Anyone fancy a run on Sunday?

Clearlier

A good friend of mine Peter Thompson has taken on the challenge of running 44 marathons in 44 days in the 44 countries of Europe. He has completed 42 so far, 43 is on Saturday in Iceland and he's flying in to Dublin to run the 44th on Sunday.

If you're free to run even just a few miles on Sunday it would be great - if you want to run the whole thing all the better!

Departure is at 12:30 from the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel which is on Golden Lane in Dublin not far from Christchurch cathedral. The finish is at the Market Bar.

Although his PB is pretty quick he has (unsurprisingly) not been pushing the pace during this challenge. Most of his marathons have come in around the 4 hour mark.

There's a map of the out route that he's going to follow here and the return route here.

You can read more about the challenge here.
You can find him on twitter here and on Facebook here.

It is a pretty epic challenge that he is on the verge of completing. Pete is one of life's good guys and it would be great if he could receive a big welcome and support on Sunday. Even if you can't do any running everyone is welcome at the Market Bar where tables are booked from 4pm.

Murph_D

Might want to rethink the Bull Island part of route. Could be wrong but don't think that side of the island is accessible if not a golf club member! Will probably have to run on the beach, so might have to adjust time/distance.

Good luck with this. Most of this route is very familiar territory for me; running Terenure on Sun so won't be around.

Clearlier

Murph_D wrote: »

Might want to rethink the Bull Island part of route. Could be wrong but don't think that side of the island is accessible if not a golf club member! Will probably have to run on the beach, so might have to adjust time/distance.

Good luck with this. Most of this route is very familiar territory for me; running Terenure on Sun so won't be around.

Good luck in Terenure. You're right about using the beach. I haven't designed the route but the person who has also wrote a description of it which is below. It includes various options for joining in for part of the run which is where my telephone number may come in useful.

We take right from the hotel and pass St.Patricks Cathedral, which is Irelands largest and said to be the location where St.Patrick baptised converts in the holy well on this site.

We swiftly turn right again and head past Christchurch Cathedral, which originally was founded by the Vikings. We head down St.Michaels Hill, which is exactly the place the Vikings founded Dublin year 841.

We will follow the River Liffey along the boardwalk passing the famous Ha’Penny Bridge until we reach O’Connell Bridge. Take a left and run up Irelands widest boulevard, and once the most fashionable street in Dublin. Large parts were demolished during the 1916 Easter rising, which took place at the GPO. We take a right hand turn at The Monument of Light, which is a 120 tall stainless steel spire.

Down North Earl Street and Talbot street where we take left by Connolly Station. This road will lead us north and Fariview Park, eventually we hit the coast in Clontarf.

From Clontarf there is a beautiful seaside walk that will take us all the way out to Howth Peninsula. At the Woodenbridge junction we take a right over the bridge out to Bull Island, which is a birdsanctuary and a 5 km long beach, popular with kitesurfers. We follow the beach for ca 2.5 km (hard sand) until we reach the Causeway which will take us back to the strand road. We arrive into Howth, through the village along the harbour and will go all the way out to the end of the pier where Howth Lighthouse is situated. This is the turning point. (22.5km) For anyone who wants to only do the first half there is a DART station in Howth that will bring them back to city centre. Likewise if anyone wants to join for the second ½ only, they can get the train out and join from here.

Coming back, we go back the same way, but skip the beach detour. At Clontarf Wind monument we take a left over the Alfie Byrne Road. This will be a good place for anyone who wants to join only for the last stretch. It is close to the Clontarf DART station (urban rail). There is also a nice café and a great pub (The Yacht) for hanging around waiting if weather is not good.

We run down to Dublin Port where we hit the River Liffey again at the Point Theatre (02 Arena). We cross the river and into the Docklands area which is home to many mulitnationals like Google HQ, Facebook etc. This will bring us to the Grand Canal, which has a nice patch along the Canal away from traffic. The Canal path will bring us to the trendy area of Portobello where we take a right hand onto Richmond Road, and Camden Street and then we are just on a gentle downhill straight down to Market Bar. FINISHED! DONE! FiNITO!

Battery Kinzie

Sounds like it goes along the beach so, but on the map you can't go along the beach so it takes the road alongside the beach (which is a private road).

Will be a really nice run to finish it off. Are you expecting many to join along?

Dub13

No issues running on the beach at all, I do it a lot in the summer. Nice route they have picked. Good luck with it.

Clearlier

Battery Kinzie wrote: »

Sounds like it goes along the beach so, but on the map you can't go along the beach so it takes the road alongside the beach (which is a private road).

Will be a really nice run to finish it off. Are you expecting many to join along?

I really don't know. I've been in touch with him a little bit but he has had other things on his mind than Dublin these past 6 weeks .

I'll be running as far as I can manage and I think that the person who put the route together may have a couple of people who will be doing at least part of the route.

Murph_D

How was it?

Clearlier

Murph_D wrote: »

How was it?

Painful for me but a great day for Pete. I made it out to Howth harbour before calling it a day. He of course made it all the way to the market bar. One other woman went out to Howth with us and the organiser of the route - a Swedish woman called Fia ran parts and cycled other parts. There were also another half a dozen cyclists in tow. I had originally planned to be at the finish line but sense prevailed as I realised that I would be struggling to make my return flight. Still the pictures and odd video suggest that he enjoyed the finish.

There's a short article in the Irish Times about it. I have no idea why the author thinks that we started in Dun Laoghaire though!