Dublin marathon ‘logistics’

sillysocks

First time at the marathon this year. Wondering if anyone can give any advice as to whether you can drive&park close enough to the start line on the morning or whether it’s better to take the Luas ?

I might not make it to the Expo until3/4 on Saturday afternoon-would there be big queues by that stage for the numbers and just looking around?

ariana`

sillysocks wrote: »

First time at the marathon this year. Wondering if anyone can give any advice as to whether you can drive&park close enough to the start line on the morning or whether it’s better to take the Luas ?

I might not make it to the Expo until3/4 on Saturday afternoon-would there be big queues by that stage for the numbers and just looking around?

Hi. I can't help you much with respect to Sunday morning but I got to the Expo at about 4o'c on Sat afternoon last year, the queue was very long but it moved very quickly! I thought I'd be there ages but it only took 5 minutes I'd say, it was moving constantly. I hope that helps.

judeboy101

youll find parking if you are there early. i drove in from maynooth last year got free parking on lombard street but i was there by 7;30 , forget about it apres 8 am

Lazare

Red Cow park and ride is a good option. Great buzz on the Luas. Packed with marathon runners.

Girl almost nerves puked on my shoes last year so watch that.

sillysocks

Lazare wrote: »

Red Cow park and ride is a good option. Great buzz on the Luas. Packed with marathon runners.

Girl almost nerves puked on my shoes last year so watch that.

Eek, imagine the lovely aroma running 26 miles after that 😀
Thanks all, will be close enough to the LUAS that stops in Stephens green so it’s a toss between park and ride with that or just driving in. Will be someone else driving (who’s not doing the marathon) so wouldn’t be under too much pressure if we can’t get parking.

Anyone experience of getting a taxi after the race? Plenty around usually? Don’t think a walk to the Luas and then standing on it for the journey back would be too pleasant!!

positron

Thinking of getting DART into and after the race to Portmarnock. Would it be packed? Not that I would be particular about where to sit after running DCM, but it would be easier to get up from the seat - if I sit on the floor, I may need to roll / crawl out onto the platform the other end..

coogy

sillysocks wrote: »

First time at the marathon this year. Wondering if anyone can give any advice as to whether you can drive&park close enough to the start line on the morning or whether it’s better to take the Luas ?

I might not make it to the Expo until3/4 on Saturday afternoon-would there be big queues by that stage for the numbers and just looking around?

This might be of some help to you.......

Parking for Participants and Spectators
At Q-Park Stephens Green, Q-Park Clerys and Q-Park Christchurch
Parking is available at Q-Park Stephens Green with entrances on York Street, Mercer Street and Glovers Alley at a reduced rate of €15 for 24 hours parking. Please note Q-Park Stephens Green is open 24 hours per day.
Parking is available at Q-Park Clerys with entrance off Cathal Brugha Street at a reduced rate of €14 for 24 hours parking. Please note Q-Park Clerys is open 24 hours per day.
Parking is available at Q-Park Christchurch with entrance off Werburgh Street at a reduced rate of €15 for 24 hours parking. Please note Q-Park Christchurch is open 24 hours per day.
The parking offers are only available through pre-booking your parking and are not available at the car park of the day of the event. This offer is available from October 27th – 29th 2018 inclusive.
To avail of these offers please book online via the link to the Q-Park website below. Select Dublin Q-Park Stephens Green, Dublin Q-Park Clerys or Q-Park Dublin Christchurch then the Pre Book Parking Now button and select the 24 Hour Parking ( From Entry ) product and then use the promo code: SSE18 to activate the discount.
Please follow the instructions supplied after booking for entry and exit of car parks.
To book this offer and for more information on Q-Park car parks, please visit http://www.q-park.ie

wookiesleep

Irish rail are doing some works on the Sunday. In case anyone was intending to use on the day.

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/october_bank_holiday_timetable_2018.pdf

Engineering works will take place between Bray/Greystones. There will be no service operating between Bray & Greystones on this date.

Engineering works will take place between Dun Laoghaire/Pearse Station.
DART Services will operate Bray/Dun Laoghaire on the Southside & Connolly/Malahide/Howth on the Northside.

