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Clare Burren Marathon Challenge

  • 07-05-2010 5:57pm
    #1
    pudgeydev
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭


    Hi all,
    http://www.clareburrenmarathonchallenge.com/ many boardsies going along for this one? Did the half last year and I'll chance it again this year, some very tough parts in it, as long as I can get through it without injury i'll be happy!

    Rate this race based on, Scenery, PB potential, Atmosphere, Value, Organisation 1 vote

    5 stars (excellent)
    0%
    4 stars (good)
    100%
    OuterBombie 1 vote
    3 stars (average)
    0%
    2 stars (poor)
    0%
    1 star (terrible)
    0%


Comments

  • #2
    pete_mcs
    Registered Users Posts: 122 ✭✭pete_mcs


    I will be there doing the half, any idea what to expect. done the Conemara half a few weeks ago, but have picked up an achillies injury since and the training has not been as good as I hoped. I am not expecting a fast course, but is it trails or just fields?
    P


  • #3
    acurno
    Registered Users Posts: 236 ✭✭acurno


    I hastily signed up for the full without realising it was more of a mountain run. Whatever about running 26miles around the streets of Dublin, the Clare hills are another matter.....
    Sure you only live once...

    Only thing I'm wondering is are you required to bring protective clothing and some navigation equipment or will the route be well marshalled? Doesn't give too much info on the site. I assume there'll be plenty of runners.


  • #4
    pudgeydev
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭pudgeydev


    Hey,
    For the half there's a few miles on the road before turning into the trails, it's up one mountain, down again, followed by up another one, the second one is a killer!
    Going down the second mountain is (almost) impossible to run, it's pretty dangerous so mind your step! Once you're down the second mountain it's two or three miles home, which is nice to stretch out the legs.
    I did it last year in 2.12, my level would be around 1.50 for a regular half so you can transfer that to your own level.
    Acurno, the marathon guys left us about 6 or 7miles in, I don't think there was many with navigation equipment, it was pretty well marshalled for the half anyway.
    Best of luck to you both anyway!


  • #5
    pete_mcs
    Registered Users Posts: 122 ✭✭pete_mcs


    acurno wrote: »
    I hastily signed up for the full without realising it was more of a mountain run. Whatever about running 26miles around the streets of Dublin, the Clare hills are another matter.....
    Sure you only live once...

    Only thing I'm wondering is are you required to bring protective clothing and some navigation equipment or will the route be well marshalled? Doesn't give too much info on the site. I assume there'll be plenty of runners.

    As far as I can tell the course is well marked and there is water stations every 3-4 miles.
    It will be tough ,here is a video on you tube from last years race.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJImhowVQqc
    Im not going to worry about pace. Ran Conemara in 1.44, so will be looking for around 2hrs for this one. We will enjoy it anyway, and the weather forecast is good!


  • #6
    Slogger Jogger
    Registered Users Posts: 5,441 ✭✭✭Slogger Jogger


    This looks like a great event. Not to be for this year.. next maybe. Just what I'd want a marathon crossed with a big hill run :D


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  • #7
    Excuseless
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 254 ✭✭Excuseless


    Did the marathon last year and it was a great event - friendly, well marked, marshalled, good value for money and a bit challenging terrain for sure :)
    Trail shoes def the way to go - about half off road.

    Last year there were not that many running the full marathon but expect there to be more this year.

    Most of the participants in the Half and 10k are walkers but we all started together so no holdup for anyone.

    Don't go there looking for a PB unless you have nothing to compare it to but you should enjoy it and of course the friendly Clare welcome after.


  • #8
    jeffontour
    Registered Users Posts: 930 ✭✭✭jeffontour


    To echo all the previous positive comments I loved this event last year. Did it in road shoes and there were a few sketchy bits but nothing too bad if you do some regular off road running. It's also been quite dry of late I think so may not be as bad as last year.

    There's a lovely fast finish on road, great atmosphere and no medal just a handshake from the organiser at the finish. Well that's the way it was last year and I hope that's the way it stays.


  • #9
    OuterBombie
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭OuterBombie


    4 stars (good)
    acurno wrote: »
    I hastily signed up for the full without realising it was more of a mountain run. Whatever about running 26miles around the streets of Dublin, the Clare hills are another matter.....
    Sure you only live once...

    Only thing I'm wondering is are you required to bring protective clothing and some navigation equipment or will the route be well marshalled? Doesn't give too much info on the site. I assume there'll be plenty of runners.

