Waterford Half Marathon - December 1st

Whatsthisabout

Who is up for the Waterford AC half, it's on a bit earlier this year December 1st and it's pre registration only. Comes at a nice time for Dublin marathoners

website
race profile
last year's thread

run_Forrest_run

I might give this one a go, I need to increase my distances and a nice one to aim for to keep up the fitness heading into the cold winter months.
What's the route like?

average_runner

Would love to do this but wife is due in early/mid december, so that could be chancing my arm!!!:D

blockic

Waterford Half Info

"I understand that participating in this event is potentially hazardous."

Must be a dangerous route!

run_Forrest_run

blockic wrote: »

Waterford Half Info

"I understand that participating in this event is potentially hazardous."

Must be a dangerous route!

talk about scaring people!

elvis jones

I thought this week the week after as usual, the date suits me:D

elvis jones

Registered !

Cabaal

Very tempted to do this, pretty sure I'm not working so may give it a try, enjoyed the route the last two times i've done it

Van.Bosch

Are there any pacers at this event?

The_Boy_Wonder

Van.Bosch wrote: »

Are there any pacers at this event?

There were pacers there last year. I followed the 1.45 group so I presume there was 1.30 and 2.00 groups also.

donal2000

I'm planning on running this. First ever half marathon and need to get the mileage up over the coming weeks in preparation

Gavlor

It's a boring course but more or less flat and major pb potential. The only thing that can go against pb is wind, it's a fairly open road so any head wind will have an impact

tankbarry

is this race ok to enter even if your not the best runner. I know some races are pretty serious

5h4mr0(k

tankbarry wrote: »

is this race ok to enter even if your not the best runner. I know some races are pretty serious

It is. Did it a couple of years ago. They're a friendly bunch.

tankbarry

anybody know what the time limit is...... not feeling all that confident

RayCun

tankbarry wrote: »

anybody know what the time limit is...... not feeling all that confident

Last year they said the course would only be stewarded for 3 hours.
But that's still nearly 14 minutes a mile, loads of time.

eliwallach

tankbarry wrote: »

is this race ok to enter even if your not the best runner. I know some races are pretty serious

Have a look at the results from last year on the website. They are pretty well spread to include a wide variety of abilities.
I'm pretty sure you won't be out of your depth.

Beef

I'm signed up, hopefully can get that sub 1:50 out of the way once and for all. Is the course a good one for a pb?

blockic

Beef wrote: »

I'm signed up, hopefully can get that sub 1:50 out of the way once and for all. Is the course a good one for a pb?

As Gavlor says:

Gavlor wrote: »

It's a boring course but more or less flat and major pb potential. The only thing that can go against pb is wind, it's a fairly open road so any head wind will have an impact

Beef

Thanks, dunno how I missed that post.

blockic

Running this myself after DCM.

Have a PB of 1:31 set in athlone in July would love to give sub 1:30 a crack.

But not sure if i'll race it yet, might just take it handy, will see what the legs are like in a couple of weeks, looking forward to it though.

Gavlor

Beef wrote: »

Thanks, dunno how I missed that post.

Christ this is worst than the pub.... Even boardsies aren't listening to my running talk anymore

EMPM

Anybody know if they have pacers for this event?

Thanks

BeepBeep67

EMPM wrote: »

Anybody know if they have pacers for this event?

Thanks

They did last year from memory - 1:30, 1:45, 2;00 - drop them a line they are quick to respond.

Gavlor

They have changed the route and made it a winding finish through a nature park (capped municipal dump). Going to be fairly tight for anybody following pacers

docjewel

This seems to be a map of the new route Seems to be a new start on the Tramore road taking the main road out to Tramore but coming back in on a back road instead & as Gavlor going through the nature park & finishing at the Kingfisher gym where the post race activities will take place.
I wonder does mean that there won't be showers available in the RSC afterwards or will we be able to use the Kingfisher facilities?

Muppet Man

Yup, entered, looking for a quick finish to the year. Hopefully pacers will keep us on the straight and narrow....

From their websit.... "There will be pacers for 1.30, 1.40, 1.45, 1.50 and 2 hrs."

Cheers,
Muppet man.

Pronator

Gavlor wrote: »

They have changed the route and made it a winding finish through a nature park (capped municipal dump). Going to be fairly tight for anybody following pacers

WTF? No track finish? Why? What's the reasoning behind the course change? What's the new course profile like?

Gavlor

Pronator wrote: »

WTF? No track finish? Why? What's the reasoning behind the course change? What's the new course profile like?

Apparently city council an gardai did not want to facilitate a city centre start. Hence the route being tramore road only. The detour thru this nature park is a joke imo. Why not just loop part of tramore instead?

village runner

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

They did last year from memory - 1:30, 1:45, 2;00 - drop them a line they are quick to respond.

They had 1.30 1.40 1.45 1.50 and 2 hours

BeepBeep67

I'll miss the track finish also , it definitely added to the event.
Looks like it turns left where we used to enter back onto the main road, that will be a tricky bit of climbing for about 1.5 miles, once you get up there it be lightening quick from there.

eliwallach

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

I'll miss the track finish also , it definitely added to the event. .

Me too.
As someone said, it was like the Lidl Olympics.

Ososlo

Really looking forward to this! Any chance of some 2.15 pacers for us "measured runners"?

Pronator

Anyone have a garmin link to the new course?

docjewel

Pronator wrote: »

Anyone have a garmin link to the new course?

