Dingle Marathon/Half-Marathon

TFBubendorfer · 13-09-2009 10:03pm

glasso wrote: »

my first ever event since taking up jogging a few months ago - enjoyed it. got a finish just outside the top 100. how does it compare with other 1/2 marathons in terms of difficulty?

Well Done!

Without a shadow of a doubt, this is one of the more difficult half marathons you are going to come across. In Ireland, the Connemara Half might be tougher, the rest are easier (though the Dingle Full is tougher than the Connemara Full, in my opinion).

MrCreosote · 13-09-2009 10:04pm

Great report there Thomas. Very good time! The second half looked very tough- we passed a few just at the top of that hill on the way back on the bus.

Brienoian · 14-09-2009 10:36am

Great event and very well organised. Beautiful scenery. Blessed with the weather!
That hill at mile 11 was a killer.
Happy with my time. 1:37
Poor goodie bag at the end i thought, considering the cost of entry.
Nice medal.
Like everyone else doing the half, felt so sorry for the full runners, passing them out on the bus back. Well done to everyone.

RacoonQueen · 14-09-2009 12:11pm

glasso wrote: »

my first ever event since taking up jogging a few months ago - enjoyed it. got a finish just outside the top 100. how does it compare with other 1/2 marathons in terms of difficulty?

Only other half I've done is the Dublin one(which I've done twice) and I had a mare in Dublin last year so I can't really compare. I wonder how it compares to Achill though?

To those that did the full. Would you do it again? Was considering the full this year but opted to just do the half. Good challenge? Not a course for a PB anyway? The only hill I found really difficult was the one at 11 miles or so, my lungs couldn't take that at all...although I wonder now whether that was physical or mental. :rolleyes: Otherwise I didn't find the course that tough, then again, I wasn't able to run it full pelt so maybe thats why I found it that bit easier.

I did enjoy it though, thought it was a nice course and having a shotgun blasting into the air to kick it off was a nice touch.

Starting pens, were very small and weren't really observed but at least they were there. Medals look great. Goody bag was very poor but thats not what I was there for. Dingle is definitely on my list to do again be it the half or the full. I won't be going by train next time though. :rolleyes:

TFBubendorfer · 14-09-2009 2:24pm

RacoonQueen wrote: »

To those that did the full. Would you do it again? Was considering the full this year but opted to just do the half. Good challenge? Not a course for a PB anyway? The only hill I found really difficult was the one at 11 miles or so, my lungs couldn't take that at all...although I wonder now whether that was physical or mental. :rolleyes: Otherwise I didn't find the course that tough, then again, I wasn't able to run it full pelt so maybe thats why I found it that bit easier.

I did enjoy it though, thought it was a nice course and having a shotgun blasting into the air to kick it off was a nice touch.
Starting pens, were very small and weren't really observed but at least they were there. Medals look great. Goody bag was very poor but thats not what I was there for. Dingle is definitely on my list to do again be it the half or the full. I won't be going by train next time though. :rolleyes:

I might do the full again, but will have to think about it first. Obviously it's not a course for a PB, and I'm not sure we'll ever get a better view than on Saturday, though of course a cloudier day would have been welcome while on the course. Since I ran the full my judgement of the half course might be a bit skewed, but it definitely wasn't easy.

The final hill of the full marathon was longer, steeper and higher than Connemara's Hell of the West. Suffering is mandatory on that one, be prepared.

Goody bag was crap, but I really don't care about that.

Starting pens? I was standing beside the 3 hours full/90 minutes half sign almost on my own. Everyone else seemed to gather behind the 3:30 full/1:45 half marker. Normally people cheat much more on this, it really surprised me.

buck65 · 14-09-2009 3:06pm

Thomas,
Have been following your blog for months now, well done on the race, sub 3 was never gonna happen here. Are you running Dublin?

TFBubendorfer · 14-09-2009 3:13pm

buck65 wrote: »

Thomas,
Have been following your blog for months now, well done on the race, sub 3 was never gonna happen here. Are you running Dublin?

Thanks, Buck.

I'm feeling great today (well ... within reason), definitely the best I've ever felt after a marathon. Mowing the grass for a few hours yesterday was a great idea, even if it didn't entirely feel like that at the time.

