Galway Bay Half Marathon

aburke

footing wrote: »

As for the BUPA 10k (mentioned earlier); it was and still is overpriced and set a trend for extravagant entry fees jumped on by the Connemarathon people.

http://www.greatrun.org/Events/Information.aspx?ctid=137&id=7 wrote:

History and Tradition
The Great Ireland Run is the country’s premier 10k run and was first staged in 2003.

http://www.connemarathon.com/results wrote:

2002 results

footing wrote:

Since a lot of their entries come from abroad, they know the entry fee is only a small part of their expenses for a nice weekend away (that's my theory anyway).

The largest group of Connemathon entrants comes from Dublin

footing wrote:

One pal of mine does the naughty thing. If races charge too much and he still wants to run them, he simply doesn't pay.

If I think it costs too much, I simply don't take part - how about that for an option?
If I want to run the route, I make my own way there, provide my own refreshments, medical cover, arrange my own Garda cover, arrange my own insurance, arrange my own road closures[If I can get them] ...

but the fact is that if races charge too much, they shouldn't be supported.

True. Its a free market, clearing price is determined where supply meets demand [a bit of a simplification, obviously]

footing

History and Tradition
"The Great Ireland Run is the country’s premier 10k run and was first staged in 2003."
... self-praise is no praise - especially when it's only blah concocted by Nova International's marketeers and PR people.

Still when you think about it, there aren't many 10k runs around (apart from the women's mini marathon).
Off-hand, I can think of only one - the Dunshaughlin 10k. Now there's a great race - going 30 years and organised by the local community like it was a party in their own house.
Any others worth recommending?

meathcountysec

Off the top of my head..

Athenry 26th Dec
Navan 26th Dec
Aware 10k 12th Dec
National 10k April?
Lakes 10k

footing

meathcountysec wrote: »

Off the top of my head..

Athenry 26th Dec
Navan 26th Dec
Aware 10k 12th Dec
National 10k April?
Lakes 10k

Don't know why I forgot the Lakes 10k - sounded like a great day out.
Aware 10k - why are charites given permits for period of the year already stuffed with races? Donore now has to shuffle the Jingles Bells 5k around the calendar every year because of two extra races given permits in the Dublin area for early December.
National 10k - wary of anything with the word "national" it it; a touch of the zieg heils about it. Not that they're bad races.
Athenry - good race I hear but expensive.
Navan - thought it was 5 miles?

aburke

footing wrote: »

Athenry - good race I hear but expensive.

€20 last year, €18 if registered before Dec 1st.
This inclued a decent souvenir, our now famous[ish] wolly hat.

The Aware 10km is €20
http://www.aware.ie/register/christmasrun.php

Lakes 10km €28
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055604709

National 10km is €12 [I think] Can't find link.

Navan 10km - Can't find a price.

So the Athenry 10km is neither cheap nor expensive in comparison to the other races mentioned.

footing

To me anything over a tenner is too expensive (don't want goodie bags t-shirts, etc), but in fairness to the Lakes 10k the entry fee was Eu18 (Eu28 if you wanted yet another technical tee).

Poirot

20 Euros for the fantastically organised (although perhaps marginally oversubscribed) Dublin Half-Marathon in the Phoenix Park last weekend Vs 60 Euros for something that looks not near as organised doesn't work in these days of austerity.
Get a grip Galway and reduce by at least 50%.
On another note, congratulations to the organisers of the Dublin Half-Marathon. It was a wonderful event, in great surroundings, and perfect weather!!
I'm signing up for 2010 !!

aburke

footing wrote: »

To me anything over a tenner is too expensive

Please tell me which events you have done this year which cost €10 or less - I am genuinely interested.

aburke

Hi Footing,
You seem to have missed the point of this reply
http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=62296523&posted=1#post62280652
I'll admit I didn't spell out clearly my points.

The Connemarathon didn't 'jump on' the BUPA idea of 'high prices'.
The Connemarathon started in 2002, which is BEFORE the Bupa run started.

Regardless of where people travel from [the largest group of them come from Dublin as I pointed out], we're conscious they fork out hard-earned money for the event, and we feel that value for money is provided.

