15 miles in Athlone?

Peckham

I find myself in Athlone for work this evening and have a key 15 mile session involving PMP segments. Don't know Athlone at all, and not sure whether it's possible to run along the river for meaningful distance. Anyone here have local knowledge and a suggestion of a route that's in someway interesting? I don't have a car with me so can't drive to another location.

Krusty_Clown

Not necessarily interesting, but I've run out the N81 from Athlone to Roscommon a few times before (conveniently a 20 mile journey). The road is pretty quiet, largely flat as a pancake, but decent pmp running fodder. No paths, so you have to run in the hard shoulder.

Peckham

Great, that would do fine given it should be sunny and safe. Was having fears of an experience similar to your Californian saga.

dermCu

Or as an alternative you could go out the R446 which was the old main Galway road. It might be a bit quieter now that M6 is open. Cant say I'd call it interesting but there is plenty of road there for you to get the job done.

Krusty_Clown

Peckham wrote: »

Great, that would do fine given it should be sunny and safe. Was having fears of an experience similar to your Californian saga.

Snakes and mountain lions? Not in Roscommon, mate.

Ryath

The old Galway road is very quite now that the motorway is open I personally would prefer it to the Roscommon road. There is a bit of a loop that is fairly straight forward you could take if you want to get of running on the hard shoulder and would prefer some country roads.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/79043336/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1
Bit short but it's the most straight forward I can think of anything else I'm afraid you might get lost on.
Depending on where you're staying in town the handiest though would be a straight out and back on the old Dublin road it's a straight run out of town with no turns. Bit busier till your past the Birr turn but it has a wide hard shoulder.
You'll also see me on it at about half six TTing it in to work on the bike

Krusty_Clown

I should point out that most of our suggestions are largely unlit country roads, so if your plan is to run them after dark, you should perhaps look at an alternative solution. You would definitely need a high-viz/head-torch.

Peckham

Ryath wrote: »

There is a bit of a loop that is fairly straight forward you could take if you want to get of running on the hard shoulder and would prefer some country roads.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/79043336/?open_ive_done=1&new_route=1

Thanks Ryath - I took this recommendation and followed that route. Ran from Athlone to Clonown (or Cloonown - in true Irish fashion various roadsigns gave different spellings) and then back again. Whilst the old Galway road certainly isn't the most inspiring, it served its purpose and the back road you recommended was lovely for running.