How did the Dublin Marathon rate in value for money?

BenMicheal

Sorry if this has been brought up already but i'd be interested to find out what peoples opinion was on the value factor of the Dublin of Marathon?

Ososlo

BenMicheal wrote: »

Sorry if this has been brought up already but i'd be interested to find out what peoples opinion was on the value factor of the Dublin of Marathon?

priceless. can't put an experience like that into monetary terms. money couldn't pay for it

Peterx

If you live in Dublin it is excellent, fantastic and amazing value.
You get to sleep in your own bed, you have no language or orientation difficulties and you probably have family or friends out on the course shouting your name.
If you live in Ireland but have friends to stay with in Dublin it's pretty good too.

So for me it was a full five stars for value. I'd do it again.

If you took out the race series bundle and also did the 10 mile and the half marathon it was very good value.

The support out on sections of the course was outstanding. The overused cliche "wall of sound" was completely appropriate coming over the canal at the treasury building near mile 25.

robinph

It's not the cheapest marathon you could enter, but if it's value for money all depends on what you are valuing.

There are cheaper big city marathons available throughout Europe, but the biggest marathon for the smallest amount of cash for entry will be London.
But if you want a marathon with excellent pacers and roads that are not too congested then Dublin would be hard to beat. But it's not the flattest course around, but nothing to be concerned about. The support is good on the way round, but you still get some quiet spots where you can escape from the noise for a moment. I think the quiet spots away from any supporting crowds actually make the crowded spots that much better as you notice them more. Run the likes of London and it is mostly crowded with support all the way round.

There are a million other criteria you could use to value one marathon against another, it all depends on what you are looking for.

alexanderomahon

How much was it anyway?

BenMicheal

Generally all the plus points mentioned above would all still be in place had they charged 20euro or 200 euro - the reason I ask is that I was talking to numerous people that had completed the race on the way back to my car and all they could talk about was how expensive it was and what did you get in return for the 95euro entry? One even likened it to the Rock and Roll series???

I understand you can't put a price on running the marathon and Dublin is seriously one of the best I was just interested in what others thought.

Ross Runner

Cheap medal cheap top and crappy goodybag....

Krusty_Clown

Ross Runner wrote: »

Cheap medal cheap top and crappy goodybag....

You realize that the entry fee also got you entry into the race? Were you hoping for some sequins on the marathon top?
I've run most of the majors (with the exception of Tokyo), and IMO London is the only one that can better Dublin in terms of value for money.

plumber77

95 was the most expensive price too. Could have gotten it for a good bit less if signed up in time.i just did frankfurt for 91, late sign up and no running top. Had a lot of other things going for it though, so it depends on what things are important to you.

PaulieC

Ross Runner wrote: »

Cheap medal cheap top and crappy goodybag....

where to start with this one...
gardai
barriers
water
timing chips and gantries
prize monies
pacers
etc.
etc.

not all about the medal and the top you know ?

zl1whqvjs75cdy

I think he might be taking the piss lads.

Krusty_Clown

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

I think he might be taking the piss lads.

Well, I still want more sequins on the marathon top.

RunRoryRun

My second DCM this year and I found it great value for money. The course, organisation, pacers, water / gel stations were all quality.

Had told myself this year would be the last one, but as I crossed the finish line as a complete wreck, all I could think about was next year.

P.S. Even without the sequins, I quite like the t-shirt. I'd take the whole, less is more approach. Sequins could have made it look cheap and tacky.

JJJJNR

Thought the Amsterdam marathon was good value at € 65, and the half even more so at 25 euros

Filibuster

I was kinda disappointed with the expo - I was looking forward to loads of swag but all that was in the goodie bag was knorr gravy and a packet of crisps..

Very happy with the jersey and the medal.

kchsligo

Got some free ice cream at the expo as well so that's a bonus.:-)

Overall, you have to say Dublin is fantastic value and the crowds cannot be beaten.

pconn062

JJJJNR wrote: »

Thought the Amsterdam marathon was good value at € 65, and the half even more so at 25 euros

You should start a thread on the Amsterdam Marathon then.

SamforMayo

I paid 95 cause it was my 1 st marathon and I hadnt the courage to sign up til the last minute. I thought it was good value, I think the medal and top are sound. The 1 thing I would have liked was more water when I crossed the line, I downed the bottle in the bag very quickly.

BenMicheal

PaulieC wrote: »

where to start with this one...
gardai
barriers
water
timing chips and gantries
prize monies
pacers
etc.
etc.

not all about the medal and the top you know ?

