Galway Bay Marathon the worst organised race i ever ran !!!

thirstywork

I have been debating writing this since last saturday but after recieving a call from the organisers i got no answers!!!
It was a last minute decision to run the full marathon the night before the race as i was dressing up in a costume with a friend from work.
The race numbers where between 25-30 people and i knew a time of around 3hours would win the event.
After going through the first 4miles in under 24minutes and no one near me i decided to ditch the costume and take the race serious.
A guy had followed me ona bike for 1-2miles but gave up and went back to the pack.
At each point where i saw stewards i had to either stop or shout at them which way,very few directed me which way to go.
After passing through 10miles in under 60minutes i had to keep guessing which way to go and just followed the orange cones laid out,problem was there was a half marathon starting 30minutes after me and as i approached 12miles crowds where streaming past in the opposite direction.At this stage i had stopped 5-6 times an stewards at water stations just shrugged their shoulders and didn't seem to know a marathon was taking place.
When i got down near the half way mark i took a wrong turn(again following the cones)when i should have taken a left turn.
I ran down to the end of the cones and realised it was a dead end,passing some walkers i walked back fuming at this point.
I ran down to the finish of the race area and know one seemed to know what was going on.One of the race directors or announcers told me i had missed a turn and drove me back,at this stage the second runner had about 4minutes on me an i didnt fancy running an extra 3miles in my first marathon so dropped out.
The race director was very apologetic and sai the marathon was last minute entry and some other guy was supposed to be looking after this.
One of the organisers rang me and offered me free entry next year as a condolonce prize,when you consider the winner got 1000euro this was a slap in the face.
Im sure they have learned a lesson from this and i hop to God it doesn't happen to anyone again.
Kevin.
ps I had to avoid a few cars along the way!!!

spurscormac

I have to say that I agree with you.
I'm currently out injured, and the route was up the back roads where I live, so off I headed that morning to watch some of the race.

The junction at the end of my road was just past the 6mile marker on the 1/2 route, so I think this was the same for the marathoners.
When I got there, I asked the two stewards had the leaders gone through, they told me they had.
I was a bit surprised, as it was just 11:25, and there was a 11am start time.
I quickly guessed that the few that had gone through were doing the marathon and had started early.
Staying on to watch the 1/2 runners go through, the traffic started to build up really badly, 4x4s, vans, trucks & buses. It got to the point where it wasn't moving at all either way, there was no room for the runners to get past, and many had to slowly make their way along the hedgeway.
I helped out with trying to direct the traffic to relieve the backlog and it cleared up.
I even got into a few arguments with impatient drivers who lost their tempers due to the backlog, and neary reversed over athletes. :eek:

Later that morning, I discovered that part of the reason for the horrendous traffic was due to a fatal car crash on the Moycullen Road the previous night. This road was closed, and traffic was being directed by the gardai onto the back roads and onto the race route.

Now there's a number of people to blame for this scenario - the organisers should never have run a 1/2 marathon never mind a full marathon without having the roads closed for the duration of the race.
They should also have equipped stewards with some sort of communication to inform each other of what was happening and when.
All stewards were volunteers & the guys at the junction I went to were not local & had no idea of where they were or where to divert traffic away from the race.
I also noticed that stewards at other junctions appeared to be very young volunteers, who I'm pretty sure have no experience in stewadring a road race.
The gardai should have been aware of it, and when they closed the road due to the accident, should have diverted the traffic on different back roads, instead, they just directed them off the main road and let them find their own way.
I'm local, so would have known where to go without hitting the race, but there was no further diversion routes marked anywhere.

I'm afraid that having seen what I saw on Saturday last, I'm afraid I'm not surprised by your experience. It makes even more disgraceful that you were the race leader.
I saw a lead car for the 1/2 runners, surely it would have been easy to have a lead car ahead of the full marathon pack too?

**Portia**

That's terrible, can only imagine your frustration and disappointment - aren't the mental and psychological challenges of marathon racing tough enough without having to deal with all that you had to!?! If I were a race oraniser in charge of this race and had heard your story, I would have felt like I had completely failed in my efforts to organise the event. Hope you are not too disheartened by this and go on to run a superb marathon in the future!

biffoman

Kev i ran the half marathon and agree with you on all counts.my other half was at the finish line and saw what happened to you.its bad enough to hand over 60 quid to them but not to have a clear indication of where to go is a blatant windup.christ someone should of thrown a bit of tar up cappagh rd.The potholes were a disgrace.i ran with a dodgy knee but stuck in a big bunch of runners i couldnt see them till it was too late.and when i got to the finish area i was going to run the wrong way had it not being for me misses.

