Dublin Marathon 2024

Tommy Max

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121431332#Comment_121431332

The point I'm making is If a club member is guaranteed a place under good for age then it has to be allowed across the board whether you are a club member or not.

j2

Have they said what the route might be changed to? And how can it be changed?

event

Nah be next year before we hear a thing I would imagine. Route change doesnt bother me as such, though I would like the start/finish to remain in the city centre.

And presumably because the NTA are so concerned about disruption and traffic, they will reduce the need for cars/buses in the city centre by making sure the DART and Northbound trains are all working as well as laying on extra trains for the runners

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121433265#Comment_121433265

No, apart from the limited GFA entry (which is only applicable to a small minority of club runners).

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121433853#Comment_121433853

Why? The non-club member is ineligible for the national/provincial/county championships so has no need for the entry.

sk8board

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440171#Comment_121440171

Exactly this.

not sure what’s confusing here - the DCM marathon doubles as the Dublin, Leinster ans National marathon championships - which can only be entered by club runners.

club runners have always been given favourable entry to DCM, it’s just not something that’s a big deal. If they can’t find a bib, the club can source one from DCM, usually a returned/unused charity bib.

i can’t understand the butthurt here - train away for DCM, pick up a bib in the transfer window, or from someone in the weeks or months beforehand, and then go to the transfer table inside the door at the RDS on race weekend and get it into your name.

its not hard lads

event

A lot of people feel they should be entitled to an entry in Dublin every year

bucketybuck

I see we are back around to "How dare anybody be critical".

Consonata

Disappointed that I didn't get an entry this year, but I'm neither a member of a club nor an extremely active runner, so I fully understand being near the bottom of the pecking order. I was hoping to be able to score off the marathon before a big age milestone for me, so is there any chance of getting a bib later in the year. I'm tempted to begin training as if the marathon is happening for me and hope the bib lands in my lap

AlmightyCushion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440380#Comment_121440380

If it is anything like this years marathon then you should definitely get one. Just keep subscribed to this thread so that you can get notified when/if they re-open the window or allow transfers. If you don't get it then just keep checking here and the DCM 2024 and Irish Runners strava groups for people selling them.

sk8board

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440380#Comment_121440380

You weren’t down the pecking order though - everyone in the lottery had the same chance, whether you were elite, or hadn’t turned a leg in years. Which is how it should be.

all we’re saying (to you, or to everyone), is that I’ve never seen someone to not end up with a bib for DCM who actually wanted one.

the DCM Strava group had so many people offering bibs in the month beforehand that you could see the no-show rate was going to be high. So many people get injured while training, or else ‘harsh reality’ strikes a few weeks before.

e.g two weeks ago I couldn’t find a bib for the Jingle bells 5k tomorrow morning. I’ve seen easily 4 or 5 of them floating around since.

Trim 10m is sold out, I don’t have a bib, but I know I’ll get one.

There’s ALWAYS bibs for sold out races.

the only stress is that you need to train as if you have one

event

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440380#Comment_121440380

You're certainly not down any pecking order. As I've said a few times, I dont think there should be any pecking order. An open lotto for all, with nothing reserved (though I appreciate for the national marathon championships some need to be held).

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440207#Comment_121440207

Can you do a transfer at the RDS like that? I didn't think you could?

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440815#Comment_121440815

I think this is it - you'll pick up a bib for almost any race if you want one. It might not be in your name but there's always entries going to waste. Hopefully the DCM will realise this about the transfers and allow name changes right up until the Expo even.

I'll be training in the hope that I get one anyway.

Murph_D

Maybe if you’re elite / sub-elite? Not something I’ve ever heard of for the more ordinary runner, whether a club member or not.

sk8board

every regular racer knows from checking the race results websites that you’ll only ever have about 75% of finishers versus the bibs they sold out. Every race has a noshow rate

CuriousCucumber

If only there were other marathons people could run...

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121441745#Comment_121441745

100%, I suppose that's not an issue as the vast majority of races do not sell out. Its not as if people are missing out on the opportunity to run as a result of the no-shows.

CuriousCucumber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121442593#Comment_121442593

A lot more marathons are selling out these days.

All the general allocation spots sold out for Manchester within 24hours this year. There was no demand like this last year.

The fact of the matter is, lots of people are running these days, and completing a marathon is a more achievable goal than ever before.

Also, lots of people are turning running marathons into holidays. I did Manchester with 4 friends This year. Next year we're doing Rome. The following year, we might do Paris, or Barcelona. Its a great way to see a city.

The Big 6 marathons are almost impossible to get into via lottery anymore. Only a few years ago, you were guaranteed a spot in London, if you applied, and failed, three years in a row. That avenue is completely closed now.

Marathons are all limited in the number of places they can offer, and they plan with any expected number of no shows. If any marathon, had 100% of participants show up at the start line, they would struggle massively.

You have to accept, that running a marathon is also a business. If a marathon fails financially one year, it is unlikely to run again.

