Clontarf Half Marathon, Saturday 5/7/2014

Butterbeans

I definitely underestimated how tough this HM would be. I focused on the flatness of the course and chose to ignore the facts that it would be along the coast, so there was going to be wind in my face at some point, and that a stretch of it was on sand.

I actually found the sand on the way out tougher than on the way home even though I think I ran them at the same pace. I was overheating by the time I got to the sand on the way home and found the wind and rain refreshing....for a bit, and felt quite comfortable on this leg of the journey. However, once I got off the sand and onto the wooden bridge I struggled(I really wanted to punch that wind in the face!), and it was a tough slog to the finish. I emptied the tank over the last 2K trying to make up for lost time, but I was still a bit under what I'd hoped to achieve.

I really enjoyed this HM, even though I struggled at times. I'll give it another rattle next year and be better prepared.

Regarding discarding of water bottles at this race(and I've seen it at plenty of other races too), it's like some people are trying to throw it as far away from themselves as possible. Calm down, save your energy, it's not a grenade! Think of the people who have to pick these up.

DD Mikasa

yeah saw someone throw a bottle as far as he could into the water just passed the half way point. Ridiculous. That bottle was never going to be fetched. Should have taken the number and got his medal confiscated!!! :-)

digger2d2

Ferris B wrote: »

+1

In fairness to Meno, he made a point (several times) of telling folk where to drop the bottles.

That comes from growing up in Norn but they usually had petrol in them :D

statss

just in light of the above comments just wanted to add within 2 minutes of me finishing the race I noted the organiser himself going round picking up rubbish which was good to see. seemed acutely aware of the need to get the place spotless.

tang1

statss wrote: »

just in light of the above comments just wanted to add within 2 minutes of me finishing the race I noted the organiser himself going round picking up rubbish which was good to see. seemed acutely aware of the need to get the place spotless.

I've seen him in previous years coming back the evening of the race and collecting rubbish to in fairness to him.

Horsehorse Tigertiger

For some reason on Red Tag Timing, my chip time and race time are the same even though the chip time should give me about 20 seconds back...I e-mailed the company but they haven't responded. Has anybody else experienced this?

It won't put me in prizes, but for me every second counts when I'm bursting a gut to the line and soaked to the skin with sweat and rain!

First post by the way, long time beneficiary of boards information though. Hello to all.

frash

Horsehorse Tigertiger wrote: »

For some reason on Red Tag Timing, my chip time and race time are the same even though the chip time should give me about 20 seconds back...I e-mailed the company but they haven't responded. Has anybody else experienced this?

It won't put me in prizes, but for me every second counts when I'm bursting a gut to the line and soaked to the skin with sweat and rain!

First post by the way, long time beneficiary of boards information though. Hello to all.

hi - welcome to boards.ie

yeah I'm the same - chip & race the same time.
I was in the 3rd wave so there should be at least 5 mins difference

Have email redtag & Eoin but heard nothing back

Am assuming my chip just didn't register when I started but a simple 'oh we're sorry about that' reply would be nice.

barryoneill50

frash wrote: »

hi - welcome to boards.ie

yeah I'm the same - chip & race the same time.
I was in the 3rd wave so there should be at least 5 mins difference

Have email redtag & Eoin but heard nothing back

Am assuming my chip just didn't register when I started but a simple 'oh we're sorry about that' reply would be nice.

Eoin knocks around here maybe have a search for him and pm him...

smashiner

Horsehorse Tigertiger wrote: »

For some reason on Red Tag Timing, my chip time and race time are the same even though the chip time should give me about 20 seconds back...I e-mailed the company but they haven't responded. Has anybody else experienced this?

It won't put me in prizes, but for me every second counts when I'm bursting a gut to the line and soaked to the skin with sweat and rain!

First post by the way, long time beneficiary of boards information though. Hello to all.

Hi HHTT, yes I had a similar experience where my friend and I ran the race side by side, our 10k split was 2 mins difference yet I was shoulder to shoulder with him, we crossed the line together at 1:49 and 30 secs (delighted with that), yet our times were different by 2mins on the red tag site! I too left a mail but did not get a reply.
I like you am not really too bothered as I really enjoyed the race and would recommend it but as the slagging in the pub afterwards goes "pain is temporary...Internet results are forever", LOL :-)

netmann

Horsehorse Tigertiger wrote: »

For some reason on Red Tag Timing, my chip time and race time are the same even though the chip time should give me about 20 seconds back...I e-mailed the company but they haven't responded. Has anybody else experienced this?

It won't put me in prizes, but for me every second counts when I'm bursting a gut to the line and soaked to the skin with sweat and rain!

First post by the way, long time beneficiary of boards information though. Hello to all.

