Marathon des Escargots ( half & 10k ), Portarlington, 12/07/2014

elvis jones

Hi all,

On July 12th we will be holding Marathon des Escargots in Portarlington, Co Laois. We'll also have a half marathon & 10k event.

The event is 100% for charity raising funds for Irish Autism Action & LARCC Cancer Support.

The weekend in question is festival weekend in Portarlington and they'll be fun and live music on the streets all weekend. We hope to have hotel specials and a free bus to bring you back into town after the race for a few drinks !

There'd early bird specials in place until April 30th so get in there early !

Full information on how to register and routes are on www.marathondesescargots.com

elvis jones

The event is now open for entry and its been confirmed that precision timing with be providing the timing for the event.

elvis jones

This might interest some, we're giving away a race entry on on facebook page at the moment www.facebook.com/upandovertri

Claude Burgundy

I might do the half its local to me !

colin32

was thinking of signing up for this, as a birthday present for myself haha.

many sign up for this? looks like a few climbs in it

Claude Burgundy

colin32 wrote: »

was thinking of signing up for this, as a birthday present for myself haha.

many sign up for this? looks like a few climbs in it

On the half there's one climb at about 17k other than that its mainly a flat course. The 10k is flat and the marathon is mainly flat as well.

colin32

oh right. looked at route and said a climb at around 9km - 12km as well

Claude Burgundy

colin32 wrote: »

oh right. looked at route and said a climb at around 9km - 12km as well

Na stight hill i wouldn't even consider them a climb really i've cycled the route a few times.

Claude Burgundy

Seeing as Elvis has left the building i've been asked to answer any questions on this event.

One thing i've been asked to mention is that the early bird offer is up at the end of April and that remember that unlike other races who say they are raising money for charity this race is ONLY for charity. After the basic costs of chip timing, water, insurance, medals etc ALL other money will be going to Irish Autism Action & LARCC Cancer Support.

denis160

is the first time to run this event in portarlington? Just wondering would there be many doing the half?

Claude Burgundy

The event was run last year as a point to point from Ballybrittas to the Curragh and had over 100 doing it.

It was part of a bigger event for charity as well. This year it has a new route but same organisers in Portarlington. They plan to build it as part of the local festival, helping the community and raising money for worthy charities.

Dilbert75

It's got the AAI permit and chip timing and the route looks ok. Hopefully it gets a good crowd.

Claude Burgundy

Just a reminder that the early bird offer is up on at the of April. So register early and save a few quid !

Finnt

Hi,
Just wondering,
How many are expected to do the full?
Are there pacers?
Any chance it will sell out?

Claude Burgundy

Finnt wrote: »

Hi,
Just wondering,
How many are expected to do the full?
Are there pacers?
Any chance it will sell out?

50 to 80 will run in the full, there will be no pacers this year but as the event grows we hope to add this.

No the event won't sell out in 2014 but there a price increase ( the only one ) at the end of April.

Any other questions just post them here.

@colin32, the half route has been changed to remove that hill at mile 11 and two bad bends as well.

Dilbert75

The full route is the half route twice, is it not? If so, it's smoothed out by the change too, correct?

Is the route very sheltered or is it quite open? Just thinking July 12th could be quite sunny (though we're probably not due another sunny July for a good few years!).

I'm on the verge of signing up for the full - just need to decide that I'm going for it.

career_move

Dilbert75 wrote: »

\
I'm on the verge of signing up for the full - just need to decide that I'm going for it.

:eek:

Dilbert75

career_move wrote: »

:eek:

Damn - rumbled. Say nothing - I could get sense yet. ;-)

Claude Burgundy

Dilbert75 wrote: »

The full route is the half route twice, is it not? If so, it's smoothed out by the change too, correct?

Is the route very sheltered or is it quite open? Just thinking July 12th could be quite sunny (though we're probably not due another sunny July for a good few years!).

I'm on the verge of signing up for the full - just need to decide that I'm going for it.

Sorry for the delay !

The route is fairly sheltered but not 100%, i ran some of it during the week at about 10:30 am and i was fairly sheltered.

As one of our charities is a cancer charity sun burn etc are important and we'll have sun cream at every water station ( every 5k ) and extra water will be on reserve if needed. I know that weekend last year was HOT as i did a half iron event and got badly burned:(

The full route is mainly the half route twice but not 100%.

connundrum

Signed up for the 1/2, great price for a timed event and I know the course.

Will any of the local public houses be looking kindly on medal holders

Now, to learn how to run.

Claude Burgundy

connundrum wrote: »

Signed up for the 1/2, great price for a timed event and I know the course.

Will any of the local public houses be looking kindly on medal holders

Now, to learn how to run.

We'll be having a raffle and some fun in The Anvil that night !

Price stays at 50 for the full and 25 for the half until the end of April....so just over two days to get in at that price !!!

Claude Burgundy

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Damn - rumbled. Say nothing - I could get sense yet. ;-)

So did you get sense ??

Dilbert75

Claude Burgundy wrote: »

So did you get sense ??

Might have...

career_move

I knew you'd be back

Dilbert75

career_move wrote: »

I knew you'd be back

Why - where was I?

My next race is Hell and Back. Then the Up and Over Tri. We'll talk about after that after that.

Claude Burgundy

Dilbert75 wrote: »

Why - where was I?

