half marathons

Tommy Max

What would be the best half marathons to target next year for a PB?

And where are the toughest? ive heard dingle followed by connamara?

Ray Donovan

For PB
Galway Bay
Mullingar on St Patrick’s Day
Lough Boora Co Offaly (usually Easter Sunday)

If you wanna give a PB a lash before end of year Portalington is pretty flat IIRC

gaz wac

Clonfarf is meant to be the flattest half in the country.

Tommy Max

Ray Donovan wrote: »

For PB
Galway Bay
Mullingar on St Patrick’s Day
Lough Boora Co Offaly (usually Easter Sunday)

If you wanna give a PB a lash before end of year Portalington is pretty flat IIRC

Thanks. i did mullingar on patricks day two years ago. was a flat course but horrible day and a gale of a head wind on the canal stretch for home was an absolute killer. was possibly the toughest few miles i did in a half purely down to the wind. probably a great course on a good day.

Ray Donovan

gaz wac wrote: »

Clonfarf is meant to be the flattest half in the country.

Running on a beach wouldn’t help the chances of a PB!

RayCun

Charleville is generally reckoned to be the fastest

jhammer

Clontarf is tough on the beach and the wind can be brutal depending on the day.

Killarney is downhill for 7 or 8 miles then evens out which is the hardest part but you can definitely make up time running downhill.

Pink11

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Running on a beach wouldn’t help the chances of a PB!

Not sure if it's me but every year without fail it's my worst & slowest half.

Whether it's the heat, the wind on the beach or having to loop back and do the same part of the course twice but I've never had a good day at the Clontarf half. Twisted my ankle last year in the sand and was out for a few weeks.

I won't be doing it again even though it's very handy location for me.

Running Fool

Pink11 wrote: »

Not sure if it's me but every year without fail it's my worst & slowest half.

Whether it's the heat, the wind on the beach or having to loop back and do the same part of the course twice but I've never had a good day at the Clontarf half. Twisted my ankle last year in the sand and was out for a few weeks.

I won't be doing it again even though it's very handy location for me.

Yeah I don't wanna run a race down as I've done and probably will do Clontarf again but that flattest race in Ireland tag is misleading as regards your time, other factors will slow you. I live in the area and it is very rare that it's not windy one way, yet you don't feel the benefit of the wind behind you coming back. Also plenty of days the wind seems to be blowing both ways. Mad!

Pink11

Running Fool wrote: »

Yeah I don't wanna run a race down as I've done and probably will do Clontarf again but that flattest race in Ireland tag is misleading as regards your time, other factors will slow you. I live in the area and it is very rare that it's not windy one way, yet you don't feel the benefit of the wind behind you coming back. Also plenty of days the wind seems to be blowing both ways. Mad!

I wasn't sure if it was a mental block but even my training runs along the area never seem to go plan either. I thought I was cursed

wookiesleep

Did the Dune Half Marathon this year and can't recommend it enough. It's a tough challenge climbing out of Newry. Mightn't be the hardest in the country overall but definitely a good challenge.

I think that Achill half has a good reputation for difficulty. No experience myself though.

In terms of Clontarf this would be a favourite not so much for ease but for the challenge with the wind on the beach.

highlandcow

Wexford half is fairly quick despite being a net uphill course. I wouldn't run clontarf again if I was looking for a pb, like others have said, beach and wind don't make for a good time.

Working class heroes

By a long shot Charleville is the race you want. Very fast course, very well organized, high standard/depth of runner and pacers at 5 min intervals.

ThebitterLemon

Galway Bay half probably the flattest half I've run, two loops including stretches on the prom, not many inclines at all.

TbL

MY BAD

I miss the Athlone Flatline half, it was always around this weekend. A brilliant race

Ray Donovan

If memory serves Bohermeen is a fast course to. Was my quickest HM this year out of the 8 I ran to the best of my knowledge!!

Paddy1234

Does anyone know what the Waterford one in December is like?

RayCun

Paddy1234 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the Waterford one in December is like?

It's a good race. Nice course, decent field, well organized. I ran it last year, I'd run it again.

If you search this forum there are threads on all of the races mentioned above.

OOnegative

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

I miss the Athlone Flatline half, it was always around this weekend. A brilliant race

Seen somewhere, Facebook maybe, it might be returning.

