Off The Laois - Half Marathon & 10k, 23 November 2014

Claude Burgundy

long_b wrote: »

No, I wouldn't be worried. Just a couple of brats imitating something they saw on YouTube.

I don't think they lasted long at it

They are part of the "nomad" community and cause trouble the whole time.

Claude Burgundy

Here's a link to some of the photos from yesterday

http://jamesmccormackphotography.zenfolio.com/p440523250

paddy no 11

Are results available?

amcgee

paddy no 11 wrote: »

Are results available?

Hi

Results are up on the precisiontiming
or on the website offthelaois

excellent day, well done to all who were involved in a great day. Nice course, great weather and a pb in the half by nearly 90 seconds..and nice refreshments after

netmann

paddy no 11 wrote: »

Are results available?

They are on a link on the home page:
http://www.offthelaois.com/

netmann

Well done to the organisers. Really enjoyed the race - first 10 miles anyway
Good value and friendly atmosphere

Claude Burgundy

Thanks for all the kind words and sorry about registration, our area was greatly reduced and it slowed us down.s,

We will sit down during the week and will sort through the positives and negatives for planning reasons, yesterday wasn't perfect and there are a lot of areas we can improve on..........things runners said to us and things we have seen for behind the scenes.

The first of our 2015 events will open for entry this week !

amcgee

Claude Burgundy wrote: »

Thanks for all the kind words and sorry about registration, our area was greatly reduced and it slowed us down.s,

We will sit down during the week and will sort through the positives and negatives for planning reasons, yesterday wasn't perfect and there are a lot of areas we can improve on..........things runners said to us and things we have seen for behind the scenes.

The first of our 2015 events will open for entry this week !

First race i have ever been at were the organisers actually spent the time apolagising and informing people of what was going on, fair play.
Great day

Frosty McSnowballs

Had fun yesterday. Organisers were great and communication was excellent.

Can't really fault it to be honest. Great support from volunteers and people hanging around. Nice medal and plenty of people turned up. Easy parking right next to the start/finish.

Soup was brutal and I was back too late for sambos but none of that was OTL's fault

Great day all in all! Well done.

Claude Burgundy

The dust has settled on Sunday and we're looking for feedback good and bad. We can't improve if we don't know what isn't working on the day and in the lead up to the event.

We have a list of stuff as long as our arm already but every person see's the event from a different angle !

Claude Burgundy

amcgee wrote: »

First race i have ever been at were the organisers actually spent the time apolagising and informing people of what was going on, fair play.
Great day

Thanks,

That was me. Give the people the information, good or bad. There's nothing worse than no idea what's going on !

I took a lot of stick but hey i've had worse said to me:)

Claude Burgundy

Claude Burgundy wrote: »

Thanks,

That was me. Give the people the information, good or bad. There's nothing worse than no idea what's going on !

I took a lot of stick but hey i've had worse said to me:)

Did you really?

That's not feckin on
I'm sorry that you tried to organise something for charity, and for 550 people to take part in, and yet got abuse for doing so. That's not OK.

Things happen, sometimes things don't go as according to plan as you hope they would, that's life!

Claude Burgundy

Deleted User wrote: »

Did you really?

That's not feckin on
I'm sorry that you tried to organise something for charity, and for 550 people to take part in, and yet got abuse for doing so. That's not OK.

Things happen, sometimes things don't go as according to plan as you hope they would, that's life!

You can't please all of the people all of the time. Hey its worth it when i look at our account and it has the guts of €12,000 in it. Two charities will get cheques before the end of the year once all costs have been paid, that's all that matters to us.

I keep saying if your going to do an event, look where your money goes. Support a charity or a hard working club.

diego_b

Seriously fairplay as you are really having to learn on your feet with all this and that's a great return for those charities. Glad to have played my small part running in it. I had taken part in the Run in the Dark run in Dublin a few weeks ago and I much preferred your event, it was safer as a key point and for me at least a faster course. I'm not sure what the half route was but I'd guess a lot of people possibly got PBs so you could try sell that angle stronger. Though you did sell out this year, would you expect or be able to have numbers go up much for follow on events?

In regards other feedback I would be very positive throughout to be honest, there was a few issues with registration as has been highlighted but I was doing the 10K so it really wasn't a problem for me but I could see the queue for the half and was glad not to be in it (hadn't the training done primarily!!). I have a few ideas below from other races I've done that might help. I'm sure most have been suggested to you already.

