Cork (blarney) 1/2 marathon 8th Sept.

mr.wiggle

Havent seen a thread on this...running it as part of my training plan for TDCM. Thinking of just running it at Pmp, although the course profile looks like it will push me on faster for the second half.
Anyone run this last year?

Mr.W.

sixpack's little hat

I've ran it about 4 times including last year on the new course. It's definitely an easier course than the previous one as it takes out a big hill and a steep descent at about the 6 or 7 mile mark and replaces it with a fairly flat loop around Blarney itself at the start.

I can't link to it as I'm at work but there is a detailed description of the route up on the corkrunning blog.

It's a great race overall and brilliant value for €20, really couldn't fault it. Even the weather forecast is looking good so far. Cool with little to no rain
http://www.yr.no/place/Ireland/Munster/Cork/long.html

I just barely missed out on keeping up with the sub 1:30 pacers last year so looking forwarding to breaking that barrier this year!

Tipp man running

Ya, I've also ran this the last few years...will be using it as more of a training run for Charleville this year but still hope to be around the 1.30 mark.

Definitely a negative split course although not as bad as it used to be....a lot of rolling hills but your gradually climbing all the time until you get to the turn around point about 7 miles or so and retrace your steps..you start to feel it alright as you approach the turn around point as it gets a little steep but you can pick up the pace then as you pass all the runners still heading upwards...you also get to see the leaders in the race.

Well organised and supported race.

mr.wiggle

Delighted I decided to run this for the first time ,this morning. A great bunch and perfect weather made the course a joy to run. Paced the first half easy which made the run after the turn-around a doddle. I know the course has as much uphill miles as downhill miles, but the second part just feels like cheating!! A super fast last mile has got me rearing to do Charleville in two weeks. Cant wait. For anyone looking for a 1/2m to enjoy, Blarney is one. On my running calendar firmly into the future. Well done to all involved in this great event.

Mr.W.

Tipp man running

Have to agree with what Mr Wiggle said....great course, great event and another blarney beanie hat for the winter.

Was within sight of the 1.30 pacers at the turn-around at 7.5 mile, and although I promised myself I wasn't racing it all out it was hard to take it easy coming back with all that downhill, really enjoyed the last 5 miles...tipped home in 1.28......Roll on Charleville.

sixpack's little hat

Tipp man running wrote: »

Have to agree with what Mr Wiggle said....great course, great event and another blarney beanie hat for the winter.

It's a pair of gloves, not a hat. Or was for me at least. They certainly like bright orange!

Excellent race as usual, couldn't fault it in any way.

I just broke 1:25 to take 3 mins off my PB so a good day at the office for me.

My garmin only had 13.02 at the end, I wonder if it is the bad coverage with all the trees or if cutting all the corners and not sticking to left hand side shortened the course that little bit.

eliwallach

sixpack's little hat wrote: »

. They certainly like bright orange.

Club colour of the organisers (St. Finbarrs).

Condo131

sixpack's little hat wrote: »

My garmin only had 13.02 at the end, I wonder if it is the bad coverage with all the trees or if cutting all the corners and not sticking to left hand side shortened the course that little bit.

I heard quite a few say that their Garmins registered short, byt everyone was saying that they lost satellite signal, for quite lengthy periods, on several occasions.

In such circumstances, the Garmin will assume a direct line between the point immediately before signal loss and the subsequent one, resulting in an apparent shortening.

I haven't worn my Garmin for about two months (battery is banjaxed and I've long fingered sending it off), so I only wore a regular watch yesterday. In reality, I only miss the instantaneous pace readings. I think people are over-dependent on their wrist computers - better to run as you feel, not as a piece of technology directs. Prob still replace the battery though.

10 Toe Runner

Decided on Sunday morning to give this a go, was unsure about putting it into my Dublin marathon training plans, but just felt like a race, rather than another LSR.

Delighted I went for it. Knocked my PB from 1:44 to 1:37:50. Great race, nice and cool with great atmosphere. My GPS lost signal a couple of times alright cause of the trees. Really felt like I was motoring around mile 10 and 11 (normally where I implode!).

I had done this race a few years ago, and forgot just what an excellent spread these guys put on. Lots of salad sandwiches, and like walking into a cake shop.....unreal.

The orange gloves were the official item in the goodie bag, but they obviously had a couple hundred orange beanie hats left over from previous years, so they just left a box at the finish for people to grab them.

Think I'll always keep this one in my calendar.

EauRouge79

The measurement was out after mile 1 and there wasnt much in the way of tree cover to bother a GPS watch at that point.
The start line was further forward i.e nearer the corner than last year, route appeared the same and finish line in the same place.

Looks as if mistakes were made by the organisers.

Its a pity because I enjoy this event every year and it is otherwise very well run.

This is however the 3rd race I have run this year where the course measurement was out. Really annoying and unacceptable - to make matters worse this was munster half marathon championship.

mr.wiggle

EauRouge79 wrote: »

The measurement was out after mile 1 and there wasnt much in the way of tree cover to bother a GPS watch at that point.
The start line was further forward i.e nearer the corner than last year, route appeared the same and finish line in the same place.

Looks as if mistakes were made by the organisers.

Its a pity because I enjoy this event every year and it is otherwise very well run.

This is however the 3rd race I have run this year where the course measurement was out. Really annoying and unacceptable - to make matters worse this was munster half marathon championship.

I'd have to say I noticed the same thing myself at the 2 mile marker, everyones garmin were beeping from 100 to 150 m past the marker.

Tipp man running

Ya I'm afraid my Garmin only showed 13.05 which I was surprised with as the half usually shows up at anything from 13.11 - 13.15, and I always try and run the racing line.

Asked someone about it at the finish and they nearly had a heart attack about me suggesting it might be short....got the gps been lost in the trees reason..which it was at times.

The thing that worries me is the course was the exact same as last years, the finish line in the same spot, the turnabout at the same spot, but the start was 100 meters up the road closer to the corner than last year, doesn't make sense.

I wonder is anyone from the club reading this and might be able to put our minds at ease about the course measurement.

eliwallach

Ran it last year ( with the starting line back further) and my Garmin measured it at 13.14 miles.
Plot thickens.

10 Toe Runner

Response from the club to course measurement concerns was posted on the cork running blog website here:

http://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=36499493&postID=7018141957640255699

Not huge detail about the difference in start lines, just that they seem confident it was right. (Really hope it was).

eliwallach

Cathal O' Connell assures that the course was measured accurately ( maybe it was measured accurately? but at 13 miles rather than 13.1 miles)- then this puts the measurement last year into question!
I'm confused.......with the alteration to the start line, either last years course was too long or this years course was too short

It's a little annoying if someone is hell bent on going for a PB...but I guess in the days before Garmins people just got on with it. I'd say Emile Zatopek and Seb Coe ran a few that weren't exact.

Did a 10km run in Wexford recently which was either way off or I have shattered my PB. Was wondering afterwards if it was accurate but either way it was a great run and a great effort by a community. €20 sounds like great value.

pico84

From what I've read it the evidence points towards it being short.
The club are looking into it at the moment though and will come back soon on the issue