Dublin Marathon 2024

tunney

The 2023 edition is only just over and I am still struggling to go up and down stairs.

That being said I am in for 2024, I want redeem myself for when the wheels came off this year at kilometer 33.

Hopefully it will be drier too!

witnessmenow

I too am in and am looking for redemption.

Euro Fred

I was the same last year,looking for "redemption"

This year bedsides training better and having a plan (these were very important) was to ignore the spectators, kids with jellies and power up signs.

I didn't wave at cameras or give high 5's, I didn't even run with people I know.

Just put the head down, treated it like a serious event and took 30 minutes off last years time.

Might not work for everyone but it did for me.

peter4918

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121307430#Comment_121307430

What training plan did you use this year?

Euro Fred

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121307724#Comment_121307724

The one from this thread.

Also when I said "plan" I actually meant for the day, holding back until Walkinstown, knowing the route, gels, nutrition etc.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058271128/boards-dcm22-graduates-thread-a-deeper-understanding

Lazare

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121307755#Comment_121307755

Wow, am delighted to read this. 30 min pb is absolutely stunning.

Grads plans are fantastic, as you've proven.

nullObjects

Was out of 2023 with injury

Going in for surgery this week and then hoping to start training for 2024 as soon as I'm healed up

FazyLucker

Fazy is in the queue, but he's got 7k no shows from the weekend in the queue ahead of me....

peter4918

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121310067#Comment_121310067

It’s a bit of a farce really. As I’ve seen mentioned in other posts, if you don’t start the previous one then you shouldn’t have priority for the next. I know people can’t start for various reasons but 7,000 no shows is ridiculous.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121310138#Comment_121310138

You should start a petition and send it into them. That would really be the most positive thing that could come out of the '23 thread and its mainly devoted to this issue.

Stillnotworking

Back in, hoping to redeem myself after this years fiasco! At least I started and finished this one......

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121310221#Comment_121310221

Are you working yet?

Stillnotworking

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121310234#Comment_121310234

If I'm posting on boards I'm not working! But I am in employment, not as a professional athlete.

AlmightyCushion

Gonna enter the lottery when it opens. This will be my first marathon. I was planning to do the 2024 marathon for a while now and oddly despite all the horror stories I have heard from friends who did this years one, I am actually still looking forward to it. Probably even more so now. Maybe I hate myself. Who knows. Even if I don't get an entry in the lottery I'll still run and train for it and hope I pick one up when the refunds or transfers happen.

peter4918

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121310206#Comment_121310206

I have emailed them about it but mainly asking them to consider posting numbers out to participants next year, I’d happily do without the junk in the bag if it meant I didn’t have to travel to the RDS to collect it. I know they would have to send out the clear bag as well for the bag drop but it wouldn’t be that hard to do.

I know they have sponsors to think about for the expo and all that so if they won’t post numbers, then maybe even consider moving the expo to some space in an industrial estate or something that is easy accessible with plenty of parking.

Classic21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121311247#Comment_121311247

The RDS number pickup is annoying for anyone travelling. If they want to use the RDS then start/finish the race there.

Number pickup could happen on the morning of the race. The expo could keep going too until after the race.

Make an inside area available for dropping off bags to avoid clothes getting wet.

Have a changing area for after the race and not have runners changing on the footpath. A marathon I ran previously had a finish point, like the RDS, that had rented portable showers - a warm shower after the race is welcome for everyone runners that wants/needs one

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121311247#Comment_121311247

I thought you were complaining about the number of unused places and to do away with the repeated custom to runners who raced before.

At least you have emailed them about your concern.

I dont think they can do away with the expo with number pick-up, it seems to be a staple for all biggish marathons and having a hall with a changing area afterwards would never happed. They want to disperse the crowd in town as soon as possible and send you on your way.

The only thing I think they could change if enough people complained to them would probably be the set up of the entry system and who is entitled to enter.