Maybe if it was feasible for you and people paid a few euro extra that you could post out the race numbers before the event, some races I've done have done that for the sake of 2/3 euro least you know you have your number on the day.
You'd still have to have onsite registration but might reduce the load. For registration, if you had the people needed you could possibly have two/three tables for the half alone, split the list in alphabetical order on surnames.
Other races have had number collection the day evening before if that suited, again just to reduce the load on the day.

fatherted1969

First ever 10k and outside of the parkruns it was first time in say sort of event. Really enjoyed it, paced myself well and came home flying in under 57mins. Was hoping to get under the hour so delighted with myself. Felt i could have taken on the half marathon. Was well organised, cheers

long_b

Just some feedback on the gift watch

First time I set it the white piece fell out of the back.
The clock lost about 30 minutes in ONE DAY.
Display only works when watch is not worn - any heat or moisture and it goes blank.

Suggest maybe going with a sweatband, flashing armband or something for next year ?

Claude Burgundy

long_b wrote: »

Just some feedback on the gift watch

First time I set it the white piece fell out of the back.
The clock lost about 30 minutes in ONE DAY.
Display only works when watch is not worn - any heat or moisture and it goes blank.

Suggest maybe going with a sweatband, flashing armband or something for next year ?

Thanks for the feedback and i'm sorry to hear that. I can get another posted out to you no bother if you want.

We have a good idea of next years product and we are actually testing them at the moment.

To save money we are sourcing direct from China ourselves. Most medals and goods are made over there anyway so we're just cutting out the middle man and costs to max funds for our charities.

Someone else also mentioned posting our numbers in adavance, i can tell you that was already decided before the first runner got back to the end line !

We'll also have a gantry at the start line for a proper chip time. We just need to be able to leave the road open when its there, that's the hard part.

Feedback helps us improve, we want to build slowly and put on a good quality and good value race.

Claude Burgundy

I just wanted to let everyone know that we are just in the process of getting our final money in and paying out our final bills. As soon as all that is done we'll have the final totals that our charities will get.

Also we're awaiting the our extra medals and when they arrive we'll pop them out in the post. This won't be next week as after a few tough months personally i'm off away with the family !!!

Claude Burgundy

Hi all,

We are still awaiting the arrival of the extra medals. As soon as they arrive we'll get them out. We we given a lead time of 5 to 6 weeks at the end of Oct but postal/delivery times are being made longer with the Christmas period:(

On a happier note we hope to issue cheques to our charities at the weekend or early next week, we hope all the calls, texts, mails, message, shouting matches, head scratching, sleepless nights and even in some cases tears will have been worth it.

Mos Eisley

Hi Claude

Do you still intend to post out hoodys to the top 3 in both races?

Thanks and well done on organising a great race!

Claude Burgundy

Mos Eisley wrote: »

Hi Claude

Do you still intend to post out hoodys to the top 3 in both races?

Thanks and well done on organising a great race!

We do indeed, we had a delay in getting one size of one runner and couldn't order until we got that. Anyway they are ordered and we are just awaiting delivery.

Claude Burgundy

Yesterday myself and one of the other organisers have two cheques issued for Irish Autism Action & LARCC Cancer Care. Both of which are for €5,000.

We could not have raised the above amounts without you and other who decided to run one of our events. I honestly am so thankful that each and every one of you did as there are so many other events out there and choice isn't a problem.

As you know our events are for charity and nothing goes to us, oh i tell i lie i got a hoodie a "race official" t shirt:D. Anyway we really hope you come back in 2015 and bring friends to one of our events.

Marathon des Escargots ( full, half 10k ) is on July 11th in Portarlington and will be the same half and 10k route with the full still to be announced. We are looking to cut out the middle man for medals which will let us bling them up and at the same time cut the costs.

Numbers will be posted out in advance and all runners who register before July 2nd will get a tech t shirt. We believe it will sell out in advance and this time it will not open as we want to cut out the work load on race day as we have a small crew.

The link to enter is below and all funds raised will go to Irish Autism Action & Aiobheann's Pink Tie.

Once again thanks for running with is in 2014, for me its been a tough year as my mother passed away at the end of August and LARCC were very good to her during her illness so raising funds for them has been very close to my heart.

https://precisiontiming.primo-solutions.co.uk/ps/event/MarathondesEscargots2015

Claude Burgundy

Just got word that the extra medals will arrive this week and we hope to get them posted out later in the week !

Mos Eisley

Still no sign of the elusive hoody! This is not a dig, just letting you know

Claude Burgundy

Mos Eisley wrote: »

Still no sign of the elusive hoody! This is not a dig, just letting you know

Only arrived late last week and we're getting them out !

Mos Eisley

Good man Claude! Thanks for the update

Bungy Girl

Hi, I know it's still early but does anyone know if the half marathon is happening again this year in November and if so is there a date set yet ? Thanks.

Claude Burgundy

Yes it should be and the date in mind is Nov 22 !

I look forward to running over the finish line of that one, rather than limping like last time

Claude Burgundy

Well you can always come along in July !!! Its the same route only a bit warmer !!

http://registration.precisiontiming.net/events/preview?id=51&EventNAme=Marathon_des_Escargots_2015_Full/Half/10k