Mick Rice

Looks like you made the papers. Check out page two at
http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/Launch.aspx?referral=other&refresh=Mi813X0g0qT6&PBID=c1c55cf6-c826-4c15-9ca0-d089c4ff6082&skip=

You did well to keep six minute miling going in that costume for the first four miles. That's 2:40 pace, fair play.

shels4ever

Sorry to hear that Kev, if you had won the marathon in that outfit now that would have been some sight.For any marathon, i think a lead car/motor Bike would be a must.

mrak

That must have been incredibly frustrating. I seem to recall the world record for running a marathon in a spiderman costume is just under 3 hours. You have to be in a position to challenge for that:

http://news.scotsman.com/edinburghmarathon/Edinburgh-Marathon-breaks-records.4119558.jp

well.. the article says just under 3 hours but the pic looks more like 2:50 which could be tougher..

MrCreosote

Bit off-topic but the fastest costume was 2:43:35 in Christchurch marathon this June. And it was set by the boy wonder himself, Robin! Batman was another half-hour back.

Real pity about the Galway one by the way.

The Davestator

MrCreosote wrote: »

Bit off-topic but the fastest costume was 2:43:35 in Christchurch marathon this June. And it was set by the boy wonder himself, Robin! Batman was another half-hour back.

Real pity about the Galway one by the way.

...poor showing by Batman. Hardly the way to inspire the boy wonder...

thirstywork

didnt realise how bad that suit looked haha.cheers Mick!!!:eek:

Dennismac

Cant believe what I have just read - A rabbit claims to have won the Galway Bay Marathon.
This Rabbit ran 100yards to the front in order to get his Photograph taken then he vanished - where - NOT TO THE FRONT.
The lad who won the race won it from the startline, I know this because I was in second place for the whole race and I had the leader in my sights for a lot of this race.No one passed him and no one passed myself.
Where did this Rabbit go after the start.
Why was the lead car with the OFFICIAL winner and not with him.
He was the only marathon runner who got lost on the course.
Does his chip time not tell it all - My chip time tells me I was Second -Did his say that he was First(I dont think so).
Who would run a marathon with the intention of winning in a Rabbit Suit (None of the rest of the course).
This is just garbage from a bad looser who has said himself that he did not even complete the course.
I hope this mail will open the eyes of people who have read this entry as he has tried to run a perfectly good competition into the ground a run that many people enjoyed on the day.
The winner will receive a 100 Euro Sports Voucher as listed on the race instructions (If they were read).
Marathon running is for people who enjoy longdistance running not for whingers so I suggest you give it up .
Regards

GoHardOrGoHome

Dennismac wrote: »

Cant believe what I have just read - A rabbit claims to have won the Galway Bay Marathon.
This Rabbit ran 100yards to the front in order to get his Photograph taken then he vanished - where - NOT TO THE FRONT.
The lad who won the race won it from the startline, I know this because I was in second place for the whole race and I had the leader in my sights for a lot of this race.No one passed him and no one passed myself.
Where did this Rabbit go after the start.
Why was the lead car with the OFFICIAL winner and not with him.
He was the only marathon runner who got lost on the course.
Does his chip time not tell it all - My chip time tells me I was Second -Did his say that he was First(I dont think so).
Who would run a marathon with the intention of winning in a Rabbit Suit (None of the rest of the course).
This is just garbage from a bad looser who has said himself that he did not even complete the course.
I hope this mail will open the eyes of people who have read this entry as he has tried to run a perfectly good competition into the ground a run that many people enjoyed on the day.
Regards

Official results say you were 3rd.

Dennismac

Not according to the Sunday Businness Post who ran the official results last week.

Stupid_Private

Dennismac wrote: »

Cant believe what I have just read - A rabbit claims to have won the Galway Bay Marathon.
This Rabbit ran 100yards to the front in order to get his Photograph taken then he vanished - where - NOT TO THE FRONT.
The lad who won the race won it from the startline, I know this because I was in second place for the whole race and I had the leader in my sights for a lot of this race.No one passed him and no one passed myself.
Where did this Rabbit go after the start.
Why was the lead car with the OFFICIAL winner and not with him.
He was the only marathon runner who got lost on the course.
Does his chip time not tell it all - My chip time tells me I was Second -Did his say that he was First(I dont think so).
Who would run a marathon with the intention of winning in a Rabbit Suit (None of the rest of the course).
This is just garbage from a bad looser who has said himself that he did not even complete the course.
I hope this mail will open the eyes of people who have read this entry as he has tried to run a perfectly good competition into the ground a run that many people enjoyed on the day.
The winner will receive a 100 Euro Sports Voucher as listed on the race instructions (If they were read).
Marathon running is for people who enjoy longdistance running not for whingers so I suggest you give it up .
Regards

I've no agenda here Dennismac but there's a few holes in your post. You finished 3rd (not second, regardless of what the Sunday Business Post said - official results are online) - over 20 minutes behind the winner. To be able to see him for most of the race seems baffling.

