the flatline Athlone Half Marathon - Sat Sept 12th 2015

Sunny Dayz

Me doing the 10K. Was ok and looking forward to it til last night. The nerves kicked in and now I don't feel ready. My last two runs this past week weren't great so I'm not feeling prepared now. If the rain lets up I might go for a light little run this evening to stretch out and hopefully that will sort me out and get me back on form. I'm newish to running and it just shows that with running so much of it is really in the mind!

average_runner

What condition will those back roads be in, does any one know?

Will any of the roads be flooded?

averagejoe123

Presume that it's too late to register for the half? Website says no so I'm just making sure.

Neady83

averagejoe123 wrote: »

Presume that it's too late to register for the half? Website says no so I'm just making sure.

Hi Averagejoe, I think I saw on their facebook page that the half is full but they will be taking entries for the 10km in the morning.

tang1

average_runner wrote: »

What condition will those back roads be in, does any one know?

Will any of the roads be flooded?

There not prone to flooding AR.

Tom Joad

tang1 wrote: »

There not prone to flooding AR.

forecast is not too bad for tomorrow morning. It could even be dry. Won't have the crazy heat to contend with like last year!

Firedance

Tom Joad wrote: »

forecast is not too bad for tomorrow morning. It could even be dry. Won't have the crazy heat to contend with like last year!

Ugh, still haven't recovered from last years heat!! Good luck tomorrow TJ.

shane1981

Any truth to the rumours that there's Erdinger at finish??

marchino

shane1981 wrote: »

Any truth to the rumours that there's Erdinger at finish??

Yes there is

shane1981

marchino wrote: »

Yes there is

Great! Nice incentive for the last mile:D

tang1

shane1981 wrote: »

Great! Nice incentive for the last mile:D

It's non alcoholic.

TheGreenMile

No Erdinger at the finish Still a great event and an even better Long sleeve top. Well done to the organisers. One thing out of the organisers control (to a certain extent) was the pacers. The 1:25 pacers seemed fast early only. Mile 2 and I clocked a 6:16 when part of the group. I heard they finished 1:23 but thats not confirmed. The 1:30 pacers passed me at mile 11 asking his group was 6:36 ok? I wondered who was meant to be doing the pacing. With 200mts to go the 1:30's had stopped before the final corner giving me a chance to pass them. I finished in 1:28:**. Looked back to see one of the 1:30's running away from the finish line. To others it might look like him been very helpful to get others across the line. To me he was killing time ( bout 90 secs of it . My rant over , i must mention they seemed like nice guys and full of encouragement for thoae around them. Im guessing inexperience a factor.

PaulieYifter

I lost touch with the 1:25 pacers after 10 miles and I finished in 1:24:01 so they were 1:23. No complaints though - I run my own race and it's good to have a group to run with.

Beef

I didn't run with pacers but I'd find it very hard to criticise anything about that race to be honest. Showers would be nice but I'd consider them a luxury with such a large field in the race. Would certainly recommend it.

Neady83

Beef wrote: »

I didn't run with pacers but I'd find it very hard to criticise anything about that race to be honest. Showers would be nice but I'd consider them a luxury with such a large field in the race. Would certainly recommend it.

+1 an excellent race and very clear that it was organised by runners themselves. Water bottles at the water stations where they're needed and the coke at the end was very welcome though I'm usually not a coke person

I think I read somewhere that participants could shower and use the pool facilities in a hotel in Athlone but I could be wrong.

Couldn't fault it on execution and price

snailsong

TheGreenMile wrote: »

No Erdinger at the finish Still a great event and an even better Long sleeve top. Well done to the organisers. One thing out of the organisers control (to a certain extent) was the pacers. The 1:25 pacers seemed fast early only. Mile 2 and I clocked a 6:16 when part of the group. I heard they finished 1:23 but thats not confirmed. The 1:30 pacers passed me at mile 11 asking his group was 6:36 ok? I wondered who was meant to be doing the pacing. With 200mts to go the 1:30's had stopped before the final corner giving me a chance to pass them. I finished in 1:28:**. Looked back to see one of the 1:30's running away from the finish line. To others it might look like him been very helpful to get others across the line. To me he was killing time ( bout 90 secs of it . My rant over , i must mention they seemed like nice guys and full of encouragement for thoae around them. Im guessing inexperience a factor.

