Clontarf Half Marathon November 2017

Cagier

I searched hard but could not find a thread for the November race. I've read the threads from previous events but thought it would be good to start one for this specific event.

(If anyone who is attending and is a regular Strava user then you might be interested in joining the club or the race event on Strava!)

I know the route varies slightly and there is much trepidation about the terrain with the sand. As this is my first Half, I'm just looking for a couple of tips on pace. I'm fairly confident I can go sub 2 hours or better but how much should I bank before the sand (in each direction) and how many km out do you hit the soft sand?

I've conflicting advice about going out slow and saving something for the way back or just going out at your pace and trying to hang on! Again, any advice from those with some experience would be really appreciated!

Unthought Known

It really depends on the wind. The sand is very compact and nice to run on apart from a small bit of soft sand going onto and off the beach.

If you're pretty confident about 2 hours I would get behind the 2 hour pacers. They'll keep you honest in the first half when the wind is generally behind you. Good idea to stick with them on the sand on the way back as you'll appreciate the shelter running in a group. You do not want to get isolated on the beach if the wind is against you.

Good luck, it's a great race.

Cagier

Sounds like great advice. Thanks very much. I'll keep an eye out for big fellows to run behind then!

I've managed to have a good look at the course from the gpx in the sticky and have a much better idea about where the sand is now. Hopefully conditions will be kind on the day!

Cheers

wookiesleep

Be prepared for the wind when you turn at half way. I've got caught out before running too fast thinking i'm superman with the wind at my back only to be brought back to reality on the turn. It is a very flat course but the wind can make it interesting as pacing strategy has to compensate.

KAGY

Current forecast show it to be fairly cold (4 or 5 deg at 9 o'c), but dry with possibilities of sunny spells.

Wind though is 20-25km/h from the west, so strong crosswinds for most of the course.

I know this might change daily until then, but it'll be great if it stays dry

Cagier

Yeah, I was looking at the long range and I'd take cold and dry over warm and wet any day!

Also, it does look like it will be an offshore wind, although it would seem better to have a crosswind rather than a headwind I suppose. However, it will still be smack in your face coming up from the beach.

Fingers crossed anyway!

MisterDrak

Also worth pointing out that from around mile 5 (back on to the coast road) the path way is pretty narrow. In the 2 hour bus there wont be massive space to use.

Sunny Dayz

Doing the 5 mile on Saturday, what's it like. All I've been told is it's scenic!

KAGY

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Doing the 5 mile on Saturday, what's it like. All I've been told is it's scenic!

https://www.instantstreetview.com/@53.352609,-6.165679,260.88h,-15.36p,1.92z,xahl7EI7Cf2qWF5cf8NzrQ

Should give you an idea.
I've only run along the sea front once but there's something about running along looking out over the bay

MisterDrak

Sunny Dayz wrote: »

Doing the 5 mile on Saturday, what's it like. All I've been told is it's scenic!

Pretty scenic, but you will be running with the Sea fully out, so there is lots of mud and marsh.

This route is best, when there is high tide and a strong east wind...

The beach section can feel deceptively slow when racing, due to the large vista (Dublin bay and Howth Hill).

Sunny Dayz

Cheers. When you live in the midlands then running near the coastline will be a novelty at least!

Downtime

MisterDrak wrote: »

Pretty scenic, but you will be running with the Sea fully out, so there is lots of mud and marsh.

This route is best, when there is high tide and a strong east wind...

The beach section can feel deceptively slow when racing, due to the large vista (Dublin bay and Howth Hill).

The five mile doesn't go on the sand or beach. It is all one a hard surface.

Seannew1

I did this half-marathon in the Summer and it was definitely one the toughest's halfs I've ever done. The beach on the return leg came at the wrong time for me!!

thisismy

Is it possible to sign up on the day? Says it's sold out on the site but I'm guessing there will be a few no-shows because of the weather....

eoin ryan

Sorry - no.
You can't sign up on the day

Sheep1978

what time does this start.? Is there an online map of the course anywhere.?

jameshayes

Sheep1978 wrote: »

what time does this start.? Is there an online map of the course anywhere.?