Thirstywork said in his post that he decided at the start, when spotting there were only 30 people in the race that he'd have a stab at trying to win it. Fair enough in my books. The lad's talented enough to run a 2h 45m marathon in a bunny suit - so going faster, after ditching the suit, is very doable.

Dennismac

Stupid_Private wrote: »

I've no agenda here Dennismac but there's a few holes in your post. You finished 3rd (not second, regardless of what the Sunday Business Post said - official results are online) - over 20 minutes behind the winner. To be able to see him for most of the race seems baffling.

Thirstywork said in his post that he decided at the start, when spotting there were only 30 people in the race that he'd have a stab at trying to win it. Fair enough in my books. The lad's talented enough to run a 2h 45m marathon in a bunny suit - so going faster, after ditching the suit, is very doable.

Never said that I was behind the leader for the full run but did say for most of it.
Yes, he is entitled to run 2.45h but not redicule the people who finished the marathon officially.
I stand corrected re paper , it was the Sunday Mail.

ChickenTikka

Sounds like a right mess -

- thirstywork leading the race and gets lost because no lead car and none of the stewards can help him

- dennissmac sees his name as 2nd in the newspapers but the official website/results says he is third

- dennismac says the lead car was with the guy in front of him for most of the race

It all points to the lead car following the wrong runner! And you've both been wronged as a result.

dennismac, why would anyone make up an account of a race like thirstywork's account. He's a regular contributor on this forum and wouldn't gain anything by telling a bunch of lies. Have you considered that you may have been deceived by the erronous newspaper report of the results.

Dennismac

ChickenTikka wrote: »

Sounds like a right mess -

- thirstywork leading the race and gets lost because no lead car and none of the stewards can help him

- dennissmac sees his name as 2nd in the newspapers but the official website/results says he is third

- dennismac says the lead car was with the guy in front of him for most of the race

It all points to the lead car following the wrong runner! And you've both been wronged as a result.

dennismac, why would anyone make up an account of a race like thirstywork's account. He's a regular contributor on this forum and wouldn't gain anything by telling a bunch of lies. Have you considered that you may have been deceived by the erronous newspaper report of the results.

No, I am just a regular marathon runner who regardless if I finished second or last enjoys the sport and did enjoy it on that date.
Why not finish the run and then complain to the proper reps who organised that event, leave it up to them to sort it out , not redicule the whole event after you pull out.
Regards

Achill1892

Right lets get somethings clarified. I remember seeing you at the start of the race. I don't remember seeing you after that. That's not to say you didn't do what you said. Going through the 10 mile point in under an hour would have put you over 10 minutes ahead of the winner. Presuming you got through to the 12 mile point at the same pace you would have been over 12 minutes ahead. How did you get lost after 12 miles? Did you keep to the road at South park (the swamp)? If so that would have put you about a mile out of your way if you retraced your steps. But you had 12 minutes in the bag so you had the time to do this. You mentioned you hadn’t done a marathon before, why did you decide to enter on the day? (I didn’t even know you could change). Was it the lure of the €100 Elvery’s voucher? Had you done the long runs in training that are necessary? You also don’t know you could have kept that pace for the race. (6 minute miles is very impressive). If you can do what you say you can, you will win a good few marathons around Ireland.
Until you complete a marathon you don’t know how your body will cope in the later stages.

thirstywork

Dennismac wrote: »

