Dublin Marathon 2024

T-Bird

Well, I exaggerated it a bit, the window was open untill the 16th of June, so it was just over 2 weeks.

AlmightyCushion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121418375#Comment_121418375

Even 2 weeks is still a long enough time. Especially considering it was first come, first served. Any one following this thread will know exactly when it opens (assuming they do it again) and will be able to jump on it pretty quickly.

bucketybuck

Is it not a bit strange that a marathon is now fully sold out and yet everybody is so sure and definite that if I wanted an entry next year I would get one?

FazyLucker

You could pick them up for nothing in the weeks before this year's event. Especially if you are happy to run under another name! The refund and transfer windows will be significant I think.

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121418635#Comment_121418635

Dublin is not unique though. This happens at any big marathon with the exception of the majors

niallo27

How many people signed up for the lottery and are now panicking because they got an offer. I really am surprised how many were rejected. I know its a small sample size here but looks like 1 in 4 were offered a place.

FinnC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121421542#Comment_121421542

I was talking to a woman at a GAA match today and she said she's the only one out of her group of 7 friends that entered who was offered a place.

sk8board

my experience of DCM, this year included, is that anyone who wants a bib can get one in the month or more beforehand. Train away.

the DCM Strava group had easily 10-15 bibs/day on offer from people, for weeks, and plenty more here or online/adverts etc.

Coupled with the transfer window next June, if you want to race it next Oct, you can.

FinnC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121422283#Comment_121422283

I'd agree.

There does seem to be a lot of rejections this year though. Maybe it was the same last year? I didn't pay as much attention to threads like this last year as I hadn't entered myself.

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121422705#Comment_121422705

I reckon way more people applied for the ballot this year than last year.

CassieManson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121422787#Comment_121422787

I think the fact that they offered guaranteed entry to women who had done the half marathon reduced the number available for the lottery. Personally it all felt like a bit of a scam, especially when the left the lottery open for a few extra days to get more money/entries in. I was lucky and got a spot but most of the people I was planning on training with did not.

event

Yeah good point on the women, which is good to see.

Not sure what you mean by scam though. Loads of marathons have lotto entries, was inevitable this would happen.

I dont believe they should do guaranteed entry myself. But if they did away with it and had a massive lotto, would still be people who miss out. And if they did no lotto at all and it was FCFS, again people would miss out.

This can be a good thing, it can only help grow other marathons. Galway Bay and Dingle in September/October. Dingle Half is already sold out for next September, so it even happens in a half marathon

CassieManson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423455#Comment_121423455

What I mean by scam is that they knew the numbers were limited but still encouraged more entries by extending the lottery by several days. At that point they would have known how many guaranteed entries had been allocated based on 2023 marathon and 2023 half marathon. The lottery fee was non-refundable so guaranteed money for them. Added to that, people who lost out on the lottery are not in any way prioritized for allocation of returned numbers. Last year as far as I recall there was another round where tickets offered in the lottery and not accepted/paid for were offered to those who lost out in the initial lottery.

bucketybuck

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423455#Comment_121423455

I know they are great lads who say hello at parkruns and people aren't allowed to question them, but I suspect they know pretty damn well that aggressively pushing guaranteed entry immediately following the previous years race creates a situation where people sign up who would never have signed up otherwise and who won't make the start line.

The cause and effect of this is more people paying for a lottery place they won't get, more payments for transfers next summer, and a higher no-show rate at next years event.

I consider all of that to be perfectly logical.

I wouldn't use the word scam, but I'd prefer people didn't pretend it is all innocent either. Even just calling it good business would be more palatable.

niallo27

Should giving guaranteed entry to women be legal, it seem grossly unfair.

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423750#Comment_121423750

Was the lotto extended? I thought it was just the window for the guaranteed entry.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423805#Comment_121423805

Of course people can question them. People (myself included) defended them because a lot of comments were asking for stuff that is absolute pie in the sky. First time it rained in about 10 years and people saying they should have a cover on the bags. People saying there should be showers. I mean, come on.

In the same way, I think the €5 charge for the lotto and the €30 charge to transfer is an utter disgrace. Maybe its their way of raising more money, I dunno. The money is all given back to the community, no one profits (do they have one employee?) so there is that.

But whatever way entries are done, we will end up people unable to do it. And there will always be criticism, always be someone unhappy.

CassieManson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121424022#Comment_121424022

Yes the lottery was extended it was supposed to close at midnight on Nov 16 and we were supposed to know the outcome on between 20-22 November. It certainly didn't close on 16 Nov and I think it was open until midnight on 19 November.

racersedge

Seen this on Twitter from Mal McCausland:

left_hander

I have no problem with women who did the Dublin Half being guaranteed a place (it shows a level of commitment to running which is good), BUT I presume that window has closed before the ballot? In that - the guaranteed entry window has shut and then the lottery happened?

Also, I presume the 2nd round of this the first served will be those who did enter the ballot and were unsuccessful? If its just first come first served then the lottery was a €5 scam.

