand my only problem was I was caught on the inside beside the sea wall so not much room to maneuver. I would have been much better off out on the grass on the other side. Coming onto the beach I was slowed up by taken water on at the station and the couple of hundred yards of soft sand, I made the mistake of speeding up to catch the 1:45 group I did this coming off the beach as well. I was using up to much energy basically sprinting to catch the group again, much better off just speeding up slowly to catch them. Another lesion learned, sure that's what these races are for right..?

I was feeling grand with the 1:45 group up until about the 14k mark, coming back onto the beach. I needed to listen to my body, I did not want to burn out before the finish and although I would have loved to stay with the 1:45 group to the end the target was a PB and I did not want to jeopardize this by staying with them for to long. I think this is were having other race experience at this distance kicked in and really helped. I could have stayed with the group for longer and last year I would have but I think that would have been a mistake.

So coming back onto the beach I slowed it down a bit, not much the 1:45 group were going at about 5 min per KM I slowed it down by about 20 seconds a KM. I went form pushing it hard to been comfortable, my projected DCM time (my first marathon) is going to be about 5:30 per KM so today none of my splits after slowing down were above that and I felt really good. I am taken this as a good sign, I hope it is.

So my last few Kim's at what should be PMP were good and reinforced by decision to let the 1:45 group slip away. I even had enough in the tank to bring the pace back up around the 5:00 per KM for the last 3 K, again I hope this is a good sign. So I finished up with a time of 1:46:25 (garmin not official). A PB by over 2 min is not a bad days work. What I have learned from today is race experience is very useful.

Thanks for reading, sorry its a bit long but I got carried away. Feel free to comment on anything especially if you think I did anything wrong.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/534905668

avfc1874

Dub13 wrote: »

Clontarf Half Race Report.

Nothing unusual in the build up to this, up early big bowl of porridge and a couple of bananas. I got to the race starting area about 9 for a 10:00 start, so loads of time to chat to a few mates and do a warm up. Looks flike the registration done locally on Wednesday was a very good idea as there did not seem to be big Q's at the registration desk. Their was a good vibe about the starting area and it was setup well.

This was my third half, my first was this race back in November. That day I had no idea what time to aim for I was hoping for under 2 hours so went out with the 1:50 paces, I lost them on the wooden bridge heading back in and ended up doing it in 1:51:58. I just did not have the legs to stay with them and had no real race plan so suffered near the end.

My other half was the laura lynn one in the park back in April, I did that in 1:48:57. So with both of these behind me I decided today to go out with the 1:45 pacers and see how it went. The target was a PB, the closer to 1:45 the better. The heat was unreal, not in a Mediterranean unreal way just more from a surprise as I had got emails from the organizer's saying its going to rain heavy on the day. So I was glad I just happened to have my running shades in my gear bag as the first half of the race is right into the sun.

So we set off in wave 2, the first few KM's were grand my only problem was I was caught on the inside beside the sea wall so not much room to maneuver. I would have been much better off out on the grass on the other side. Coming onto the beach I was slowed up by taken water on at the station and the couple of hundred yards of soft sand, I made the mistake of speeding up to catch the 1:45 group I did this coming off the beach as well. I was using up to much energy basically sprinting to catch the group again, much better off just speeding up slowly to catch them. Another lesion learned, sure that's what these races are for right..?

I was feeling grand with the 1:45 group up until about the 14k mark, coming back onto the beach. I needed to listen to my body, I did not want to burn out before the finish and although I would have loved to stay with the 1:45 group to the end the target was a PB and I did not want to jeopardize this by staying with them for to long. I think this is were having other race experience at this distance kicked in and really helped. I could have stayed with the group for longer and last year I would have but I think that would have been a mistake.

So coming back onto the beach I slowed it down a bit, not much the 1:45 group were going at about 5 min per KM I slowed it down by about 20 seconds a KM. I went form pushing it hard to been comfortable, my projected DCM time (my first marathon) is going to be about 5:30 per KM so today none of my splits after slowing down were above that and I felt really good. I am taken this as a good sign, I hope it is.

So my last few Kim's at what should be PMP were good and reinforced by decision to let the 1:45 group slip away. I even had enough in the tank to bring the pace back up around the 5:00 per KM for the last 3 K, again I hope this is a good sign. So I finished up with a time of 1:46:25 (garmin not official). A PB by over 2 min is not a bad days work. What I have learned from today is race experience is very useful.

Thanks for reading, sorry its a bit long but I got carried away. Feel free to comment on anything especially if you think I did anything wrong.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/534905668

Well done on the pb, its always good idea to listen to the body , even when the head wants you to push on.

Name Changed

Are the results up anywhere? I can't find them.

Then again I'm using my mobile so it's not too easy to use.

tang1

Name Changed wrote: »

Are the results up anywhere? I can't find them.

Then again I'm using my mobile so it's not too easy to use.

Red Tag Timing has them up.

ooter

www.redtagtiming.com

Caprica

An enjoyable, well organised race but what was with the weather? Put on sun screen before the start and finished in the wind and rain, the joys of an Irish summer. I was hoping to push on for the final 5k but found the return leg on the beach hard going, particulary the softer sand. Was happy to finish under the 90mins.

I thought number pick up might be a bit of an issue but it ran smoothly along with the baggage drop. Didn't feel up to an Erdinger at the finish but there a big queue for it. Without doubt a flat course but deceptively tricky, the sand does tend to sap the stenght.

expato

I did this race yesterday.

The Course is excellent and no complaints about a sandy/windy/rainy beach because that is what you sign up for.

Pacers. Brilliant.

Water. Great to have bottles. A big plus.

Atmosphere. Great craic at start. Music excellent. PA excellent. I ran the first one where the organiser called out the instructions.

However. All this said the Childrens race was appalling and I think some rectitude is needed in terms of the 7 euros that each child paid. I feel that the race director should donate all monies received from the kids bibs to charity as he made a complete hames of it. Anyone who has kids knows that to let them run without deciding a turning around point is (a) dangerous and (b) discouraging.

I feel this race is a great civic plus every July but leave the kids race out of it or steward it properly.