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121311166#Comment_121311166

You'll 100% get a spot. Was loads going this year

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121311247#Comment_121311247

There's a tick box saying you agree to pick up your number on sign up. So it's not going to change

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121311354#Comment_121311354

You want enough hot water for approx 18k runners to have a shower?

That is an absolute crazy ask tbh. There are plenty of places you can get a shower after if you look around.

Classic21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121312032#Comment_121312032

Not everyone will take a shower and there aren’t even 18k runners taking part. I only mentioned as I have seen it done in a similar sized marathon ran out of a building like the RDS.

what about the other ideas, I think they would be better than current state of play. RDS is a good asset if properly used for the entire event.

Murph_D

You are all trying to fix an event that is not broken. Sells out every year, so the organisers have very little motivation to change things. We all get what we sign up for.

It's a great race, and every race I've done, from Cork to Chicago, has had a few irritating elements (and the expo is a universal chore for big events).

Little will change, although I'd expect the transfer system WILL be improved next year anyway.

j2

I signed up again, loved the event. What an event, it was incredible. I am willing to put a lot more into running after the likes of that. It may not be something veteran runners appreciate, but first time out it has a huge impact seeing that kind of thing. I am not a runner by any stretch but I can see myself running a lot of Dublin marathons just down to how good it is. It's good breh.

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121312434#Comment_121312434

Of course we appreciate it. We have all gone on the same journey.

j2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121312510#Comment_121312510

Yes definitely, just meant it's such a major step up for the first timer. The likes of that has a major impact, from running around in a park to having crowds around you at all times is kind of mind boggling!

rovers_runner

Damn you FOMO

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121312175#Comment_121312175

Stop talking sense

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121312147#Comment_121312147

What marathon was it?

I don't think the bags need covering. It's the first time it's rained in 10 years and you can easily solve it yourself.

Classic21

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121313142#Comment_121313142

I ran Frankfurt. It had 13k finishers, I had thought it was a bit more but still a good sized event. Frankfurt has a huge convention centre (similar to RDS) but it’s at the start/finish and this makes it easier to have a setup that suits runners before and after the race.

Dublin is a good event but travelling to Dublin and across the city to collect a number on the day before is a pain for a Culchie like me. I don’t have someone to collect for me so that’s not an option. I would pay to get my number posted out prior to the day but I can’t see it happening (I agree with Murph_D that there is no incentive for organisers to make changes).

I shouldn’t be comparing Dublin to Frankfurt as they are very different races. Dublin is better for support on the course but the facilities and organisation means Frankfurt is ahead for me in looking after runners before and after the race.

I didn’t want to derail the thread I was just thinking it would be great to have the better parts of Frankfurt added to Dublin. but if the race is currently selling out nobody will make changes.

Sliabh Martin

Has anyone got an early access code for next year that they aren't going to use? Thanks

Trampas

Early access codes expired last night. Anyone who wants to run Dublin next year should have no issues in getting a number and running under their own name

FazyLucker

OK whatever about the valid complaints on the other thread about transfers and race numbers being posted out, to expect a hot shower after the race is just ridiculous.

On the covered bag issue, a bit like Mrs Doyle and the sandwich here's a little bag you can put your dry clothes in, and here's a bigger bag you can put the little bag in to. I solve this problem myself every day it rains on my cycle to work.

The issue of picking up race number for somebody else goes away if you can transfer right up to the event. It's not All-Ireland tickets here, there is no black market where you can make a profit. Charge €10-20 for a name change up to and including the day of the Expo, eureka. Let anyone pick up the numbers after that. Issue goes away.

custom_build

Was the lottery going live today? There is only entry info for 2023 on their website.

ILikeBoats

Was about to ask the same.

RunningFlyer

I had intended to run this years marathon but unfortunately life got in the way and I was unable to get the training done so had to call quits on it after the transfer window closed.

I was surprised to receive early access code as a DNS, but have signed up hoping for redemption next year!