My next race is Hell and Back. Then the Up and Over Tri. We'll talk about after that after that.

Oh the Up & Over tri...........that'll be a tough day at the office for some of us:(

Dilbert75

Claude Burgundy wrote: »

Oh the Up & Over tri...........that'll be a tough day at the office for some of us:(

You're right - I expect I'll be tired.

Wait - you were talking about the guys doing 12 consecutive sprint tris in 24 hours?

Claude Burgundy

Dilbert75 wrote: »

You're right - I expect I'll be tired.

Wait - you were talking about the guys doing 12 consecutive sprint tris in 24 hours?

Ya those mad clowns !!!

Remember BBQ and live music after the tri & street festival after the marathon event !

Claude Burgundy

There might be a directors run on the Friday so a nice back to back full distance for anyone who fancies it !

Gijima

Claude Burgundy wrote: »

There might be a directors run on the Friday so a nice back to back full distance for anyone who fancies it !

Some of the MCI lads will definitely be keen on a b2b, keep us posted.

baldymolloy

wish the lads all the best with the race they put on a great day
sorry that i can't make it this year would love to be doing it

SeanPuddin

Will there be another price increase? Missed the early bird unfortunately. Don't suppose there's a boardsie discount?!

Claude Burgundy

SeanPuddin wrote: »

Will there be another price increase? Missed the early bird unfortunately. Don't suppose there's a boardsie discount?!

Nope and nope !

The price will be the same up to the closing on July 1st !

George Chinaglia

What kind of numbers did you get for the full last year? Presumably you'll be hoping for the same or more this year?

Claude Burgundy

George Chinaglia wrote: »

What kind of numbers did you get for the full last year? Presumably you'll be hoping for the same or more this year?

I believe there were 55 to 60 last year. Last year was a point to point event as part of a major charity event so the route was the route and nothing could be done.

This year is on smaller roads, a lot of it in the country on nice quiet roads.

Details of the directors run will be known this evening after the organisers meet.

If anyone has any questions today is a good day to ask as i can bring them to the organisers !

George Chinaglia

Cheers Claude. I'm (relatively) local to Port but was away last year and couldn't do the race. Looking forward to it this year.

denis160

Just curious, any idea as to what numbers you are expecting for the half?

Claude Burgundy

denis160 wrote: »

Just curious, any idea as to what numbers you are expecting for the half?

Sorry for the delay with my reply. We are hoping for 80 to 100. Its a tough market out there but i'd hope that people would rather see their money go to charities than greedy race directors.

At the moment the entry fee is 32 euro which will not change BUT we might allow entry on the day at that price but with no t shirt as the t shirts are being ordered in advance with just what we need to keep costs down and allow our percentage aim of 90% to our charities be kept in line.

So far our chip timing has been sponsored, our water has been sponsored, our signs have been sponsored. The more we can get sponsored the lower the costs and the more our charities get from your entry fee.

Claude Burgundy

Directors run is open, its on July 11th stating at 9:30. Its password protected so you can pop me a message for the password. I've also posted it on the 100 club FB page !

baldymolloy

think i be able to do the directors one now

Claude Burgundy

Great to hear !

Normal or early start time ?

Gijima

Are there 2 start times for the directors?

Claude Burgundy

Gijima wrote: »

Are there 2 start times for the directors?

No just one, we were aware that the above user might need to start early because of family commitments and as they won the event last year we wanted to make sure they were involved in 2014.

baldymolloy

Claude Burgundy wrote: »

Great to hear !

Normal or early start time ?

it will have to be a early start

ultraman1

baldymolloy wrote: »

it will have to be a early start

Jaysus baldy ..Ur worse than miley bleeding Cyrus with all Ur demands...:)

Claude Burgundy

baldymolloy wrote: »

it will have to be a early start

No probs pop me a mail and we'll sort you out !

Claude Burgundy

ultraman1 wrote: »

Jaysus baldy ..Ur worse than miley bleeding Cyrus with all Ur demands...:)

Ah in Laois we're more open to helping out our runners............not like Kildare;)

baldymolloy

ultraman1 wrote: »

Jaysus baldy ..Ur worse than miley bleeding Cyrus with all Ur demands...:)

my other half brother is getting marrried that weekend so have to get in a sneaky one

Claude Burgundy

After a meeting last night i just wanted to confirm that.

1. If you intend to run and want a t shirt you must enter by June 30th as we are ordering just what we need to keep costs down and maximise the funds that go to our charites.

2. After that date you may still enter all distances online up until July 10th and after that on the morning of the race in limited numbers. No t shirts will be available on the day as the order will be going in on July 1st to our suppliers.

We will have some snazzy wristbands for sale on the day as well for just €2 with at €1.20 of that going to our charities, the rest is production costs.

I look forward to seeing as many as possible on July 12th in Portarlington and any questions just post them here !

Beef

I might run this but I don't want a tee-shirt. Autism is a charity close to my heart so can I pay on the day and the extra money will go to the charities?

Claude Burgundy

Beef wrote: »

I might run this but I don't want a tee-shirt. Autism is a charity close to my heart so can I pay on the day and the extra money will go to the charities?

Yes of course you can but just be aware that the extra you pay up until June 30th is to cover the cost of the t shirt. No less will go to our charities !