Run in the Dark 2015 - Cork, Dublin, Belfast - 5k or 10k - November 11th

Murph_D

average_runner wrote: »

Its a fun run and not a race for a time, going by past reports

That doesn't mean people won't still bitch about it, usually for valid reasons.

average_runner

Murph_D wrote: »

That doesn't mean people won't still bitch about it, usually for valid reasons.

I was just lowering people expectations:D

Auntie Matter

After last year's race being so badly organised, I said I'd never do Run In The Dark again.

I foolishly succumbed to temptation and signed up again this year, thinking, they'll surely sort out the worst glitches. But it was not to be.

The race was 20 minutes late starting - something about the road closures not having happened on time. A tall guy near me said he could still see cars going over the bridge by the IFSC after 8 o'clock.

The 5K course was long, worse than last year - it measured over 5.4K on my GPS watch. However, there was a timing mat at 5K and the finish time in the text that was sent out appears to be what was recorded at that point.

Minor glitches though...the worst was to come. There was complete disorganisation at the bag collection area. I have never seen anything like it at any other race I've done. All the queues for the different number ranges were mashed into each other, and everyone in the 5K in a range that covered over 3,000 numbers was pushed into a small area at the far end. The crowding there was almost dangerous at times.

While this race is good fun, with a great atmosphere, I would be reluctant to go back next year.

DubOnHoliday

And so it begins

Bubbaclaus

Should we have got the text with our time by now? Still nothing here

omb0wyn5ehpij9

Bubbaclaus wrote: »

Should we have got the text with our time by now? Still nothing here

Nothing here either. I used the Runkeeper app on my phone so I'm fairly sure of my time within about 20 seconds or so.

That was my first time ever doing run in the dark, or any race for that matter. I ran the 10k and the only thing I found disappointing was the start being delayed by nearly 25 minutes. It meant standing on the start line ready to go for 40 minutes. Thankfully I hadn't left a bag at the bag drop, but from what a mate was telling me and from what I've read online, collection was a disaster

Ososlo

DubOnHoliday wrote: »

And so it begins

ha ha

I was doing it as a half marathon pace session so took a very relaxed approach to it all so the only complaint I have really is that it was 20 mins late starting as it was very cold.

Yes it was dark and dangerous and congested in parts, but I knew it would be, so no surprises there.
I didn't bother with bag drop as I ran in from home ready to run, so no complaints there.
I didn't bother with picking up goodie bag, as I didn't want to have to carry it on the run home, so no complaints about that.
When I went to pick up my race pack yesterday I was given an envelope with another girl's name on it but was assured it was ok, that my name was on the system. When I got home I realised they had given me a bib for the 5k instead of the 10k. I rang them but again, they assured me it wasn't a problem as the correct name and race distance was in the system. Yeah yeah yeah I said to myself, it'll be a miracle if I get a proper race time. Again, it doesn't matter to me as I wasn't racing it. I didn't receive a text yet with my time. No surprises there!!!

I'd do it again but not to race it flat out to expect to pb.

SausageDogDave

There were no blaas left

Extrasupervery

They tried to close the left hand turn off for the 10k route JUST as I was passing it. Said I was too slow and they couldn't let any more people through. I was well within the 80 minute limit they set for the 10k, and took none of it. Had to dodge the stewart and run on but I was not letting him mess up my run. Not my fault they didn't get the roads closed on time.

donaghs

Any results out yet? No text yet, and can't see anything online.

I'll spare you a rant about late start, potholes, bag collection

MonsterCookie

donaghs wrote: »

Any results out yet? No text yet, and can't see anything online.

I'll spare you a rant about late start, potholes, bag collection

I enjoyed the event but am disappointed that we don't have results yet. Usually events like this would have results out pretty quickly. As a minimum I'd expect the website to have a placeholder for 2015 and a notice saying when results are expected!

outsourced_ire

donaghs wrote: »

Any results out yet? No text yet, and can't see anything online.

I'll spare you a rant about late start, potholes, bag collection

No text here yet for the Cork run.

Phoebas

donaghs wrote: »

Any results out yet? No text yet, and can't see anything online.

I'll spare you a rant about late start, potholes, bag collection

I got a txt last night just before 11pm.