Agreed, sub-3 was way out of of reach on that course. To be fair, I didn't even try. And yes, I'll be in Dublin. Quite possibly a very stupid idea, but I'll give it a go anyway.

MrCreosote · 14-09-2009 3:49pm

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Starting pens? I was standing beside the 3 hours full/90 minutes half sign almost on my own. Everyone else seemed to gather behind the 3:30 full/1:45 half marker. Normally people cheat much more on this, it really surprised me.

I only saw the times marked on the starting pens as we ran out. I was about 5 rows from the front and had no problems with passing people. Then again I went into the pens from the front.
Only to be nearer the DJ/MC guy of course...

gaf1983 · 14-09-2009 8:19pm

Really enjoyed the half-marathon, I particularly enjoyed veering off to the left to the finisher's pen in Dun Chaoin, that hill around mile 11 really took a lot out of me! Stunning views as has been said before, stunning weather too - my only pitfall was that I opted for a cotton sleeveless t-shirt, it ended up absorbing all the sweat leaving me with an unpleasant chill from about mile 6 onwards, really should have opted for a regular running top instead.

Finished in 01:54:24, exactly 2 seconds slower than I did the Dublin Half in around this time last year and roughly 5 minutes slower than I did the Wexford Half in last May. Happy enough with that as I haven't been doing much running training over the summer, was mainly concentrating on cycling and swimming, for Gael Force last month and my first triathlon next month respectively.

Am very tempted to come back next year, should probably do the early bird registration. As has been mentioned, the course had a lot of variety, some nice meanders and even a wooden footbridge at one stage!

That's a great blog Thomas, I really like how you show your times as they progress since your first marathon, it goes to show there's hope for us all!

theFinishLine · 14-09-2009 9:37pm

I ran in the full marathon on Saturday. Certainly the most spectacular in terms of scenery that I have ever taken part in. Some years ago I ran a small marathon in Boulder Colorado which ran right up into the rockies. The HILL at 21 miles in Dingle puts the rockies into the shade.

Some general observations:

1. The start was a very laid back and non complicated affair. It was the first marathon I have ever seen where there was no need for a start tape. The runners stayed behind the line. When the gun went - off they went. And there was a gun - a local guy with a big-ass shot gun fired the starting shot.
2. The energy drinks. I don't think the half marathons would have seen the energy drinks - maybe they got them at the end. But seriously fizzy drinks in the marathon? I burped like homer simpson for about 2 miles after consuming mine. I spilled some over my hands which left me with two sugar coated hands. Given that there was only 400 marathoners - it would not have been a huge expense to buy a few pallet loads of non-fizzy energy drinks - "buy" if there was no sponsor of course.
3. I did hear some half marathon people say that there was large queues for the buses back to Dingle - only a small handful of buses passed me along the route on their way back. I was wondering if there was any sense in bussing the half marathons out to Dunquinn and running the half from there? Then everyone gets to finish in Dingle and without the long wait after they finish?
4. The initial number sparring in the first few miles - it would have been useful to say have colour coded numbers - just like the medal ribbons - gree for full, yellow for half - it was easy to get caught running along with a group who all turned out to be half marathoners.
5. Toughness of the course. A good indicator is the small number of sub-three hour marathon finishers. It looks like non of the sub-three guys actually split negatively - this must be some kind of record? It does show how savagely tough the second half was.
6. A beautiful friendly marathon - I really enjoyed being greeted in Irish as I ran along - I will have a few Irish running phrases ready for next year.

Overall a great first marathon for Dingle - a few bits to tidy up but thats what you need to have the first marathon for.

TFBubendorfer · 16-09-2009 10:59am

I got an email from the organiser this morning, and next year they will host an Ultra going over Connor Pass. Woo Hoo!! The distance is going to be about 45 miles. Where do I sign up???

I only wish they'd make it a 50 miler, though if they do I will probably hate myself for even suggesting this, when going over the last few miles.