Supercell

Paddy1234 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the Waterford one in December is like?

Out of the five halves I've done (not a huge amount I'll admit) it was my favourite one last year. Lovely course in beautiful countryside. Wouldn't have said it was a PB course more of a interesting/nice one, have run flatter ones.
Clontarf sands deffo not a PB course but one for the bucket list as its interesting in a masochistic way!

Sunny Dayz

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

I miss the Athlone Flatline half, it was always around this weekend. A brilliant race

Their facebook page was active only the other week. It would be great if they brought it back. I had planned on running it before it was cancelled. Did the 10km and that was a lovely route along the Shannon.

Mint Sauce

Mellow Yellow 26.2 wrote: »

I miss the Athlone Flatline half, it was always around this weekend. A brilliant race

Was that described at the Flattest half in the country at the time? Did the Ballina Half a year later quicker!

OOnegative

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Was that described at the Flattest half in the country at the time? Did the Ballina Half a year later quicker!

Maybe you were fitter a year later!!

purelike

The Charleville Half by a country mile.



Well organized. Deep field. Flat. Pacers at 5min intervals starting at 80 mins. Inland and sheltered so less wind interference. At a cooler time of the year.

Seannew1

Ray Donovan wrote: »

Running on a beach wouldn’t help the chances of a PB!

Add to that, the wind which is smack bang in your face for the second half. Not a PB course!

sideshowbob321

Seannew1 wrote:

Add to that, the wind which is smack bang in your face for the second half. Not a PB course!

Totally agree ran it once and no desire to do it again !

rm75

Ray Donovan wrote: »

If memory serves Bohermeen is a fast course to. Was my quickest HM this year out of the 8 I ran to the best of my knowledge!!

Yep, PB there. Those Meath races are all great value and well organised.

bobwilliams

I really enjoyed Limerick and that's where I did my pb

Ray Donovan

That never ending stretch up the North Circular Road this year really did my head in!!

Swashbuckler

Ray Donovan wrote:

That never ending stretch up the North Circular Road this year really did my head in!!

Lest we not forget the brutality of the hill up Ennis road after all that

bobwilliams

Swashbuckler wrote:

Lest we not forget the brutality of the hill up Ennis road after all that

My pb was about4 years ago and the only hill I remember was the one up around Thomond park...I presume they've changed the route??

Swashbuckler

bobwilliams wrote:

My pb was about4 years ago and the only hill I remember was the one up around Thomond park...I presume they've changed the route??

The hill at thomond is gone but the last couple of miles have a couple of nasty drags.

noelearly

Must give a shout out to Clonmel here. Fantastic race, not Charleville flat but still i would prefer it.

Anybody have any idea if Tullamore half is good??

Pb course??

Fraggle07

Galway Bay is very flat but 4 repeat loops if I remember rightly.
Bohermeen is also quite flat.

Nuttzz

noelearly wrote: »

Must give a shout out to Clonmel here. Fantastic race, not Charleville flat but still i would prefer it.

Anybody have any idea if Tullamore half is good??

Pb course??

Tullamore is a good race, but I am not sure you could call it a PB course, tullamore translated into irish is great hill or mound

mutley18

For anyone up North, Newry is on next Sunday the 26th and is meant to be very flat.

Ray Donovan

Nuttzz wrote: »

Tullamore is a good race, but I am not sure you could call it a PB course, tullamore translated into irish is great hill or mound

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=107653304

Last year's thread. Best HM in Ireland in my opinion with all the facilities on site.

Tommy Max

noelearly wrote: »

Must give a shout out to Clonmel here. Fantastic race, not Charleville flat but still i would prefer it.

Anybody have any idea if Tullamore half is good??

Pb course??

Clonmel and charleville are easier courses. Tullamore is a super well organised event. if its all about a pb then yes there are much faster courses. but if you want a challenging but fair course then Tullamore would be a good choice. ive yet to see a better organised event that ive done myself anyway.

The course has no major hills but a few longish drags that seems to sap the energy levels. the first half has a long enough drag on a quiet bog road. have done it 3 times and each time i saw a large number of good runners blowing up in the later stages. granted the last few years were very hot and the runners finishing in the mid day heat so that was probably a factor as it only starts around 11am i think.

noelearly

Tommy Max wrote: »

Clonmel and charleville are easier courses. Tullamore is a super well organised event. if its all about a pb then yes there are much faster courses. but if you want a challenging but fair course then Tullamore would be a good choice. ive yet to see a better organised event that ive done myself anyway.

