Ratoath Half Marathon

turfman1

Signed up for this today, anyone else running it or have run it before.

A good flat course I’m told?

Burkie1203

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058303658/ratoath-half-marathon

Wouldn't say its flat. Rolling country roads with two decent hills midway

rizzee

Wouldn't be too flat, plenty of drags but it can certainly be a pb course. Coming into Fairyhouse at the end is killer... Have another 2-3km to run! Will probably sign up to it again this year.

event

Did it last year and will do it again this year.

I think its very flat. 184 feet of elevation gain.

But where I live my 18m LSRs would have 1300 feet of elevation gain so its all relative to where you train imo

coogy

Not exactly flat but certainly not challenging in the way of inclines, most races involve some sort of drag along the route.

@rizzee is right about the last few kms, they can mess with your head a little if you let them!

I've run it twice now (both times as a tune up race prior to DCM) and achieved a PB on both occasions. Really nice event imo.

turfman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120817520#Comment_120817520

184 feet is only 56 meters over 21km, that’s seems pretty flat to me!

thanks.

Trampas

Thinking of doing this as missed out on Phoenix Park. Was it cups or bottles for water?

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121012762#Comment_121012762

Fcek, I'm 80% sure it was bottles. I'd highly recommend it though, I'm in again for this year.

Trampas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121016418#Comment_121016418

I don’t mind cups but I think if cups water stations need to be longer or less of a gap. We’ve all got that cup which has a quarter of a cup or a dribble. You’re gone before you can get another one

Sammy2012

Did anyone do this run today? The heat and the lack of water on the course made it very tough. Few people collapsed along the route also.

FinnC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121089651#Comment_121089651

Yeah I did it, paced a friend of mine to a sub 1:40. Was very hot alright..Didn't notice a lack of water if I'm honest.

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121089651#Comment_121089651

How many water stations were there?

Sammy2012

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121089728#Comment_121089728

I honestly don't know. First one was after 2k and next one wasn't until around 9! Unless I missed one in between. There was a few more in the 2nd half of the race alright.

Wottle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121089817#Comment_121089817

You definitely missed one if not two. I thought the water stations were fine, would have preferred bottles though.

I've never been able to handle these conditions and today was no different.

Tough going and some folks in a very bad way. Also never seen so many walking in a half.

Falthyron

My first time doing a half marathon and I enjoyed it. The heat made it extremely tough at times. The final 2 mile around the race course was ridiculous. No shelter or cover from the sun. Probably should have had us start around the race course and then send us out on the road around.

Does anyone know if that man who collapsed survived?

boredatwork82

I did it today too.great event. Definitely thought there could have been more water stations. Especially from Kilbride onwards.

There was an awful scene at one point where someone on the course was receiving CPR. One of the bike guys told me they got them breathing again which is good.

Great run but really think there could have been more water stations.

The only other observation was the amount of runners who litter. I don't see this in triathlon or cycling. But the amount of people who were just disposing of energy gel wrappers. It's not difficult to stuff the wrapper back in your pocket to dispose of when you get back.

Saw a runner from navan run club do it twice. And she came in about 2:30. So she can't even pretend that the seconds mattered.

average_runner

Sadly a runner died at the race yesterday. RIP

Sammy2012

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121091636#Comment_121091636

Had heard that last night. Very sad! RIP

FinnC

Ah no, that's so sad. RIP. I did see the ambulance speeding off when I was sitting in the grandstand after I'd finished.

boredatwork82

That's awful to hear. RIP.

The Irish Gunner

This is my local club half and I’m one of the pacers. We were giving out water at the start. We had our first water stop near the 3 mile marker, we had another at 6 miles with portable toilets and rest area’s. Another water stop at 9 miles and one after coming into the race course at mile 11. Every competitor was handed a bottle of water crossing the finish line and there was bottles of water in the goodie bag. We had several stations around the finish area where volunteers were refilling bottles.

Where exactly were we short on water?

The Irish Gunner

There was water available before the race, 4 water stations on the course and water handed to you on finish. I think that’s plenty.

The Irish Gunner

4 water stations. 3 would be standard for a half.

Aveen

Hey, you are right there was water stations and water offered, but unfortunately the 3mile water station was at the 3km mark, than the next water at 6miles as planned this left over 7km with no water.l! And I think it was catch after this. Plus I can honestly say the last to stations were.only half cups I received.

I ran it myself but not at race pace because of the heat, some people didn't listen to their bodies or take the heat into consideration. There's no pleasing people

boredatwork82

As I said, I thought from Kilbride to the next stop seemed very long.

In that temperature I think there may have been exceptional circumstances that merited a little more water stops than normal.

There was residents with water, but the participants didn't have cups and the residents said they ran out. Thankfully I had a small bottle that I was able to get filled up 2 or 3 times by residents.

Just to caveat - I usually do triathlons so my hm's come after good swim and bike so maybe they have more water stations as a result and that's what I am comparing it too.

I have only done a few HM on their own so not overly familiar with the setup.

But if you think you had enough water stops that's fine. I personally thought there wasn't enough water stops for an event in that heat.

Slow_Runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121094030#Comment_121094030

Normally 4 water stops for a HM, roughly every 5km.

Ran this yesterday and like others didn't try to go for a time due to the conditions. Only thing I would have done differently was have bottles but understand that, with >1600 entries, sourcing 6-7k bottles at short notice would be difficult.

In fairness plenty of water at the finish line, I downed 2L when I finished. Overall it was well run considering the conditions imo, just needed bottles!!!

Edit: just saw the above posts about a runner dying, that is awful news, RIP.

The Irish Gunner

Impossible to start on the race course. You would have noticed how tightly packed runners are on the first mile of the course on the main road. Now imagine that amount of runners on a track 2 meters in width! People would be tripping over each other everywhere.

The Irish Gunner

There was water available before the race started. There was 4 water stations (standard half marathon is 3) on the course. Kilbride is the halfway point, there were 2 stations before Kilbride and 2 after. All runners were handed a bottle of water crossing the finish line and there was a bottle of water in each goodie bag. There was also numerous stations to refill your bottle around race HQ.

Where else would you have liked more water???

average_runner

All i heard about this race is good things, looking forward to having a shot at it next year

boredatwork82

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121095466#Comment_121095466

Where else would I have liked more water?

Did you not read my post where I suggested the gap between Kilbride and the next stop was too long? When you are out for nearly 3 hours you need more water than some one out for 1.5/2 hours. As a pacer the longest you were out was 2:15. That's a different race than a 3 hr half marathon.

I said it was a good event in my first post and suggested a few more water stations because of the extreme heat. You seen to be taking offence to that. Couldn't you just say we felt we had enough water breaks but as this is my club I will pass the feedback on to the committee.

Felexicon

I think you need to be realistic and bring your own water with you if you are going to take upwards of 2.5 hours to complete a half marathon on a day like Saturday.

The time it's going to take you from water station to water station is too long to go without water in weather like that.

These events are run by volunteers and I know they would like to have everyone covered but it's not practical to have a water station every 3km

This was my 2nd year doing the Ratoath Half and I've found it to be a really well run event. The amount of people at the finish line handing out water and orange slices was great. I'll definitely be back