Correct me where I'm wrong but were these not all available/in place last year when the marathon didn't have a title sponsor - unlike this year with Airtricity?

Also if my memory serves me right did the entry fee not increase this year?

RayCun

Value for money compared to what?

Other marathons in Ireland?
Other marathons in Europe? Including travel expenses etc?
Other road races in Dublin?
Other things you could spend 70-90 euro on?

Do you think DCM is overcharging? On what basis? Do you know what their accounts look like?

BenMicheal

RayCun wrote: »

Value for money compared to what?

Other marathons in Ireland?
Other marathons in Europe? Including travel expenses etc?
Other road races in Dublin?
Other things you could spend 70-90 euro on?

Do you think DCM is overcharging? On what basis? Do you know what their accounts look like?

I take you point and I would be of the opinion that the marathon isn't overcharged but some of the points that were made from a group of people I was talking to during a pint after the race I thought were fair, namely that the competitor got feck all in return for the entry fee - herein lies the point of opening the post to hear the opinions of others.

That said while I don't think we were overcharged (In fairness I registered very early and only paid 75euro) I do think that the point that the competitor got little in return for the entry has some legs particularly when you take into account that the entry fee increased and the event got a financial windfall from an unexpected last minute sponsorship deal as well as associates such as Renault and Lucozade coming on board as the race series began.

No doubt people are gonna come back with the you got the run on closed roads/spirit of the marathon etc etc and they would be right but when you compare this years marathon to other years when it didn't have a sponsor it was pretty much the same in fairness.

RayCun

What do you expect to get for the entry fee?
Chip timing, closed roads, medical support, pacers, water in bottles, gels, live tracking, finishing shirt, medal... what is missing from the list?
Is there wastage somewhere that could be cut back?

Oops69

Good value IMO at twice the price , you just get the feeling you're not being bled by the organisers , I just get an instinctual good vibe from the whole thing , noticed a rock and roll stand at the expo , looked kinda quite ??!

BenMicheal

RayCun wrote: »

What do you expect to get for the entry fee?
Chip timing, closed roads, medical support, pacers, water in bottles, gels, live tracking, finishing shirt, medal... what is missing from the list?
Is there wastage somewhere that could be cut back?

Nothing is missing but all these have been in place for years now. The organisers got bonus windfalls with a title sponsor and numerous corporate associations that it didn't have last year which leads I suppose the question of where did this sponsorship money go?

RayCun

BenMicheal wrote: »

Nothing is missing but all these have been in place for years now. The organisers got bonus windfalls with a title sponsor and numerous corporate associations that it didn't have last year which leads I suppose the question of where did this sponsorship money go?

and for most of those years the marathon has had a headline sponsor. Perhaps you should be congratulating the organisers for delivering all that they did last year, even without a sponsor?

menoscemo

BenMicheal wrote: »

Nothing is missing but all these have been in place for years now. The organisers got bonus windfalls with a title sponsor and numerous corporate associations that it didn't have last year which leads I suppose the question of where did this sponsorship money go?

That was announced months ago :rolleyes:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=85638253&postcount=105

menoscemo wrote: »

I hear all the sponsorship money is going on coke and hookers for the pacers.

Happy days

TFBubendorfer

BenMicheal wrote: »

Nothing is missing but all these have been in place for years now. The organisers got bonus windfalls with a title sponsor and numerous corporate associations that it didn't have last year which leads I suppose the question of where did this sponsorship money go?

This must be the single most ignorant post I've ever come across on boards. Last year was the only year in a very long time without a main sponsor and the marathon would not be sustainable in the long term without one.

So for someone to come now and say "where did the sponsor money go" and " the competitor got feck all in return for the entry fee" is truly unbelievable! I'm lost for words.

robinph

Didn't the sponsor drop out at the last minute last year, meaning that DCM had spent the money but then found that the people who had said they were going to stump up the cash for it found some way to wriggle out of the deal.

Dilbert75

Think you're right Robin.

I thought DCM was good value overall. The security, garda presence, extent of road closures, the amount of fencing, all the stuff that had to be hired, etc. justifies the cost. I was happy with the t-shirt and the medal is a nice souvenir, even if it never sees the light of day again. For the most part I wouldn't be disappointed if we never got the "goody bags" - they're mostly leaflets anyway (as they typically are in races), though the likes of the blister plaster, cracked heel treatment, etc. are useful. A bar of chocolate, a drink and a banana at the end would tick the box just fine for the most part. But I'd be happy to pay the same again just for the atmosphere the whole way around.

pconn062

BenMicheal wrote: »

Nothing is missing but all these have been in place for years now. The organisers got bonus windfalls with a title sponsor and numerous corporate associations that it didn't have last year which leads I suppose the question of where did this sponsorship money go?

