Dublin and Cork Graded Meets 2015 Discussion thread

KielyUnusual

Timmaay wrote: »

And they are up! Just under 4.08 for me, outdoor pb and 2nd fastest I've ever ran despite being totally all over the shop last month with training. I've said this before but its crazy the way athletics works, when you least expect a result you manage to pull something outa your ass ha. IMC in a weeks time, PB or bust defo!

Nice one Tim. I was half scared to look at the results just in case I had read the wrong result yesterday . I hadn't . Just registered for the 15 in the IMC today. See you out there. You'll have to set your PB on home turf. Its only fitting.

pconn062

Savage running in the 1500m lads, well jealous.

pconn062

Full details of DDAC Graded Meet series, running on alternate weeks to the Dublin series on Thursday evenings:

Drogheda District AC Graded Meet series, Lourdes Stadium, Drogheda.

30-APR-15 DDAC Graded 1 - 200m/800m/3000m
14-MAY-15 DDAC Graded 2 - 100m/400m/MILE
28-MAY-15 DDAC Graded 3 - 200m/800m/3000m
11-JUN-15 DDAC Graded 4 - 100m/400m/1500m
25-JUN-15 DDAC Graded 5 - 200m/800m/MILE
09-JUL-15 DDAC Graded 6 - 100m/400m/5000m

€5.00 per night, you can do all three events.
€20.00 for the whole series.

KielyUnusual

Results are out for the Gradeds in Tallaght. Looks like myself and Timmaay never actually ran the 3K race. Thought it was too good to be true.

Timmaay

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Results are out for the Gradeds in Tallaght. Looks like myself and Timmaay never actually ran the 3K race. Thought it was too good to be true.

Nay don't worry, there is still a hit of our existence, the excel file was good enough to skip straight from 8 position to 11th, from 9.01 to 9.06.13. Only thing I'm confused about now is I saw a high 9.06 for myself on official results sheets just before I left the track. Maybe that was just the hand timed backup?

KielyUnusual

Timmaay wrote: »

Nay don't worry, there is still a hit of our existence, the excel file was good enough to skip straight from 8 position to 11th, from 9.01 to 9.06.13. Only thing I'm confused about now is I saw a high 9.06 for myself on official results sheets just before I left the track. Maybe that was just the hand timed backup?

Yea I noticed that too. I sent them an e-mail on it anyway. Last time I had a missing result, they just updated the existing file a few days later without notifying me. Only noticed it by chance a few weeks later so might be a matter of just checking the existing file every now and again.

KielyUnusual

Just got an e-mail from the DAB saying the results have been updated and apologising for the mistake. In fairness, this year, the meets have been really well organised and have ran bang on time. This is despite a monster entry in the 800 in Tallaght on Wednesday night. Long may it continue.

9.02.49 and 9.06.11 are the times by the way.

CR 7

I've never done a track meet before so I might try a few of the Cork ones. Does anyone know how easy it is to do multiple events? Like the 400m and 1 mile on this Wednesday, is there enough recovery time between them to go all out for both? I'd like to try both to get an idea if it'll be possible to tick off those round numbers this year.

Also, will I get away with just using racing flats? Have a pair of Nike Streak LTs that at least look kind of "track-y".:p

KielyUnusual

CR 7 wrote: »

I've never done a track meet before so I might try a few of the Cork ones. Does anyone know how easy it is to do multiple events? Like the 400m and 1 mile on this Wednesday, is there enough recovery time between them to go all out for both? I'd like to try both to get an idea if it'll be possible to tick off those round numbers this year.

Also, will I get away with just using racing flats? Have a pair of Nike Streak LTs that at least look kind of "track-y".:p

I did this exact same thing in the Dublin Graded 2 years ago. Bit of a baptism of fire too. Had never ran on the track outside of training. Track spikes wise, I wouldn't worry too much. If you're not used to wearing spikes then you're better off going with the flats.

