The Great Limerick Run, 2 May 2010

donothoponpop · 04-05-2010 11:48AM

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Ah, but that was a completely different scenario (it wasn't me. ). Seriously, the race organizers should at a minimum be providing an official balloon string knot tie-person. Until they do, I think we should all boycott all races. How they think they can delegate this most important of responsibilities to any ol' eejit, I just don't know.

Top Tip- I tied my balloons to a wrist sweatband, which I then slid up my arm. Could take it off when I wanted to discard my pre-race tshirt, could move it during the race when the wind dragged the balloons an awkward way, was ready to ask HM to take over pacing duties should I bonk after 16 miles "hold these balloons for a minute while I do a pee". Seemed to work better than tying the string to the back of a singlet.

ecoli · 04-05-2010 11:50AM

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Ah, but that was a completely different scenario (it wasn't me. ). Seriously, the race organizers should at a minimum be providing an official balloon string knot tie-person. Until they do, I think we should all boycott all races. How they think they can delegate this most important of responsibilities to any ol' eejit, I just don't know.

I feel your pain i had one get caught on a lamp post during few drills before the start of the race
second one got caught up with other pacers strings and had to go as was causing problems especially with congestion

hunnymonster · 04-05-2010 11:59AM

donothoponpop wrote: »

Top Tip- I tied my balloons to a wrist sweatband, which I then slid up my arm. Could take it off when I wanted to discard my pre-race tshirt, could move it during the race when the wind dragged the balloons an awkward way, was ready to ask HM to take over pacing duties should I bonk after 16 miles "hold these balloons for a minute while I do a pee". Seemed to work better than tying the string to the back of a singlet.

ironman marathons generally have sweatbands like this, you get a different coloured one each lap (mostly 4 laps) and you would not believe how intense sweatband envy can get when you spot someone with more than you.

back on topic, the sweatband looked like a good option so I'll get some for Cork in case more people want to adopt the DP approach (get your patent in soon young man!)

Reaganomical · 04-05-2010 12:05PM

i did the half on Sunday, finished about 10 minutes slower than I had planned, went thru first 5 miles on target but coming up thru Raheen my plantar.f decided to make its presence felt. If I was smart I would have dropped out but kept going and got around in around 1'33 punctuated with some nice stretching breaks en route...nevermind, put it down to experience.

Positives:

1. Atmosphere...awesome buzz around town beforehand, great support around Raheen, Henry St, the Castle, Thomondgate and the finishing area.
2. Pacers...all seemed to do an excellent job, the two lads pacing the 1'30" half looked like they were out for a handy jog with about 10 people following them when they passed me with about 2 miles to go.
3. Water...plenty of official and unoffical water stops en route (at least as far as TP).
4. Number collection...went out to TP early on Saturday and no hassle getting processed.

Negatives:

1. Signage for the half...had my garmin so wasn't too much of an issue for me but I was surprised by the lack of distinct half signs
2. Marshals...think someone else mentioned this but there could have been more marshals especially along Ennis Road back into town.
3. Drivers...nearly got mowed down by some impatient b1tch along the south circular road.
4. Route...bringing the route around the back of River House to Potato Market was a strange call.
5. The 9.43k...? Leaving aside the distance issue, it was hilarious at the end watching the leading lads in the 10k swerving around the marathon runners. The merits of running this one needs to be reviewed...
6. Website...it wasn't good enough.

All in all, I thought it was a solid first effort, no doubt things will need to be reviewed for next year. I think the organisers also need to decide what the focus of the races should be...quality v quantity.

PIORUN · 04-05-2010 12:37PM

schnellimbiss wrote: »

i did the half on Sunday, finished about 10 minutes slower than I had planned, went thru first 5 miles on target but coming up thru Raheen my plantar.f decided to make its presence felt. If I was smart I would have dropped out but kept going and got around in around 1'33 punctuated with some nice stretching breaks en route...nevermind, put it down to experience.

Positives:

1. Atmosphere...awesome buzz around town beforehand, great support around Raheen, Henry St, the Castle, Thomondgate and the finishing area.
2. Pacers...all seemed to do an excellent job, the two lads pacing the 1'30" half looked like they were out for a handy jog with about 10 people following them when they passed me with about 2 miles to go.
3. Water...plenty of official and unoffical water stops en route (at least as far as TP).
4. Number collection...went out to TP early on Saturday and no hassle getting processed.

Negatives:

1. Signage for the half...had my garmin so wasn't too much of an issue for me but I was surprised by the lack of distinct half signs
2. Marshals...think someone else mentioned this but there could have been more marshals especially along Ennis Road back into town.
3. Drivers...nearly got mowed down by some impatient b1tch along the south circular road.
4. Route...bringing the route around the back of River House to Potato Market was a strange call.
5. The 9.43k...? Leaving aside the distance issue, it was hilarious at the end watching the leading lads in the 10k swerving around the marathon runners. The merits of running this one needs to be reviewed...
6. Website...it wasn't good enough.

