[Event] Challenge Galway 2016

joeKel73

Was the run route a bit short?

My watch was late getting location so I didn't have an exact distance but it wasn't adding up. Looking now on Strava, most people doing the half seem to be coming in at 20.3km or 20.4km.

catweazle

All in all mostly positive for me, the only real thing that rankled with me was the sneaky semantics of the TI official just before the swim start. "Tightening up" the course by moving a few buoys around to avoid the swell further out to me or anyone else around me did not sound like a shortened course. Really enjoyed the swim - swam well and found it relatively calm after a few hairy swims during the week but to be congratulated for being under 60 minutes had me laughing running in - I certainly wasn't swimming that well. There was room even within the bay to make it a full distance

The long transition was enjoyable, normally I would amble up to transition taking it easy but with all the 1/2 entrants lined up along the route and with me knowing a good few of them I ran for a change. Was a good feeling getting all the support after a good swim, I would say a few of them thought feck me Catweazle must have put the work into the pool this year :P. Reminded me a little of the ultra runners in Connemara going past the full marathon runners as they are about to start.

The bike was an utter disaster for me and I wasn't far off last for a long part of it, however that was no fault of the event - aid stations were still fully stocked even at that stage. Volunteers were all super friendly and in good spirits and it was atrocious weather at that stage. Traffic management was still all in place even with me being so far behind. That bike course is tough even in good weather so the rain and wind didn't help

The run was grand - it was quieter when I was out running so I had no trouble dodging the odd walker and his dog etc but I wonder what it was like when the course was busier - I assume they asked for a partition from the council but were refused, even a narrow traffic cone strip would have worked well. Good support as well and it was nice to be able to bring the kids over the finishing line with me

All in all besides the weather and far less participant numbers than IM France which I did last year I didn't notice any massive differences. I probably wont do a full next year but I wouldn't mind doing this again if I changed my mind (wife changes her mind)

Hope they come back and sign me up for the 1/2

stampydmonkey

J o e wrote: »

Was the run route a bit short?

My watch was late getting location so I didn't have an exact distance but it wasn't adding up. Looking now on Strava, most people doing the half seem to be coming in at 20.3km or 20.4km.

Don't forget the nice stroll from the swim to T1 ; )

BTH

tunney wrote: »

Emmmmm who's a cranky boy then?

Not in the slightest bit cranky. Just trying to make sure you rein in your hypocrisy a little.

mloc123

BTH wrote: »

Not in the slightest bit cranky. Just trying to make sure you rein in your hypocrisy a little.

Play nice you two...

BTH

catweazle wrote: »

All in all mostly positive for me, the only real thing that rankled with me was the sneaky semantics of the TI official just before the swim start. "Tightening up" the course by moving a few buoys around to avoid the swell further out to me or anyone else around me did not sound like a shortened course. Really enjoyed the swim - swam well and found it relatively calm after a few hairy swims during the week but to be congratulated for being under 60 minutes had me laughing running in - I certainly wasn't swimming that well. There was room even within the bay to make it a full distance

The long transition was enjoyable, normally I would amble up to transition taking it easy but with all the 1/2 entrants lined up along the route and with me knowing a good few of them I ran for a change. Was a good feeling getting all the support after a good swim, I would say a few of them thought feck me Catweazle must have put the work into the pool this year :P. Reminded me a little of the ultra runners in Connemara going past the full marathon runners as they are about to start.

The bike was an utter disaster for me and I wasn't far off last for a long part of it, however that was no fault of the event - aid stations were still fully stocked even at that stage. Volunteers were all super friendly and in good spirits and it was atrocious weather at that stage. Traffic management was still all in place even with me being so far behind. That bike course is tough even in good weather so the rain and wind didn't help

The run was grand - it was quieter when I was out running so I had no trouble dodging the odd walker and his dog etc but I wonder what it was like when the course was busier - I assume they asked for a partition from the council but were refused, even a narrow traffic cone strip would have worked well. Good support as well and it was nice to be able to bring the kids over the finishing line with me

All in all besides the weather and far less participant numbers than IM France which I did last year I didn't notice any massive differences. I probably wont do a full next year but I wouldn't mind doing this again if I changed my mind (wife changes her mind)

Hope they come back and sign me up for the 1/2

Fair play for sticking with it John. Bumped into L, she said you were just starting the run. I was heading down to see the winner cross the finish line. I'd have thrown in the towel in your shoes (although I'm getting a bit of a reputation at this stage anyway!!).

BTH

mloc123 wrote: »

Play nice you two...

He'd be the first one shouting at someone else for the same thing.

fermtri

Organisation was a bit haphazard in places, but overall, I really enjoyed the event - I don't have much experience, but I'm fast learning at Tri's that you need to take personal responsibility for ensuring you are in place in time, know where you're going etc, as late changes seem to be the norm.