Not that you mention it, I did see an awful lot of new Ferrari's parked outside the BHAA offices recently. :eek:

baza1976

Tis alright for the Dubs and the pacers but anyone other than them have to flog out hotel money, petrol money, and if the wife wants to tag along and take the kids... Theres big bucks missing after the marathon.

I think the race numbers could be posted out. They can drop some of the fancy stuff even the finishers top or medal and replace it with an envelope and a stamp.

Krusty_Clown

baza1976 wrote: »

Tis alright for the Dubs and the pacers but anyone other than them have to flog out hotel money, petrol money, and if the wife wants to tag along and take the kids... Theres big bucks missing after the marathon.

I think the race numbers could be posted out. They can drop some of the fancy stuff even the finishers top or medal and replace it with an envelope and a stamp.

It's a fair point, however I haven't been to a single big city marathon that posted out race numbers. All of them require a visit to an expo in the days leading up to the race. In fact, very few races these days post out race numbers. At a guess, maybe 1/30? I guess part of the problem is that the deal with the sponsors probably involves some kind of advertising/exposure at the expo. Now if they made a deal where you could pay an extra €1.50 and have it posted out to you, everybody would win, right?

Dilbert75

On the other hand it would be 14500 packs to be sent out and therefore extra work for the volunteers to do. I'm not saying it'd be a bad idea but it wouldn't be without organisational cost.

baza1976

Dilbert75 wrote: »

On the other hand it would be 14500 packs to be sent out and therefore extra work for the volunteers to do. I'm not saying it'd be a bad idea but it wouldn't be without organisational cost.

Like I said drop something else like the shirt or medal or tracking

ultraman1

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

It's a fair point, however I haven't been to a single big city marathon that posted out race numbers. All of them require a visit to an expo in the days leading up to the race. In fact, very few races these days post out race numbers. At a guess, maybe 1/30? I guess part of the problem is that the deal with the sponsors probably involves some kind of advertising/exposure at the expo. Now if they made a deal where you could pay an extra €1.50 and have it posted out to you, everybody would win, right?

kildare gives the option of posting out numbers,,d amount of hassle involved is unreal,and not worth it edit,i know its not a big city mara

ordinarysoap

Look it folks.........people will moan and give out no matter what, it makes them feel better. You will never keep everyone happy. Suppose you just have to rise above it.

RunRoryRun

baza1976 wrote: »

Like I said drop something else like the shirt or medal or tracking

Is it just me who hasn't taken the Finishers top off since Monday??!

baza1976

I love my finishers top. I still have all my finisher tops for all the marathons I have done.

It doesn't have to be the top that goes. I'm sure that something else could be dropped to make up for the posting out of the numbers.

Hell, I'd gladly pay an optional extra €10 for my number to be posted out.

PaulieC

this is all easily resolved by DCM having the following questions on the entry form:

Do you want to enter (y/n):
Do you want a medal if you finish (y/n):
Do you want a top if you finish (y/n):
Do you want your race number posted (y/n):
Do you want to change starting wave at the last minute (y/n):
Water in bottles or cups :
Would you like DCM to provide free hotel and travel for you and your family :
How much would you like to pay :

What can go wrong ??

SamforMayo

RunRoryRun wrote: »

Is it just me who hasn't taken the Finishers top off since Monday??!

Put the top in the wash good lad;)

BenMicheal

RayCun wrote: »

and for most of those years the marathon has had a headline sponsor. Perhaps you should be congratulating the organisers for delivering all that they did last year, even without a sponsor?

Please by all means point out where I suggested otherwise?

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

This must be the single most ignorant post I've ever come across on boards. Last year was the only year in a very long time without a main sponsor and the marathon would not be sustainable in the long term without one.

So for someone to come now and say "where did the sponsor money go" and " the competitor got feck all in return for the entry fee" is truly unbelievable! I'm lost for words.

How is it ignorant? We/I as a competitor was asked to pay extra with the increased fees as the organisers needing to bridge the financial gap for the reason given being as a result of the marathon not having a sponsor for, what was at the time the second year running. I was OK with that, signed up, the lot.

