Belfast Marathon - Thoughts & Comments

domcq

Ran my first marathon yesterday (3:50). I thought the course a little hilly but enjoyed the tour of the city.
Also had an enjoyable meal and even more enjoyable pints of Guinness in Laverys Bar on the Ormeau road afterwards.

Just wondering what other people thought of the event?

kevinkilbane

domcq wrote: »

Ran my first marathon yesterday (3:50). I thought the course a little hilly but enjoyed the tour of the city.
Also had an enjoyable meal and even more enjoyable pints of Guinness in Laverys Bar on the Ormeau road afterwards.

Just wondering what other people thought of the event?

i ran belfast too. its was my 7th marathon, second belfast. i got 3.41... i really enjoyed it. well done on your time, excellent for first marathon also. i have to disagree, i thought it wasnt very hilly, i really like the course, and from 14-15 mile, it was all downhill, i broke 7minutes for that mile. the hill at 24-25 outside ormeau park is a killer,but maybe it just seems like a tough hill since it was so late in the marathon.
i think belfast is easier than dublin, and definitely easier than cork marathon. anyone agree?????

shels4ever

kevinkilbane wrote: »

i ran belfast too. its was my 7th marathon, second belfast. i got 3.41... i really enjoyed it. well done on your time, excellent for first marathon also. i have to disagree, i thought it wasnt very hilly, i really like the course, and from 14-15 mile, it was all downhill, i broke 7minutes for that mile. the hill at 24-25 outside ormeau park is a killer,but maybe it just seems like a tough hill since it was so late in the marathon.
i think belfast is easier than dublin, and definitely easier than cork marathon. anyone agree?????

Hills weren't too bad, more then i had expected and about 11 mile was prob the hardest hill but nothing major , Down hill sections were worse I thought .
Didn't like the section about 21 miles around the hilton just felt it was like running around car parks at that point .
The Park was nice but my problem was with all the people and relays that had finished walking along the paths , 2 or 3 times the needed to be told to move which wasnt great and familes with prams out for walks on the same path as a marathon is always going to be a no no...
Other then that its not too bad, I expected more problems at relay change overs but really onlye had to deal with the first 2 .
Would I do it again .... mmmmmm I don't think so , but the time of year is good for me, but london would be a better option if i ever do one again.

kevinkilbane

shels4ever wrote: »

Hills weren't too bad, more then i had expected and about 11 mile was prob the hardest hill but nothing major , Down hill sections were worse I thought .
Didn't like the section about 21 miles around the hilton just felt it was like running around car parks at that point .
The Park was nice but my problem was with all the people and relays that had finished walking along the paths , 2 or 3 times the needed to be told to move which wasnt great and familes with prams out for walks on the same path as a marathon is always going to be a no no...
Other then that its not too bad, I expected more problems at relay change overs but really onlye had to deal with the first 2 .
Would I do it again .... mmmmmm I don't think so , but the time of year is good for me, but london would be a better option if i ever do one again.

hi shels, i wrote a comment in the other belfast marathon forum, ha dont know which one to be commenting in ha.
i understand what you mean. at the start i got caught at the under5hour section(i wanted to be in the under4hour.) i was getting a little annoying with the relay. but i started well. at the first change over at 6miles, it was grand for me,no one in my way or anything. but what got me was at 6/7miles, i was passing out relay walkers, they were taking up the width of the road, felt like saying move it, but i didnt mind since i was running well. but at the next change over, i think it was 9/10, i had to go toilet, i just walked into one, no way was i getting in the que. i was a little annoyed with the toilets only at the change over points.

shels, i dont understand what you mean, "the downhill sections were worse"???? running down hill is easier! was that a typeo????

misty floyd

kevinkilbane wrote: »

i ran belfast too. its was my 7th marathon, second belfast. i got 3.41... i really enjoyed it. i have to disagree, i thought it wasnt very hilly,

i think belfast is easier than dublin

Where are the hills in the Dublin marathon?, the few in Phoenix park? I haven't done Dublin but Dublin is fairly flat isn't it?.

TFBubendorfer

misty floyd wrote: »

Where are the hills in the Dublin marathon?, the few in Phoenix park? I haven't done Dublin but Dublin is fairly flat isn't it?.

You go uphill from the start to Phoenix park (though you hardly notice that), then again for 2 or 3 miles up to the halfway point, and after a few undulating miles you climb another one up to Foster's Avenue (that's the straw that broke my back last year).

Flat it ain't!

RJC

The running in cork website posted an elevation gain/loss comparison between Cork and Dublin last October. Dublin is hillier than Cork. Cork is flat from 21.5-26.2.

Dublin is a climb all the way to mile 7 and then from mile 9 - 13 and again at mile 18 and the killer at mile 20/21.

I agree, flat it ain't. Although, having run Rotterdam, that's not flat either.

misty floyd

I posted this on the other Belfast Marathon thread but has anyone anything similar for Dublin or Cork....I'm just curious. Nice to know and to see it in this format.Attachment not found.

shels4ever

kevinkilbane wrote: »

shels, i dont understand what you mean, "the downhill sections were worse"???? running down hill is easier! was that a typeo????

Nope was having some problems at 12-13 with the leg the down hill hut ... would have liked a few more miles up hill actually...

Nice running by the way, and Cork coming up soon too..