I got excited and sent a text the Mrs TFB, and her only reply was "Oh my God" ...

groovyg · 16-09-2009 11:08am

wow a 45 miler over the conor pass - I've struggled driving over the conor pass, dunno how I'd manage running it. Its interesting one.

RacoonQueen · 16-09-2009 12:46pm

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

I got an email from the organiser this morning, and next year they will host an Ultra going over Connor Pass. Woo Hoo!! The distance is going to be about 45 miles. Where do I sign up???

I only wish they'd make it a 50 miler, though if they do I will probably hate myself for even suggesting this, when going over the last few miles.

I got excited and sent a text the Mrs TFB, and her only reply was "Oh my God" ...

Ha just read the email now myself and was going 'Yep I'll register for the full, €50. Bargain. Then "HANG ON A MINUTE". Can't wait. I'm there for the Ultra without a shadow of a doubt.:D

I would rather it was 50 miles mind. Maybe we should petition them for two laps of the Connor pass?

Slogger Jogger · 16-09-2009 8:37pm

Surprised to see Hunnymonster or Ultraman haven't responded yet to this.. they usually detect a hint of an ultra in an instant. Sounds mad, but fantastic, if ultras are your thing. I hope and pray they get similar weather next year, as it would be a cruel hardship to run the Connor pass in wind and rain as part of any race never mind an ultra.

ultraman1 · 16-09-2009 8:46pm

Surprised to see Hunnymonster or Ultraman haven't responded yet to this.. they usually detect a hint of an ultra in an instant.

we have blocked noses

hunnymonster · 17-09-2009 9:07am

ultraman1 wrote: »

we have blockedbroken noses

fyp.
Go on then, count me in:-)

Enduro · 17-09-2009 1:32pm

sounds like the Dingle organisers are very much following the pattern of the Conemara organisers.

45 miles with the conor pass included would be an interesting ultra alright. It'd be great if it didn't clash with the Achill ROAR next year.

TFBubendorfer · 17-09-2009 1:51pm

Enduro wrote: »

sounds like the Dingle organisers are very much following the pattern of the Conemara organisers.

Yes, except everything has to be a tad steeper, higher, longer and meaner, by the looks of it.

Enduro wrote: »

45 miles with the conor pass included would be an interesting ultra alright. It'd be great if it didn't clash with the Achill ROAR next year.

Next year's race will be a week earlier in order to avoid clashes (this year it was Dingle, Kenmare, Blarney and ROAR all at the same weekend :eek:). Though I'd say if you run the ultra you still won't be feeling your best one week later.

RacoonQueen · 17-09-2009 5:36pm

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Next year's race will be a week earlier in order to avoid clashes (this year it was Dingle, Kenmare, Blarney and ROAR all at the same weekend :eek:). Though I'd say if you run the ultra you still won't be feeling your best one week later.

Pffft....what sore of ENDURANCE athlete takes that long to recover from an Ultra.

Enduro · 17-09-2009 10:52pm

Pffft....what sore of ENDURANCE athlete takes that long to recover from an Ultra.

I was going to say, but....

I might end up testing that out next year. Time will tell.

Saffapanter · 29-09-2009 2:21pm

theFinishLine wrote: »

4. The initial number sparring in the first few miles - it would have been useful to say have colour coded numbers - just like the medal ribbons - gree for full, yellow for half - it was easy to get caught running along with a group who all turned out to be half marathoners.

The number were colour coded. Full were yellow numbers on green background. Half were green numbers on yellow background.
Only discovered this a couple of miles into the race. Organisers could have highlighted this before.
A half start in Dunquin would mean more spectators at the finish for the full runners - and the half runners. Don't know if the finish area would cope with the masses.
Perhaps the buses could be open top so the half finishers could cheer on the full runners as they pass.:)

dmire · 30-09-2009 3:37pm

Saffapanter wrote: »

Perhaps the buses could be open top so the half finishers could cheer on the full runners as they pass.:)

I'm afraid that would never work... there is only 1 open top bus in Kerry and that is in use every September bringing the victorious Kerry team around Tralee

RacoonQueen · 19-10-2009 7:00pm

According to the Ultra Running Ireland website the Dingle Ultra is looking like it's be a 50 miler. I look forward to those extra 5 miles.

http://www.ultrarunningireland.com/live/irish-races/

jeffontour · 20-10-2009 11:49am

RacoonQueen wrote: »

According to the Ultra Running Ireland website the Dingle Ultra is looking like it's be a 50 miler. I look forward to those extra 5 miles.
http://www.ultrarunningireland.com/live/irish-races/

This is ridiculously exciting!

