The Midlands Half Marathon 1/8/2011

Woddle

Race website

Midlands Half Marathon

Thanks

SnappyDresser

Checked out the website and route looks good but its too expensive at €45. Would need to be €30 max for me. No earlybird prices either on website.

Midlands Half Marathon

i008787 wrote: »

Checked out the website and route looks good but its too expensive at €45. Would need to be €30 max for me. No earlybird prices either on website.

That's fair enough, sorry you won't be there. Entry has been open since before Christmas and we had a cheaper entry without the technical t-shirt, but those spots were all taken by last weekend. Thanks anyway

Gringo78

3 stars (average)

Not familiar with the area, but anything with Midlands in the name would suggest flat....would this be considered a flat course?

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

Gringo78 wrote: »

Not familiar with the area, but anything with Midlands in the name would suggest flat....would this be considered a flat course?

From the map on the website Looks like a bit of a drag for the first 4 miles then a hill from 4-5miles. After that it's downhill or flat. Looks pretty simialr to the course in wexford this year for those familiar with that. Pretty fair overall I would say.

Midlands Half Marathon

Yep Menoscemo is pretty much accurate on the description there. The hill is quick enough at mile 5 and straight downhill after it. But overall eventhough the Midlands is mainly flat, the course can't be described as all flat...sorry!!

village runner

Midlands Half Marathon wrote: »

Yep Menoscemo is pretty much accurate on the description there. The hill is quick enough at mile 5 and straight downhill after it. But overall eventhough the Midlands is mainly flat, the course can't be described as all flat...sorry!!

Great to have an honest RD coming on. No course is all flat.

Sounds like a good course for a pb............Best of luck with it.......I havent ever come accross a flat half and am sick of racing directors proclaiming its a flat course........This is ireland after all.

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

Midlands Half Marathon wrote: »

Yep Menoscemo is pretty much accurate on the description there. The hill is quick enough at mile 5 and straight downhill after it. But overall eventhough the Midlands is mainly flat, the course can't be described as all flat...sorry!!

I wouldn't call it mainly flat, the lift out of town ain't kind at all !

Compared to Clontarf last sunday it has a number of hills...........Clontraf IS flat !

BUT i am doing it and looking forward to a local race !

smileyc86

3 stars (average)

Does anyone know when the deadline for this race is?
Also can't understand why it's so expensive compared to most other half marathons. It's in my hometown so really want to do it but doesn't seem as much value as some of the races held in Dublin or around the country.
Is there a technical top with this race included?

chinguetti

3 stars (average)

http://www.midlandshalfmarathon.com/

Should answer all your questions. If not, drop them an email.

Midlands Half Marathon

Sorry for the delay responding, things are pretty busy.

Yes there is a technical t-shirt and medal for finishers. Sorry that you think it is expensive, I have paid more for half marathons myself around Ireland, but I do appreciate that there are cheaper ones out there. We were aiming to set a price that will cover costs and try to be fair to entrants, we still hope that we will achieve this.

If you enter I hope you enjoy the race anyway.

funrunner95

Will there be pacers?

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

funrunner95 wrote: »

Will there be pacers?

Yeah there'll be 2 pacers each for 1'30, 1'45 and 2 hours.

BTH

Signed up to this for my half debut. The 1:30 pacer will be my best friend for the day (i hope)!!

liamo123

3 stars (average)

BetterThanHoyte wrote: »

Signed up to this for my half debut. The 1:30 pacer will be my best friend for the day (i hope)!!

Myself and Theboyblunder will then hopefully b ur best friends come the 1st :eek:

Gringo78

3 stars (average)

liamo123 wrote: »

Myself and Theboyblunder will then hopefully b ur best friends come the 1st :eek:

I'm doing this one so hopefully ye don't catch me along the way after I've imploded (which is a strong possibility as I'm throwing caution to the wind for this one)

BTH

liamo123 wrote: »

Myself and Theboyblunder will then hopefully b ur best friends come the 1st :eek:

Hi new best friends. I'll be the tall skinny Ginger trying to hide from the sunlight!!

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

Seen a post on facebook saying info e mail will be send out later in the week.

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

Oh and if this is flat, i'm skinny...........................

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/16286137

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

elvis jones wrote: »

Oh and if this is flat, i'm skinny...........................

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/16286137

I don't think anyone ever said the course was flat, but that graph makes the hills in the first 5 miles look worse than the are...50metres over 5 miles is a lot less than a 1% gradient, (putting it in perspective, the Kyber is 35metres over 1km). The rest of the course is very easy. The total elevation gain over the whole course (72m) is less than the Dublin or say Waterford Half (which everyone arves about being a very fast course), so I don't see why there won't be lots of PB's.

RacoonQueen

I don't think anyone ever said the course was flat, but that graph makes the hills in the first 5 miles look worse than the are

You haven't run the course yet, how do you know that?