The volunteers were fantastic - apologies to the pair I scared at the second (half) aid station on the bike as I missed the first bottle and veered towards them - always under control of course though ; and the supporters make a massive difference, its especially great seeing them at a random quiet spot.

Negatives = the run from the swim to T1 (massive!), lack of infrastructure (tape/marshalls) on much of the run
Positives = 'most everything else

I'd like to see it back again, and would be confident it could improve, grow and become a real full on weekend festival.

frazzledazzle

Raced the half .......... to me it was IM on a budget but better run than IM70.3 2011 in Galway, very positive experience overall - I thought the Saturday whilst spread out timewise actually flowed quite nicely, I heard nothing official on the swim - so the half was really 1750m (or thereabouts ?)- still better than the Dublin 70.3 cock up on their swim !

I didnt mind wet bags in T1 & 2 - it was pissing rain anyway, though it was carnage in the T1 tent, the volunteers were calm & fantastic, the traffic management plan seemed to work from what I saw out on the bike - if the roads were better (and we all know where on the half) it would have been a great bike course, not just an ok one - the run I thought was great, integrated the dock area well, love the Salthill prom, flat as a pancake and plenty of nutrtion - just 2nd lap the wind nearly had me on my knees (huge respect for the lads doing the full) ...... more toilets would have been a plus, finish area was busy with an atmosphere and that beer at the end worked for me even though it was lead free ......... so all in all happy out, oh and a massive PB !

Would do it again - sure, why not - I love Galway and you dont go for the weather !

joey100

@frazzledazzle, just curious, I done neither race, but why is a short swim at Galway half better than a long swim at Dublin half? Both were mistakes, neither seem to have been done on purpose. Why was one a mistake and one a cock up??

joeKel73

The swim was shorted in Galway due to the choppy conditions.

frazzledazzle

joey100 wrote: »

@frazzledazzle, just curious, I done neither race, but why is a short swim at Galway half better than a long swim at Dublin half? Both were mistakes, neither seem to have been done on purpose. Why was one a mistake and one a cock up??

This is just my humble opinion - at least on Sunday it was rumored that the swim was shortened and later backed up, I arrived at the start for my wave and was straight in the water so probably missed it, whereas Dublin 70.3 was a complete cock up and we were never offically warned that we swam an extra 300m - some were stopped from racing as they were over the time limit ....... I knew 2 people that were "removed from the race" and completly disheartened by the experience that one of them nearly gave up the sport - if the swim had have been correct they would have both made it ..........

Now back to Challenge Galway .........

youngrun

BTH wrote: »

Yes there were corners cut, but there is no way the organisers came out of the weekend in profit.

Surely they would ? Whats the big costs . big entry fees and decent numbers ?

sconhome

youngrun wrote: »

Surely they would ? Whats the big costs . big entry fees and decent numbers ?

Guards, marshals, civil defence, infrastructure, road closures, clubs to mention a few off the top of my head.

Events are no gravy train and it can take 3-5 years for an event to begin to turn a profit. It is very rare that there is an overnight success without a massive setup investment and pot of gold.

There is a lot of complaints in the Galway city forum about the traffic problems caused by the road closures and the poor warning given of the same.

BTH

youngrun wrote: »

Surely they would ? Whats the big costs . big entry fees and decent numbers ?

Have you any idea how much each of these are??
Countless barriers at the swim and city centre?
The massive marques in the finish area?
The massive stage?
The bands that played on said stage?
The franchise payment to challenge family?
Road closures in Galway county?
Road closures in Galway city?

At least five figures for each of these.

youngrun

BTH wrote: »

Have you any idea how much each of these are??
Countless barriers at the swim and city centre?
The massive marques in the finish area?
The massive stage?
The bands that played on said stage?
The franchise payment to challenge family?
Road closures in Galway county?
Road closures in Galway city?

At least five figures for each of these.

Yes I would expect that and all the above could be 100k plus
350k plus entry fees though I guess?
Should be able to make a few bob I guess you would want to given the huge time input and work on such an event

BTH

youngrun wrote: »

Yes I would expect that and all the above could be 100k plus
350k plus entry fees though I guess?
Should be able to make a few bob I guess you would want to given the huge time input and work on such an event

I reckon you're about half right.

joeKel73

BTH wrote: »

At least five figures for each of these.

Add on the fireworks display - they're very expensive and it was a pretty decent display. Unfortunately there was only a very small crowd left to enjoy it.

bryangiggsy

Weather wise they got very unlucky imo. Yeah you would expect the odd shower but to piss all day is a tough break.1st year of event there is always going to be hiccups. Ireland does not seem to do well with urban triathlons. We moan a lot and don't row in because there is nothing in it for us... selfish bunch the lot of us. Traffic mgt has to be sorted for this event to be a success. I fear for the event due to the history of county councils out wHest.