ClaudeVercetti

Saw this on the website but looks like that's still referring to 2023 but might be the same again today regarding time of opening

Butterbeans

This was a reply from DCM on Instagram an hour ago. It'll open at some stage today, no panic anyway, it's open until 19th November and it's not first come first served.

sledge144

After flying in in 2022 and running it, always said I'd be back. I skipped 2023 but will enter the 2024 lottery.

Hopefully I'll get in.

ClaudeVercetti

They just posted on Instagram that they're extending the priority entries to midnight tonight and pushing the lottery to tomorrow now - I don't mean to speculate but wondering were there issues with anyone getting an email or was priority uptake lower than expected

yosser hughes

Priority entry extended

custom_build

One would have imagined that the entrants who are serious about running the event next year, have already signed up in the two days passed. Surely extending the priority entry is only encouraging the people who are on the fence, or signing up for fomo. Will this not just exacerbate the problem of 25% + no shows at the marathon? Just my two cents.

Pawwed Rig

I'm in for next year again. The crowds on their own make it worthwhile although there was less of a buzz at the start line this year. 🤔

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121314830#Comment_121314830

They want as many no-shows as possible. Just my two cents.

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121314926#Comment_121314926

Why?

FinnC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121314926#Comment_121314926

Nail on the head.

FazyLucker

They won't want the publicity that 1/3 of the field didn't show up and that an unknown number of people were running on bibs that were not in their own name though!

Butterbeans

I'm guessing here, but it's probably more likely that not all emails went to the relevant people in time rather than a low take-up of places. DCM will sell out for next year regardless.

If they are hoping for a similar number of no-show each year (not sure if that's likely to be the case), that's a dangerous game, and will damage the reputation of the race, as those outside the golden circle will look elsewhere or move on to something else. It's not that long ago that DCM wasn't an annual sell out gig.

As mentioned many times, extending the transfer window and reducing the cost of it (is that where the €30 charge comes in?), will solve a lot of issues. I don't like the gauranteed re-entry system but it is what it is for now.

ClaudeVercetti

Maybe I'm not thinking of something but surely a no-show will make no difference to their running costs? They've likely already provisioned the medals, bags etc in advance so that would already have been paid for.

custom_build

"and will damage the reputation of the race, as those outside the golden circle will look elsewhere or move on to something else."

I think this is already the case.

tunney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121314830#Comment_121314830

Some of the emails didn't arrive until late on the Tuesday. I got mine early at 1130 or so but I know people where it was after six. Could easily have been ones that arrived later.

rovers_runner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121315720#Comment_121315720

Every event takes a calculated risk on a percentage not showing up, probably the biggest events such as the majors to a lesser extent given the status and the cost of entry alone, you'd have to think DCM are basing their plans around 80% showing up at the expo.

Nobody can argue with the reasoning behind that side of things due to past numbers to finishers ratios and the obvious waste you can be left looking at the days after a race with some 6000 finisher t-shirts/medals/goodie bags staring you in the face.

Your point then comes into consideration as given orders need to be raised nearly a year in advance are they going with say ordering supplies for 80% of total entrants and clearing existing debt with the remainder.

Butterbeans

..

FazyLucker

But if you are banking on no-shows then questions have to be asked about the obvious waste created by unused medals, to shirts, water etc.

Surely they'd be better off having a transfer system where they can change hands right up to the day before the Expo say? I just don't see why that would be an issue.

From a user perspective, say there's a cancellation list and I'm in position X. 'm registered for a cancellation, knowing full well that I might not get a place. As places come available due to drop outs, these people are offered a place in order on the queue. I can check where I am on the cancellation list and plan accordingly as I get closer to the top of the queue. And I can remove myself whenever I want. Charge €20 for the transfer and give €90 back to the drop out once their bib is taken up - to encourage people to drop out sooner if they won't be running it. If you leave it to the last minute, you might not get any refund because the bib might not be taken up.

Entries get used and the organisers can plan for a largely full field. I just don't see the problem here. At the moment, its a waste of everybody's time, money and resources.