To ensure marathons are financially viable, organisers will do what they can to guarantee sign-ups. Be that

Offer "special pre-sale" access to a certain group of runners (i.e. runners from last year for a few short weeks)

Limit the number of transfers available, in order to drive up demand

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121442768#Comment_121442768

Agree with every word of that. I'm not sure if you replied to the right post though?

You could also say then that a sold-out marathon could be denying Dublin some revenue from tourists who might come here to run the marathon and see the city.

Billy_the_Kid

A Dublin Rejects marathon on the same day somewhere outside Dublin would be great !

Glencarraig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440922#Comment_121440922

No you cannot. Once the transfer window closes there is no way to change a name, only option is to run under somebody else's name. A national marathon medal winner was DQ'd from this years race because they ran with illegal pacers who either had somebody else's number or no number at all. If you bought a number illegally the best thing the seller could do is disable the timing chip.

Pawwed Rig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121429302#Comment_121429302

I doubt many people who run Dublin really think too much about London or New York. It is a premium event when compared to Limerick, Westport, Longford (to name a few) as it attracts a much larger field, larger crowds and has elite runners entering due to the prize money. Be proud for what it is rather than what it isn't.

I did Dublin for the first time (under my own name) this year. Maybe I just got "lucky" in the lottery but if I hadn't I still would have run it as there were entries all over the place. It is not the closed shop that people seem to be saying here. I am not in a club and definitely not GFA.

Tommy Max

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121440171#Comment_121440171

because the DCM is not restricted to only club members.

there is thousands of non club runners in the race and none of them are eligible for any championship???????

So if there is a good for age route to getting a place then it should be for anybody who has achieved the required time for their age.

its either an entry route or its not for everybody. national championship BS doesn't wash.

sk8board

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121444550#Comment_121444550

(Im going to assume you’re not a club runner, apologies if I’m incorrect in that)

not sure you know how club running works - we actively enter the championship races, it’s very very far from ‘BS’.

E.g how many people will be running the Dublin 10k championships in the tiny north Dublin village of Garristown next year? (bloody hilly course too!). Almost all the club runners will be there because it’s a championship race.

DCM is the same. Dublin clubs in particular have 3 championships in one day, never mind the DCM participation medal itself. I’ve seen athletes in the past week or two with 3 championship medals from that one race (team, individual, age group, Dublin, Leinster etc etc). these were all people with 3:10-30 marathon times - not lads with 2:20’s.

Club racers of all abilities like racing championship races in club colours.

Tommy Max

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121444850#Comment_121444850

the BS im referring to is that a runner who is a club member and achieves a good for age time gets offered a place. but if a non club runner in the same age bracket achieved the same or better result than the club runner, their achievement is totally dismissed. Hardly fair?????????

The issue is the bias towards a club member in having this avenue to get into the marathon. And as we know its a horrendous issue getting an official registration in this race nowadays.

bren2002

I don't have much skin in this game, but your example above discounts the volunteer efforts of the club runner.

In most events the affiliated clubs get preferred treatment - see the Ireland rugby tickets thread for example.

A club runner is highly likely to be giving back much more to the world of running than an independent runner.

Murph_D

You have to take account of the marathon championship(s) being an event within an event, with different rules and procedures. The GFA is a recent innovation, necessitated by competitive club runners being unable to access the event via the normal entry (as the event being a sellout was never an issue until recentl years and the change to Sunday especially.) Obviously to have meaningful results, the relevant athletes have to have a guaranteed entry route).

That said, I’d be all for a GFA system for all, although it would not necessarily need to have the same times for non-club runner entry (that would depend completely on demand ie the number of places available, whereas the club tunes are based on actual marathon results for all age categories).

All club members are eligible for the championships (as long as they wear their club singlet and declare their affiliation on the entry form). The GFA system is just to ensure that those with medal potential can actually get into the race. I’d imagine it is ultimately administered by Athletics Ireland rather than DCM organisers.

GFA is a far fairer system than guaranteed entry for last year’s runners IMO. But don’t conflate it with championship entry - simply not the same game.

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121444122#Comment_121444122

I don't get your point and especially not in response to that message!

I would say most people who run the DCM would jump at the chance if they got an entry say into the London marathon, and many who shrugged their shoulders at not bothering to do the DCM wouldn't be so blah zay if they got an entry to one of those top marathons - in their own name or otherwise. I know I would.

But the fact that bibs are floating around and 6-7k of them were unused doesn't scream something which is as in-demand as people make it out to be.

That's not to even remotely diss the DCM as it is an absolutely fantastic event to be part of or to support.

Tommy Max

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121447329#Comment_121447329

I don't agree that a club runner would be giving more back to the sport. I know alot of runners who are club members purely for access to a track and club facilities and to be eligible to run cross country races. in terms of what they give back to the club or sport I know its zero other than paying the membership. they spend their time training or racing and nothing else associated with the club other than a night out maybe in the pub as a group.

like all sports clubs ul always have some people who are greatly involved in the club. but most of these I find are not too heavily active in participating but fill alot of their time in other roles rather than taking their own running too serious.