Had the same problem. Garmin put me 2 mins up on the race time but chip time was given exact same as race time. E-mailed red tag on 2 different e-mail addresses but no response. No world record here but I did bust a gut over last 2 miles to make up time.

hurleronditch

Reading all the race reports said id add my own!!!

I was doing this purely to say I had done one, initially had targeted sub 2 hrs, and with a 10k time of 56mins in my only effort I felt this was doable. 110kg rugby player with 17 inch calves so not in any way built for distance, but the son of a 2:28 marathoner so thought I might have it in the blood!

Prep was disrupted by calf injury which meant i only did 3x8km runs in the previous 3 weeks, and my only long runs were a 13k and a 14k around a month ago.

Probably never should have gone out, but had paid my fee and wanted to do it and thought some brute force and ignorance would get me there.

Started off tracking the 2:00 balloon, but before we hit the wooden bridge I just decided I was going crack quickly if I tried to keep that up, so settled back into 5:45kms hoping to do an average of 6 and get in about 2:05.

Way out seemed fine, didn't mind the soft sand as much as others, have done plenty of GAA training in the dunes in incheydoney so was used to it, got to the 10k mark in 1:01:xx and felt reasonably comfortable.

Turned and it all changed, wind in the face was unpleasant, but not a killer. Coming to the end of the causeway the heavens opened, and to really add injury to insult my right calf cramped badly on the soft sand. Managed to shake it out but the pace was seriously dropping. Did 6:30s along the beach, but then on the 4th stretch of soft sand the other calf went too. All of a sudden it became survival as all my secondary goals of 2:05, 2:10 and even 2:15 vanished in front of me. Last 2miles along the seafront was tough, as about 50 people passed me, all having picked up the pace for the big finish. Managed a little burst at the end coming towards the line but the calves both started twitching so just got over the line in 2:19.

I hated every minute but I'm glad I did it. Really wish I had trained properly uninjured, but such is life. Only walking properly since Wednesday.

I'm a member of crusaders' doing the beginners track on Tuesdays, used to sprint in school so might try to get into the bottom level graded sprints, definitely suits me better than this!

As an aside, I got across the line no more than 30 seconds, was standing next to the doughnut table (silver lining.com) hands on knees watching my calves twitch as I tried to recover myself, this kid, about 9 comes across to me and says, "will you mind my bike for me?". Completely random. I couldn't even give him an excuse. Just said no.

frash

Just got a reply re timing chip error - they're going to look into it & get back to me

eoin ryan

Still waiting on final results so I can do prizes etc.
Taking longer than usual. I've passed all queries I got onto timing
The quick response to any Q's... is showing them in final results (which I normally have sooner)
hang tough please

Horsehorse Tigertiger

They came back to me too, I gave them my watch time and I think they'll just enter that...it's an honour system!

This was my third Clontarf Half by the way, it seems to be getting better organised each year which is great but unfortunately I seem to be getting slower each year which is not so great...age and lifestyle.

frash

Horsehorse Tigertiger wrote: »

They came back to me too, I gave them my watch time and I think they'll just enter that...it's an honour system!

This was my third Clontarf Half by the way, it seems to be getting better organised each year which is great but unfortunately I seem to be getting slower each year which is not so great...age and lifestyle.

I gave them the name of the guy I started with & they were able to do it from there.

ooter

Horsehorse Tigertiger wrote: »

They came back to me too, I gave them my watch time and I think they'll just enter that...it's an honour system!

This was my third Clontarf Half by the way, it seems to be getting better organised each year which is great but unfortunately I seem to be getting slower each year which is not so great...age and lifestyle.

How would you compare the conditions last week's race to the other 2 you've ran and did you find it any easier/tougher?
It was my first so nothing to compare it to.

Horsehorse Tigertiger

In my previous races it was splitting the stones both times, but this one seemed to have a little bit of everything and a lot of Wind so I'd say this one was the toughest (especially the beach section on the way back).

Apparently there was a sand storm one year, I wasn't there for that but I'd imagine it was the toughest of all...

MonsterCookie

RedRunner wrote: »

Oh right. I didn't realise those instructions were given. Then they've no excuse. There's always one alright! Or two or three......

I was just concerned that those who needed water got it. Think we just about managed it. Much rather be running these races than stewarding! :-)

On the day, the instructions could not have been clearer. However, These instructions should really be included on website. Or in the various emails that are sent out in the run up to the race.

Fair play to you and the other volunteers RR...without the generosity of the stewards in giving up their time the race would not be the same.

I really like the course...deceptively challenging due to wind, heat and soft sand going to and from the beach. I found the return leg on the beach very tough going. Which is why when I saw the others ahead taking the higher path, presumably to minimise the time on soft sand, I followed suit. It was great that the volunteers managed to get water up to some of us.