Dublin Bus will accept valid rail tickets for travel within the affected areas to/from City Centre/Dun Laoghaire.

Bus transfers will operate to/from Bray/Greystones.

Zebra3

I take it no early Sunday morning service on the Maynooth line. Again.

wookiesleep

Zebra3 wrote: »

I take it no early Sunday morning service on the Maynooth line. Again.

It does seem a bit short sighted not to put on an early train to get people into town by means of public transport. I'd say they would get a decent amount making use of it too.

DubOnHoliday

wookiesleep wrote: »

Irish rail are doing some works on the Sunday. In case anyone was intending to use on the day.

http://www.irishrail.ie/media/october_bank_holiday_timetable_2018.pdf

Engineering works will take place between Bray/Greystones. There will be no service operating between Bray & Greystones on this date.

Engineering works will take place between Dun Laoghaire/Pearse Station.
DART Services will operate Bray/Dun Laoghaire on the Southside & Connolly/Malahide/Howth on the Northside.

Dublin Bus will accept valid rail tickets for travel within the affected areas to/from City Centre/Dun Laoghaire.

Bus transfers will operate to/from Bray/Greystones.

Can’t believe it, will make it very difficult now for my family to come in to watch didn’t know about that

positron

Yep, +1. Huge event in Dublin with 20k runners + who knows how many suppoerts expected, road closures and everything leaving rail as the best form of public transport - and IrishRail decides that's the best time to close part of the line, no DART services across Liffey etc. Mind boggles!!

average_runner

positron wrote: »

Yep, +1. Huge event in Dublin with 20k runners + who knows how many suppoerts expected, road closures and everything leaving rail as the best form of public transport - and IrishRail decides that's the best time to close part of the line, no DART services across Liffey etc. Mind boggles!!

They do this at the same time every year. At least there is luas this time to get you across the city

PIORUN

Park Rite have a 9 euro offer on Drury Street

SSE Dublin Marathon Full Day Pass (offer valid on Sunday the 28th October 2018 only - €9.00

Singer

positron wrote: »

Yep, +1. Huge event in Dublin with 20k runners + who knows how many suppoerts expected, road closures and everything leaving rail as the best form of public transport - and IrishRail decides that's the best time to close part of the line, no DART services across Liffey etc. Mind boggles!!

They always close the lines every year on the bank holiday weekend for essential maintenance. It's not actually a busy time for the public transport system.

alanladd

Hi All,
As far as I'm aware street parking in a lot of areas around Pearse St. is free on Sunday. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Below is a link to a map showing where parking meters are located and the times of operations.
Obviously, other rules of the road apply so don't blame me if you get towed/clamped because of the way you park. :-)
I've parked in this area in past years without any issue. (Last time 2016)
Don't leave anything visible in your cars either.
http://www.dublincity.ie/LP/default.aspx?themename=Roads And Traffic&mapname=Parking Information

sillysocks

Coming in from Southside so hoping to maybe get parking somewhere off lower Baggot Street like Waterloo Rd or Mespil Rd. Will see how things go, have someone else driving so can be dropped closer to the start while they go look for parking if needs be.

cullenswood

How deep are the crowds coming up to the finish line at Merrion Square? If the wife and kids wanted to get a glimpse of my whizzing crawling by, how far down Mount St would they have to walk?

skyblue46

cullenswood wrote: »

How deep are the crowds coming up to the finish line at Merrion Square? If the wife and kids wanted to get a glimpse of my whizzing crawling by, how far down Mount St would they have to walk?

The RDS!! No seriously, I went to support my other half in 2016. I ended up going well down Northumberland Road before I was sure I wouldn't miss her and that she could see/ hear me.

cullenswood

skyblue46 wrote: »

The RDS!! No seriously, I went to support my other half in 2016. I ended up going well down Northumberland Road before I was sure I wouldn't miss her and that she could see/ hear me.

Nice one, much as I feared.