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

menoscemo wrote: »

I don't think anyone ever said the course was flat, but that graph makes the hills in the first 5 miles look worse than the are...50metres over 5 miles is a lot less than a 1% gradient, (putting it in perspective, the Kyber is 35metres over 1km). The rest of the course is very easy. The total elevation gain over the whole course (72m) is less than the Dublin or say Waterford Half (which everyone arves about being a very fast course), so I don't see why there won't be lots of PB's.

I would agree with all of that but it was mentioned elsewhere that this was a flat course and knowing it i honestly say the initial climb out of town is the hardest part.

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

RacoonQueen wrote: »

You haven't run the course yet, how do you know that?

I've done it on the bike a good few times and its a long slow drag that goes on and on............i rather a plain up and down no matter how hard it is !

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

RacoonQueen wrote: »

You haven't run the course yet, how do you know that?

Because of the numbers on the graph. The old map my run site used to show the gradient that the hills where (1,2,3%), nowadays it doens't show that and all the hills look worse. For example have a look at the Dublin Half Marathon route from the site: Do you remember it being as bad as this looks?
http://www.mapmyrun.com/s/routes/view/run-jog-map/ireland/dublin-15/9189878

RacoonQueen

menoscemo wrote: »

Because of the numbers on the graph. The old map my run site used to show the gradient that the hills where (1,2,3%), nowadays it doens't show that and all the hills look worse. For example have a look at the Dublin Half Marathon route from the site: Do you remember it being as bad as this looks?
http://www.mapmyrun.com/s/routes/view/run-jog-map/ireland/dublin-15/9189878

Jesus :eek: The midlands one must look awful, imagine what Dingle looks like. :eek:

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Jesus :eek: The midlands one must look awful, imagine what Dingle looks like. :eek:

It was posted above ^^^^ and doesn't even look that bad.
Here it is: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/16286137

chinguetti

3 stars (average)

If you take it in miles, the first 5 are the worst on the hills. The same rise of around 30 feet over the last 3 miles isn't too bad.

If the race profile was something like starting at 10 miles and the last 5 miles were hills, then you have a problem. The hills at the start will keep people from tearing off like a shot and mean they pace themselves better.

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

Just got the race info and the course looks slightly different from the one on the website, the last 2 miles that is.

But on a positive note, 5 to 10 are all flat or downhill so that should help towards the end.

chinguetti your so right about the start slowing people down, on my 1st half the pace i took off got me towards the end. Learning to pace is a hard lesson but a good one in the end.

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

elvis jones wrote: »

Just got the race info and the course looks slightly different from the one on the website, the last 2 miles that is.

You seem like a man with a bit of local knowledge Elvis, so how are the last 2/3 miles compared to what they were on the initial course? Flat enough I assume?

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

Yeah that area is flat enough, the route just looks to be just going to the edge of town and back.

Looking forward to it from after the hill at 5 miles but i've done hill every week so should be ok. I actually found the kyber ok in the 5 miler i was passing a lot.

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

elvis jones wrote: »

Yeah that area is flat enough, the route just looks to be just going to the edge of town and back.

Looking forward to it from after the hill at 5 miles but i've done hill every week so should be ok. I actually found the kyber ok in the 5 miler i was passing a lot.

Are you gonna go for the Sub 2 this time Elvis? Some of the lads from round these parts will be doing the pace making for that .

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

I did 2:06:41 in Clontraf so i think its possible to take 19 sec per km off my time.

I paced for 2:06 the last day and did it on a very very warm day and was happy. I want a PB and sub 2hr this yr with Dublin and Waterford still to come.

If the weather is dry but mild i should do it with the nice down hill after 5 miles as i find the mid section the hardest.

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

elvis jones wrote: »

I did 2:06:41 in Clontraf so i think its possible to take 19 sec per km off my time.

I paced for 2:06 the last day and did it on a very very warm day and was happy. I want a PB and sub 2hr this yr with Dublin and Waterford still to come.

If the weather is dry but mild i should do it with the nice down hill after 5 miles as i find the mid section the hardest.

I think you should probably give it a go, I see you are hoping for 85 minutes in the 10 miler, that would comfortably get you inside 2 hrs for the half. (I reckon anyone inside 90 minutes in the 10 miler can do sub 2 HM). Digger and Chinguetti will be on the 2hr balloons and I'm sure they'll give you plenty of encouragement if you run with them.

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

menoscemo wrote: »

I think you should probably give it a go, I see you are hoping for 85 minutes in the 10 miler, that would comfortably get you inside 2 hrs for the half. (I reckon anyone inside 90 minutes in the 10 miler can do sub 2 HM). Digger and Chinguetti will be on the 2hr balloons and I'm sure they'll give you plenty of encouragement if you run with them.

I'll keep an eye out and try to go behind them. I'm really bad at running with others.

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

Looked at the weather and says highes of 17c and 40% chance of rain.......perfect for me:)

chinguetti

3 stars (average)

menoscemo wrote: »

Digger and Chinguetti will be on the 2hr balloons and I'm sure they'll give you plenty of encouragement if you run with them.