Some agree, and they come back every year.
Some don't.
You don't have to search hard on this forum to find opinions either way.

littlebug

Some (if not all) of the mayo league races were less than a tenner. 5 is in my mind for the Carrowmore 10k but maybe I'm remembering it wrong. Small field, no goody bag or medal, just water en route and damn nice sandwiches and tea in the local hall afterwards.:) I have to say I love the buzz of a big race though and would happily pay 20 euro for a 10k. I actually wouldn't have minded paying €60 for the Galway Bay 10k if I thought €40 of it was going to charity.
What was Streets of Galway - 25? They can't possibly claim that this is costing more than twice as much?

As an aside I'm looking forward to my new woolly hat on Dec 26th.:D that alone is worth the fee :pac:

blind_hurler

aburke wrote: »

Please tell me which events you have done this year which cost €10 or less - I am genuinely interested.

West waterford run a good few races for around 8euro entry..

GER WYLEY SPORTS/NIKE SUMMER SERIES

was a ten race series and the majority were 8euro entry.. and were all very well run

footing

* Phoenix Park 5k Trail Series - Eu10 up front for a three race series or Eu5 per race. Fantastic value, lovely atmosphere, tea and goodies after. Yet they got only between 30 and 50 at each race - people seem to think you have to pay big to get a great race.
* BHAA races are only a tenner and they're the best going; next one is the Teachers Cross-Country in Castleknock College on Sat Oct 11.
* Meet & Train Women's races are Eu7 per race.
* Hill races are Eu8 (I think?); orienteering events are Eu7 (less for unwaged).
* Just got a flier for a series in Killarney that will cost Eu5 per race.
The good value races ARE out there! They may be small, but who wants to stand for half an hour on an over-crowded start line?

littlebug

footing wrote: »

stand for half an hour on an over-crowded start line?

if it means that there are hundreds of people finishing behind me as opposed to being paddy last or nearly last in a small race then I'm happy to stand for half an hour occasionally. I've avoided a small race 4 miles down the road from me and driven an hour to a different one for that very reason.... there's more of a feel good factor in the big races (for runners of my calibre ). However GalwayBay10 are just ripping the arse out of it IMO.

footing

littlebug wrote: »

if it means that there are hundreds of people finishing behind me as opposed to being paddy last or nearly last in a small race then I'm happy to stand for half an hour occasionally.
I'm one of those paddy-lasts; you get great encouragement in the smaller races, which is much appreciated. Plus you're not surrounded by the socially autistic;) wearing earphones.

aburke

footing wrote: »

* Phoenix Park 5k Trail Series - Eu10 up front for a three race series or Eu5 per race. Fantastic value, lovely atmosphere, tea and goodies after. Yet they got only between 30 and 50 at each race - people seem to think you have to pay big to get a great race.
* BHAA races are only a tenner and they're the best going; next one is the Teachers Cross-Country in Castleknock College on Sat Oct 11.
* Meet & Train Women's races are Eu7 per race.
* Hill races are Eu8 (I think?); orienteering events are Eu7 (less for unwaged).
* Just got a flier for a series in Killarney that will cost Eu5 per race.
The good value races ARE out there! They may be small, but who wants to stand for half an hour on an over-crowded start line?

Cool!
Thanks for that.
For the record I'm involved in two events which cost less than €10
The Magic Mile: €5
http://www.athenryac.com/magic-mile-meet-dangan-galway
Galway 5km series: € 25 for 6 races [Tech tee inc]
http://www.athenryac.com/galway-5km-series-2009-announced

meathcountysec

footing wrote: »

Navan - thought it was 5 miles?

Definitely 10k. Same course was used for national 10k last April.

Cost around €12 or €15.

Its my last chance to break 1 hour for a 10k this year. Hope it doesn't come down to that late in the year:eek:

locteau

by the way for info, the cheapest marathons are €20 and organised by Connemarathon and there are 14 of them.......just for the ones who did not know.

I would be interested to compare the fee and cost involved between a €10 club race to a €60 private race.

Why not looking at this together ?

clubs :Vs Private organisation:
Insurance= how much for a club VS a business ?
Volunteers= free from clubs ? is business give donation etc... ?
Timing= done manually by club mates ? or by timing equipment ?
Staff= is club need staff for set up etc... ? How is business pay their staff for living, how much do they need to live of one race or two a year ?
Office= club can operate from homes of members and mates don't usually claim work at home. Where is business do their work from ?
storage= is club can store signs etc.... in club mates sheds ? where teh business store their stuff ? Is
Ambulance /guards= is it cheaper for a club than a business ?
Equipement= are club mates provide most of the stuffs ? is Professioanl need to invest the money or rent the equipment ?
Expenses /admin= club guys drive for free ? who pays the professional ?
website= usually done volunteerly by club mate, so how much for a business

These are not affirmation but just questions, that maybe shows a difference from running a club event to running a business event.