All the info is on their site

Wubble Wubble

http://rundublin.com/race/clontarf-copy/

Sheep1978

Cheers J

gawker

Any advice from people who have run this course before?

Looks like it'll be a nippy one with this weather!

doughef

Hi guys

What's the parking like out there?

Ran this race last year, the wooden bridge in the cold conditions is a death trap. Any benefit of the flat course is far outweighed by the strong wind and running on sand. Wouldn't recommend it.

gawker

Sunjava wrote: »

Ran this race last year, the wooden bridge in the cold conditions is a death trap. Any benefit of the flat course is far outweighed by the strong wind and running on sand. Wouldn't recommend it.

Well this has me hyped :eek:

gawker

doughef wrote: »

Hi guys

What's the parking like out there?

Parking isn't great - the DART station might have space if you are there early enough.

fletch

They are recommending parking in Eastpoint
http://rundublin.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/v1-2017-Nov-Final-Information-to-competitors.pdf

KAGY

Best of luck tomorrow lads and ladies.
Hope the bottles will be still liquid :-)

doughef

A tough tough race !

Strange that it started on footpaths - most people just ran on the grass., but it seemed to work out fine
The beach was amazing, such a scenic course also.
Water stations were perfect

then came the second half 🙄
Unreal wind- absolutely crazy on the beach but I had enough in the tank to cling on and keep up so I was thrilled.
Hit my desired time too.

Nice water /bars at the end and the soup was most welcome !!

A great race

Wubble Wubble

Well done B, XC racing stood to you. Couldn't go today, hopefully I'll be there again next summer.

echancrure

Well done everyone.
A very scenic route and running on the beach (twice) was awesome.

Was pacing 1:45 which went OK but lost quite a few runners on the beach on the way back due to the wind. Had a minute in the bank at half way which I think is reasonable. Finished with a positive split due to the wind just under 1:45.

Great day.

Dealerz

My god the wind on the beach- enjoyed the race but found it really tough.

Where and when are results available?

fletch

echancrure wrote: »

A very scenic route and running on the beach (twice) was awesome.

Was it? For a flat half, it must have been one of the toughest I have done and I wasn't even going at race pace as I was pacing 1:30. Had 30 seconds in the bank at the half way mark but in hindsight I would have preferred to have had a minute as I too lost a lot of runners, although not on the beach, but on the road off the beach where the wind seemed to be at it's strongest. Soup afterwards was much appreciated! Really well organised race...couldn't fault it. 30 minute shower when I got home and I'm only starting to feel warm :eek:

OOnegative

Dealerz wrote: »

My god the wind on the beach- enjoyed the race but found it really tough.

Where and when are results available?

Red Tag Timing.

wookiesleep

That was a tough one for the last 4k or so. Target was 1.28 but was happy with been a minute ten over. Had 25secs in the bank hitting the beach on the way back. That was gone by the end of the beach and then that stretch down the path was a killer. Missed a pb by a second. I think the wind adds to this race greatly, it makes it a good bloody challenge

fletch

Results
5 mile
Half

KAGY

Dealerz wrote: »

My god the wind on the beach- enjoyed the race but found it really tough.

Where and when are results available?

Up now
Redtagtiming.com

A minute off my desired time, but I'm happy enough considering that wind, at least it was sort of across the beach. Other than that wasn't it a great day for the run

Dealerz

1:59:45- new PB- chuffed as that wind was savage.

Cagier

Wow. Blown away for my first Half Marathon. It was a bit emotional if I'm honest!

It was really well organised. My only issue would be that you couldn't hear the race instructions from further back so it was a little disorganised at the start but it worked out fine.

