to Frankfurt or Dublin marathon

unirunner2

Hi

i am new to this and am pondering which is better to do

I have done a few marathons and live close to Dublin, so Dublin is an obvious option for the next marathon, however Frankfurt is appealing,

has anyone done both, which is better and or easier. is it daft flying to another country to run a marathon when you already have a great one on your doorstep.?
thanks

ThePiedPiper

I've done both of these, and would rate Frankfurt very highly. Excellent organisation, very fast course and fairly accessible. I haven't run Dublin since 2011. I've never been a big fan of the course, but the support and convenience are attractive.
I tend to view the reverse of your question posed: Why run a marathon just because it's on your doorstep, when you could probably have a quicker time and experience a new city?

ger664

I'm toying with Frankfurt as well. Depends really on the work situation that weekend.

unirunner2

ThePiedPiper wrote: »

I've done both of these, and would rate Frankfurt very highly. Excellent organisation, very fast course and fairly accessible. I haven't run Dublin since 2011. I've never been a big fan of the course, but the support and convenience are attractive.
I tend to view the reverse of your question posed: Why run a marathon just because it's on your doorstep, when you could probably have a quicker time and experience a new city?

heard that it is well run, i suppose at the end of the day it may come down to finances, and me justifying to the wife why i need to spend the guts of 600 euro to run a marathon when their is a great one already in Dublin. Frankfurt doesnt seem to be the easiest place to get to on the cheap also, Ryanair only fly on tursdays and come back on tuesdays for some reason, air lingus are fairly expensive..
things to ponder and sure maybe i will win the lotto!
ta

TFBubendorfer

ThePiedPiper wrote: »

Why run a marathon just because it's on your doorstep, when you could probably have a quicker time and experience a new city?

Because:

- spending well over €500 is hard to justify just for the possibility of running a marathon 2 minutes quicker
- travelling causes stress and may well have a negative impact on your race performance
- sleeping in your own bed the night before the marathon can do wonders for your relaxation (I find it virtually impossible to sleep in an unaccustomed bed the night before a big race)
- being able to eat your usual breakfast on race day at home can make a real difference


and I'm sure I could come up with more. There's nothing wrong with travelling to a different marathon (done it plenty of times myself and never regretted it) but there also are plenty of perfectly good reasons to run one close to home.

Weigh up the cons and pros and make your own decision.

DocQismyJesus

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Because:

- spending well over €500 is hard to justify just for the possibility of running a marathon 2 minutes quicker
- travelling causes stress and may well have a negative impact on your race performance
- sleeping in your own bed the night before the marathon can do wonders for your relaxation (I find it virtually impossible to sleep in an unaccustomed bed the night before a big race)
- being able to eat your usual breakfast on race day at home can make a real difference


and I'm sure I could come up with more. There's nothing wrong with travelling to a different marathon (done it plenty of times myself and never regretted it) but there also are plenty of perfectly good reasons to run one close to home.

Weigh up the cons and pros and make your own decision.

The reality is people are different/ perform best in different situations. I find travel reduces my brain constantly focusing and worrying about a particular race. Therefore a marathon "away" suits me best

Others I know find travelling to a marathon in Europe stresses them out more for many of the reasons cited above. The key is to try both and figure out how you perform best!

DocQismyJesus

I know a good few blokes from here have done it on the past couple years hopefully 1 or 2 of them comes along and posts here so you get more specific advise! Good luck!

unirunner2

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Because:

- spending well over €500 is hard to justify just for the possibility of running a marathon 2 minutes quicker
- travelling causes stress and may well have a negative impact on your race performance
- sleeping in your own bed the night before the marathon can do wonders for your relaxation (I find it virtually impossible to sleep in an unaccustomed bed the night before a big race)
- being able to eat your usual breakfast on race day at home can make a real difference


and I'm sure I could come up with more. There's nothing wrong with travelling to a different marathon (done it plenty of times myself and never regretted it) but there also are plenty of perfectly good reasons to run one close to home.

Weigh up the cons and pros and make your own decision.

thanks, there are pros and cons on this, but i think for me, and have probably spent to much time thinking about it, i think it would be daft going to frankfurt when dublin is on the same weekend, if it was on a different month i might think about it. but the cost for me makes it an option that i couldn't justify to my wife

I will defo like to do a foreign marathon at some stage, may be another year or two before it happens

kit3

unirunner2 wrote: »

thanks, there are pros and cons on this, but i think for me, and have probably spent to much time thinking about it, i think it would be daft going to frankfurt when dublin is on the same weekend, if it was on a different month i might think about it. but the cost for me makes it an option that i couldn't justify to my wife

I will defo like to do a foreign marathon at some stage, may be another year or two before it happens

Bring your wife & make a trip of it - just might work

ger664

We dont all live in Dublin (or have in laws there ) thus the travelling stress and expense still apply to some of us.

unirunner2

ger664 wrote: »

We dont all live in Dublin (or have in laws there ) thus the travelling stress and expense still apply to some of us.

