Limerick or Belfast marathon.

Working class heroes

Planning a marathon comeback next April.

Torn between the mid west or the north east.

what say you?

Murph_D

Limerick

I really like Belfast as a city but haven’t been impressed by reports of the marathon the last year or two. Know Limerick less but it seems better organized which is very important.

Unknownability

Limerick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119846102#Comment_119846102

Similar, I don't think I've ever heard a positive story from Belfast.

Capped off with a friend waiting 3 hrs for their number last year.

bucketybuck

Limerick

I have never ran Limerick, but I ran Belfast last year so I voted Limerick.

The organisation for Belfast was horrific.

Glenomra

Limerick

A friend of mine who ran both says Limerick marathon is excellent plus the atmosphere it generates in the city is palpable.

Working class heroes

Cool. Looks like Limerick so.

Cheers all.

SeeMoreBut

Limerick will post out your number

Bgiraffe

Just for a bit of balance, I did the Belfast marathon last year (2021) and am considering doing it again next April. The number pick up was a disaster last year, standing around on the side of a road in the cold and rain for about 3 hours, but it actually went smoothly other than that.

I believe they have improved the number pick up situation also so hopefully that won't happen again. As a course, it's similar to Dublin I'd say, few long drags and what not but a fair test. A shuttle bus from the city centre out to Stormont for the start worked very well. Have never ran Limerick so can't compare but you could argue that Belfast has the more iconic points along the course; goes through all four parts of the city, goes by Windsor Park, Casement Park, through the city and Ormeau Park etc.

echancrure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119848843#Comment_119848843

Indeed. The nonsense of being forced to travel to an expo to pick up your number has to stop.

Jakey Rolling

Limerick

Limerick good for spectators - the course loops in and out of the city centre so spectators don't have to move far to see you a few times.

A couple of quiter sections support wise out to the industrial estate past UL, and an odd loop up over the motorway bridge and some residential streets. Last pull up around the GAA ground always find hard, but the pay off is a mostly downhill/flat last few km and the close up crowds over the bridge and in to the finish is fantatstic.

As mentioned, great that they post out numbers. I'm an hour away so don't need to stay the night before and can do without having to make the trip twice.

Lambay island

I have never done Belfast so cant really comment on it. I have read about expo and measurment issues in last couple of instances. I did Limerick this year and quite enjoyed route and as been said above great they send out number. Im not sure if this is of any relevence to yourself but Belfast is a qualifier for the likes of Boston etc in the GFA's. I'm not so sure on the situation with Limerick on that front.

LastFridayNight

Limerick

Did Belfast. Never again. Absolute amateurs running it, unfortunately.

6run28

Limerick

Did anyone hear if the number pick system was better this year ? 2021 seems to have been the disaster year.

chabsey

Which would be flatter?

Swashbuckler

Limerick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119858878#Comment_119858878

You've probably a limited population of folks on here who have run both.

I've run limerick and am from here so I know the route pretty well. It's not flat but it's certainly no Dingle marathon. As far as marathons go in Ireland it's certainly pb territory . Longford and Galway are probably flatter but they come with their own challenges.

Limerick is very very well organised.

babacool

Haven’t done either of those but know a few who have (beside boardsies). Fun fact, plenty would return to Belfast but non really to limerick.

belfast

neither of them complaint about the number pickup situation. Just seems to have a new issue every year. One year, it’s long. Next year some organisational hiccups, next year god knows what. Perhaps that’s what makes them go back - this excitement of not knowing what to expect 😁

limerick

usually it’s “it’s not flat but could be fast”. Main word here is “could”. Issues seem to be with sharp corners that kill your speed and rhythm and that the full field meets the half field and if you are unlucky you get stuck in traffic.

but again, haven’t done either of them (and no intention to do so 😂).

with regards to fast marathons in general, I believe a course with rolling hills can be faster than a flat course. But that depends on how you like to race (ie. I can’t cope with steady paces so need hills to break up the rhythm). Always something to remember when picking a race with PB as a goal.

6run28

Limerick

Limerick certainly looks much flatter than Dublin or Belfast on the route map elevation profile

https://greatlimerickrun.com/limerick-marathon/

Sussex18

Have run Limerick 3 times, I don't think encountering the Half Marathon is a major issue because both are well spread out at that stage. Remember the first year, my slowest, it was maybe a little bit dispiriting watching the 'halves' passing me, sprinting close to the finish when I was only jogging, having run twice their distance.

Perhaps they can 'steal your thunder' a little bit, crossing the finish line at the same time, some of them. But I don't think there is much chance of getting delayed or held up by those doing the Half. Like I said it's both are well spread out.

babacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119886135#Comment_119886135

Think that depends on how fast/slow you run 😁. But as said can only go by what I heard as haven’t done it myself

Swashbuckler

Limerick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119886135#Comment_119886135

well spread out unless you're a sub 3 marathoner and passing minutes before the half sets off!

Sussex18

Ok, experience of contending to break 3 hours, I have none. I accept that it might be different for those who do. For someone in the 3:30-3:45 bracket like me, it made no difference.

Qwerty27

Was Belfast as badly organsised this year as previous years or have they learned from experience?

Looking at both of these as an option for next year, Belfast slightly ahead in my mind for soem unknown reason!

dha28862

Limerick

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119856457#Comment_119856457

Hello. I’m quite interested in this point; does anyone know if the Limerick marathon can be used as a GFA entry for other races, or how I could find out? I’ve emailed them but gotten no response, and can’t find any contact details for them online. Their Twitter account says it’s AAI certified, but not sure what that means.

squinn2912

I did belfast 2019 and it was a holy show with the lead car messing up. Other than that I’d warn a 2 mile climb at about 24 miles. That aside no complaints at all. I did Cork this year and would sooner do belfast again if that’s anything to go by

babacool

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119972742#Comment_119972742

Aai certified usually means it’s officially measured (by a licensed person) and hence PBs and records are official. If not AAI certified records can still be broken but don’t think they will show up anywhere in the history books.

ParkRunner

Good luck to anyone doing either of these next weekend!

Qwerty27

Singed up for Belfast on Sunday. Training over the Spring has been a bit of a slog in terms of the weather, a lot of cold, damp or dull mornings so hopefully things improve a little for the long weekend.

Anyone done it before got any advice? Hopefully they've gotten over their orgainsational issues from previous years!

ParkRunner

I haven’t done Belfast before but plan to do it also this weekend. They seem to have moved to electronic registration which has speeded things up hopefully.

T-Bird

Belfast

Yeah, I arrived yesterday and got my pack and stuff thinking I would have to wait hours. The numbering system was digital,

It's probably an awful lot busier today. This will be my first marathon, so not going for a time just the whole experience.

dha28862

Limerick

I’m doing Limerick tomorrow and so far it seems very well organised. I did a practice run around half the course a while ago and it seems like a good one, and weather looks good, so fingers crossed for a good day!

squinn2912

Good luck lads