Wings For Life, Dublin 2016

FeenaM

Thinking of giving this a go this year. Anybody do it last year? Would you recommend?

mel.b

I have never done it, but have signed up for the one in Melbourne as I'll be home in Australia at the time. It starts at 9pm there. I love the idea that everyone is running at the same time around the world!

Killerz

Did it last year and yes, I would recommend it. The course is challenging though! Unique concept as far as I know and my experience of it was it was well organised with the exception of the sweeper bus at the end. I'm planning on doing it again this year. Haven't heard any negative feedback on it.

Glencarraig

Ran this last year, great event. As mentioned, the course is "challenging", lots of climbing early on....from mile 1 to 11, taking in hills at Bullock Harbour, Colimore Harbour, and the gorgeous Vico Road. Draggy from there to Bray seafront and then another long climb up Putland Road. You get very little recovery time before you face the long climb up Windgates, passing Bray Golf Club. Downhill towards Greystones after that and then it's just "lumpy". I managed just over 14 miles last year and had arranged to be picked up by the missus which was a very good plan because once you go past Bray then the business of getting back to Dun Laoghaire gets a little difficult. You might be waiting a while for the pickup bus and if the weather is not good you might feel a bit miserable. They give out free dart tickets until you pass Greystones but be aware that the route does not go close to Greystones Dart station. It is a unique event, not knowing where your finish line is but great fun, great support along the way

Extrasupervery

What pace did you run at to make 14 miles? I'm a plodder - I do about 10/11 minute miles and have no idea how far I'd get before the car caught up with me. Intrigued by the concept though.

Edit: I did some basic maths. I'll get to 10k or so.

Killerz

There's a calculator on the website which is pretty useful:

http://www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/ie/en/goal-calculator/

Extrasupervery

I am trying and failing to use that simple calculator. Brain/body is fried after Ballycotton. I've signed up, I should get 10k in, be grand!

Coffee Fulled Runner

"100% OF THE ENTRY FEE GOES TO SPINAL CORD RESEARCH"

Nice.

FeenaM

Right so, I'm making this my next target race

8 weeks to get my mileage up a bit and I'm going to aim for 28k which will be running at just under 8 m/m.

Easy peasy :cool:

:eek:

wrstan

I did it last year on a whim - literally decided on it the day before, doing it in place of my LSR.
Very good value, plenty of support, and even a little razzamatazz!

I would happily recommend it and I'll definitely do it again this year if nothing gets in the way.

It was a little tough at the end walking about a km to the pickup point after the run with my quads screaming at me.

One word of warning though, there were lots of entries on the day and they really struggled to deal with them all so that everyone could get off at the pre-determined time. So, if you can register in advance or pick your number up the day before I'd highly recommend it.

Glencarraig

I ran 8min 15sec per mile for 13.9 miles time was 1hr 57mins

Killerz

The course doesn't get much easier the further you go - I think it's designed to keep the numbers low after Bray 're road closures etc.

frash

I stopped in Bray last year and just waited for the car as (last year at least) the sweeper bus only operated from Greystones onwards and as someone already mentioned the course doesn't go by Greystones DART station.
I knew I wasn't going to make it to Greystones so would have been stuck halfway between the two stations.

Something to consider.

adrian522

So, how far from a dart station could you end up if you finished between Bray and Greystones does anyone know?

nop98

Quite far - it's ~9km (by road) between the two DART stations.

Note, it's quite a climb out of Bray. From the south-end of the promenade steady uphill for about 3.5km, 120m elevation gain. Once you crest at Windgates, you're about 4km from Greystones DART, but that's sharp downhill. Note, the route doesn't take you past the DART station in Greystones, instead you stay a few hundred metres to the west.

adrian522

Thanks, not sounding great, particularly if you don't know the area.

frash

adrian522 wrote: »

Thanks, not sounding great, particularly if you don't know the area.

If you're happy to finish in Bray then it's a lovely run to do.

I think I've seen some of your posts before - reckon you'd get to Greystones and then just follow the others to the DART station.

nop98

frash wrote: »

I think I've seen some of your posts before - reckon you'd get to Greystones and then just follow the others to the DART station.

