Connemara: Good first marathon?

event

I'm looking to do a marathon early next year and had a look at the Connemara marathon.
I've never done one before so Im wondering is it a good first one to do?
Been running for a year or so now, would be 2 years by the time it comes around.

I see everyone mentioning the Hal Higdon plans as the best ones to follow, would that be right for a 1st timer?

I've only every run 10k races but on my own I've run longer distances in recent weeks (10 mile in 1hr 29mins, 16 mile in 2hr 30mins) so id imagine I'll be ok for it with winter training.

I wouldn't want to do my 1st marathon which would turn me off running altogether (:p ) if it was a horrible one

Many on here done it and how would you categorise it?

TFBubendorfer

event wrote: »

Many on here done it and how would you categorise it?

Connemara is one of the most beautiful and also one of the most challenging marathons in Ireland.

Even though it is one of my favourite races, for a first one I would not really recommend it. There are very few spectators to give you a lift, and that's what you might need the most. I'd go for a city marathon, like Dublin, Limerick or Cork.

roro2

I ran it as my first marathon without any problems. Although it can be tougher without many spectators and the hilly route, if you have trained properly these shouldn't be major obstacles. And with 16 miles done already, you're well on the way - just make sure to keep it up and get in some long runs over hills. Certainly one of the more spectacular courses and no reason not to give it a go in my opinion.

ClashCityRocker

One thing that may help you if you do Connemara is joining up with the folks running the half after 13 miles, it can be a bit isolated over the first half of the race so it can be nice to see so many people.

I'd agree with TFB in doing a city marathon first i think. My first was Cork in 2007, i think that is perfect - course is not overly hilly/challenging, it doesn't suffer too badly from congestion on the roads and support along most of the route from us wonderful Corkonians .

All that said, i don't think there would be anything particularly wrong with going for Connemara as your first either - if that's the one you want to do and you train well for it then you shouldn't have any problems, and when I did it the magnificence of the surroundings made up for the lack of support

event

Lookin around and i think the limerick suits me better.
its a city one, few weeks later which means i don't need to start training immediately in January

thanks for the replies guys

brutes1

Ran this as my first marathon, its a great challenge and the course isnt that bad, ran about 3 1/2 hrs, plenty of company with the half, and it a manic downhill last two miles. You would want to be reasonably well trained and confident of getting the trip because theres no way out once your on the course ..!

Outside

Did this also as my very first marathon, great day out. If your planning on getting a good time for your first marathon then this wouldn't really be ideal but if your just running your first marathon just to run 26.2 miles and finish I think it's a great one. If needs be you could walk the hills and take advantage of the downhill after. There's two hill's to speak of, one at 13 miles and one at around 22 I think? The last hill is pretty tough but as ClashCityRocker says, the half starts at the half way point of the marathon and they provide great support along the way. Unless your running sub 3hr pace, you won't miss them!

In short I think it was a great first marathon, I'm going to do Dublin now with a goal time in my head and having run Connemara and finished, I'm a lot more confident of running Dublin quite comfortably. It's a great way to start the running season having completed the Connemarathon and hope to take 15mins off my PB.