If you can, I'd grab a set of starting blocks and try and get some practice before the race. It can feel a bit awkward at first until you get used to it. Also you'll have to set up your own blocks so useful to check out a video online on how to do it. There's also lots of advice online on 400 strategy worth looking up. General advice seems to be: go out hard as you can for first 50 or so metres, then cruise at close to top speed up to the bend and then re-engage coming off the final bend and empty the tank to the end. As you tie up in the home straight, just try to concentrate on your form.

Unless you're a specialist short distance runner, then the 400 won't take too much out of you for the mile. I'm assuming the 400 is before the mile and you have half an hour or more recovery in between. You'll definitely feel it in your legs and it will impact your performance but you should still be able to put in a decent performance.

Definitely worth trying out and best of luck.

CR 7

KielyUnusual wrote: »

I did this exact same thing in the Dublin Graded 2 years ago. Bit of a baptism of fire too. Had never ran on the track outside of training. Track spikes wise, I wouldn't worry too much. If you're not used to wearing spikes then you're better off going with the flats.

If you can, I'd grab a set of starting blocks and try and get some practice before the race. It can feel a bit awkward at first until you get used to it. Also you'll have to set up your own blocks so useful to check out a video online on how to do it. There's also lots of advice online on 400 strategy worth looking up. General advice seems to be: go out hard as you can for first 50 or so metres, then cruise at close to top speed up to the bend and then re-engage coming off the final bend and empty the tank to the end. As you tie up in the home straight, just try to concentrate on your form.

Unless you're a specialist short distance runner, then the 400 won't take too much out of you for the mile. I'm assuming the 400 is before the mile and you have half an hour or more recovery in between. You'll definitely feel it in your legs and it will impact your performance but you should still be able to put in a decent performance.

Definitely worth trying out and best of luck.

Thanks for all that, I hadn't even thought about the starting blocks until now.:eek:

Lots of homework for me for the next few days so.

The schedule for Wednesday just has the order of events, no mention of spacing between them, but there's only a few events so it should probably be set up with a reasonable rest.

Hopefully there'll be enough other first-timers that I won't make too much of a fool of myself.

Chivito550

If the 400 doesn't take much out of you then you haven't run it right. The 400 was always put last at our interclub meets in Melbourne due to the belief that you shouldn't be able for anything after it.

CR 7

Chivito550 wrote: »

If the 400 doesn't take much out of you then you haven't run it right. The 400 was always put last at our interclub meets in Melbourne due to the belief that you shouldn't be able for anything after it.

It's unlikely I'll be able to pace it right on the first try. It'll be my shortest race so far (by over 2.75 miles:P). I have previously done intervals on the same track, but never even tried an all out effort at a single lap.

Streak101

Do you need to be a club member to run these?

happygoose

You do Streak. If you don't intend training with a Club and have a track focus just find the cheapest one you can find and pay your membership / buy a singlet and away you go.

KielyUnusual

Chivito550 wrote: »

If the 400 doesn't take much out of you then you haven't run it right. The 400 was always put last at our interclub meets in Melbourne due to the belief that you shouldn't be able for anything after it.

I did add the addendum that it won't take too much out of you if you are not a specialist short distance runner. From my experience, having done this exact same thing, if you are a long distance runner then you simply are incapable of running a 400 at maximum. At best case, it will be more or less a really hard rep. It will impact the mile but I reckon it will be only a few second difference. Like the difference between a 5.05 and a 5.00 or similar. I'm assuming CR 7 is coming in to this from a similar situation to mine but I could be wrong.

Streak101

happygoose wrote: »

You do Streak. If you don't intend training with a Club and have a track focus just find the cheapest one you can find and pay your membership / buy a singlet and away you go.

Cheers, only looking to get some official times, might think about that for next year - do you have to wear spikes or are ordinary kicks fine?

Chivito550

KielyUnusual wrote: »

I did add the addendum that it won't take too much out of you if you are not a specialist short distance runner. From my experience, having done this exact same thing, if you are a long distance runner then you simply are incapable of running a 400 at maximum. At best case, it will be more or less a really hard rep. It will impact the mile but I reckon it will be only a few second difference. Like the difference between a 5.05 and a 5.00 or similar. I'm assuming CR 7 is coming in to this from a similar situation to mine but I could be wrong.