I think so too. A 1h52 HM will see you to Greystones (not an easy route, mind) or at least the outskirts, then a cool-down jog to the station.

adrian522

Thanks, I'd be hoping to go as far as possible rather than dropping at a pre-decided point but that the HM distance would probably be the upper limit of my ambition in any case.

wrstan

Once you go past Bray, there is a shuttle bus that will pick you up en route, so there should be no chance of getting lost. The only problem is that there could be a wait for the bus to come by during which you can get cold pretty quickly, especially if it's a wet day - or that could be all part of the fun!

I made 30km last year, somewhere between Newcastle and Rathnew, the winner went past Wicklow IIRC.

ThisRegard

Are you pretty scattered at that stage or is there still groups running together?

wrstan

Once you get down into Greystones, you're pretty much on your own, although IIRC I could see people in front of me at all times and was picking off and getting picked off right until the chasing car caught up.

I think the worst moment was around 28/29 km when I was ready to stop, I heard what I thought was the chasing car behind me, so I pinned the ears back and gave final dash, only to be passed by some dude with a megaphone telling me the chasing car was only 2km behind me!

Killerz

I had a kind of similar experience. I was dying for the car to catch me in the end... I was wrecked. Heard what i thought was the catcher car coming and summoned some energy but a false dawn.

I really enjoyed this last year and wouldn't let the bus/ dart thing out you off. I was picked up right after I was caught and was straight on to a bus. The only gripe I would have is that on my bus, finish line refreshments were hard to come by, and ultimately were only water, bananas and red bull!

TFBubendorfer

Killerz wrote: »

I really enjoyed this last year and wouldn't let the bus/ dart thing out you off. I was picked up right after I was caught and was straight on to a bus. The only gripe I would have is that on my bus, finish line refreshments were hard to come by, and ultimately were only water, bananas and red bull!

That's an improvement to the first year when it was run on the Ring of Kerry.

I was picked up by the ambulance and they took the next 2 finishers ahead of me as well, not because we were injured but because that's what they figured would be our best option to get back (the race winner got a nicer ride home). The ambulance was cold and crowded and uncomfortable, and there was a single bottle of water for the runners but nothing else.

Also, when we got back to the start area it was completely deserted. Now I know what an 8-hour finisher in the marathon feels like when they reach the finish and nobody's there to welcome them.

I enjoyed the race and have signed up this year again, but that aspect could have been improved.

Phoole

I don't like the idea of being stranded half way to Greystones so I generally sign up and run this race myself around my local area using the app on my phone.

aquinn

This is a super event, really different and enjoyable. The weather was shocking on the Saturday but lovely on the Sunday, a bit warm. I made it to Greystones and had to walk to the bus but it wasn't far. The bus though brings you back to the Dart in Bray and then if you've done bag drop in DL you've to walk over and back again from the Dart.
It's a tough route and some hill at Kilruddery but a very different and enjoyable event. Definitely register in advance.

Wubble Wubble

I like the idea behind this one. If I get to take part, I'm aiming to go over HM distance.

chris85

Great idea for a race, great cause and 100% of funding going directly to the cause so looks like I will have to sign up for this. I will be optimistic and hope some of the downsides mentioned will be improved on for this year.

colin32

Hi all,

Are there many people taking part? Or is it just club runners that do it?

As I'm only a plodder I'd be looking at getting to 9-10 mile, so wouldn't enjoy it if left to struggle on, while club runners went off in the distance

mel.b

colin32 wrote: »

Hi all,

Are there many people taking part? Or is it just club runners that do it?

As I'm only a plodder I'd be looking at getting to 9-10 mile, so wouldn't enjoy it if left to struggle on, while club runners went off in the distance

Looking at the results from Dublin from last year here https://results.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/ie/en/2015
You'd be in the top half of the field so no problem you'be be left on your own.

I'm doing it in Melbourne and will be likely to only reach 11-12km.

colin32

Thanks. I'd rather be doing it in Melbourne

The calculator on the website, says I'll get to 9 mile