That said, with the number of corporate sponsors/associations with businesses the organisers created in the weeks after this and the resulting revenue stream that comes with it and bearing in mind the good will of the large majority of people making no hassle in paying the increased fees I thought that IF any money was left over it could have been passed back to the competitor in some non monetary way.

Needless to say I wasn't suggesting for one moment that the organisers trousered the money etc etc.

RacoonQueen

I would imagine it is going into the coffers to be used as backup should no title sponsor be secured for next year/years following that

PVincent

The organisers dipped into their contingency fund last year to make sure the marathon went ahead ( ie it paid the elites ) that is why with no title sponsor when it was launched this year a measly €5 increase was sanctioned,the first in maybe 5/6 years if I am not mistaken. A couple of deals then happened, Renault gave some cars( no gain to the marathon there other than fantastic prizes and publicity) and airtricity came on board . It was not a massive deal but it gave them some comfort that at least we would have another marathon next year. So not a lot of scope to throw loads of extras at the runners. What sort of things are people looking for to increase the value. I am aware of some of the costs involved in keeping the roads open, setting up barriers, gardai, etc etc... The city of dublin is doing the marathon no favours when it comes to cost cutting. Just as an example dublin city council wanted €2k to pull up the poles that are in the road on st Stephens green . I do think the marathon is great value . You run a marathon for a lot of reasons, the goody bag and the tee shirt and other bits and pieces are certainly not on my list of reasons. Again as an example in London this year, they give you a horrible coloured cotton tee shirt ,one size only for everyone, but does that bother anyone ? Of course not ,you run London because it's a great marathon. The same reason why people run Dublin. It's a great marathon

Condo131

BenMicheal wrote: »

....... some of the points that were made from a group of people I was talking to during a pint after the race I thought were fair, namely that the competitor got feck all in return for the entry fee - herein lies the point of opening the post to hear the opinions of others.

........ I do think that the point that the competitor got little in return for the entry has some legs particularly when you take into account that the entry fee increased and the event got a financial windfall from an unexpected last minute sponsorship deal as well as associates such as Renault and Lucozade coming on board as the race series began.

No doubt people are gonna come back with the you got the run on closed roads/spirit of the marathon etc etc and they would be right but when you compare this years marathon to other years when it didn't have a sponsor it was pretty much the same in fairness.

I wouldn't go as far as Thomas, but I agree with the gist of his post.

The competitor got a massive amount in return, though much of this "hidden". You mention road closures; I don't know how much this year's closures cost, but, some four years ago, it was €300k - that's nearly €21 per head from this year's entry, before you start at all. Portaloos; cost about €120 each...and there were lots...all around the course. The Expo hall costs. Barriers are damn expensive, as is transport for them. Small things like pins will cost about €500 total. There are lots & lots of other: PA, table hire (all the water & Lucozade tables. Medical backup is critical and must be paid for. Admin, incl phone, postage, web (site and broadband). Stewarding - clubs (I believe) get a fee for stewards and officials provided (These guys can be out from 3 to 4 hours before to 3 to 4 hours afterwards - I gather some people can be out for 12 to 16 hours!:eek:)

Notice that I haven't even mentioned anything that the punter goes away with (apart from pins). Think on it....What did you see? Everything, whether tangible are otherwise, by and large, had to be paid for. Sponsors? Without these, small and large, entry fees would, of necessity be significantly higher and/or the marathon would be in jeopardy.

You will find other Irish Marathons that are slightly cheaper, or maybe, the same price. By and large, these are for-profit events (run by commercial companies) and in contrast to Dublin, profits/surpluses are *NOT* ploughed back into the sport. Most do not have/pay for the same costs previously mentioned, e.g. road closure, portaloos are few & far between (you are expected to use the fields) and stewarding requirements are significantly less - quite often done by volunteers.

I suggest that anyone questioning costs should get involved in the organisation of a race and view for themselves. You WON'T be turned away...race organisers are *always* short of help!

Lots more to add ....but we'd all be here all week, writing/reading.

snailsong

For the price of a meal in a reasonable restaurant I got an experience I'll be telling my grandchildren about. That's value.

If that small army of volunteers had to be paid it'd cost 3 times as much. Many thanks to them.

backgreen

could the numbers be downloaded and printed off?

ecoli

backgreen wrote: »

could the numbers be downloaded and printed off?

No as they contain your chip

ultrapercy

Condo131 wrote: »

I wouldn't go as far as Thomas, but I agree with the gist of his post.