That we want a goodie bags or not, and want to take part or not etc...is not relevant because they are personal taste. What is relevant is more about understanding why things are different or more expensive.

I don't say it is right or wrong and yes I believe some events are too expensive, but sometimes and I say sometimes, there is maybe reasons we don't know.

catweazle

You raise some good points there Locteau, but you havent factored in economies of scale in this particular race. I can understand a club race that has 500 entrants and a business race that has the same number will have different costs.However last year there were over 3000 runners in the 10k race alone, it is probably safe enough to assume with the running boom currently on there will be at least the same amount if not more, factor in the half marathon and full marathon going on as well and I would hazard a guess that there will be closer to 4000/5000 runners this weekend at 60 euros a head. The bigger numbers in the race surely the cheaper it should be per entrant. I would imagine the business like any other business can drive down the price of timing chips, equipment rental etc due to the sheer volume that they need.

Have they confirmed that the roads are closed, i hear they arent, this will also save the event organisers a packet.

pgibbo

I am just back from registering at the so called expo for this event. Very disappointing and definitely a bit of a farce. My registration email stated:

"
Race Pack Collection & Expo Details


Race Pack collection & Expo will be held in Elverys Sports, Headford Road Retail Park, Galway from 11am to 9pm on Friday 2nd October and 8am to 10am on Saturday 3rd October. Please printout this e-mail and present it at registration.
Please note there will be no registration at the start/finish line.
The Race Pack will include race number, timing chip, safety pins, technical t-shirt, Apres drinks vouchers and gym sac.
The Elverys Sports Expo will include:-

• Free gait analysis testing
• Free Maximuscle samples
• Chance to win a Polar RS300X running computer with a GPS sensor for speed and distance measurement
• Free MP3 player with every purchase of Asics footwear
• Extension of Elverys Sports current promotion for the event so there will be 26.2% off running footwear, running clothing and all men’s clothing (tagged items only).
• The Elverys Sports Galway Bay Half Marathon commemorative t-shirts and jackets will be available to buy also at special reduced prices."

There was no gait analysis on offer and no one manning the area where the analysis takes place.
There were no free samples provided.
No indication of entry for the raffle and a chance to win the Polar RS300X. I did notice at the till when buying something that you had to purchase two items to enter a draw for this device. I assumed all race entries would be entered into the draw.
Wasn't too impressed with the t-shirt either. Feels cheap even though it is under armour. The Ron Hill ones from the 5k series in Galway are far superior. needless to say I will not be signing up for this event again. Rant over.

danburke

I ran the half marathon today and to be honest it was a bit annoying that the prom was not closed off..

Its not fair on people to expect them to get out of the way of a 1000 runners just cause you've decided to route them that way..

Nearly got hit by a car on the Clybaun Road which is always nice! The footpaths are not a nice place to be after 9 miles of suffering

For 60 euro entry fee I don't really see where my money went to be honest..

rovers_runner

€60 for a half marathon and no results up yet?
No road/footpath closures?

Where does the money go? On bulk ordered tech tshirts? I doubt it.......

footing

rovers_runner wrote: »

€60 for a half marathon and no results up yet?
No road/footpath closures?

Where does the money go? On bulk ordered tech tshirts? I doubt it.......

When a race is commercially organised, corners will be cut. It's all about making money.
To extend this discussion: what do people want from a road race?
I certainly don't want naff spot prizes, XL (or even huge medium sized) t-shirts only good for dusters and goodie bags that are merely an excuse for direct marketing. Over to the rest of yez!

rovers_runner

footing wrote: »

When a race is commercially organised, corners will be cut. It's all about making money.
To extend this discussion: what do people want from a road race?
I certainly don't want naff spot prizes, XL (or even huge medium sized) t-shirts only good for dusters and goodie bags that are merely an excuse for direct marketing. Over to the rest of yez!

I think a mass version of the IMRA model would be tough to implement for thousands of runners although the IMRA can manage around 250 without much of a problem.

