Routes in Dublin for PB - 5k, 10k

Naked Lepper

General questions but does anyone know of any good flat routes around Dublin to try get PBs for 5k, 10k

I know the phoenix park quite well so am sure there are tracks along there but it seems quite hilly so may not be the best area

Just wondering if anyone has any fave routes etc. they would be able to share

Am just finished marathon training so would like to aim to get some PBs over shorter distances next over the winter so that I can build on them next year

chasingpaper

Naked Lepper wrote: »

General questions but does anyone know of any good flat routes around Dublin to try get PBs for 5k, 10k

I know the phoenix park quite well so am sure there are tracks along there but it seems quite hilly so may not be the best area

Just wondering if anyone has any fave routes etc. they would be able to share

Am just finished marathon training so would like to aim to get some PBs over shorter distances next over the winter so that I can build on them next year

Santry Stadium

Kissy Lips

I set my 10km PB in Corkagh park on a route I created. You can find the route on strava. Search '9.7km Corkagh'.

adrian522

Surely PB's would happen in races not in routes designed by yourself?

For races I would recommend Jingle Bells 5K in early December as a fast route. Not sure about 10K but there is a great 5 mile race in Raheny at the end of January.

The Rathfarnham 5K route is very fast but that race is in September but I guess you could run the route if you wanted to run a fast time in training.

Dudda

Naked Lepper wrote: »

General questions but does anyone know of any good flat routes around Dublin to try get PBs for 5k, 10k

I know the phoenix park quite well so am sure there are tracks along there but it seems quite hilly so may not be the best area

Just wondering if anyone has any fave routes etc. they would be able to share

Am just finished marathon training so would like to aim to get some PBs over shorter distances next over the winter so that I can build on them next year

Would you not find a 5k easier on a fast flat Parkrun with people around you? It would also be timed by someone rather than relying on GPS distance. It can be hard to push yourself on your own but when you're chasing someone or someone is breathing down your neck I find you always push that extra few seconds.

I know I knocked almost 40 seconds off an 18 minute 5k PB during the summer when a 16 year old was chasing me in a race. I thought to myself no way this little f**ker is going to beat me. Not a hope in hell I'd have done that on my own.

PaulieC

any number of parkrun routes around the city. Some flatter than others, St. Annes and Fairview are flat. Poolbeg is mostly flat with a bit of a hill half way around.

ooter

Naked Lepper wrote: »

General questions but does anyone know of any good flat routes around Dublin to try get PBs for 5k, 10k

I know the phoenix park quite well so am sure there are tracks along there but it seems quite hilly so may not be the best area

I know it's grass but the polo grounds is pancake flat, also the track around the football pitches at the 15 acres is flat but can be horrendously windy at times.
2 laps of that track is almost exactly 5k.

Naked Lepper

good points, thanks for all the replies

can anyone go running in sentry stadium btw?

PaulieC

not sure about Santry but you can use Irishtown Stadium, I think it's around a fiver

chasingpaper

Naked Lepper wrote: »

good points, thanks for all the replies

can anyone go running in sentry stadium btw?

Yea it is open to public but you might not be able to use it when club sessions or other events are on. Call them up and see free times.
As mentioned before nice flat parkrun might be your best bet though.

yaboya1

Kissy Lips wrote: »

I set my 10km PB in Corkagh park on a route I created. You can find the route on strava. Search '9.7km Corkagh'.

You set your 10k pb on a route called "9.7km Corkagh" and have no suspicions that the course may have been short?

BeepBeep67

PaulieC wrote: »

not sure about Santry but you can use Irishtown Stadium, I think it's around a fiver

Polo grounds surface is better

PaulieC

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Polo grounds surface is better

but they fix the track almost every week there

pc11

Naked Lepper wrote: »

General questions but does anyone know of any good flat routes around Dublin to try get PBs for 5k, 10k

I know the phoenix park quite well so am sure there are tracks along there but it seems quite hilly so may not be the best area

Just wondering if anyone has any fave routes etc. they would be able to share

Am just finished marathon training so would like to aim to get some PBs over shorter distances next over the winter so that I can build on them next year

Parkrun is the answer. St Annes is fast, for example.

Running on some made up course is not what most of would call a PB to be honest.

And the Raheny 5 mile as already mentioned should be high up in your plans (last Sunday in January).

Nialler73

adrian522 wrote: »

Surely PB's would happen in races not in routes designed by yourself?

For races I would recommend Jingle Bells 5K in early December as a fast route. Not sure about 10K but there is a great 5 mile race in Raheny at the end of January.


The KClub 10k is a lovely fast route.

average_runner

Bob Heffernean in May or Kilcock 5k are the best for 5k pbs.

Murph_D

Nialler73 wrote: »

The KClub 10k is a lovely fast route.

Except when it's 10.2k.

Murph_D

average_runner wrote: »

Bob Heffernean in May or Kilcock 5k are the best for 5k pbs.

Not very Dublin though!

average_runner

Murph_D wrote: »

Not very Dublin though!

True. Missed that part

average_runner

Murph_D wrote: »

Except when it's 10.2k.

And not in Dublin:D

healy1835

Murph_D wrote: »

Except when it's 10.2k.

It's very fast when it's 9.9k though and Sky Sports would lead you to believe it is in Dublin!

IvoryTower

Jingle Bells 5k Dec 7th phoenix park, so fast its possibly cheating

28064212

IvoryTower wrote: »

Jingle Bells 5k Dec 7th phoenix park, so fast its possibly cheating

Somewhat over-stated. It feels faster than it is because the last 2.5k are all downhill, getting progressively steeper. But there's a lot of climbing in the first 2k, and Castleknock roundabout is substantially higher than Acres Rd.

It probably is "cheating" though, as the requirements for it to be record-eligible are that there be less than a 5m drop (1m/km) in elevation from the start line to the finish line. I'd definitely prefer a perfectly flat 5k or a steady drop of 1m/km to the Jingle Bells course

average_runner

28064212 wrote: »

Somewhat over-stated. It feels faster than it is because the last 2.5k are all downhill, getting progressively steeper. But there's a lot of climbing in the first 2k, and Castleknock roundabout is substantially higher than Acres Rd.

It probably is "cheating" though, as the requirements for it to be record-eligible are that there be less than a 5m drop (1m/km) in elevation from the start line to the finish line. I'd definitely prefer a perfectly flat 5k or a steady drop of 1m/km to the Jingle Bells course

Never got close to a pb on that course:(

IvoryTower

Its had a few blow outs weather wise. My time there is at about 40 seconds better than anywhere else. I'll run the first mile at my 5k pace and then enjoy the downhill for the rest.

Rathfarnhan 5k another belter