Green&Red

Did the 5k and have to say I'm one of the one bitching and moaning.
I get that it was for a good cause but its a steep enough entry and theres a huge number so you'd expect a good set up
20 minutes waiting at the start line, 5k actually being 5.5k, no mention that there would be a mat at the 5k mark so u ended up leaving whatever u had in the tank for what looked like the actually finish.
The bag drop was a disaster but I have some sympathy, its a tough jobs and plenty of bags look alike but again poor organisation

People might say its only a fun run but theres plenty of fun runs that manage to be well organised, this isn't

Also no results up yet, park runs can manage this quicker!

Triangla

I checked the sportsplits website and results aren't up yet.

I did see people on twitter who received results by text last night.

http://www.sportsplits.com/Home/Search

I did the Cork run and it was good fun, great atmosphere. Yes it was congested but of course it was, who didn't think it would be.

It's a fun run for charity.

De Bhál

donaghs wrote: »

Any results out yet? No text yet, and can't see anything online.

I'll spare you a rant about late start, potholes, bag collection

I received the text last night at 22.41

My first 10k event. Ticked the 40-45min box on application. There didn't seem to be a physical breakdown of groups (again I'm new to all this so maybe that's just the way) so I just headed up the front. Was there for 7.40ish as requested. Run didn't start until about 8.15ish. Cold night to be standing around in a t-shirt.
Fairly mental at the start with the amount of people going lots of different speed.
Once we got spread out I enjoyed it. Got a bit tight again at the end.
Plenty of bottled water handed out at the end. That was great.
Strolled around to the CHQ and collected the free bag. That queue was fine and moved at a good pace.
I thought the image of all the runners ahead of me around the darkness beyond the Point was cool with the LED armbands. Thanks to the marshals who called out encouragement.
Overall I enjoyed it and would do it again. It was pricey but it's for charity after all.

outsourced_ire

Green&Red wrote: »

Did the 5k and have to say I'm one of the one bitching and moaning.
I get that it was for a good cause but its a steep enough entry and theres a huge number so you'd expect a good set up
20 minutes waiting at the start line, 5k actually being 5.5k, no mention that there would be a mat at the 5k mark so u ended up leaving whatever u had in the tank for what looked like the actually finish.
The bag drop was a disaster but I have some sympathy, its a tough jobs and plenty of bags look alike but again poor organisation

People might say its only a fun run but theres plenty of fun runs that manage to be well organised, this isn't

Also no results up yet, park runs can manage this quicker!

The folks in Cork seemed to be taking this very seriously altogether!

There was one particular stretch in Cork, where the walkers should have gone onto the footpath walker channels. This girl anyway, bursted through the people behind me and my buddy, who were at jogging pace. She pretty much pushed between us and shouted "Walkers to the footpath".

Karma** prevailed in this instance - she took a stumble about 100 metres up had to start walking herself. Didn't see her again after that. There was an awful lot of sniggers.

Dying to get my final time. According to endomondo the 10K route in cork was more like 10.28k.

I also had a good warm up running around Patrick St trying to find safety pins! I thought it was a stick on number :eek:


** I'd never like to see anyone injured, but this was a classic case of karma.

omb0wyn5ehpij9

I just checked Facebook and the organisers are responding to people stating that they are working on the results now and they should be online shortly!

average_runner

average_runner wrote: »

I was just lowering people expectations:D

Well what can we say, well it was a fun run without the fun!!!

20 mins late start, we were near the front and still there were people up there that have no right to be there.

The start was chaotic, got to the iron bridge and there was a marshall dressed in black I kid you not, he actually didnt do anything or warm the runners of the hole there!!!

After that the race spread across the whole road with a steward saying dont do that please. Maybe they should invest some money in some tap.

Were then pushed up on to a footpath not told of the bollards, I hurdled one, quiet impressed with myself. After that it wasn't too bad, the course was long so even though they are giving the times at the 5k mat, sure no one would of kicked for that.

They then lost my bag, had to jump over the railing to look for it which i found eventually:rolleyes:


Its not a race if you want a time, but if you want to see how not to organise a race its worth doing.

No time for me yet either

jasonb

It was my first race/Run in The Dark. I honestly believe all of the issues stem from one thing; too many entrants. I can understand why they want to make as much money for charity as possible, but 9,000 people is a lot, and it felt like they were struggling to handle all the people. The top of this thread from earlier in the year talks about having to register early as this event sells out quickly. I'm guessing they accepted a lot more entrants this year, as I only signed up two weeks ago.

I don't know if the late start was due to not closing the roads on time, and traffic was definitely still moving in front of the start line at around 8:20, just before we started. However, up until 8:15 or so I could also still see runners coming back from the bag drop area towards the start, so maybe the start was also delayed to get everyone to the start line? They gave up on the Boot Camp warm up 'cos no-one could hear them and no-one had any room to move. And once the race finally started, a lot of people just took apart the barriers to make gaps so they could squeeze in from the right and join near the front. All down to, in my opinion, too many entrants.