Maybe. But the more races a distance runner does the more they will learn how to race at max effort.

Tbh with the exception of the purely anaerobic 100 and about 75-80% anaerobic 200m I can't understand how anybody would be able for another race after any distance of 400 and over.

I think the fact they put the 400 at the end of day 1 decathlon and the 1500 at the end of day 2, while the 100 and 110h start each day, says it all.

Chivito550

Streak101 wrote: »

Cheers, only looking to get some official times, might think about that for next year - do you have to wear spikes or are ordinary kicks fine?

You can wear anything you like, but to get the best out of yourself you'd be wanting spikes.

28064212

happygoose wrote: »

You do Streak. If you don't intend training with a Club and have a track focus just find the cheapest one you can find and pay your membership / buy a singlet and away you go.

Do you need to wear a club singlet in the meets?

pconn062

28064212 wrote: »

Do you need to wear a club singlet in the meets?

Yes.

Sacksian

CR 7 wrote: »

It's unlikely I'll be able to pace it right on the first try. It'll be my shortest race so far (by over 2.75 miles:P). I have previously done intervals on the same track, but never even tried an all out effort at a single lap.

You'll probably be no more than a couple of seconds out. Obviously not worth it if times are really important for you but it's nice to do for championships and/or just for kicks. At worst, it'll be a fun session!

I did the 800m/1500m double at Leinsters outdoors last year and Leinster indoors earlier this year (both masters) and ran the 800/400 at the Masters last year with a few hours between each time.

I was very leggy for the 1500s after the 8 so it seemed much harder. At the time, I didn't feel the earlier race impacted my 400 time too much and probably less than the race inexperience i.e. was let down a lot more by lack of experience in specific training/with blocks/of races, etc.

Enjoy!

Condo131

Hurdles event has been confirmed for Round 1 of Cork Athletics Graded Leagues, sponsored by John Buckley Sports, Wed next, May 13th 19:45pm.

Entry is on the night. €5 for meet entry - covers all events entered.

Chivito550

Thought I’d try revive this thread, as I did start it, but then didn’t actually do any of the meets, until last night. Great evening for it in Tallaght. Great weather for sprinting. Managed to run my fastest time in 11 months so can’t complain.

Maria McCambridge is a machine. Runs a casual 2 x 3000m session off about 20 mins recovery. Wins the women’s race in about 9:41, and then comes second in the men’s B race in 9:18 I think.

Great atmosphere at these meets, particularly when they are at Tallaght, as opposed to Santry, as the spectators feel closer to the action due to there being no stands.

I took a day off work so I could give yesterday a good bash. It’s a shame I can’t seem to hack these evening races when I’ve been working, as the atmosphere at them is great, and really laid back. Thinking I will run an 800m at the last meet, as I should be able to hack that after a day of work, more so than sprinting.

Drawback of course, was the long wait for the 400m runners. A lot of standing around waiting to find out what race you are in, and a bit of a delay. Thankfully it was warm so it didn’t impact runners as much as it could.

So anyone else go last night, or race? Anyone planning to run in one of the final 2 meets?

28064212

Chivito550 wrote: »

Anyone planning to run in one of the final 2 meets?

Hopefully, if I can get a club top in time. I assume the next one on the 8th is in Santry? Is there a list of events yet?

Chivito550

28064212 wrote: »

Hopefully, if I can get a club top in time. I assume the next one on the 8th is in Santry? Is there a list of events yet?

Yeh it's all on the Dublin athletics website. Next one is the 15th. They are every 2 weeks. Next one is Santry. 100m, 400m and 1500m.

28064212

Chivito550 wrote: »

Yeh it's all on the Dublin athletics website. Next one is the 15th. They are every 2 weeks. Next one is Santry. 100m, 400m and 1500m.

Hmmm, 'sort of' on their website. Buried on Page 3 of the news section. Their Events Diary (which is a lot easier to find) says meeting 7 is on the 8th, meeting 8 on the 15th, and meeting 9 on the 29th. Obviously an out-of-date version.