Jakey Rolling

bryangiggsy wrote:

Weather wise they got very unlucky imo. Yeah you would expect the odd shower but to piss all day is a tough break.1st year of event there is always going to be hiccups. Ireland does not seem to do well with urban triathlons. We moan a lot and don't row in because there is nothing in it for us... selfish bunch the lot of us. Traffic mgt has to be sorted for this event to be a success. I fear for the event due to the history of county councils out wHest.

Don't think they'll ever get the community buy-in here that they do in the likes of Roth - 6000 volunteers for 5000 competitors is hard to beat!

jimbobaloobob

I agree. There's too many things happening in Galway. A triathlon of the scale this should be impacts more than it benefits.
I also feel the planning needs to be more stringent. I remember with the ironman 70.3 before there was many public meetings to hear the plans and it was well vocalised. This was almost being treated as a secret.

kal7

The run should have been correct distance with an Athletics Ireland run course person.

In my opinion event went well, from racers viewpoint.
There was not enough media coverage, so volunteers and crowds didn't know it was on, or what it was.
So those who volunteered were stretched, but managed a good job nonetheless.

local supporters were great.

I hope it continues, iron out few mistakes, build on buy in from locals.

if they had better day the run on prom would have been tricky with those just out fro stroll.

bryangiggsy

Jakey Rolling wrote: »

Don't think they'll ever get the community buy-in here that they do in the likes of Roth - 6000 volunteers for 5000 competitors is hard to beat!

Roth is the gold standard , is full distance and around a long time. You can't compare the two. Last year I did Paguera. The roads were closed for 45k (2 laps) cycling through the tourist hot spots of palma nova, magalluf, santa ponca. ..It was epic. .. plus we had sunshine. Negative was whole trip cost about a grand. If Galway county council want the tourism then close the road. More people would sign up then imo. From the people I have talked to with adjusting one or two things would sign up for Galway again. Lough Cutra on the other hand I would not because of the run course.

kierank01

a 2 loop 90k for the full might be easier to organize, and might generate momentum/buy-in from locals & councils, and then lead to a full closure for a 1 loop 180k...

jnk883

kierank01 wrote: »

a 2 loop 90k for the full might be easier to organize, and might generate momentum/buy-in from locals & councils, and then lead to a full closure for a 1 loop 180k...

I guess the whole draw for the full is the epic views along the course and having to tackle places like corkscrew hill. For me the elevation put me off attempting the full. Cycling is my weakest so to tackle some of those hills on the full were not for me. (I'm a whimp :-) )
I did the half and it is a fast course so I'm sure people looking at that would be tempted. Doing 2 loops of that would be good for timing but may not attract the people looking for a challenge and may not attract the people looking for something unique such as the climbs involved. I feel it can be a success but they need to learn from mistakes and listen to constructive feedback that is given. This time last year registration was already open so it will be interesting to see will they get out ahead of Ironman Dublin again

pgibbo

bryangiggsy wrote: »

Jakey Rolling wrote: »

Don't think they'll ever get the community buy-in here that they do in the likes of Roth - 6000 volunteers for 5000 competitors is hard to beat!

Roth is the gold standard , is full distance and around a long time. You can't compare the two. Last year I did Paguera. The roads were closed for 45k (2 laps) cycling through the tourist hot spots of palma nova, magalluf, santa ponca. ..It was epic. .. plus we had sunshine. Negative was whole trip cost about a grand. If Galway county council want the tourism then close the road. More people would sign up then imo. From the people I have talked to with adjusting one or two things would sign up for Galway again. Lough Cutra on the other hand I would not because of the run course.

As someone pointed out to me yesterday, working with 3 councils is a disaster. They had to work with Galway City Council, Galway County Council and Clare County Council. I think that needs to be reduced to 1 or 2 max for it to run smoother.

Anyone that I spoke to also said they'd sign up again.

RacoonQueen

I was thinking of this for next year rather than Nice/Austria but reports have put me off. If next year goes well I'd definitely consider for 2018 or 2019.
With less than 200 spots left now for Austria it's decision time for me...

MojoMaker

How hard would it be to mark out a nice 30k loop and have the half do it 3 times and the full 6 times, and take this inter-county negotiation nightmare out of the equation.

mloc123

MojoMaker wrote: »

How hard would it be to mark out a nice 30k loop and have the half do it 3 times and the full 6 times, and take this inter-county negotiation nightmare out of the equation.

Draft fest. 1000 people (I assume that would be there target) all on a 30km loop.... Worse than DCT for congestion.