With so many runners, a lot of people went to the right hand side of the road as soon as they could for more space, which meant they were then going the wrong way down the road, and straight into the front runners coming back the other way.

The 5k route actually being about 5.4k was also a little annoying. As others have said, I would have kicked for the 5k timing mat had I known it was there, but I just heard the beep (while focusing on the finish line in the distance) and realised what had happened then. I can understand it's hard to get a 5k and 10k route to start and finish on the exact same point, but even if they had said in advance about this, it would have helped. I know the same thing happened last year, but a new route this year suggested, to me at least, that it wouldn't be the same.

All that said, as my first experience of it, I did enjoy it, I deliberately took time to look around and soak it all in when running across the bridge the first time. But it wasn't possible to do that a lot, there was too much of a chance to trip over someone!

Basically, an interesting and exciting evening, but with some obvious issues...

J.

P.S. I got my time texted to me at around 11 last night...

Green&Red

The issues I saw could easily be rectified

They had an elite runners sign at the top and I saw one for 10k<40mins. If there were marshalls there instructing people that everyone in a certain area should be looking at that time and so on down in 5 min intervals. So that you had less likelihood of the idiots doing 70mins standing at the front with the guys doing 37mins. Organising the road closures properly.
And having a second finishing float at the 5k mark, clearly mark that 5kers run under this and let them off a different chute to the actually end line. Not hard to rectify

estariol

The event was poorly organised and badly executed, as usual. The course is dangerous and not suitable for the numbers subscribed. The cause is worth while and that is why I support this event, but the organising committee and race director clearly ignored/disregard the AAI race handbook.

aquinn

Go on then, tell us what happened next (Joe voice)

Domo1982

The route was very poor - "Lets hold a scenic fun run around the darkened back streets of Ringsend" .....said no one ever!

TommyGrealy

aquinn wrote: »

Go on then, tell us what happened next (Joe voice)

Hahahahaha!!!

desertcircus

Green&Red wrote: »

The issues I saw could easily be rectified

They had an elite runners sign at the top and I saw one for 10k<40mins. If there were marshalls there instructing people that everyone in a certain area should be looking at that time and so on down in 5 min intervals. So that you had less likelihood of the idiots doing 70mins standing at the front with the guys doing 37mins. Organising the road closures properly.
And having a second finishing float at the 5k mark, clearly mark that 5kers run under this and let them off a different chute to the actually end line. Not hard to rectify

I ran the same event in 2014, and slow runners going to the front was an issue then despite clear signs and frequent instructions over the PA to only go to the front if you expected a sub-40 time. A lot of people just don't see those instructions as something to be taken seriously.

Green&Red

desertcircus wrote: »

I ran the same event in 2014, and slow runners going to the front was an issue then despite clear signs and frequent instructions over the PA to only go to the front if you expected a sub-40 time. A lot of people just don't see those instructions as something to be taken seriously.

Absolutely, theres always going to be idiots but I think a few more stewards with that specific job could have gone a long way.

johnk123

Agree with all the above. I don't think so much that the number were the issue though... I think if they streamed the start groups properly, then they would make the start so much more enjoyable for everyone. It's just not fair on those who are looking for a quick time.... But then again, one would hope that most people would honestly place themselves in the start area.... I was approx. 20 or 30 meters back from the start thinking I was leaving room for the elites etc... but sure a few minutes later the place was full of people who looked like they would be more at home... ok I won't go there, but you get my drift. Obviously it's an all inclusinve sport or hobby for some, but you need to draw the line somewhere and not interfere with others.

I know some have claimed it's a fun run etc, but I believe there is room for both a competitive race and the taking part element too.

Other than the obvious and frustrating start congestion issues, I enjoyed my snickers on the jog back! Thanks again to all the marshals for helping If they got it right, it could be a real highlight in the calendar....

jasonb

Ha, yes, that Snickers was lovely!

J.

28064212

Auntie Matter wrote: »

After last year's race being so badly organised, I said I'd never do Run In The Dark again.

I foolishly succumbed to temptation and signed up again this year

This is why it will continue to be run badly (not you specifically AM). Despite year-on-year warnings of how badly it is run, how they haven't sorted anything, how many issues there are, the numbers have been increasing all the time. Why would the organisers bother trying to fix any of them?