Thanks for the info, might give 400m a bash, if I can try out a set of starting blocks before then, 1500m if not

Chivito550

28064212 wrote: »

Hmmm, 'sort of' on their website. Buried on Page 3 of the news section. Their Events Diary (which is a lot easier to find) says meeting 7 is on the 8th, meeting 8 on the 15th, and meeting 9 on the 29th. Obviously an out-of-date version.

Thanks for the info, might give 400m a bash, if I can try out a set of starting blocks before then, 1500m if not

Don't get hung up on blocks. It really is not as detrimental over 400m if you are inexperienced as it is over 100m.

KielyUnusual

Chivito550 wrote: »

Yeh it's all on the Dublin athletics website. Next one is the 15th. They are every 2 weeks. Next one is Santry. 100m, 400m and 1500m.

Will you be running in the DMR? Will ye be able to muster together a DSD team?

Glad to see there's a 1500 in the next meet. Will definitely race that and we should be able to get a Cru team together for the DMR too. Really looking forward to that. Should be great craic.

Chivito550

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Will you be running in the DMR? Will ye be able to muster together a DSD team?

Glad to see there's a 1500 in the next meet. Will definitely race that and we should be able to get a Cru team together for the DMR too. Really looking forward to that. Should be great craic.

We'll have a team I'm sure but I can't imagine myself being chosen for the 400m, not to mention the other 3 distances. I'll probably run an individual 800 that night. Maybe throw a shot putt for sh1ts and giggles.

Notwork Error

Chivito550 wrote: »

So anyone else go last night, or race? Anyone planning to run in one of the final 2 meets?

Not in Dublin but hope to take a shot at the sub-60 400m in the John Buckley if I'm fit in time. Ambitious target but I don't think I'm far off it. Two terribly paced 400's under my belt in the last year, the last one being a 66 where I felt I left a load out there and had done a 10 mile mountain run the day before. Should run a lot faster than that anyway especially after having had a lot more focus on speed endurance over the last 2 months but I'm gunning for that 60.

Timmaay

Bit of a frenzy just before the men's A 3ks, when it was announced that they couldn't grade each A race, despite Pbs for almost all the athletes available on the entry sheets! The Dublin athletics board in fairness to them have stepped up their game the last 2 years, but with the IMCs gaining popularity with every meet the Dublin graded cannot afford such trival mistakes as such.

LacticAthlete

Timmaay wrote: »

Bit of a frenzy just before the men's A 3ks, when it was announced that they couldn't grade each A race, despite Pbs for almost all the athletes available on the entry sheets! The Dublin athletics board in fairness to them have stepped up their game the last 2 years, but with the IMCs gaining popularity with every meet the Dublin graded cannot afford such trival mistakes as such.

Absolute shambles where they then proceeded to get aggressive with the athletes, claim the athletes and coaches were aggressive with them and then finally it was a joke of a race where two guys who have ran 3.43 were in separate races. No thought to trying to achieve faster times, which is in essence the point of the thing.

It would take 30 seconds to at least grade the top athletes into the right races. Most of the top athletes who were there would have traveled from different parts of the country, paid 30-40 in petrol, entry fee etc then you get

"I dont care how far they have come"

Most of the top athletes last night said they wouldn't set foot at a Dublin graded again.

Fair play to them for having it, fair play to the volunteers who do it but they firstly need to make this about the athlete, which the IMC can do at the drop of a hat.

The meet should be about the athlete, instead it becomes about the power of the clipboard and the fury of a volunteer questioned.

Chivito550

Notwork Error wrote: »

Not in Dublin but hope to take a shot at the sub-60 400m in the John Buckley if I'm fit in time. Ambitious target but I don't think I'm far off it. Two terribly paced 400's under my belt in the last year, the last one being a 66 where I felt I left a load out there and had done a 10 mile mountain run the day before. Should run a lot faster than that anyway especially after having had a lot more focus on speed endurance over the last 2 months but I'm gunning for that 60.

Yeh give it a shot. But 66 to 59 is an age over 400m. Just be aware of that.

