Dublin Marathon Race Series - Value for Money

BenMicheal

About to sign up for the Race Series for the Dublin Marathon but just want to clarify one thing - For the money they charge what do you get in return? Is it just running on closed roads and chip timing or do you get a Tshirt, bag full of promo stuff, finishers medals etc?

I ask because it seems a bit steep to run around a public park?


PS
Sorry if this is a novice question - but i have to admit thats what I am :-p

Krusty_Clown

BenMicheal wrote: »

About to sign up for the Race Series for the Dublin Marathon but just want to clarify one thing - For the money they charge what do you get in return? Is it just running on closed roads and chip timing or do you get a Tshirt, bag full of promo stuff, finishers medals etc?

I ask because it seems a bit steep to run around a public park?


PS
Sorry if this is a novice question - but i have to admit thats what I am :-p

You get aTshirt and a bag of food from the sponsors. No medals.

The chip timing, closed roads and running is actually the important part. The rest is all just unnecessary baggage.

No insults intended, but if you find the cost prohibitive, why not just run in the park for free, as you have suggested? The race series offers a race experience that you won't get running by yourself, but I if that's not what you're interested in, go out and buy yourself a few t shirts and run in the park at a different time.

menoscemo

65 for 4 races from 5mile to HM. That is as cheap as you'll get anywhere. You get a tech tee and goodybag after each race.

macinalli

+1 to what Krusty says, but the race series is probably worth it for the technical running tops alone! They're very good quality, there's one for each race and you'll get years of running in them.

jester1980

This is by far one of the best deals going in Ireland, even without the TShirts i would still think its great value.

You want to check out some other races for comparisons as it doesn't get cheaper.

TShirts are great by the way, use them all the time for training.

RacoonQueen

I don't think people realise how expensive hosting races can be. You've to pay for the guards, the use of the park and portaloos the OPW won't allow you to host a race otherwise. Then you've got prize money and all the goody bag crap that some people seem to deem essential.

€65 for 4 races is a bargain.

PaulieC

gah, two of the races were on dates that I am on holidays...still, I registered for the 10k, 10 mile and the marathon. Which was nice

belcarra

Relating to the OP: It may be a public park but roads still need to be closed in there too!

+1 about the series being great value and an almost perfect training basis for DCM (If they would just add a 3/4 marathon like the Athlone event!).

BMCTIMEMACHINE

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You get aTshirt and a bag of food from the sponsors. No medals.

The chip timing, closed roads and running is actually the important part. The rest is all just unnecessary baggage.

No insults intended, but if you find the cost prohibitive, why not just run in the park for free, as you have suggested? The race series offers a race experience that you won't get running by yourself, but I if that's not what you're interested in, go out and buy yourself a few t shirts and run in the park at a different time.

Someones a bit Cranky !!

TFBubendorfer

BMCTIMEMACHINE wrote: »

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You get aTshirt and a bag of food from the sponsors. No medals.

The chip timing, closed roads and running is actually the important part. The rest is all just unnecessary baggage.

No insults intended, but if you find the cost prohibitive, why not just run in the park for free, as you have suggested? The race series offers a race experience that you won't get running by yourself, but I if that's not what you're interested in, go out and buy yourself a few t shirts and run in the park at a different time.

Someones a bit Cranky !!

Why? I think he's perfectly reasonable.

Krusty_Clown

BMCTIMEMACHINE wrote: »

Someones a bit Cranky !!

It was 6:37 in the morning and I'm not a morning person. Apologies to the OP if it came across as cranky, I meant the response to be factual. But I did mean the comments sincerely. The race series isn't for everyone. That's ok. The difference between running solo in the park and doing the race series, is that it is a race environment, where you get to pit yourself against everyone else. If you find that the race series is too crowded, there are tonnes of other races in the calendar these days. If the crowds don't bother you, you'll likely find that it's pretty good value for money.

JJJJNR

If you think handing over 65 euro for four races is expensive maybe you should consider something else, e.g. if you join an athletics club the races are usually about 10 - 15 euros.

Do you play any other sports at all, the value for money aspect of running the marathon compared to other sports e.g Golf is excellent I think. Chalk and Cheese I admit..

woody1

ah here, im paying 45 euro to do my local half this weekend, on open roads, and your whinging about 65 for 4 races on closed roads... id be delighted to be based a bit closer to dublin and to be able to do it !!

BenMicheal

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

No insults intended, but if you find the cost prohibitive, why not just run in the park for free, as you have suggested? The race series offers a race experience that you won't get running by yourself, but I if that's not what you're interested in, go out and buy yourself a few t shirts and run in the park at a different time.

Not really interested in all that, but seeing as I run the majority of the routes for the series on a weekly bases compounded by curiosity I thought I'd ask a forum of experienced people who might be able to clarify it.

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I don't think people realise how expensive hosting races can be. You've to pay for the guards, the use of the park and portaloos the OPW won't allow you to host a race otherwise. Then you've got prize money and all the goody bag crap that some people seem to deem essential.
€65 for 4 races is a bargain.

In fairness your spot on I have no idea about costs of running races and please don’t take this post as a dig at the costs.

JJJJNR wrote: »

If you think handing over 65 euro for four races is expensive maybe you should consider something else, e.g. if you join an athletics club the races are usually about 10 - 15 euros.
Do you play any other sports at all, the value for money aspect of running the marathon compared to other sports e.g Golf is excellent I think. Chalk and Cheese I admit..

Again fair point - running certainly has fewer cost barriers to entry than most other sports.

woody1 wrote: »

ah here, im paying 45 euro to do my local half this weekend, on open roads, and your whinging about 65 for 4 races on closed roads... id be delighted to be based a bit closer to dublin and to be able to do it !!

Whining - interesting how you get that from such a question, as I said above it was more curiosity more than anything. Usually the body of people assembled here on boards.ie are 100% helpful to people with questions so I just assumed this would ring through on this. Also at the foot of my post I do point out that I am a novice at this - only started 6 weeks ago - so for not knowing the in's & out's as you suggest and whining I'm very sorry.