Cant believe what I have just read - A rabbit claims to have won the Galway Bay Marathon.
This Rabbit ran 100yards to the front in order to get his Photograph taken then he vanished - where - NOT TO THE FRONT.
The lad who won the race won it from the startline, I know this because I was in second place for the whole race and I had the leader in my sights for a lot of this race.No one passed him and no one passed myself.
Where did this Rabbit go after the start.
Why was the lead car with the OFFICIAL winner and not with him.
He was the only marathon runner who got lost on the course.
Does his chip time not tell it all - My chip time tells me I was Second -Did his say that he was First(I dont think so).
Who would run a marathon with the intention of winning in a Rabbit Suit (None of the rest of the course).
This is just garbage from a bad looser who has said himself that he did not even complete the course.
I hope this mail will open the eyes of people who have read this entry as he has tried to run a perfectly good competition into the ground a run that many people enjoyed on the day.
The winner will receive a 100 Euro Sports Voucher as listed on the race instructions (If they were read).
Marathon running is for people who enjoy longdistance running not for whingers so I suggest you give it up .
Regards

firstly Dennis (if my thread was read properly)I never claimed to have won the galway bay marathon.
your next point makes no sense as i was running sub 6min pace and you would have been running around 7.49 pace so after 2miles of running i would have been between 3.30-3.50 ahead of you and you would have been able to keep me in your sight or the leader for that matter(3hours 25 finish in 3rd place not 2nd as you claimed)
3 1511 Dennis McMonagle 03:25:28
I am not a bad looser i just feel with better organisation(and the head director Bernard Duffy addmitted it wasn't in the marathon) i would have complete my first marathon in a respectable time.
Dennis i have loads of respect for runners and especially Marathon runners,i dont know where you get this idea.
I think in respect to the lead car i wasn't taken seriously as a runner in a costume,i had given my word that i would wear the costume as i work for elverys but was told i could take it off.you wont see me in a costume again i can assure you.In response to Achill i got lost as i was following the cones,unning through the car park heading down towards the half marathon start,i knew this was a dead end and became very frustrated as i knew i was loosing time and the chance of a respectable time in my first marathon.I began to walk giving up hope of going the correct way and after i got onto the road i ran straight down towards the finish(missing the right turn which would have brought me back to the halfway point.I ecided to run the marathon the evening beofre as i was entered for both and choose the marathon.you are right i don't know if i could keep that pace but if i had been given a lea car or proper directions or any assistance along the way i might have found out(personally i think i would have broken 3hours)but ifs and buts are no good.I agree with you regarding how my body would have coped but i have done a couple of 30mile runs(going back 4years ago)in training so i know the feeling.
I have never put own any runner reagrding ability and have the upmost respect for anyone who runs a marathon.
Im sure the marathon was enjoyable for anyone who was shown the correct way to run and crossing that finish line must have been a great feeling.In 18 years of running i have only ever once dropped out of a race(due to injury)
Id love a response from Deniss if he woul like to reply.

clareman07

hi i also ran in the marathon in galway on the 3 and i dont know what all the complaints are about.
it was a well organised run as far as i can see and as for the fellas complaining about potholes and traffic all i say is welcome to running, what do ye want sure why not get rid of the weather, the hills and other runners too so ye can have a course to yourselves.
i would like to say well done to arron , dennis and john for being 1 2 and 3 in the run being one of the last of the marathon runners had the pleasure of meeting them all on their second lap as i came in off my first.
as for the dissappearing bunny all i can say is get a grip and get over it , if you had completed it you might get some sympathy, in the dictionary.
you said yourself you only decided to enter the night or day before, was it that when you saw the small numbers in the event and your so called version of €1000 for the winner, where you saw this i dont know, that you said to yourself you could win this handy on your first marathon.
either way you pulled out so tough you have no crib. no matter what you say you pulled out so even if you were running 6 min miles you cannot say where you would have finished at the end of the day only those that crossed the finish line can do that, you still had a lot of miles to do after you retired.
pat

Dennismac

thirstywork wrote: »

firstly Dennis (if my thread was read properly)I never claimed to have won the galway bay marathon.
your next point makes no sense as i was running sub 6min pace and you would have been running around 7.49 pace so after 2miles of running i would have been between 3.30-3.50 ahead of you and you would have been able to keep me in your sight or the leader for that matter(3hours 25 finish in 3rd place not 2nd as you claimed)
3 1511 Dennis McMonagle 03:25:28
I am not a bad looser i just feel with better organisation(and the head director Bernard Duffy addmitted it wasn't in the marathon) i would have complete my first marathon in a respectable time.
Dennis i have loads of respect for runners and especially Marathon runners,i dont know where you get this idea.
I think in respect to the lead car i wasn't taken seriously as a runner in a costume,i had given my word that i would wear the costume as i work for elverys but was told i could take it off.you wont see me in a costume again i can assure you.In response to Achill i got lost as i was following the cones,unning through the car park heading down towards the half marathon start,i knew this was a dead end and became very frustrated as i knew i was loosing time and the chance of a respectable time in my first marathon.I began to walk giving up hope of going the correct way and after i got onto the road i ran straight down towards the finish(missing the right turn which would have brought me back to the halfway point.I ecided to run the marathon the evening beofre as i was entered for both and choose the marathon.you are right i don't know if i could keep that pace but if i had been given a lea car or proper directions or any assistance along the way i might have found out(personally i think i would have broken 3hours)but ifs and buts are no good.I agree with you regarding how my body would have coped but i have done a couple of 30mile runs(going back 4years ago)in training so i know the feeling.
I have never put own any runner reagrding ability and have the upmost respect for anyone who runs a marathon.
Im sure the marathon was enjoyable for anyone who was shown the correct way to run and crossing that finish line must have been a great feeling.In 18 years of running i have only ever once dropped out of a race(due to injury)
Id love a response from Deniss if he woul like to reply.