All in all, I thought it was a solid first effort, no doubt things will need to be reviewed for next year. I think the organisers also need to decide what the focus of the races should be...quality v quantity.

I agree, 10k could be ditched. Also the half should start with the full, it was tough having a pile of people pass me by on the last 2 miles, leading the half.

RedB · 04-05-2010 01:00PM

Me 'leading' the sub 3:45 group through the riverbank gates (well, I made such a fuss about them, I wasn't going to be stuck at the back of the group

)

http://picasaweb.google.com/padraicbirmingham/LimerickMarathon11MileArea?feat=embedwebsite#5466688803457334818

JimWhoIs50 · 04-05-2010 01:19PM

And Krusty Clown leading his mob with me in yellow to his right.
http://picasaweb.google.com/padraicbirmingham/LimerickMarathon2010Start#5466685185422679090

Cartman78 · 04-05-2010 01:37PM

RedB wrote: »

Me 'leading' the sub 3:45 group through the riverbank gates (well, I made such a fuss about them, I wasn't going to be stuck at the back of the group )

http://picasaweb.google.com/padraicbirmingham/LimerickMarathon11MileArea?feat=embedwebsite#5466688803457334818

That's me at the back with the shades.

BTW - does anyone know the tall guy in the green t-shirt in the middle of this pic? Was chatting to him with a couple of miles to go...lost contact then and saw him collapsed at the finish line surrounded by St. John's ambo people

MarieC · 04-05-2010 01:41PM

Cartman78 wrote: »

BTW - does anyone know the tall guy in the green t-shirt in the middle of this pic? Was chatting to him with a couple of miles to go...lost contact then and saw him collapsed at the finish line surrounded by St. John's ambo people

my friend who was waiting for me at the finish line was actually telling me about him. think its the same guy cos she had a photo of him. the whole nearly brought spectators to tears. He turned the corner to go to the finish line and his legs just gave up. he tried to stand, legs were not having it, kept trying and kept falling. ambo people came along to assist him, but also to remove him from the route, people were shouting to leave him on to finish the route so two people (not sure were they runners or spectators) went under both of his arms and helped him over the finish line. Im sure he got all the care he needed then. Tough going to say the least. I often wonder about people like this, hours later, or even now how are they?

Krusty_Clown · 04-05-2010 01:42PM

Two shots of the hood and his merry men making their way through Sherwood Limerick forest (a little blurred, but thanks to whoever took the photos!).

MarieC · 04-05-2010 01:45PM

just worked out my splits. surprised they were so good, except for that section towards the end (roughly mile 17 to 21). thats when I needed the loo. If that split had been along the lines of the others I could have been up to 3minutes faster! Ah well, que sera sera........

lecheile · 04-05-2010 01:51PM

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Two shots of the hood and his merry men making their way through Sherwood Limerick forest (a little blurred, but thanks to whoever took the photos!).

There is a good range of photos there - thanks Padraic B - I even managed to squeeze into one with a happy looking bunch

donothoponpop · 04-05-2010 02:14PM

Result! (3:56) This girl ran a good steady race, was itching to go faster at first, but she held back with us. Struggled a bit through miles 20-24, but had mentioned before the gun that she would allow a bit of "encouragement" if needed, so I shouted at her for a mile or so, and then she took off for a fast final push! Well done!

JimWhoIs50 · 04-05-2010 02:35PM

Am I the only one who got a crummy generic medel in a box with no ribbon? I wish I got a proper medel like Paula in the pictures is sporting. Boohoo.....

hunnymonster · 04-05-2010 02:42PM

I got the one in the box and then went back and swapped it when I saw the one's on ribbons

PIORUN · 04-05-2010 02:42PM

JimWhoIs50 wrote: »

Am I the only one who got a crummy generic medel in a box with no ribbon? I wish I got a proper medel like Paula in the pictures is sporting. Boohoo.....

I also got a medal in a box Jim, when it was handed to me at the end I asked what is this, yer man looked at me puzzled, " its your medal". I wanted to be up on a podium getting it placed over my head. Felt robbed.

MarieC · 04-05-2010 02:49PM

why was there two different types of medals? the one with the ribbon was way more convincing! people are shattered crossing the line, they shouldn't have to decide which medal they want and they go and try swapping them....