BeepBeep67

cullenswood wrote: »

How deep are the crowds coming up to the finish line at Merrion Square? If the wife and kids wanted to get a glimpse of my whizzing crawling by, how far down Mount St would they have to walk?

I stood beside a chap last who was quite philosophical, but I just ignored him and managed to watch most of the race.

ultrapercy

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

cullenswood wrote: »

How deep are the crowds coming up to the finish line at Merrion Square? If the wife and kids wanted to get a glimpse of my whizzing crawling by, how far down Mount St would they have to walk?

I stood beside a chap last who was quite philosophical, but I just ignored him and managed to watch most of the race.

Try harder. Or maybe not so hard.

ultrapercy

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

cullenswood wrote: »

How deep are the crowds coming up to the finish line at Merrion Square? If the wife and kids wanted to get a glimpse of my whizzing crawling by, how far down Mount St would they have to walk?

I stood beside a chap last who was quite philosophical, but I just ignored him and managed to watch most of the race.

Try harder. Or maybe not so hard.

ultrapercy

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

cullenswood wrote: »

How deep are the crowds coming up to the finish line at Merrion Square? If the wife and kids wanted to get a glimpse of my whizzing crawling by, how far down Mount St would they have to walk?

I stood beside a chap last who was quite philosophical, but I just ignored him and managed to watch most of the race.

Try harder. Or maybe not so hard.

BeepBeep67

ultrapercy wrote: »

Try harder. Or maybe not so hard.

Or post 3 times

robinph

skyblue46 wrote: »

The RDS!! No seriously, I went to support my other half in 2016. I ended up going well down Northumberland Road before I was sure I wouldn't miss her and that she could see/ hear me.

There would be a bit more of a crowd of supporters around the RDS, but you could still get a good vantage point nearer the finish from there. I seem to recall that they have barriers on the side of the road from about Ballsbridge Hotel to keep the "crowds" back, but the wife managed to follow me on the tracking a few years ago and head out from the hotel room with a not many month old and get to the barriers to support with no problem leaving it as late as possible before leaving the warmth of the hotel room. And they then still made it along to the pub before I staggered in the door.

The advantage with spectating around the RDS though is that as the road is very wide and without the tree cover the runners should be easier to spot.

ultrapercy

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

ultrapercy wrote: »

Try harder. Or maybe not so hard.

Or post 3 times

Taper finger.

YFlyer

Anyway of watching the race online or on TV?

Glencarraig

YFlyer wrote: »

Anyway of watching the race online or on TV?

Being streamed live on youtube afaik

YFlyer

Glencarraig wrote: »

Being streamed live on youtube afaik

That's great. Thank You.

judeboy101

Still a couple of parking places round Lombard st but filling up quickly.

sillysocks

Thanks all, in case anyone is looking back next year we got parking on Waterloo Road at 8:30 ish. One of the last spaces but wasnt too far from the start of the wave.... until the long walk to the bag drop!

Expo was very well organised for registration, even on Saturday evening when it was very busy. Rds car park was full by time we got there though.

judeboy101

Crowd management afterwards was a disgrace. I had no bag or ppl to meet but was made walk a half hr extra to get to my car which was 300 yards from finish line. Left a sour taste.

sillysocks

Found that tricky too and not sure if it’s like that every year but for people to see the finish they’d to walk ages from Merrion square, and had arranged a meeting point close enough to Merrion square as that was the finish but then ended up walking way away from there up baggot st and to Stephens green.

Singer

judeboy101 wrote: »

Crowd management afterwards was a disgrace. I had no bag or ppl to meet but was made walk a half hr extra to get to my car which was 300 yards from finish line. Left a sour taste.