Well I am here just to highlight that time has no bearing on the run unless you finish the 26.2 Mls.
Just for the record I had the leader in my sights for most of the marathon,
what happened to me in the last eight miles made for the difference in the time difference between myself( an average marathon runner) who can put up a 26.2ml course at a pace of seven min miles to completion and what I consider a very good 3.04 minute marathon finish.The fact that it was my 9th marathon in nine consecitive weekends might have had a little bearing on my time not that I would ever have pressured the winner in NO way.
I have no doubt that you can run and can do a six min mile but 26.2 six min miles (you did not complete the course and according to yourself have never done a 26.2 finish).
You say yourself that it was your first marathon, it was my 50th on the day and I have done from 3.17mins to 4.45mins finishes completing all 50 runs, they are all difficult no matter how good you can run a single mile or 10mls for that matter.
I spoke to many who completed the run on the day and they were all under the same impression as myself - good run on the day - will be back for more.
Regards

thirstywork

Lads my reason for giving out was simple.
1.no stewards to show me the correct way to run,be honest if you where out in front and went the wrong way(no fauclt of my own)

you would be p1ssed off.
Im sure for everyone else in the marathon they had a great day due to the fact that they had a lead car and could follow other runners.
regards to Clareman i decided to run the marathon as i like a challenge.
Would you lads not have been p1ssed of if where in my situation.
forgewt about where i would have come,this doesn't matter but as i said in my last post i only ever once dropped out a race due to injury.
I am starting back training from next week and i will let my results do the talking.
I have no goal to run 50 marathons( i think anyone who runs a marathon 9 weeks in a row must be mad)but each to their own i guess.
clareman when did i ever say i could win this handy,alot of remarks you lads are making make no sense.
my post was about it being the worst organised race i ever ran and the organisers agreed with me.For the rest of the runners im sure you enjoyed it but for me it was shocking.
My last post on this topic.
ps i was a mouse not a bunny

Slogger Jogger

Sounds a bit messy. I wasn't there to witness this so can't give a view one way or another. I would like to congratulate my mate Aaron who won the day.. his modesty didn't even allow him to say he was first home when he told me he ran a marathon last weekend. It was his 5th marathon this year which shows the benefit of all the additional marathons on the Galway doorstep this year and he'll do Dublin I think too, where sub-3 should be on the cards.

jinka

thirstywork wrote: »

Lads my reason for giving out was simple.
1.no stewards to show me the correct way to run,be honest if you where out in front and went the wrong way(no fauclt of my own)

you would be p1ssed off.
Im sure for everyone else in the marathon they had a great day due to the fact that they had a lead car and could follow other runners.
regards to Clareman i decided to run the marathon as i like a challenge.
Would you lads not have been p1ssed of if where in my situation.
forgewt about where i would have come,this doesn't matter but as i said in my last post i only ever once dropped out a race due to injury.
I am starting back training from next week and i will let my results do the talking.
I have no goal to run 50 marathons( i think anyone who runs a marathon 9 weeks in a row must be mad)but each to their own i guess.
clareman when did i ever say i could win this handy,alot of remarks you lads are making make no sense.
my post was about it being the worst organised race i ever ran and the organisers agreed with me.For the rest of the runners im sure you enjoyed it but for me it was shocking.
My last post on this topic.
ps i was a mouse not a bunny

Kevin it was a disgrace. You gave up your weekend for that crap. The race director (sic) should give you the prize money etc anyway. This happened to Paul cowie in a race in the park recently. They gave him the 1st prize even though he dropped out after the lead car took him the wrong way.Lesson is never go near that or a race like it again.