Now to shake off this manflu I've had the past while and get back training. Next years calendar of events looks like it could be great.

Any ideas when the Celtic 24 and Wild Irish Run will be, roughly?

TFBubendorfer · 20-10-2009 12:10pm

RacoonQueen wrote: »

According to the Ultra Running Ireland website the Dingle Ultra is looking like it's be a 50 miler. I look forward to those extra 5 miles.
http://www.ultrarunningireland.com/live/irish-races/

When he sent that email round a few weeks ago, I emailed Ken Dunne and asked him if he would consider stretching the ultra distance to 50 miles.

He promptly replied that the distance may indeed end up being 50 miles, and that he would gladly send any casualties my way. :rolleyes:

I got the impression that he had gotten that idea already all on his own though.

RacoonQueen · 20-10-2009 12:12pm

I asked him to increase it by 5 miles too. The power of boards eh?!

TFBubendorfer · 20-10-2009 1:29pm

Would that be "great minds think alike" or "fools seldom differ", then?

RacoonQueen · 20-10-2009 2:01pm

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Would that be "great minds think alike" or "fools seldom differ", then?

Great minds. Of course.

Ford7700 · 09-08-2016 12:14am

Anyone looking to sell their number for the dingle half marathon .Left it too late to register and it was sold out

Birtles · 09-08-2016 11:30am

Also looking for a Dingle Reg, have everything else sorted, accommodation etc but forgot the most important part, actually registering for the bloody thing. will pay whatever costs incl postage for it. Thanks

PM me if you have, thanks

RubyK · 09-08-2016 3:18pm

If ye haven't already get in touch with the organisers, there is a cancellation list that you can be put on. I left it too late to register online, but got a place from them this week.

Ford7700 · 09-08-2016 11:13pm

The waiting list is long. They told me to just forget about it and they look forward to seeing me next year .

RubyK · 10-08-2016 9:45am

Ford7700 wrote: »

The waiting list is long. They told me to just forget about it and they look forward to seeing me next year .

Ah that's a pity!

echancrure · 27-08-2016 6:14pm

One week to go people !

Will treat this one as a training run as only slowly getting back into shape...

TFBubendorfer · 27-08-2016 9:20pm

echancrure wrote: »

One week to go people !

Will treat this one as a training run as only slowly getting back into shape...

Me too! Stunning scenery for a training run, that's for sure!

locombia · 30-08-2016 4:43pm

Signed up to do the half. What's the route like in general apart from the spectacular scenery? Any nasty hills that I should be made aware of? Is there an elevation map about?

Looking forward to the weekend!!

:D:D

echancrure · 30-08-2016 8:03pm

locombia wrote: »

Signed up to do the half. What's the route like in general apart from the spectacular scenery? Any nasty hills that I should be made aware of? Is there an elevation map about?

Looking forward to the weekend!! :D:D

Well I have never ran it but according to:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/47684842

the half seems mildly undulating only.

Weather looks cool and wet.

echancrure · 04-09-2016 9:48pm

Well I planned to treat this as a training run broken into three sections:

0-8m at 8:15
8-17m at 7:55
17-26.2 at 7:35

in preparation for a (sub 3) Dublin (I know this is still kinda of slow but I am trying to get back into fitness, knocking 5 seconds per mile per week in my training runs). I managed not to go too fast at the start with about only 4 minutes ahead at 17m.

Then things started to get interesting at I started to increase my pace. I passed the 3:30 pacers, I caught half a dozen runners on the climb of the day. Same amount in the descent feeling nice and controlled and flying, feeling much better than on training runs on my own.

As I played with my stopwatch in the last miles timing myself for some of the miles I didn't really know what my time would be on the finish line. So I was surprised to see 3:20 something instead of the 3:27 as planned. I must have averaged about 7:10 for the last 9 miles. Not bad in the middle of a training week with 66 miles overall. Finished 19th with 3:20:19 and a negative split.