One of those 2 1:30 pacers did it by himself last year and he was spot on. They gave me the slip at mile 9, I met one coming back to collect me in the last k. I did 1:29:19 or so with a positive split. As was said above, it's not fair to criticise the pacers, we're all responsible for ourselves. I pace occasionally myself, it's not easy.

Otherwise a lovely race as usual, apart from the no beer!

Nice to meet up with Martyboy, he finished beside me for his first sub 90. Massive kudos.

TheGreenMile

Beef wrote: »

I didn't run with pacers but I'd find it very hard to criticise anything about that race to be honest. Showers would be nice but I'd consider them a luxury with such a large field in the race. Would certainly recommend it.

Showers were available in the hall where you got your race number. Plenty of hot water

6781

Who was wearing the boards ac t shirt? I was too socially awkward to say hey

jake1970

I was wearing a Boards ac top, you should of said hello. Were you racing? how did you get on?

6781

First half marathon for me 1:30.31:)

jake1970

Well done, i was just ahead of you 1:28:58

Neady83

Ah here no wonder there was nothing left at the end for me, the whole flipping field was in ahead of me. Well done guys, great job in that heat today

martyboy48

jake1970 wrote: »

I was wearing a Boards ac top, you should of said hello. Were you racing? how did you get on?

Ahhh.. So that was you Myself and Bulmers spotted you while doing a little "cool down" run/jog/potter/plod

Sunny Dayz

I did the 10k option on Saturday. Realised it is my first proper "proper" 10k - I have done a few this year but they have been either local gaa fundraising types and one I did earlier this year just did it to see if I could actually move 10K. And also the mini marathons in Dublin the last few years. But this was the first one for me where I was actually racing (against myself!), where I had actually trained and prepared for. Was as nervous as hell in the few days before the race, putting pressure on myself.


Have to say I really enjoyed it. It was so well run and organised. I couldn't believe when I saw the results after how many people actually did both races cos it didn't feel like there was that many people there before and after! Everyone before the race was in good spirits.


The 10K started in a residential area beside the Shamrock Lodge, ran through that, along by the railway line - that was all fine. Then onto the old Athlone-Ballinsloe road past Drum and Summerhill. I found this section tough - there wasn't a hill as such but you could feel the gradient rising and I found that hard going. Then off the main road into the Shannon Callows which I loved, really enjoyed the second half of the race. The scenery was great, I love running in the countryside. The views over Athlone town between 8-9km was lovely, only for I was doing a race I would have stopped to take photos! And the posters by the kids were great! Last km and half was a bit tougher as I could feel a blister starting on my right foot (grrr). Also liked the markers for 800mtrs, 400 mtrs - that really helped me along the final km. But I got there in the end! The guy who won the HM shot past me between 8-9km! My god he won it well!


My fastest 10K up to then was 1hr 8 mins. I said to myself I wanted around 1hr 5 mins but on the days leading up to the race I started doubting myself and said around 1hr 8 to 1hr 10. Came in at 1 hr 4 mins 47 sec! Woohoo! Surprised and delighted considering my bad spell along the main road where my self doubt really crept in.
Plenty of food laid on at the finish - like someone else said, I wouldn't be a coke drinker but I enjoyed that cup! Sorry but I nicked a chocolate muffin for little Sunny Dayz who was disappointed he couldn't take part as he was too young.


Thanks to all the organisers, volunteers, residents and supporters out in force on Saturday.

opus

It's a well run event for sure. I started off with a pacing group but one hamstring which has been giving me grief lately starting sending out distress signals after ~7k so to use the Marathontalk terminology I adopted a run-walk strategy! Being realistic even if everything has stayed working I'm dubious as to if I'd have lasted their pace 'til the finish.

Handy showers at the end, for anyone wondering they're in the changing room at the directly across from the door you come into the hall.

oinkely

Did this race with my brother. First run over about 10k since June so found the last 3k really hard. The first 18 were great though. Well organised and a good T shirt and finish line grub.

I was a bit surprised with the lack of a bag drop though, walked over to the start from the town centre so had all my stuff with me. Had to shove the bag in a quiet corner of the field and hope it would be still there when I got back, thankfully it was.