Fastest Irish Marathon Routes

loughie

Ran Dublin Marathon '09 and '10. Plan to run Dublin again this year but would also like to run a Spring\Summer marathon in Ireland.

So my question is which is the fastest course among Dublin\Cork\Longford\Kildare?

Cabaal

I hear Cork is pretty flat, or so i was told before i entered for it this year

Aimman

Longford is extremely flat, a PB should be no problem there.

Oisin11178

loughie wrote: »

Ran Dublin Marathon '09 and '10. Plan to run Dublin again this year but would also like to run a Spring\Summer marathon in Ireland.

So my question is which is the fastest course among Dublin\Cork\Longford\Kildare?

Longford but if your looking for support its not for you. To be honest they are all flat.

MrCreosote

You'd be more likely to get cooler/faster weather at Dublin too I'd have thought.

Hard to imagine a course being much flatter than DCM

TFBubendorfer

Oisin11178 wrote: »

Longford but if your looking for support its not for you. To be honest they are all flat.

You're calling Dingle and Connemara flat? :eek:

Longford is the flattest option apparently (that's one still missing in my list), but others like Dublin, Belfast or Cork are pretty flat as well.

Oisin11178

Where did i mention Dingle and Conn?. I only saw 4 mentioned, all of which i concider flat.

TFBubendorfer

Oisin11178 wrote: »

Where did i mention Dingle and Conn?. I only saw 4 mentioned, all of which i concider flat.

Ah. I thought you meant all marathons in Ireland are flat.

loughie

Thanks all for your replies. Definitely plan running DCM '11
I live beside the Curragh but I think Kildare may be too soon.
Thinking Cork and Dublin (might do Longford too!) Support not a problem. Reason I ask I ran DCM '10 in 3:03:38..........so hoping with some more training and a fast course I could have a crack at sub 3 in '11

Ran Connemara Half last two years.......stunning but definitely not a PR course :eek:

Krusty_Clown

loughie wrote: »

Thanks all for your replies. Definitely plan running DCM '11
I live beside the Curragh but I think Kildare may be too soon.
Thinking Cork and Dublin (might do Longford too!) Support not a problem. Reason I ask I ran DCM '10 in 3:03:38..........so hoping with some more training and a fast course I could have a crack at sub 3 in '11

Ran Connemara Half last two years.......stunning but definitely not a PR course :eek:

Cork and Dublin would be a good mix. Plenty of time between them to recovery, and start a new training program or phase. If you plan on racing Longford though, and recovering fully afterwards, you may not be at your best for Dublin. So if you are planning Longford, perhaps you should run it as a long slow run.

loughie

Cork and Dublin it is for '11 marathons. Thanks all.

Mr Slow

Slightly off topic but does anyone know of a fast half marathon in the earlier part of the Summer?

ThePiedPiper

mrslow wrote: »

Slightly off topic but does anyone know of a fast half marathon in the earlier part of the Summer?

Dundalk should be fairly flat but it's randomly on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening in early May.

Limerick should also be flat enough on the Sunday of the May bank holiday.

RoyMcC

mrslow wrote: »

Slightly off topic but does anyone know of a fast half marathon in the earlier part of the Summer?

http://www.jerseyhalf.com/ 22nd May - very quick with a net drop of about 300 feet. Worth a spin over to Jersey especially if the direct flights have started up again by then.

dermCu

RoyMcC wrote: »

http://www.jerseyhalf.com/ 22nd May - very quick with a net drop of about 300 feet. Worth a spin over to Jersey especially if the direct flights have started up again by then.

Wow....tell me you aren't responsible for that webpage Rory. Thought I was having a mild epileptic fit there for a second

Does that 300ft drop all happen in St Ouen's? I spent a summer out there years and years ago and if I remember it right there were a few hills in that area.
The other thing I remember was that surfer nightclub out in the middle of nowhere in St Ouens. I think it was called the Splash or something like that. Strange place. We had some great nights in there all the same. Almost worth another visit but I'd probably be too old to get in now.

RoyMcC

dermCu wrote: »

Wow....tell me you aren't responsible for that webpage Rory. Thought I was having a mild epileptic fit there for a second

Does that 300ft drop all happen in St Ouen's? I spent a summer out there years and years ago and if I remember it right there were a few hills in that area.
The other thing I remember was that surfer nightclub out in the middle of nowhere in St Ouens. I think it was called the Splash or something like that. Strange place. We had some great nights in there all the same. Almost worth another visit but I'd probably be too old to get in now.

:pac: No, nothing to do with me. In fact I organised the 'rival' Jersey Half for many years but always enjoy running this one.

Yep, most of that drop is in mile 12 down L'Etacq Hill, spectacular but a quad-shredder.

Watersplash is still going strong but, like you, I'm a bit old for that crowd now

Cabaal

RoyMcC wrote: »

http://www.jerseyhalf.com/ 22nd May - very quick with a net drop of about 300 feet. Worth a spin over to Jersey especially if the direct flights have started up again by then.

Good god, that website reminds me of the many old Geocities website you used to see in the 90's,

W1977

dermCu wrote: »

Wow....tell me you aren't responsible for that webpage Rory. Thought I was having a mild epileptic fit there for a second

Does that 300ft drop all happen in St Ouen's? I spent a summer out there years and years ago and if I remember it right there were a few hills in that area.
The other thing I remember was that surfer nightclub out in the middle of nowhere in St Ouens. I think it was called the Splash or something like that. Strange place. We had some great nights in there all the same. Almost worth another visit but I'd probably be too old to get in now.

Crikey, 1995 just rang, they want their website back!

robinph

RoyMcC wrote: »

http://www.jerseyhalf.com/ 22nd May - very quick with a net drop of about 300 feet. Worth a spin over to Jersey especially if the direct flights have started up again by then.

I was going to dispute your claim of it being flat after hearing of one of my club mates going to do it last year, seems it was the one next door on Alderney that he did though and that was apparently far from being flat.

RoyMcC

robinph wrote: »

I was going to dispute your claim of it being flat after hearing of one of my club mates going to do it last year, seems it was the one next door on Alderney that he did though and that was apparently far from being flat.

Yes but the hardest thing about Alderney is getting there, consequently the entry is very small. Good post-race craic though - there's nothing to do except drink until the only plane outta there three hours later :pac:

dizzymom

longford v flat marathon course! i remember a downhill bit, maybe slight incline towards the end

u cud do a PB in Longford (end August) here as its not congested like other marathons

Limerick May 1st is fairly flat with two short hills,one at the crescent shopping centre at mile 22 (last years course)