I had a comprehensive pacing strategy targeting 1:50 although in reality I was just hoping for sub 1:55. Glad I allowed a good bit for the soft sand and the water stations as the sand was fine on the day and the stations were well organised, although I did manage to nearly choke/drown myself at the halfway mark!

I was thinking the wind wasn't too bad but jaysus the beach on the way back was a killer! I tucked in behind a few people but lost a couple of minutes there that I didn't expect (even though I had been warned repeatedly). Strava had me on target to go sub 1:50 but was about 300 meters off and I cramped up in the last 500 meters. However, extremely happy with my 1:51:15 (and leaves me with a realistic goal for my next half!)

Well done to everyone who participated and thanks to everyone on this thread for all their tips and advice.

Calvin Johnson

Very tough second half with the wind, very tough.

KAGY

Screenshot_20171126-141623~01~01.png

Spot the beach!

wookiesleep

Great pace from the winner. He averaged 3.38 per Km. That's some performance considering the wind. My mind can't even comprehend the determination

gawker

I enjoyed it - it was my first half marathon in over a year after having a tough time with injuries, so I did not pay too much attention to time. The second half was very tough with the wind, but made the race more worthwhile too.

Pretty well-run, although the Qs for the numbers and toilets were both very long and the pre-race info could really be summarised into a couple of pages rather than a long, winding essay. I'd do it again next year, but would definitely wear a hat

KAGY

wookiesleep wrote: »

Great pace from the winner. He averaged 3.38 per Km. That's some performance considering the wind. My mind can't even comprehend the determination

Ahh that's nothing, my pace was nearly double that :-P

met him coming onto the causeway as I was just turning back onto the cycle track, smiling too :-)

Sunny Dayz

First time to ever set foot in Clontarf, beautiful place. Well organised, great crowds there. I agree with what another poster said, they could do without the essay of instructions, we really don't need that much information or even just summarise the main points on the front page, main things people need to know are start times and where to park.


Did the 5 mile and my time wasn't as good as I hoped. I've put it down to the fact that I hadn't a good sleep the night before and the wind coming back the way was bitter - out of the organisers control of course! The bit where we were on Bull Island and in single file out and back was very tight, little or no overtaking room and I was near clipping the heels of the girl in front of me a few times.


Great spread of food at the end, the soup was a nice touch on such a cold day and it was really yummy.

Comic Book Guy

First time to run in this event. Lovely part of the country. Had a fairly limited training schedule for it so took it handy enough going out but felt comfortable enough after the beach so picked it up a bit to halfway. Missed getting a water bottle at that point because of some elderly pedestrians deciding to stop and stand right in front of the people giving out the bottles!
Picked up my pace from then back to the beach but my God what a head wind once ya hit the sand! There were no groups in front of me just individuals chugging along as best as they could but managed to put my head down and mentally just pick one off after another.
Tough little mini climb back off the beach! Nice to get the support of people heading back in because it really wasn't a morning for standing around!
Really nice medal at the end too.

Defo one I will be looking to do again next year.

demfad

wookiesleep wrote: »

Great pace from the winner. He averaged 3.38 per Km. That's some performance considering the wind. My mind can't even comprehend the determination

I can second that literally. I train in the area all the time and was hoping good pacing in the wind might get me a good placing or even a win.

The winner put 55s on me in the first 4k which was well out of my class. I passed 5k in 16:22 so he must have been nearly a minute quicker.
At the turn he was 45s ahead and having saved a lot of energy for the return I was optimistic and determined to push him into the wind to make his early pace hurt him later on. He didnt buckle at all and was about 50s ahead at the end, in control throughout.
I checked his results out after in other races and he ran 2:33 for Dublin, making it well into the marathon race at 2:30 target pace. That would explain him being able to keep running stronger even after a very fast start.

Very tough half. My sister in law and a big group of her mates were out in force and suffered on the way back. 10.5 km is a long distance back with almost every step into the wind especially on beach and after.