Dublin marathon to sell out in "few days"

Djoucer

Friendly reminder for those not on FB.

Dublin marathon down to 2500 entries today. They reckon it'll sell out in next few days.

purelike

Could it be sold out before the end of the weekend? Amazing to see how popular the race is becoming.

Djoucer

Reckon before then. They had 3200 entries yesterday.

purelike

Bejaysus! Most races would be very happy just to get 3,200 entries in total.

robinph

When did entries open?

Downtime

robinph wrote: »

When did entries open?

A couple of days after the 2017 marathon finished.

Woden

cheers i'm undecided but want to have the option

robinph

Downtime wrote: »

A couple of days after the 2017 marathon finished.

Would need a major uptick in the rate of entries to get through 2500 in a "few days" then.

benjamin d

robinph wrote: »

Would need a major uptick in the rate of entries to get through 2500 in a "few days" then.

As always happens. 2 years ago they announced they expected to sell out "in the next two weeks" and the thing was sold out 2 days later. The panic buying when people realise they're about to miss out is a huge burst of sales at the end.

purelike

In fairness, it is a great event. Was it last year where they added the extra few thousand entries? Are the organizers completely limited to 20,000 entries, or is there scope to expand again.

RayCun

purelike wrote: »

In fairness, it is a great event. Was it last year where they added the extra few thousand entries? Are the organizers completely limited to 20,000 entries, or is there scope to expand again.

Pretty sure there's no scope for expansion, not without overhauling the course.

average_runner

RayCun wrote: »

Pretty sure there's no scope for expansion, not without overhauling the course.

That wouldn't be a bad thing either.

RayCun

Well, it would be great if the government and Dublin council really rowed in behind the marathon, promoted it, built events around it, and said there were no limits on what roads it could use and when.

But for this year at least, the route is set, so there's not much chance of increasing the numbers.

OOnegative

RayCun wrote: »

Well, it would be great if the government and Dublin council really rowed in behind the marathon, promoted it, built events around it, and said there were no limits on what roads it could use and when.

But for this year at least, the route is set, so there's not much chance of increasing the numbers.

Think boys in blue may be a bit of a stumbling block to Ray(I am one so am not AGS bashing).

purelike

What are the limiting factors at the moment that are taking away from the potential of the race? Is it just difficulties in getting certain roads closed?

RayCun

purelike wrote: »

What are the limiting factors at the moment that are taking away from the potential of the race? Is it just difficulties in getting certain roads closed?

I'm sure that's a big factor
Keeping the public transport system running
Maintaining access to hospitals etc
Letting cars drive wherever they like

The whole start/finish area has to be put up and taken down again in a very short space of time, and of course while it is up those streets are closed

And the number of gardai and medical personnel needed would increase with numbers, and could increase for different routes

bigslice

Myself and few others had a chat about DCM on a recent Sunday run after we had been to London and Boston for the marathon and other big city marathons we had done.

While we all love running Dublin, we felt there was limitations in place that would add to the continued growth of it. While other cities embrace it and showcase the city and the event, Dublin has struggled with this although the recent move to Sunday was a big step in this direction. But it seems tucked away into the city, no other supporting events bar the breakfast run and expo. Lack of central finishing position at a landmark - be it O Connell street, College Green or Customs house.

Dublin could well be hampered by lack of underground and alternative routes or just that it’s basically a small city but get impression that it shows off certain landmarks on the promo stuff like logos and t shirts but doesn’t actually run past them. Unless this is actually planned to change in future. Like we run over the Liffey once and that’s that done.

Lack of TV coverage, which has been well documented on here.

It’s should a great event to take part in and those on the route really embrace it and deserve so much credit for doing so, but you feel there is even more to come with a few changes.

Better get the entry in regardless!!

Zebra3

Definitely a big miss on not going past certain landmarks.

While I’m fully aware that PT needs to keep running (excuse the pun), imagine running past the front of Trinity, the GPO, over the James Joyce bridge or indeed some of these being the finishing area for iconic photos.

It’s a great marathon but one I feel that has so much more potential.

Working class heroes

bigslice wrote: »

Myself and few others had a chat about DCM on a recent Sunday run after we had been to London and Boston for the marathon and other big city marathons we had done.

While we all love running Dublin, we felt there was limitations in place that would add to the continued growth of it. While other cities embrace it and showcase the city and the event, Dublin has struggled with this although the recent move to Sunday was a big step in this direction. But it seems tucked away into the city, no other supporting events bar the breakfast run and expo. Lack of central finishing position at a landmark - be it O Connell street, College Green or Customs house.

Dublin could well be hampered by lack of underground and alternative routes or just that it’s basically a small city but get impression that it shows off certain landmarks on the promo stuff like logos and t shirts but doesn’t actually run past them. Unless this is actually planned to change in future. Like we run over the Liffey once and that’s that done.

Lack of TV coverage, which has been well documented on here.

It’s should a great event to take part in and those on the route really embrace it and deserve so much credit for doing so, but you feel there is even more to come with a few changes.

Better get the entry in regardless!!

Does it not cross the Liffey twice.
I think the current finish is perfect. Holles St. hospital, half the participants were born there and they probably feel like dying when they past it

bigslice

It does, at Chapelizod, one of my favourite parts of the run, the noise after the quietness of the Park.

I always though running up the Liffey to turn onto O’Connell street or college green at trinity would make a great finish.

