Wild Atlantic Way Half Marathon- Sligo

locombia

Is this the first year they're holding this event? Anybody know anything about it? 45 euros seems a bit steep for it I thought...but having looked at other half's it seems to be the going general rate?

libelula

Have you a link to this? I'm in Sligo and this is the first I've heard of it! Google is throwing up nothing either

Arsenium

Doesnt seem to be much on Google but if you search for "Wild Atlantic Run" on facebook it brings up the details. Looks fantastic.

Actually wildatlanticrun.com seems to be the URL.

Murph_D

Came across this the other day too. It's a part of the country I'm very familiar with and the route is interesting and certainly scenic. But I'm a bit sceptical. There's a bit of a gold rush going on out west in relation to the Wild Atlantic Way 'brand', and this race seems to be part of that. Price is steep and there's no info about the promoters (although to be fair they are not dressing it up as a 'charity' event). Could be good, but could be terrible too, if the organisers are just trying to maximise the cash. More info required!

http://wildatlanticrun.com/

tang1

Crazy money for a half marathon regardless of the route.

belcarra

Murph_D wrote: »

Came across this the other day too. It's a part of the country I'm very familiar with and the route is interesting and certainly scenic. But I'm a bit sceptical. There's a bit of a gold rush going on out west in relation to the Wild Atlantic Way 'brand', and this race seems to be part of that. Price is steep and there's no info about the promoters (although to be fair they are not dressing it up as a 'charity' event). Could be good, but could be terrible too, if the organisers are just trying to maximise the cash. More info required!

http://wildatlanticrun.com/

I agree about the 'gold rush' feeling about the WAW at the moment but I think it's a great thing. Efforts are being made to make the West coast, and in particular Mayo, an outdoor holiday destination. One thing when you go to Oz that most people say you should do is the Great Ocean Road, and so it has a lot of natural draw to the area. Likewise Big Sur in California. If the West of Ireland can get a similarly repetitive push then it'll be great for the area. Everyone coming here seems to be so aware of Kerry but there's plenty on offer further up the coast to offer too.
Who'd have thought the introduction of a few blue signposts could work so well!!:rolleyes:

The HM and WAW combine well in this regard.
It looks very much like a 'stay for the weekend' type message which presumably is being driven by Sligo business?

Also, there are buses required to bring the crowd to the start line in Strandhill and home from Rosses Point so I can see why the costs might be higher as a result. (Still quite steep mind you!)

belcarra

tang1 wrote: »

Crazy money for a half marathon regardless of the route.

Expensive alright but to place in context Achill HM on July 4th is €55 and Connemara HM is €70. Not defending the Sligo run but there are more expensive HMs out there.

tang1

belcarra wrote: »

Expensive alright but to place in context Achill HM on July 4th is €55 and Connemara HM is €70. Not defending the Sligo run but there are more expensive HMs out there.

Oh i know theres dearer out there, cheaper and extremely well run ones about aswell. Its all about what the person wants i suppose. I'm sure there will be plenty who will pay to run this.

libelula

Looks like a nice one tbh. Stunning scenery along there.
There's a 10 mile every year around that time that runs from Strandhill straight out to Rosses Point, run by Sligo AC and it's a lovely route. Adding the Coney Island bit (sand) will give fabulous scenery, but take from the speed of the course.

demfad

Murph_D wrote: »

Came across this the other day too. It's a part of the country I'm very familiar with and the route is interesting and certainly scenic. But I'm a bit sceptical. There's a bit of a gold rush going on out west in relation to the Wild Atlantic Way 'brand', and this race seems to be part of that. Price is steep and there's no info about the promoters (although to be fair they are not dressing it up as a 'charity' event). Could be good, but could be terrible too, if the organisers are just trying to maximise the cash. More info required!

http://wildatlanticrun.com/

Heavyweight sponsors UTV, SKY etc.

The twitter account linked from their site is @runwild2015
I did a search #wildatlanticrun and asked who was the organiser? Under that hashtag there is one user....sonia@wildatlanticrun with a pic of THE Sonia.

There is money behind this. Fancy promotional video. It shows some of the course but the guy (running down sand doon and in water) is running near the course not on it.

The race is basically being promoted as a trail race even though only 2-3k out of 21k is actually off tarmac.


I'm going to contact the tourism board and ask them about their involvement it any. Doesn't feel right somehow.

Ill probably do the real roadrace two weeks later between Strandhill and Rosses Point for €15. (I think)

I am tempted for the novelty factor though as the offroad part is behind the house where I grew up and my Dad still lives. Will see what the tourism folk say.

annapr

libelula wrote: »

Looks like a nice one tbh. Stunning scenery along there.
There's a 10 mile every year around that time that runs from Strandhill straight out to Rosses Point, run by Sligo AC and it's a lovely route. Adding the Coney Island bit (sand) will give fabulous scenery, but take from the speed of the course.

they're adding Coney Island? I hope the tide will be out or could be damp :eek:

Lovely place to finish in Rosses Point...

demfad

annapr wrote: »

they're adding Coney Island? I hope the tide will be out or could be damp :eek:

Lovely place to finish in Rosses Point...

