Faster Marathon Course - Cork or Belfast ?

Lex Luther

Hi, having finally picked myself up and dusted myself down after a disasterous marathon a couple of weeks ago, I'm going to try (AGAIN !) for a sub 3 in the first half of next year.
For a variety of reasons ( not least financial) I wont go abroad so have probably narrowed it down to Cork, Belfast....or maybe Kildare.
I assume Kildare will be flat but does anyone have an opinion which of the other two would be a better PB friendly course ?
Thanks for your help.

TFBubendorfer

Lex Luther wrote: »

Hi, having finally picked myself up and dusted myself down after a disasterous marathon a couple of weeks ago, I'm going to try (AGAIN !) for a sub 3 in the first half of next year.
For a variety of reasons ( not least financial) I wont go abroad so have probably narrowed it down to Cork, Belfast....or maybe Kildare.
I assume Kildare will be flat but does anyone have an opinion which of the other two would be a better PB friendly course ?
Thanks for your help.

They changed the course since I've done it, but I'm pretty sure Belfast is still the flatter marathon.

Oisin11178

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

They changed the course since I've done it, but I'm pretty sure Belfast is still the flatter marathon.

Ive never ran belfast but cork has no hills that i remember. In my opinion cork would be faster than kildare judgeing on the half course. In saying that it would only be marginal and others will no doubt disagree.

seanynova

the big factor should be the possible weather conditions, courses will be similar but a hot day in june/auguse might be a lot worse than a hot day in early may....???

in saying that, cork got terrible weather this year with strong winds and horizontial rain!!!

maybe try belfast on that basis.....?

Sosa

seanynova wrote: »

the big factor should be the possible weather conditions, courses will be similar but a hot day in june/auguse might be a lot worse than a hot day in early may....???

in saying that, cork got terrible weather this year with strong winds and horizontial rain!!!

maybe try belfast on that basis.....?

Terrible is mild compared to what it was ......it was monsoon weather at times....as for the course,i could not imagine Belfast being flatter,may take a jorurney up there some day if it is !

TheRoadRunner

I've ran Belfast three times 2002, 2004 and 2006. Course was different each time. Was an absolute fecker in 2006 savage hills from 6-8 miles. Only have ran cork as part of a relay so can't compare.

Condo131

Comparing profiles of three randomly selected Garmin profiles for Cork, Dublin and Belfast, Cork comes out as the flattest, or, as garmin puts it, least "elevation gain"

Cork: 475 ft
Dublin: 553 ft
Belfast: 708 ft