Chivito550

Timmaay wrote: »

Bit of a frenzy just before the men's A 3ks, when it was announced that they couldn't grade each A race, despite Pbs for almost all the athletes available on the entry sheets! The Dublin athletics board in fairness to them have stepped up their game the last 2 years, but with the IMCs gaining popularity with every meet the Dublin graded cannot afford such trival mistakes as such.

See the last line of this post is the problem in Irish athletics. Why are the IMC and DAB seen as competitors of each other? That is utter madness. They should be working together as partners.

Condo131

Thursday July 16th, 7:45pm, CIT Track, Cork - Round 5 of Cork Athletics Graded T&F League, sponsored by John Buckley Sports.

Round 5 of Graded Leagues Series:
100m, 400m, 1500m, High Jump, Shot Put & Discus

1500m will, as always, be run off in several graded (according to time) races.

Entry on the night. €5 meet entry. Guests welcome, but must be Athletics Ireland registered, or members of another IAAF member federation.

Chivito550

One thing that is curious is the fact the various bodies who run graded meets don't seem to talk to each other when scheduling their meets. Why not have the Dublin and Cork meets on alternative weeks? That way people from certain parts of Ireland could realistically travel to both. Having a Cork meet the day after a Dublin meet makes no sense IMO.

Notwork Error

Chivito550 wrote: »

One thing that is curious is the fact the various bodies who run graded meets don't seem to talk to each other when scheduling their meets. Why not have the Dublin and Cork meets on alternative weeks? That way people from certain parts of Ireland could realistically travel to both. Having a Cork meet the day after a Dublin meet makes no sense IMO.

They were running alternatively up until the last meet by at least 3-4 days, That meet and the next one clash by a day alright but the track season is only so long that they need to get as many meets as they can in to make money I'd say. They'd be cutting the schedule and probably only gaining a few extra entries per meet. I think they would prefer 6-7 meets with 70 entries more than 3-4 with 80. That would be my take on it.

Chivito550

Notwork Error wrote: »

They were running alternatively up until the last meet by at least 3-4 days, That meet and the next one clash by a day alright but the track season is only so long that they need to get as many meets as they can in to make money I'd say. They'd be cutting the schedule and probably only gaining a few extra entries per meet. I think they would prefer 6-7 meets with 70 entries more than 3-4 with 80. That would be my take on it.

Fair enough. But in general it seems like the various bodies in Ireland don't communicate with each other when doing up schedules.

IvoryTower

200m, 800, & 5k in Drogheda tomorrow night.

RayCun

Chivito550 wrote: »

Fair enough. But in general it seems like the various bodies in Ireland don't communicate with each other when doing up schedules.

How much coordination is necessary?
Dublin Gradeds are on Wednesday evenings, presumably to avoid clashes with competitions
Irish Milers are on Friday/Saturday, and I'm sure they pay attention to any other meets scheduled on the weekend
Cork Gradeds are far away from the other two

Are any of the meets suffering from split fields?
If you had some body drawing up a unified schedule, that would lead to complaints too (why do we have to be on that day? why can't they move? why is there no race of this distance on this day in this area?!?!? Sack the organisers!)

Chivito550

RayCun wrote: »

How much coordination is necessary?
Dublin Gradeds are on Wednesday evenings, presumably to avoid clashes with competitions
Irish Milers are on Friday/Saturday, and I'm sure they pay attention to any other meets scheduled on the weekend
Cork Gradeds are far away from the other two

Are any of the meets suffering from split fields?
If you had some body drawing up a unified schedule, that would lead to complaints too (why do we have to be on that day? why can't they move? why is there no race of this distance on this day in this area?!?!? Sack the organisers!)

Yeh fair enough. It just seems like everything is fractured here. National body, provincial bodies, county bodies, IMC etc. All do their own thing, and nothing is coordinated. AAI have zero involvement in most track meets in Ireland. I just think things could be integrated so much better. Timaaay's comment above insinuating that the IMC and DAB are competitors says it all tbh.

RayCun

Chivito550 wrote: »

Timaaay's comment above insinuating that the IMC and DAB are competitors says it all tbh.