PIORUN · 04-05-2010 02:58PM

MarieC wrote: »

why was there two different types of medals? the one with the ribbon was way more convincing! people are shattered crossing the line, they shouldn't have to decide which medal they want and they go and try swapping them....

another black mark against the organisers MarieC

by the way loved your race report, it was brilliant. I think I'll expand on my own later. Yours made great reading and brought me back there again, bravo.
I'm looking forward to Dingle already

JimWhoIs50 · 04-05-2010 03:43PM

Check out the GLR website. Results are available (well, kind of).

gaf1983 · 04-05-2010 04:19PM

Yip, I got the medal in a box too. Don't mind too much cos the miniature basketball net in my room is beginning to feel the strain of all the other medals hanging off it...

Overall I was very happy with how my race went, was shaking off an injury I picked up 5 weeks ago so very happy to finish with a second best PB (SBPB?) in the half. Saying that, I didn't get caught up in the bottleneck at the Potato Market Bridge, and while I did feel it was a bit congested at the start of the race - from the Crescent to Punches Cross I thought perhaps the traffic cones made the route a bit too narrow - overall this wasn't really a problem for me.

However, from speaking to people since the race it seems that some aspects of the race leave a lot to be desired.

The whole business of the 10k race only measuring 9.4k - this is inexcusable. Now it was neither today nor yesterday that I sat Junior Cert Business Studies, but I'm wondering could some of the "10k" racers be entitled to a bit of a refund under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act or even the Consumer Information Act? They paid for a 10k race and simply didn't get what they paid for.
I spoke to two colleagues at work, neither who took part. One of them said she met a wheelchair participant who had got lost near King John's Castle - apparently (and unsurprisingly) the naggity paths and steps along the riverside weren't too accessible and he ended up getting lost - there should have been marshals (or failing that an alternative route) to prevent this sort of thing happening.
Another colleague of mine has a friend who's partially blind who did the one of the races - needless to say, he found the passage around the humpback bridge particularly testing.

I think the overall message from that section of the race is less steps next time please.

There were plenty of pluses, such as the support, the bands, the good-natured support of the pacers among other things. I also liked how there were many sections of the race you could see other racers - i.e. from Clancy Strand you could see people going along Arthur's Quay Park, when you passed under Sarsfield Bridge you could see racers going over it. It was a bit of a strange experience for me because when I have raced elsewhere I often use my usual runs in Limerick as a guideline to how long more I have to do (i.e. only one Thomond Park-Ivan's-Clancy Strand loop to go) however last Sunday even though I automatically found myself thinking this way I actually had to race through the actual Clancy Strand-Thomond Park-Ivan's loop.

Roll on 2011!

baza1976 · 04-05-2010 04:23PM

hunnymonster wrote: »

I've caught Baza's cold. Thanks mate :-(

The boards singlets are starting to get some recognition now and it was great to meet people en route and introduce ourselves although saying "hi, I'm hunnymonster" will always feel a bit strange! I'm going to take a leaf out of Donohoponpop's book and write my name on my singlet.

10th for me.

Sorry

I still have that sinus/headcold/throat sore thing/ if it's any good to you

lim abroad · 04-05-2010 04:24PM

Sunday was my first ever road race and I completed the half in 1:38, had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed running the race although I felt that the organisation left a lot to be desired.
First of all the goodie bag given out at registration was nothing more than a bag of rubbish.I was hoping for a nice dri-fit t-shirt that I could use training and was really disappointed with the cheap rag we received,I honestly wouldn't use it to wash the car.
My timing chip never worked and I also didn't receive any text regarding my finishing time so the time i'm going by is the gun time.
The enthusiasm and goodwill generated by the race marshalls and people of limerick however was great and really helped push me on especially as i tired towards the end. My girlfriend did the 10k in what was her first race also and she was very disappointed afterwards to find out that it was only 9.4k because she held off on the plassey 10k to do this one instead.
Hopefully this will become an annual thing as the city needs positive events like this and the number of people i've seen out running the roads has been fantastic.I'm hoping to do the maxi marathon in killarney next and maybe the full marathon here next summer provided the majority of issues raised by the public are addressed.
All in all,I don't feel like I got value for money but am willing to give them another chance

baza1976 · 04-05-2010 04:31PM

MarieC wrote: »

why was there two different types of medals? the one with the ribbon was way more convincing! people are shattered crossing the line, they shouldn't have to decide which medal they want and they go and try swapping them....

I got the 2 types of medals!!!! I must have really impressed them :cool: lol

When I went to question someone why the different types she asked me if I wanted more:eek:

Another negative the only one I have really. I was waiting for my siz inlaw to finish with some family. She was hoping to get around in less than 6hrs. Just before she came around the last corner they took down the inflatable finish line :mad: Even though we asked them to leave it up, they sadi no that they were taking it down. She had to step over it when crossing the line. She finished in 5.55hr.
It was like the guys at the finish line were more interested in going to see the rugby match. I was told by someone else at the finish line that there was 20 more people still on the course but the wasn't sure if they had dropped out or not.