Try this garmin link, note I have not ran the course only remade it from a link from the map-my-run course that WAC have linked on their facebook page so start & finish maybe a little out

rasher_m

Is waterford half faster than dublin half?

NoGutsNoGlory

rasher_m wrote: »

Is waterford half faster than dublin half?

yea much faster.. a real PB course

just to mention.. this year they have altered the route... different start & finish .. route on waterford ac website

RubyK

Pronator wrote: »

WTF? No track finish? Why?

The track is being re-surfaced.

ncmc

Think I’m going to throw my hat into the ring for this one, although I can’t get into the entry page on the website at the moment. I was planning on doing the Clonakilty Half the following week, but it’s a very hilly course and also it’s twice the price of Waterford at €50 so that made up my mind for me!

My only previous half was Clonmel in August (I ran it in 1:48) I ran the DCM last week, would it be too much to try and follow the 1:45 pacers 5 weeks after a marathon? Should I play it safe and follow the 1:50 guys?

statss

guys, this will be my first half marathon, haven't come across pacer before. What do they do exactly? Do I estimate my likely finish time, and simply join the pacer group for encouragement and pacing throughout the race yeah? I did the Phoenix Park 10miler in 81 minutes, how does that extrapolate to a half marathon for expected time finish?

Ososlo

statss wrote: »

guys, this will be my first half marathon, haven't come across pacer before. What do they do exactly? Do I estimate my likely finish time, and simply join the pacer group for encouragement and pacing throughout the race yeah? I did the Phoenix Park 10miler in 81 minutes, how does that extrapolate to a half marathon for expected time finish?

Far from an expert here - but this is a handy way to translate your current times to predicted finish time : http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/calculator

Put in your 10 mile 81 mins and it calculates what your predicted 1/2 mara time should be. Probably not very accurate but might give you a good idea as to where to place yourself on the 1st! Good luck! Will be doing this myself but i'll be a good bit behind you!

blockic

statss wrote: »

guys, this will be my first half marathon, haven't come across pacer before. What do they do exactly? Do I estimate my likely finish time, and simply join the pacer group for encouragement and pacing throughout the race yeah? I did the Phoenix Park 10miler in 81 minutes, how does that extrapolate to a half marathon for expected time finish?

Pacers start out with a target finish time and keep an even pace from start to finish. If you want to follow one just start near them (will have baloons or something) and stay with throughout the race.

You will be with people with the same targets so makes things a bit easier, safety in numbers and have encouragment along the way.

Pacers normallly aim to be finished 30 seconds before target time.

Looking at 10mile run, you'd be looking at between 1.45 and 1.50 pacers, denpending on how you want to run it!

statss

blockic wrote: »

Pacers start out with a target finish time and keep an even pace from start to finish. If you want to follow one just start near them (will have baloons or something) and stay with throughout the race.

You will be with people with the same targets so makes things a bit easier, safety in numbers and have encouragment along the way.

Pacers normallly aim to be finished 30 seconds before target time.

Looking at 10mile run, you'd be looking at between 1.45 and 1.50 pacers, denpending on how you want to run it!

that's great, thanks, the extra encouragement should help, I was all over the place in the 10miler.

blockic

rasher_m wrote: »

Is waterford half faster than dublin half?

I think the route change might have impacted this somewhat, looks like a bit of a hill after halfway now that might hurt PB seekers..

Gavlor

blockic wrote: »

I think the route change might have impacted this somewhat, looks like a bit of a hill after halfway now that might hurt PB seekers..

More of a long drag than a steep hill but it's all downhill/level after that. Finish is a balls though.

Gavlor

ncmc wrote: »

Think I’m going to throw my hat into the ring for this one, although I can’t get into the entry page on the website at the moment. I was planning on doing the Clonakilty Half the following week, but it’s a very hilly course and also it’s twice the price of Waterford at €50 so that made up my mind for me!

My only previous half was Clonmel in August (I ran it in 1:48) I ran the DCM last week, would it be too much to try and follow the 1:45 pacers 5 weeks after a marathon? Should I play it safe and follow the 1:50 guys?

If you can run @ 1.50 pace then you will have no problem going with the 1.45s. I ran clonmel and if it makes you feel any better the Waterford course is much easier!

Cabaal

Registered for this, couldn't make the 10mile race in Gorran Co Kilkenny on the 18th Nov so this will do nicely instead

carsfan

I have registered for this and would like to achieve 1.35 which would be a pb.
Should I try and go with the 1.30 pacer and hang on as long as possible or should I do my own thing?
I kind of think having a pacer to keep up with will pull me along but I don't want to blow up and struggle if I go out too fast at the start.
Any body have any thoughts?

blockic

carsfan wrote: »

I have registered for this and would like to achieve 1.35 which would be a pb.
Should I try and go with the 1.30 pacer and hang on as long as possible or should I do my own thing?
I kind of think having a pacer to keep up with will pull me along but I don't want to blow up and struggle if I go out too fast at the start.
Any body have any thoughts?

If it was me i'd do my own thing.

1.30 pacers would go out too hot for someone going for 1.35 imo.

What's your previous PB?

carsfan

That is what I figured too.
1.30 would be too much probably. Pb is 1.37,30 so hoping to knock off 2 to 3 minutes hopefully

eliwallach

Agree with Blockic.

Running off a 1:37 PB and "hoping" for a 2 or 3 min improvement, would lead to a spectacular blow up if you head out with the 1:30 pacers.
And I should know