They both want to put on the best track meets in the area, so competitors in that respect, I guess.

But it's like Sportsworld and Raheny both wanting to have the best 5 mile race in Dublin. They're not going to sabotage the other, they're going to make their own races better. Maybe Sportsworld will add more post-race chocolate next year, or Raheny will have even better electrical goods as prizes.

DAB invest in timing equipment and online entry to save time in drawing up start lists, but clearly had trouble with the grading for the 3000 last time. So they'll keep trying to improve. I haven't run an IMC event yet but I'm sure they have things they want to improve on too.

RayCun

Chivito550 wrote: »

National body, provincial bodies, county bodies, IMC etc. All do their own thing, and nothing is coordinated. AAI have zero involvement in most track meets in Ireland.

on the general point - AAI look after national competitions, that's their remit. If they drew up a schedule for all track competition in the country (or all cross country), there'd be complaints that the schedule might work for <those people> but doesn't fit the requirements of us here in <wherever>. You might think of it as being efficient and reducing fragmentation, but it could equally be described as creating a new level of bureaucracy, even further removed from the needs of athletes on the ground.

Maybe it would work out better in the end, but that's why it doesn't happen.

28064212

My first meet tomorrow. Might be a tad optimistic, but I've gone for the 400m/1500m double. A definite step into the unknown having never set foot on a track before, so "not dead-last" is pretty much the only target.

Any useful information for a noob? More on the admin/process side than the bit between the gun and the line.

• Is there parking available at the stadium?
• I assume there's a desk for registering, and you just go up there and produce your confirmation email?
• Will they put you into different grades then and there? I put "C" down on the entry form, but that's a complete shot in the dark

Actually, on the bit between the gun and the line, I assume it's standard 400m/1500m rules? i.e. 400m stay in your own lane, 1500m come in whenever you want?

Chivito550

28064212 wrote: »

My first meet tomorrow. Might be a tad optimistic, but I've gone for the 400m/1500m double. A definite step into the unknown having never set foot on a track before, so "not dead-last" is pretty much the only target.

Any useful information for a noob? More on the admin/process side than the bit between the gun and the line.

• Is there parking available at the stadium?
• I assume there's a desk for registering, and you just go up there and produce your confirmation email?
• Will they put you into different grades then and there? I put "C" down on the entry form, but that's a complete shot in the dark

Actually, on the bit between the gun and the line, I assume it's standard 400m/1500m rules? i.e. 400m stay in your own lane, 1500m come in whenever you want?

Correct re the 400 and 1500,

You don't even need a confirmation email as they will have your name recorded. Just tell them your name and pay them. You then put your name down on whatever sheet you want, A grade, B grade etc etc. registration is upstairs in the main stand overlooking the finish line.

Best of luck. But if you run the 400 properly you shouldn't have anything left for the 1500

28064212

Chivito550 wrote: »

Best of luck. But if you run the 400 properly you shouldn't have anything left for the 1500

I agree, but I doubt I'll be able to run the 400 properly

RayCun

There is parking at the stadium

You sign up to whatever grade, but they may combine races depending on numbers - eg, you sign up to the D 400, but there's only two others in D so they run a C+D race

28064212

Couple more questions:

• Is there a starter's gun used? Or just a guy shouting "GO!"?
• Are there visible race clocks (e.g. for checking lap splits in the 1500m)?
• What's the precise rule for staying in your lane? You just have to keep your feet fully inside the line? Or your whole body?

RayCun

Gun, and there's a clock at the finish line

Chivito550

28064212 wrote: »

Couple more questions:

• Is there a starter's gun used? Or just a guy shouting "GO!"?
• Are there visible race clocks (e.g. for checking lap splits in the 1500m)?
• What's the precise rule for staying in your lane? You just have to keep your feet fully inside the line? Or your whole body?

Feet must not touch the inner white line of your lane on the bends. If you go out of your lane slightly on the straights or step on the outer white line on the bends you will not be penalised unless you impede another runner.

It's really not hard to stay in your lane though so don't worry about it.