The post-race crowd management was designed to deal with large numbers of runners *safely*, and may allow for a further expansion of the number of runners next year. Calling it a disgrace because it didn't suit your specific post-race transport plans is ridiculous. If you want to step off a course an into your car, don't do big city marathons and look at an EOI marathon or something. Anyway, you could have used the opportunity for a cooldown jog

skyblue46

Singer wrote: »

The post-race crowd management was designed to deal with large numbers of runners *safely*, and may allow for a further expansion of the number of runners next year. Calling it a disgrace because it didn't suit your specific post-race transport plans is ridiculous. If you want to step off a course an into your car, don't do big city marathons and look at an EOI marathon or something. Anyway, you could have used the opportunity for a cooldown jog

I was thinking of contacting the organisers to complain that they wouldn't allow me down to Fitzwilliam Lane to get to McGrattans. I had to go the long way around via Baggot Street. :mad:

I really think some consideration should be given to those in need of post race fluids.

judeboy101

Singer wrote: »

The post-race crowd management was designed to deal with large numbers of runners *safely*, and may allow for a further expansion of the number of runners next year. Calling it a disgrace because it didn't suit your specific post-race transport plans is ridiculous. If you want to step off a course an into your car, don't do big city marathons and look at an EOI marathon or something. Anyway, you could have used the opportunity for a cooldown jog

You can't jog through the national gallery, its not the done thing ðŸ˜. Can't understand how it was ok last year and not ok this year. The last thing you want post race is stuck in the rain. You'd catch your death.

average_runner

judeboy101 wrote: »

Crowd management afterwards was a disgrace. I had no bag or ppl to meet but was made walk a half hr extra to get to my car which was 300 yards from finish line. Left a sour taste.

Thats standard in all big international marathons. You surely would moan if u ran new york.

Burkie1203

judeboy101 wrote: »

Crowd management afterwards was a disgrace. I had no bag or ppl to meet but was made walk a half hr extra to get to my car which was 300 yards from finish line. Left a sour taste.

It's called crowd management for a reason. Rock n Roll half marathon was a disaster for example. The funnel from finish line exited into the queue for the bag drop.

20000 people need to be filtered away from the finish area to ensure ease of access in case somebody needs emergency medical assistance in the finish area. It's not all about you. Don't be so fcuking selfish

average_runner

The youtube broadcast was very good. Considering most tvs are smart these days and sky has the youtube app, it allows for the marathon to be on tv.

average_runner

judeboy101 wrote: »

You can't jog through the national gallery, its not the done thing ðŸ˜. Can't understand how it was ok last year and not ok this year. The last thing you want post race is stuck in the rain. You'd catch your death.

Because health and safety changes and maybe they are planning on increasing the numbers so this was a good test

harr

As a spectator I wish they would put on more Luas trams considering the large crowd spectating.Every Carriage full heading into city center some people waiting up to an hour. I walked from Rialto to city center and then trying to get back to red cow was a nightmare.
Will be bringing my bike up next year.. lots of first time spectators giving out yesterday that they couldn’t get to finish line or near finish line to watch family members cross the line. Don’t know why they were expecting to be allowed at anyway near the finish line.
I think it’s was all run very well and my friends and family running it all had a great day... logistically it must be a nightmare to organize.

skyblue46

average_runner wrote: »

Because health and safety changes and maybe they are planning on increasing the numbers so this was a good test

I saw an interview with Jim Aughney on the 42.ie and he did indeed say that some changes were being implemented around the finish area with a few to increasing the capacity by a few hundred.

Burkie1203

average_runner wrote: »

Because health and safety changes and maybe they are planning on increasing the numbers so this was a good test

There is talk of an increase to 22000 next year. Would guess the logistics would need the event to be trouble free from crowd management POV

judeboy101

average_runner wrote: »

Thats standard in all big international marathons. You surely would moan if u ran new york.

Sorry, but i cant think of another international marathon where you can park 300 yards from the finish line and where they are so lax about letting non competitors finish with competitors, not to mention run on the hard shoulder of one of the busiest national primary routes.

average_runner

judeboy101 wrote: »

Sorry, but i cant think of another international marathon where you can park 300 yards from the finish line and where they are so lax about letting non competitors finish with competitors, not to mention run on the hard shoulder of one of the busiest national primary routes.

Wait you were talking about the finish area above, don't change the conversation.

What hard shoulder were you running on? Remember a bus lane but not hard shoulder?

RayCun

The booklet they gave out at the expo had a map of the finish area, and the exit points.