- Small race fees, returning of a bib/race chip for ongoing leagues (optional).
i.e. mass purchase of a champion chip for members which is funded by inital membership costs. (BHAA or Adidas race series / marathon could do this)
- Do away with medals/tshirts (make it optional at a cost)
- Goodie bags, whats the point ? Water/Fruit at finish plus anyone that wants to advertise can hand out flyers in person and field questions there.

kenster03

I ran the Galway Half Marathon last saturday, my first haf marathon and i really enjoyed it.
Why i cant understand do people constantly come on forums and complain.

For €60 i got

- tshirt valued at €20 imo
- goodie bag which included €5 water bottle
- A fully steward event
- Bag after race which included drinks and food = €5
- Medal with date and year on it
- 4 seperate water stations
- Text to say results would be on mail on sunday which 2 pages was given to all results.

Maybe i not looking for much but for me 60 euro for all the above and a good race environment was definetely worth it and i would pay for it again.

Just also for the people who constantly moan, why don't you go orgaise a race if you think it so easy and handy money to be made.
You'll be very disappointed at end of it i can assure you!

pgibbo

kenster03 wrote: »

I ran the Galway Half Marathon last saturday, my first haf marathon and i really enjoyed it.
Why i cant understand do people constantly come on forums and complain.

For €60 i got

- tshirt valued at €20 imo
- goodie bag which included €5 water bottle
- A fully steward event
- Bag after race which included drinks and food = €5
- Medal with date and year on it
- 4 seperate water stations
- Text to say results would be on mail on sunday which 2 pages was given to all results.

Maybe i not looking for much but for me 60 euro for all the above and a good race environment was definetely worth it and i would pay for it again.

Just also for the people who constantly moan, why don't you go orgaise a race if you think it so easy and handy money to be made.
You'll be very disappointed at end of it i can assure you!

Hi Kenster,
I think you'll find that people on here do give credit where credit is due. Not everyone moans for the sake of moaning and people are always prompt at praising good events.

Looks like both of us have 2 diferent takes on the weekends event. Everyone is entitled to their opinion after all. Did you not find that there was a terrible smell (like campfire) off the t-shirt? A few people I know had the same complaint. It also looks like the goodie bags were only on offer later in the day. I registered at 12:00 on Friday and only got my smelly t-shirt and race number & chip. For €60 I would have expected consistency.

I know people that loved the event and reckon it was better organized than the connemarathon and said they will do this in favour of Connemara going forward. Conversley, I know people that weren't impressed and will not be doing it next year. Horses for courses. It's all very personal. Personally I wasn't impreseed on Friday and that's enough to stop me registering next year.

As for organising an event myself - no thanks. I don't have the patience or inclination. I have organised other events outside running and know how difficult it is to pull things together. When people do organise events though they have to be willing to accept the criticism and the praise, where applicable, that goes with it!

I mailed the organisers on Friday to express my opinions and still have not heard anything back. It will be interesting to see if I do get a response.

kennyb3

also i think when you get 90% of that for €20 for the DCM half marathon you kind of feel ripped off. its all about value for money and you automatically compare it to other races.

belcarra

kenster03 wrote: »

I ran the Galway Half Marathon last saturday, my first haf marathon and i really enjoyed it.
Why i cant understand do people constantly come on forums and complain.

Good to see you enjoyed the race Kenster03 and hope you stick with it for many more!

I didn't take part in this myself as the omens weren't looking good and from the reviews I've read it lived down to expectations.

As you do more races it should become more obvious as to which are the value races and which are the money-making races...

I agree with another poster that IMRA is excellent value.
Also, the Race Series was excellent value also, even if it did seem a little odd getting a laptop bag for a Half-marathon (I just don't see the link apart from Adidas...!)

catherine82

odd getting a laptop bag- but great odd!! what a random but good freebie! i agree re the series in p.park- such immense good value when you measure up against the galway bay half. i also got nothing in my 'goodie bag' on friday afternoon, but that pretty mediocre tee, and the race chip and number- surely these two necessities arent the goodies?? also, i was given a 10k medal and not a HM one (realised afterwards). now i dont care about the medal in the slightest, but if all that €60 was going on that precious engraving on the back of the HM medals (cos it wasnt going on closing roads!) then i would have thought there should have been the correct medals given out to the runners!

then again...since results arent up yet, maybe the chip wasnt a necessity at all!......:D:eek::rolleyes: