Hmm, Knocknacarra might be about to get a lot quieter.
First U parkrun on the island as far as I'm aware if any of you are Alphabet chasers.
New parkrun coming in Galway - University of Galway parkrun
Milano Nord yesterday.
Got lapped today at brickfields, first time that has happened to me. The guy who came first seemed pretty close to the course record, but doesn't appear to even be a parkrunner!
Portumna Forest , Coole Park or Mountbellew Forest. I would say Portumna is the easiest to get to. The courses are much the same, 2 laps around a leafy forest trail though Portumna tends to be more gravelled.
Heading to Loughrea this weekend.
Any flat courses nearby or within 40 min drive.
My local 2 are River Valley and Ardgillan. Be nice to get a break from the hills for a week.
St Anne's changed a couple of times aswell with no reset. Funnily enough my fastest times are on the slower course there
Achill changed to a different section of the Greenway a few months ago and as far as I'm aware there wasn't any reset of their track records.
I've never ran on the beach in Fenit but I think the camber (probably the wrong word to use for a beach) might be too steep on it for a comfortable run and the access point to the beach would be tricky as it's steep slipway. There is a pathway beside the beach but it's possibly a bit narrow for for parkrun. Inch Beach is pretty flat and firm on the parkrun route and plenty of space. I think once a route is established it can only be changed on safety grounds so we'll be doing M shaped runs on the greenway for the time to come!
Wonder if they'd get away with doing a quick out and back on the strand instead? Make it a part Achill, part Inch Beach Parkrun
Ah yes, should have twigged that - thanks
I think in order to get permission for the event to go ahead they needed to avoid crossing over rights of way, if it was fully out and back you'd be crossing over at 2-3 rights of way which are entrances driveways to private homes/farms. If they had the route crossing over them it could have meant an interesting game of chicken between runners coming from both sides and possibly vehicles crossing the greenway. You have two pairs of these types of gates at each of these rights of way.
Any idea why they didn't just make it out & back?
thx Annie. Didn’t find it too congested - but I did go towards the front. Def didn’t slow me down, especially after first 300m. Loved it.
next time, if it’s not blowing and storming, poolbeg :-)
Fenit Greenway held it's inaugural parkrun last Saturday just over 200 runners.
The route itself, to explain is termed an M route. You run out the greenway past the first cone to the second cone (approx 1.85K) out, you turn at that second cone, then run back to the first cone (back about 650m), then you turn at that cone and run back to the second cone, turn again at that second cone and after that it's a fast <2K to the finish. The first 1.2K approx has a decent drag as you run out the greenway but after that then it's flat for the section between the cones and fast to finish particularly in the last K. Congestion wise I thought that might be an issue on the course but given the time of day it's pretty quiet out there so not many if any cycling at that time of day and with 200 runners it was grand really.
Didn't seem to cause much of a drop of numbers in Tralee or Listowel with 260 runners the previous week in Tralee and 230 runners then this week. Listowel averages around 50 runners and held it's number as did Inch Beach and Killarney House which are further afield. Plenty of people to support these events which is great.
This might be handy for anyone who goes to Tramore Valley parkrun in Cork, the new pedestrian bridge is open.
https://twitter.com/ivansantry/status/1719644219919229433
You'll also need to get out front there too if you're after a fast time. TBH if speed is your goal then you should consider Poolbeg due to lower numbers - I know you're ruling it out due to that but both Marley and St. Anne's have big numbers and can get congested especially at the start....
Here's a look around St Annes to help you.
Thanks for that! i am currently leaning towards St. Annes. You'd think this is a big decision for me haha!
Teams don't have to decide until early Dec so check back then.
Early days but a few have already confirmed.
Any details on which Parkruns will be open for Christmas Day and New Years Day?
You'll need to get out front at Marlay. If you hang back you'll get caught in the bottleneck at the first turn.
My hesitation with poolbeg is size and numbers running around the 20 min mark. Bigger is better in my head :-) I did poolbeg a few years ago in a storm and it’s completely messed up my perception of how fought the course is :-)
God to know. I’ve heard some people say it’s one of the slowest in Dublin. But I like busy parkruns!
I'd recommend Poolbeg - pancake flat and tarmac surface, except for the short hill, which is fine and you get to go straight back down. Bushy is another option - close to Marlay but much less numbers. Dodder Valley is also an option in that neck of the woods..
Thanks so much, Pawwd Rig! Am visiting from abroad, so i am always trying to optimise my best chances of a decent time :-)
If you can only ever do 1 of those then St Anne's is the one to go for. There is a moderate hill as you say but I have my 5k pb on that course.
I haven't done Poolbeg but will get out there one of these days
I've never run St Anne's but I think Marlay is very quick, once you respect the opening hill.
Yep, GPS not to be trusted!
would you say marlay is as fast a route as St Anne’s? Thanks so much for the input
St Anne's. Fantastic parkrun, fantastic crew there, lovely run and a great coffee afterwards in Olives.