Come up to us at the start, we'll have balloons hanging out of us (unless Meno loses them:D)

Should i bring the hurley or the cattle prod to 'encourage' ye all? Must have a chat with Digger:p

tHE vAGGABOND

3 stars (average)

Just back from 9 days on Holidays [featuring enough eating and drinking to keep up our national stereotype!] - so no idea how things will go on Monday, but only one way to find out

Going to head off with the 1.45 pacers and try and hang on :P

Bally8

Best of luck to everyone running this tomorrow. I had planned to do it but an injury has put and end to that. Enjoy:)

village runner

tHE vAGGABOND wrote: »

Just back from 9 days on Holidays [featuring enough eating and drinking to keep up our national stereotype!] - so no idea how things will go on Monday, but only one way to find out

Going to head off with the 1.45 pacers and try and hang on :P

Make yourself known

tHE vAGGABOND

3 stars (average)

Make yourself known

I will be wearing a boards top, hanging around with the pacers like a groopie [many of whom are also regulars from these fair pages]

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

Drove mile 3 to about 9 today and not as bad as hill wise after getting out of town just as i thought. The "big" hill is just an up and over ! More down hill from 5 mile to 6 than i thought and should help gain back time after the hills.

At least 3 miles of it are on lovely quiet country roads, just as i run the whole time so looking forward to it !

Collected my number so 9:45 tun up for me tomorrow, good luck all and 71 will be in bright yellow as usual !!!!

elvis jones

4 stars (good)

Personally today was a disaster for me.

BUT

Enjoyed the race and found it well organised with lots of marshalls and water stops.

Cold water at the end line was lovely and great goodie bag, medal and t shirt.

Pity about the small turn out but i do believe the price had something to do with it.

5 stars from me and i'll do it again next yr.

Oh and..............told yee it wasn't flat;)

liamo123

3 stars (average)

Gringo78 wrote: »

I'm doing this one so hopefully ye don't catch me along the way after I've imploded (which is a strong possibility as I'm throwing caution to the wind for this one)

Nice to meet u today Gringo....Any chance u could predict next Wednesdays lotto numbers :eek:...

Seriously tough with ur stomach probs u did well 2 hang in there and get around in such a good time... When the sun came out it was hot going and with the small field especially up front it where u were it was going to b difficult when things started to go pearshaped...

chinguetti

3 stars (average)

Well folks, that was a tough half between the hill at 5 miles and the muggy heat that we had as well. Have to say for a first time race, it was good but has a few things to improve on.

Nice t-shirt and medal too.

Elvis, you never came up to us at the start as we were looking for the local knowledge. The low turn out was probably the price and the date - lots of people on hols but Portlaoise is a good location for a race now with the motorway making it easy enough to reach for anyone living an hour away.

ChampionChip

If you got a message from me I know the times are right but the places are not so hold fire and I shall re send with correct places allocated.

ChampionChip

Just sent the correct places in a new text so ignore the first one.

menoscemo

4 stars (good)

I was debating whether to give this race 4 or 5, I have a few minor gripes but I realise that this was a really good effort for first time organisers, so it is more a 5 than a 4. I have given worse races a 4 so this deserves a 5 :pac:.

The pacers were brilliant BTW

liamo123

3 stars (average)

menoscemo wrote: »

I was debating whether to give this race 4 or 5, I have a few minor gripes but I realise that this was a really good effort for first time organisers, so it is more a 5 than a 4. I have given worse races a 4 so this deserves a 5 :pac:.

The pacers were brilliant BTW

I almost entirely agree with u... It's a proper half marathon course and had great potential to get more popular.....the hill between miles 5 and 6 definately hurt those who might have gone off too fast...

It's a terrible pity not more participated..

I initially was of the oponion the the Bank Holiday had something to do with this until I read about the high numbers in Dun Laoghaire... Also if it was closer to DCM maybe a couple of weeks before or after HM in Pheonix Park more might run it.... Maybe the organisators will look into cost of entry which IMO was also a factor in low entry numbers...


I gave it a 4 only downside being no water at end of race... On a hottish day the last thing u want to drink after a HM is luke warm 7 up :eek: ( tough according to Elvis in a previous post supplies of water must have arrived at finish line later on )

chinguetti

3 stars (average)

liamo123 wrote: »

I gave it a 4 only downside being no water at end of race

I finished at 2 hours Liam and there was no water anywhere at the finish. I asked about water and was told it was in my bag but i had none. All i saw was bags of empty plastic cups. When i enquired further, i was told there was no water at the finish but they had cups on the table but no water. Quite strange how some people got water and other didn't so they must have run out of it at some stage.

tHE vAGGABOND

3 stars (average)

I gave 4 stars - maybe 4.5 stars if I could, but not quite a 5 star race. As good as it was, its not a dunshaughlin or similar race with no issues, problems or questions..

Personally I ran with the excellent 1.45 pacers, and really enjoyed it - gigantic PB, so you cant ask anymore from yourself than that