Maybe the Dubs were born in Holles street but us culchies wouldn’t know the place, a finish at Kylemore cafe where we got the breakfast after getting off the bus at Busaras might suit better ;-)

TFBubendorfer

Working class heroes wrote: »

Does it not cross the Liffey twice.
I think the current finish is perfect. Holles St. hospital, half the participants were born there and they probably feel like dying when they past it

I think the course is awful. And that's from someone who actually loves the race.

It's neither fast nor does it show off the city. A good course would satisfy at least one of those 2 criteria. A slow, hilly course that spends most of its time going through nondescript suburbs is very far from perfect.

All that's good about DCM is from the people - the ones who organise it and the ones who create such a buzz during the event itself.

Working class heroes

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

I think the course is awful. And that's from someone who actually loves the race.

It's neither fast nor does it show off the city. A good course would satisfy at least one of those 2 criteria. A slow, hilly course that spends most of its time going through nondescript suburbs is very far from perfect.

All that's good about DCM is from the people - the ones who organise it and the ones who create such a buzz during the event itself.

No arguments there T.
Was just commenting on the finish, beside a maternity hospital.

RayCun

It ran up O'Connell Street and passed Trinity twice, until a few years ago, but the LUAS extension put paid to that.

Some hills are inevitable. When you start in the city centre, you don't have much choice but to go uphill, and the city isn't so big that you could avoid the suburbs.

TheBigGreen

signed up

Djoucer

Bit harsh on Dublin

As a Dubliner, I'm a bit puzzled as to the amazing locations and landmarks we're missing outside of O'Connell street.

Start and finish areas are great, heart of city centre. Pass by St Patrick's and Christchurch. Onto Liffey, into park. The non-description suburbs are arguably the real Dublin and where support is best. Crumlin road is however poxy. As is UCD flyover.

I found London to be remarkably similar to Dublin in terms of spending most of the miles out of the city. You would unlikely step foot in most of the areas the marathon goes through if you were visiting.

TFBubendorfer

Working class heroes wrote: »

No arguments there T.
Was just commenting on the finish, beside a maternity hospital.

The finish is pretty good. However, I preferred it until 2013 when we did the loop around Trinity because that's where the best buzz was, people standing in 5 deep right beside the runners and giving all runners the rockstar treatment. That last mile felt almost like Boston.

I'm perfectly aware that not everyone liked running a mile around the block when the finish was so close at mile 25 that you could clearly hear it.

As for the maternity hospital near the finish, many years ago I offered the missus to run an extra half mile from the finish to the hospital if she went into labour on marathon day and join her for the proceedings. She declined. I had to find another race.

TFBubendorfer

Djoucer wrote: »

Bit harsh on Dublin

As a Dubliner, I'm a bit puzzled as to the amazing locations and landmarks we're missing outside of O'Connell street.

Start and finish areas are great, heart of city centre. Pass by St Patrick's and Christchurch. Onto Liffey, into park. The non-description suburbs are arguably the real Dublin and where support is best. Crumlin road is however poxy. As is UCD flyover.

I found London to be remarkably similar to Dublin in terms of spending most of the miles out of the city. You would unlikely step foot in most of the areas the marathon goes through if you were visiting.

I know I'm a little bit harsh but most cities in the (western) world consist mainly of nondescript suburbs that nobody would be particularly inclined to visit unless you happen to live there.

Phoenix Park is the one area of the DCM course that's somewhat scenic. Almost everything from mile 10 to 25 is totally forgettable. If we could run along the promenade and/or pass all those great buildings at or near the Liffey and have an epic finish down O'Connell Street it would be a much more memorable course.

I'm not blaming the DCM organisers for the course. It's the total lack of support from the public officials that dictates much of what they can offer.

And just to point it out again, I absolutely love that race, despite it all.

sideswipe

Feck the landmarks, I can only see a few feet in front of me.....give me flat and fast over scenery any day.

ligerdub

robinph wrote: »

Would need a major uptick in the rate of entries to get through 2500 in a "few days" then.

Depends on your definition of a few days.

May 10: 6,500 spaces left
May 18: 4,000 spaces left
May 23: 2,500 spaces left

Sounds to me like their forecast is fairly sound and no uptick required at all. You can probably safely assume a bit of panic registration as those spots dry up. It will probably be sold out by this day next week.

It's not like you can really judge interest because registration was insignificant a few weeks after last years edition finished. I dare say half of entrants swore off ever doing it again at that stage. This is not a marathon (at the moment) where there's sufficient over-subscription where there's a ballot required and the entry period is say a week or so. People are doing other marathons in the Spring and may want to keep their options open for doing one in Autumn, especially with considerations around injuries.

Stands to reason that people are registering in larger swathes now, as it's pretty much bang on when a lot of people start their training period.

RayCun

I wonder how long it will be before some form of two-tier entry is introduced? A certain number of places set aside for people with qualifying times, or club members?

Duanington

It's up there with the best in terms of the sense of occasion and the atmosphere ( in places) but I'd have to agree that we don't really showcase some of the landmarks around the city.

Trinity, O'Connell Street, our coastline, the Quays (bar a short stretch), College Green, The 4 courts, Customs House, The Canals, some of these would be great vantage points for spectators too.

I still love it, I still get jealous that I didn't run it when I go to watch the race.