The course has no major hills but a few longish drags that seems to sap the energy levels. the first half has a long enough drag on a quiet bog road. have done it 3 times and each time i saw a large number of good runners blowing up in the later stages. granted the last few years were very hot and the runners finishing in the mid day heat so that was probably a factor as it only starts around 11am i think.

Clonmel and Charleville don't suit me this year so think it looks like Tullamore it is. I also see one in Roscommon call the Go Ros Run?? Elevation profile looks good anyway.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/496008944

ariana`

noelearly wrote: »

Clonmel and Charleville don't suit me this year so think it looks like Tullamore it is. I also see one in Roscommon call the Go Ros Run?? Elevation profile looks good anyway.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/496008944

Got my pb in that one last year. It's a fair course but definitely not flat (my watch recorded an elevation gain of 390 ft). I can't compare it to Charleville or Clonmel as I haven't done those but I certainly would do it again. It's a very small field though if you're looking for a race or like to be in a pack. But overall very peaceful running on quiet country roads and well organised with parking, water tables etc.

hillsiderunner

noelearly wrote: »

Clonmel and Charleville don't suit me this year so think it looks like Tullamore it is. I also see one in Roscommon call the Go Ros Run?? Elevation profile looks good anyway.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/496008944

ariana` wrote: »

Got my pb in that one last year. It's a fair course but definitely not flat (my watch recorded an elevation gain of 390 ft). I can't compare it to Charleville or Clonmel as I haven't done those but I certainly would do it again. It's a very small field though if you're looking for a race or like to be in a pack. But overall very peaceful running on quiet country roads and well organised with parking, water tables etc.

It's not flat for a HM (but not terrible either).

The food after has to be seen to be believed!

fatherted1969

Did Galway Bay last year for the marathon. 4 x 10k loops with a bit extra for the distance. Very flat course but your weather dependant if going for a pb. Can be open enough so be tough in a wind

Course changed for the gingerbread half marathon last year. It was a PB course but not with the change in route. Probably one of the nicer routes around but plenty of hills on this one.

Tullamore would be a good route also

deisedude

Whats Run Killarney Half marathon course like?

Would it be a PB course? Going to run it anyway as have heard good things about the event overall

Swashbuckler

deisedude wrote:

Would it be a PB course? Going to run it anyway as have heard good things about the event overall

The downside to Killarney half is because a huge chunk of it is downhill its hard to match that pb in the future on more normal terrain. Haha.

Kellygirl has run it a few times. I've only done the 10k. Very good event overall. Very very early start and standing around in Molls Gap for the half marathoners

deisedude

Swashbuckler wrote: »

The downside to Killarney half is because a huge chunk of it is downhill its hard to match that pb in the future on more normal terrain. Haha.

Kellygirl has run it a few times. I've only done the 10k. Very good event overall. Very very early start and standing around in Molls Gap for the half marathoners

Haha I'll take whatever advantage i can get!

noelearly

deisedude wrote: »

Whats Run Killarney Half marathon course like?

Would it be a PB course? Going to run it anyway as have heard good things about the event overall

Buddy did it last year and got 1.19, a 4 minute Pb. Has a big net downhill elevation so if your looking for a realistic Marathon indicator this isn't it.

Limpy

Does the Tullaroan races have prices? winners, age catagory wins ect. Seems like a lot of races.

Sorbet

Anyone any feedback on the Kildare thoroughbred half (they do 5/10 & full marathon too)?

Guill

Did my first half in Lough Boora earlier this year. It's a very flat course and was well ran.
I ran about 6 minutes faster than I thought i would (hard to judge projected pace when it's the first).
The only thing about Boora is that it's very exposed, we had a great day but on a bad day it could be horrible, like The canal in Mullingar.

Off to Portumna on the 8th for a first lash at a PB. Heard it's very flat too but can't say for sure.

Pink11

Killarney half looks unreal but why is it so expensive? 55 is a bit steep!

noelearly

Pink11 wrote: »

Killarney half looks unreal but why is it so expensive? 55 is a bit steep!

Because it's Killarney. I paid 5 euro for a soggy slice of Pizza there last week.