On the public transport issue / NTA issue, if they are so concerned about the public transport situation then why is the DART out on this bank holiday weekend when thousands would benefit from getting it to the start of the marathon? But also - could the marathon not turn left at the end of Fitzwilliam Square, turn right on to the canal, and then turn right at Portobello or Harold's Cross bridge for example? This means it doesn't need to cross the Luas line at all so that problem goes away.

But again, its like the NTA are determined to make the marathon a pariah and view it as a nuisance, rather than wanting it to showcase the best of Dublin City and embracing it for the money spinning event it is. I just can't fathom it.

CassieManson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121424810#Comment_121424810

Yes the lottery did not open until after the closing date for the marathon/half marathon guaranteed places.

As far as I am aware there is no second round this year for those who entered the lottery - it certainly was not mentioned in the email sent out to those who were unsuccessful. I assume any entries not taken up by those who were successful in the lottery will just be sold separately at a later date. I think the ballot was genuine - not first come first served as I know people who applied before me but did not get a place whereas I did.

jlang

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121424736#Comment_121424736

It is good that the press release mentions relieving Merrion Square North specifically and not the city centre in general. It dampens speculation of moving out of the city, actually pointing out the desire to showcase the city. It's surely possible that a small change somewhere in the suburbs could give the few hundred metres flexibility to allow a rearrangement of the start/finish infrastructure and move the finish line off the Merrion Square North bus route. Thus preventing the need to close it for so long - even if the approach via Mount Street might still be on the route and closed during the race.

The roads around Fitzwilliam Street and Merrion Square have the strong benefit of having tiny numbers of actual residents to annoy so I think the less change made the less friction will be caused. As I recall before the Luas construction forced a change off O'Connell St, the loop around Trinity ended with a turn on to finish at Merrion Square West (but the numbers were smaller then and a turn just before the finish doesn't seem likely any more). Finishing on Fitzwilliam Street is my least-change suggestion. Finishing via Baggot Street or the canal might also be considered before looking at moving the whole start/finish setup to somewhere that can be closed : like Grand Canal Square / John Rogerson's Quay or Custom House Quay / North Wall Quay? (Closed to through traffic / busses perhaps, but there would then be residents to appease!)

yosser hughes

I'd love to know how many places were actually up for grabs in the lottery. All entries from this year (including no shows) had a priority a window enter and also all female entries of the half-marathon, plus those set aside for charity entries, how many could there possible have been?

The chances of 'winning' the privilege to enter was probably very slim.

I've asked them, but I won't hold my breath on getting an answer.

yosser hughes

Ian O'Riordan reckons about 5,000 available

DarHan84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121423989#Comment_121423989

Everything is unfair. Weren't you the lad crying that you got banned a while back? 🤣

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121425111#Comment_121425111

Yes I get that it wasn't first come first served but surely when the transfer/refunds kick in next June, priority will be given to those who entered the lottery in the first place?

Otherwise, what was the point in entering the lottery when I could just wait until next Summer and try and get a place then, rather than paying €5 to a lottery I probably had a very low chance of coming out in.

It's starting to sound like a money grab, truth be told.

sledge144

It's a big gamble to wait untill June. If you miss out then all other marathons will likely also be sold out?

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121425180#Comment_121425180

I honestly think the residential complaints are vastly overstated. I live close to the route and never once did I hear anybody complaining about it and I know people who live on the route as well. I think locals welcome the event and plan accordingly for the one day of the year that it is a problem.

The only complaint I ever hear is that the streets and footpaths aren't properly cleaned up after it. This is a big source of complaints. Apart from that, I think most people love the buzz of the event and the crowd it brings.

Of course there's always the Joe Duffy caller but you wouldn't want to pay them any heed whatsoever.

The biggest loss in my opinion is that it doesn't go down O'Connell Street any more, our most famous (or maybe infamous) street. Even the complaints about the Luas, FFS like its for 1 hour on one of the quietest mornings of the year, and as I say if they really wanted it could run along the canal and even that issue goes away if its an insurmountable issue. Again, it'd be closed for an hour and a very short stretch of it. You could even run it just between Leeson Street and Ranelagh Bridges, turn left then and run down Harrington Street on to Clanbrassil Street up to Christchurch. That said, it'd be a shame to not run past St. Stephen's Green either.

SimpleDimple

Bit unfair that the women who did their half marathon get early entry? Why can’t men have a similar half marathon qualifier

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121426054#Comment_121426054

Because they are trying to encourage more women to enter

sk8board

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121426054#Comment_121426054

The male female split at DCM was 65:35, it’s a pretty logical thing to do if they want more female participation.

even Boston, the most prestigious of them all, do something similar by having 30min between the male and female BQ times.

Chicago quali times go up as far as 45min diff depending on age.

nothing at all wrong with trying to get more female participation - the ratio at races doesn’t equal the ratio of casual runners