Dingle marathon has superb scenery and a great atmosphere. Having done Connemarathon 3 times I reckon Dingle has slightly more support en route and is slightly easier than Connemara. I like them both.

I feel reassured with the way this run went. Fingers crossed, I am on target for DCM.

TFBubendorfer · 04-09-2016 10:02pm

I was running with the 3:30 pacers, though I must have blinked when you passed us. Well done, great finish.

jamesbere · 04-09-2016 10:34pm

There seems to be a mess up with the times, my gun time and chip time has a 2 second difference and I didn't cross the start line for at least 2 mins. Good few people saying similar problems on dingles facebook page.

carsfan2 · 04-09-2016 10:57pm

My time is about 2 mins wrong too.
There must have been a problem somewhere.
Love the race but hate when they get these things wrong.

echancrure · 05-09-2016 7:33am

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

I was running with the 3:30 pacers, though I must have blinked when you passed us. Well done, great finish.

Yes I realised that after reading your report. May have been around the time the drone was hovering over us.

You're not wearing glasses anymore??

TFBubendorfer · 05-09-2016 10:16am

echancrure wrote: »

Yes I realised that after reading your report. May have been around the time the drone was hovering over us.

You're not wearing glasses anymore??

I don't wear my glasses when it's raining.

The drone was certainly a distraction - if you passed us around that time I was mostly looking up trying to spot the thing. Always a challenge with my bad eyesight.

Comte · 05-09-2016 9:09pm

@echancrure I think you did amazing. Well done :-)

Insect Overlord · 05-09-2016 9:21pm

I ran the half marathon and timed it on my own phone just in case. Glad I did, because my chip time is almost identical to the clock time too.

It was my first event since May 2015 and I only had 6 weeks training done, so 2:16:45 is a decent enough result. I did the first 10k in exactly one hour and then hit something of a wall. My pace dropped from 6:00/km to 7:00/km, and then at the hill after Mile 11 I had to walk. Tore through the last 500 metres at full stride, but still missed my original target time by 9 minutes.

Great learning experience all the same. I've spotted a few flaws in my training (aside from starting far too late! :P ) and I reckon I can improve a lot between now and Galway Bay in 4 weeks. I lost about 8 lbs in the month of August, and I could do with losing another 8, so it's been great for my health too.

ger664 · 05-09-2016 9:53pm

As regards the timing issues.

How many pieces of foam or chips where on the bibs ? and how many mats did runners cross at the start ?

diego_b · 05-09-2016 10:39pm

ger664 wrote: »

As regards the timing issues.

How many pieces of foam or chips where on the bibs ? and how many mats did runners cross at the start ?

One piece on the bib and there was no timing mat, we went under a gantry. Same at the finish.

ger664 · 05-09-2016 10:46pm

diego_b wrote: »

One piece on the bib and there was no timing mat, we went under a gantry. Same at the finish.

With the number of runners in both races two tags on the bib with two mats would be needed at the start to minimize misses crossing the start mats. I suspect one tag and mat/anthena where used.

diego_b · 05-09-2016 11:04pm

ger664 wrote: »

With the number of runners in both races two tags on the bib with two mats would be needed at the start to minimize misses crossing the start mats. I suspect one tag and mat/anthena where used.

Fwiw the same company also did the timing at the half in the head race in Ballyheigue last June and there was also similar issues then. Hopefully they get it sorted as it's an excellent race but a very important detail to get right. For me I was using it as a training run ahead of Dublin so wasn't too pushed but given I started the race with coach in my club and met him again just before I finished the half. If you took my result (as it stands on the official list) it means my club coach ran the second half of the race in 74 minutes....he's in good shape on the marathon front at the moment but this is just ever so slightly out of his range on that course!!

just do it · 06-09-2016 10:51pm

2 of us did the half and gun and finish times were wrong. I emailed them to review the times ("contact us" on titansports.ie) and both times were corrected when I looked again a few hours later. Improved my time by 2mins

Dingle Marathon/Half-Marathon

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