Rosses Point is lovely...you can just about see Strandhill from it! Only kidding it is beautiful.

The offroad part doesnt leave the shoreline and only has a small beach section of a few hundred metres at Kilaspugbrone beach. It passes close to an Island called Maguins Island near Kilaspugbrone church. Coney is visible but farther into Sligo bay.

Murph_D

Is the Sligo Coast to Coast 10-mile even on this year? Maybe this is replacing it? Would be much more interested in it if there's club involvement.

demfad

Murph_D wrote: »

Is the Sligo Coast to Coast 10-mile even on this year? Maybe this is replacing it? Would be much more interested in it if there's club involvement.

Its on. This is an outline of a message sent last week to a Sligo running group

"Hi everybody,

Sligo Coast to Coast Charity 10 mile run/walk/roll will take place on Sunday 27th of September 2015. The route as always will be between Strandhill and Rosses Point taking in 10 miles of scenic
Wild Atlantic Way coastline.

......... please give a shout out about Sligo coast to coast as we're facing stiff competition this year from a similar event.

Yours in sport ."

kit3

belcarra wrote: »

Expensive alright but to place in context Achill HM on July 4th is €55 and Connemara HM is €70. Not defending the Sligo run but there are more expensive HMs out there.

Achill was €60 for a number of years but they made a big deal about 2 years ago about reducing it to €40. Not impressed to see it is up to €55 again now. It's a great place to run but they use local volunteers & would have none of the usual costs (road closures etc) that I can see.

libelula

annapr wrote: »

they're adding Coney Island? I hope the tide will be out or could be damp :eek:

Lovely place to finish in Rosses Point...

No sorry, I meant the new half marathon is like the Coast to Coast but with Coney added in. Hungry lula no speak good

Murph_D

Where are you seeing that? The course passes Coney Island but doesn't cross it. (Also Rosses Point seems to the the starting point, not the finish).

And as much as I like Sligo Bay, this route is more the Garavogue Estuary than the Wild Atlantic!

demfad

Murph_D wrote: »

Where are you seeing that? The course passes Coney Island but doesn't cross it. (Also Rosses Point seems to the the starting point, not the finish).

And as much as I like Sligo Bay, this route is more the Garavogue Estuary than the Wild Atlantic!

OK. Its far better in that direction. Here's the Kilaspubrone loop that the trail part is based on. You see the course on the site is misleading as it does not hug the coast near Coney but turns inland through the ahem 'pine woodland' :pac: .
The owners of the White house at the end of the runway (Walkers Lodge) used this as a horse trail so its kind of a windy path through the trees. There was a dispute and the whole access from that side was cut off. The compromise was this forest trail.

I honestly never thought Id see it used as part of a race. Its nice though.

It's funny I have a training route around Strandhill which takes in the scenic stuff. Not much road on it though! This kind of rift valley is on it although you might not get the sound track every day!

libelula

Murph_D wrote: »

Where are you seeing that? The course passes Coney Island but doesn't cross it. (Also Rosses Point seems to the the starting point, not the finish).

And as much as I like Sligo Bay, this route is more the Garavogue Estuary than the Wild Atlantic!

Apologies, I don't know what my brain read or saw! I think I just made up a route in my head or something >.>.

annapr

libelula wrote: »

Apologies, I don't know what my brain read or saw! I think I just made up a route in my head or something >.>.

it's a pretty cool idea, a HM to Coney Island... could be like the wings for life where the car catches the slower runners, except that instead of a car, it would be the tide! Now that would be a wild atlantic way...

libelula

annapr wrote: »

it's a pretty cool idea, a HM to Coney Island... could be like the wings for life where the car catches the slower runners, except that instead of a car, it would be the tide! Now that would be a wild atlantic way...

I can really see health and safety going for that one :pac:

demfad

annapr wrote: »

it's a pretty cool idea, a HM to Coney Island... could be like the wings for life where the car catches the slower runners, except that instead of a car, it would be the tide! Now that would be a wild atlantic way...

There is a 10 mile or (10k option) race from Strandhill to Coney Island in October.

Coney Island Race

tang1

There obviously going all out on this, seen fancy ad for it on tv today.

Mint Sauce

Its pretty much a re marketing of The Coast to Coast. Still tempted though. Will be great to do a local half marathon, every previous one has be at least an hours drive.

As its a point to point, great to have a bus transfer to. Hopefully will include a bag drop in that.

conavitzky

It looks very gimmicky to be honest. If its been run as a money making venture (which it looks like given the advert, etc) it would turn me off it. Something doesn't quite sit right with me signing up to privately run events that will line some individuals pockets. Would much rather sign up for a local club event where the money is reinvested in grass roots athletics or to a worthy local charity. Streets of Sligo run by Sligo AC yesterday being an example.
But that's just me! Hopefully bring an influx into Sligo for the weekend - I'm sure it will be a success.

davedanon

Waterford Half is €25.