The finish line should stay up untill at least the cut off time.

paulaner · 04-05-2010 04:58PM

Hi everybody.
I did the 10k and was delighted with my time, absolutely ecstastic. Then my friend texted me on Sunday night that it was short. I was after doing the Antwerp marathon the previous Sunday and was still sick with a cold that i picked up in Belgium but i lived in Limerick for a good few years so was delighted to get a chance to run a race there.

The lack of mile or km markers was ridiculous though. There was good support all the along so that was a definite plus. At the finish line i received my medal and was saddened to see it was a generic medal and i'm guessing the half and full runners got the same. If they did, that's unfair. Their greater effort should be recognised. If they did get a different medal, please correct me. Also the t shirts should also have been race specific. The extra work the half or full runners put in should be rewarded. But seriously for the 10k to be short really is a joke.
It happened to me in Ballinasloe last year but as that was a charity event, it didnt bother me too much. But if this was a profit based event, and my €25 went towards something that wasn't what i thought it was, then surely i am entitled to a refund or something similar. Perhaps free entry into next years 10k, if there were to be one. Also, the price of the half was extortionate. I know somebody else here has said that had it been cheaper, there might have been more entrants. I'd agree with this. I know most of the comments regarding the whole day have been positive and i understand that but i went there just to do 10k so for me, it was a huge let down. Sorry for the rant. Thanks - Paul

plumber77 · 04-05-2010 05:29PM

Hi lads & ladies,

Was just wondering did anyone else have a problem with there chips. Got no text after the race and name did not appear in the paper today. Both myself and the brother did the full and he got no time either. Seemed to be beeping as we went over the mats. Very frustrating at the end of an otherwise brill day.

lim abroad · 04-05-2010 05:31PM

plumber77 wrote: »

Hi lads & ladies,

Was just wondering did anyone else have a problem with there chips. Got no text after the race and name did not appear in the paper today. Both myself and the brother did the full and he got no time either. Seemed to be beeping as we went over the mats. Very frustrating at the end of an otherwise brill day.

Ya same as me so,mine was beeping over the mats too,nothing in the paper for me or on the website either.Bit of a joke really

donothoponpop · 04-05-2010 07:47PM

I mentioned this in my race report, but since amadeus is collecting feedback for the organizers, I'll say it here too.

There were two (and at times three) races sharing the same course, with runners of different abilities merging- in my instance I was pacing a large group of marathoners who hit the back end of the half race at about 14 miles. The next 6 to 10 miles were spent shouting "Half marathoners move to the left: full marathon coming through, thank you", and in general I must say the slower half runners were quite accommodating, and well done to those who moved in.

However, there was a large number of headphone-wearing runners, who were oblivious to their surroundings, taking up the road and unaware that anyone might be trying to run faster past them. Invariably, after shouting, we (our group) had to tap them on the shoulder, which would cause many to jump, stumble, or push back in anger. On more than one occasion I was pushed against (slow) moving cars, as these zoned-out ipod'ers jumped across a gap, unaware that someone might be coming beside them. One clown in front of our large group just dropped a half full drink bottle to his feet: no matter that the 70 congested runners, two abreast, right behind had to instantly dance around it, he had to have his music.

The FAQ's stated that headphones were not recommended: on a course like this which was congested, and only half-closed to traffic, all headphones need to be banned on safety grounds. It boggles the mind that so many runners still insist they are safe to run races with headphones- you are not safe, you are a major danger to other runners, and are being selfish in the extreme.

To say nothing of the upstanding citizen who decided he would run the half, zoned out with his music, and his large dog on a leash beside him...

OdettiSpaghetti · 04-05-2010 10:53PM

JimWhoIs50 wrote: »

Check out the GLR website. Results are available (well, kind of).

Hi, I couldnt find the results on he GLR site ... any hints?

gaf1983 · 04-05-2010 11:09PM

OdettiSpaghetti wrote: »

Hi, I couldnt find the results on he GLR site ... any hints?

Click Races > Check Out Race Entries (on the right hand side) > Type in your name/bib number

OdettiSpaghetti · 05-05-2010 07:28AM

gaf1983 wrote: »

Click Races > Check Out Race Entries (on the right hand side) > Type in your name/bib number

Hi Gaf ...

Thanks for that, would have been great if there was a full website that we could compare on (ie like the triathlons) that way we can work out our times from the winner etc.

Oh well ... maybe next time.

The Great Limerick Run, 2 May 2010

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