The competitor got a massive amount in return, though much of this "hidden". You mention road closures; I don't know how much this year's closures cost, but, some four years ago, it was €300k - that's nearly €21 per head from this year's entry, before you start at all. Portaloos; cost about €120 each...and there were lots...all around the course. The Expo hall costs. Barriers are damn expensive, as is transport for them. Small things like pins will cost about €500 total. There are lots & lots of other: PA, table hire (all the water & Lucozade tables. Medical backup is critical and must be paid for. Admin, incl phone, postage, web (site and broadband). Stewarding - clubs (I believe) get a fee for stewards and officials provided (These guys can be out from 3 to 4 hours before to 3 to 4 hours afterwards - I gather some people can be out for 12 to 16 hours!:eek:)

Notice that I haven't even mentioned anything that the punter goes away with (apart from pins). Think on it....What did you see? Everything, whether tangible are otherwise, by and large, had to be paid for. Sponsors? Without these, small and large, entry fees would, of necessity be significantly higher and/or the marathon would be in jeopardy.

You will find other Irish Marathons that are slightly cheaper, or maybe, the same price. By and large, these are for-profit events (run by commercial companies) and in contrast to Dublin, profits/surpluses are *NOT* ploughed back into the sport. Most do not have/pay for the same costs previously mentioned, e.g. road closure, portaloos are few & far between (you are expected to use the fields) and stewarding requirements are significantly less - quite often done by volunteers.

I suggest that anyone questioning costs should get involved in the organisation of a race and view for themselves. You WON'T be turned away...race organisers are *always* short of help!

Lots more to add ....but we'd all be here all week, writing/reading.

very good post. All very true. I ran my 15th Dublin last Monday and I feel its gotten better every year. For me its brilliant value, I love it and wouldn't say a bad word about it. I remember the days of the cotton Ts and the finishers plaques(I have 2 of them) and registering the day before.Also the yellow pages entry form. Different era but its still a great event.

Muppet Man

The marathon itself was good value, but the parking in the royal college of surgeons brought a tear to my eye more than the blister on my big toe... 26 euro for parking

bambergbike

I'm thinking of doing my first marathon in the Spring and was reading some advice aimed at first-timers yesterday. The guts of it was that you should always make your first marathon a big city one and not a cheap one in the sticks as your first marathon experience was likely to influence whether you ever had another one. The point was that the big events look relatively expensive because it costs a lot of money to hold an event that causes major disruption to a city where a million or more people live. And that the big events are worth it - for the encouragement from spectators, for the sights and sounds and the buzz of a big city, for the experience of always having somebody of similar ability to run with, for the excellent organization, for seeing just how you measure up against some of the worlds best runners given the same course on the same day in the same conditions, for the traffic jams at the beginning that prevent you from taking off too fast and for the pacers. Doubt I'll heed the advice, but I do see where they're coming from when they talk about the gigantic costs of putting a large city on hold for a day.


I did a fun short little cross-country hill run in the woods thingy at the weekend. I was impressed to get a technical T shirt in my size and 2 bottles of alcohol-free beer to take home afterwards (plus a glass of the same isotonic gold at the finish line) for a €6 entry fee. But what I am most grateful for is not the cert or the freebies, but the time and legwork put in by all the volunteers. Even this tiny local event in the woods that caused no disruption at all to anybody and required very little marshalling could not have been run without a horde of helpers. I met the first of many of them when I picked up my start number. The second one was the starter. Then the people who had been out to mark the course with tape, hack a few steps into one of the steeper slopes with a spade, shore some steps up with planks, and put down a little bit of gravel here and there - there was clear evidence that some magic elves had been out and about. There were a few men out on the course in red uniforms with first-aid boxes and encouragement and reassurance. People who sorted out the results promptly afterwards and stuck them up in the porch. Photographers and people who uploaded photos to the club website afterwards. People who baked cakes, volunteers serving cake and coffee and apologising profusely that the club coffee machine had given up the ghost. People who liased with sponsors, people who handed out prizes. If all these people are needed just for a little running club in the middle of nowhere to run a small-scale event in the sticks that causes no disruption to anybody, it stands to reason that a huge event in a busy city is going to involve some more complex logistical challenges that can only be solved by either paying for stuff or paying people to do stuff.

BeepBeep67

Muppet Man wrote: »

The marathon itself was good value, but the parking in the royal college of surgeons brought a tear to my eye more than the blister on my big toe... 26 euro for parking

There was free on street parking - why spend €26?