Fair point, this applies to any marathon, and the logisitics of getting to the start line in Dublin if your not lucky enough to have accomadation in Dublin might make Frankfurt a good option, but on saying that, for me, ican drive to Dublin in the morning of the race without any problems.
but if your from the Kerry or Donegal or anywhere in between, Dublin mightened suit and might be cheaper to fly to Frankfurt!

but where ever you run a marathon its still oly 26.2 miles and although Frankfurt may be easier, your not going to really jump from a ordinary time to a extraordinary time by choosing one over the other

ultraman1

unirunner2 wrote: »

but where ever you run a marathon its still only 26.2 miles

Hopefully...

tunney

unirunner2 wrote: »

heard that it is well run, i suppose at the end of the day it may come down to finances, and me justifying to the wife why i need to spend the guts of 600 euro to run a marathon when their is a great one already in Dublin. Frankfurt doesnt seem to be the easiest place to get to on the cheap also, Ryanair only fly on tursdays and come back on tuesdays for some reason, air lingus are fairly expensive..
things to ponder and sure maybe i will win the lotto!
ta

Frankfurt is stupidly easy to get to. Look at Lufthansa as well, as cheap and nicer.

Bulmers74

Just had a look at flights,€92 return - Kerry/Hahn, out Friday 23rd, back Monday 26th. Tempted!

rom

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Because:

- spending well over €500 is hard to justify just for the possibility of running a marathon 2 minutes quicker
- travelling causes stress and may well have a negative impact on your race performance
- sleeping in your own bed the night before the marathon can do wonders for your relaxation (I find it virtually impossible to sleep in an unaccustomed bed the night before a big race)
- being able to eat your usual breakfast on race day at home can make a real difference


and I'm sure I could come up with more. There's nothing wrong with travelling to a different marathon (done it plenty of times myself and never regretted it) but there also are plenty of perfectly good reasons to run one close to home.

Weigh up the cons and pros and make your own decision.

For me in London it was the best night sleep compared to the two screaming children that are at home that keep me up most nights.

DocQismyJesus

Bulmers74 wrote: »

Just had a look at flights,€92 return - Kerry/Hahn, out Friday 23rd, back Monday 26th. Tempted!

FYI Hahn is 120km from Frankfurt itself

Bulmers74

DocQismyJesus wrote: »

FYI Hahn is 120km from Frankfurt itself

Copped that alright Half way through last years thread now & I think I'm sold. I'm sure your Messiah can give us the full lowdown if required;)

DocQismyJesus

Bulmers74 wrote: »

Copped that alright Half way through last years thread now & I think I'm sold. I'm sure your Messiah can give us the full lowdown if required;)

He communicates mostly through Meno PM that Nordie bastard with requests and they may be granted

unirunner2

DocQismyJesus wrote: »

FYI Hahn is 120km from Frankfurt itself

well that makes my mind up, Dublin it is.
and flying from kerry to Hann, thats another 120 miles or so for me!!
not a chance
thanks

eliwallach

unirunner2 wrote: »

but where ever you run a marathon its still oly 26.2 miles r

Have you tried Waterford marathon???

Bahanaman

A group of us from our club have signed up for Frankfurt. Flights and accommodation in a hotel about 800m from the start finish cost us just over €300 a head. This is for 3 nights, Fri, Sat, Sun. You'd be doing well just to get a hotel for that price over the marathon weekend in Dublin. This will be my first overseas marathon. Really looking forward to it. Flat course too or so I'm told!!!

We're flying with Lufthansa. Good flight times and only 15-20 min transfer to the city.

unirunner2

Bahanaman wrote: »

A group of us from our club have signed up for Frankfurt. Flights and accommodation in a hotel about 800m from the start finish cost us just over €300 a head. This is for 3 nights, Fri, Sat, Sun. You'd be doing well just to get a hotel for that price over the marathon weekend in Dublin. This will be my first overseas marathon. Really looking forward to it. Flat course too or so I'm told!!!

that sounds a good deal in fairness, i do want to do a foreign marathon at some stage, good luck with it,

unirunner2

eliwallach wrote: »

Have you tried Waterford marathon???

never have, maybe in the future, but its not on the radar just yet, looks a great on though. i would imagine its hilly enough

Bahanaman

Tongue planted firmly in the cheek there eli!!!

unirunner2

Bahanaman wrote: »

We're flying with Lufthansa. Good flight times and only 15-20 min transfer to the city.

thanks, looks the best option