    Good stuff,

    I have my number for the full as well. I'm lucky enough to live close by so I've been doing all my long runs on the course. Thankfully the weather is looking dry and clear for saturday. It was raining heavily last year and while the course isn't that mucky the mucky bits can take it out of you.

    The first 21km of the full are the toughest, you are climbing steadily from 4.5km to about 12km, then decending and then a very tough climb from 19km to 20km. The offroads bits are ok, in the dry you'd get away without trail shoes but not sure about wearing racers.

    The second half starts with about an 8km decent to sea level in Fanore. If your legs are good after that then you are stylin :-) otherwise expect it to be sore for the bit round blackhead and into BallyV.

    You don't need navigation stuff and as long as marshals are out you should be fine. I wouldn't be counting on having runners around you all the time.

    Looking forward to it now.


  • #10
    pete_mcs
    Registered Users Posts: 122 ✭✭pete_mcs


    Plenty of rain today on the west coast, but I think the forecast for Saturday is in the 22-23 degrees range, which means hot hot hot, for us not used to it! I am def going to have to up my water intake, went around Conemara without drinking much, and suffered up the hell of the west with cramps, all due to dehydration. Not going to make the same mistake twice.
    Burren is a 9 start, while Conemara was 11, so we probably wont be running in the worst of it.
    Really looking forward to it now!!!!!:):):):):):):):)


  • #11
    acurno
    Registered Users Posts: 236 ✭✭acurno


    Hmmm. Will be a toss up on what runners I have. Have trail runners which would no doubt be perfect for the mountain, but I've never worn them for more than an hour or so on the hills. 26 miles and probably over four hours might kill the feet. Have Asics GT which I use for normal marathons. If it's dry I'll risk the Asics.
    Lastly whats the story with the water stations? If it is hot like the Connemarathon we'll be needing regular water breaks. Can't imagine there'll be a station every 3 miles, and don't fancy carrying a bottle for the whole race.


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  • #12
    pudgeydev
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭pudgeydev


    jeffontour wrote: »

    There's a lovely fast finish on road, great atmosphere and no medal just a handshake from the organiser at the finish. Well that's the way it was last year and I hope that's the way it stays.

    Hi Jeff,
    There was medals last year, I have one at home, it was the first medal I got and it was hard fought too! Hopefully they have them again this year, you should get two seeing as you missed out last year!
    Good luck!


  • #13
    catweazle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,830 ✭✭✭catweazle


    I am in as well for the half, a last minute call, going to take it easy on this though and just enjoy it. Is there anywhere nice for a swim afterwards, OH is away so I have the whole day to kill and I need to get some open water swims in


  • #14
    pudgeydev
    Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭pudgeydev


    What did you all think of the event? I did the half and went over on my ankle about 4.5miles in, it seemed ok at the time (like a balloon now!) but it knocked me off my stride, and with that and the heat I had excuses to take it very easy to come in 2hrs 16mins.
    Coming down that second mountain, I can't figure how there was not lots of ankles/knees broken, it's very very rough terrain!
    I'd say the full marathon was very tough, especially with the heat!
    I see the results are online but they don't have anything to distinguish the half from the 10k? Any idea what time the half was won in??


  • #15
    OuterBombie
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭OuterBombie


    4 stars (good)
    Nasty, hope you're icing that....

    I did the full and was up the front for the first 5 miles, i reckon the guy leading the half was doing in and around 6:40 pace so if he held that do the maths :)

    Once we split (half down the mountain, full up it :o) it got pretty lonely out there in the simmering heat. I stayed in fourth position the whole way, fair play to the lad that won the full, 3:01 is a great time on that course and in those conditions.

    I had 2nd and 3rd in my sights at half way but unless they were to spectacularly blow up I had given up trying to catch them. I was going well until about the 20 mile mark when I think the heat just knocked me for 6, yeah 6 MORE miles to go. Two elderly English ladies were sitting in the shade up at the top of the black head climb and as I walked past on a particularly steep little bit I was so tempted to stop and get out of the sun.

    "How far so you have to go?", "five miles", "good luck", "jaysus....."

    Even saying it out loud hurt! I started the shuffle once back down off black head and maintained it to Ballyvaughan for a 3:30 finish.

    The event was run in excellent fashion, I intend to email the organisers to thank them for it. Plus closing the coast road on what was the hottest day of the year thus far was a ballsy move. Fair play to them. For the guts of 50 bucks it was money well spent.


  • #16
    pete_mcs
    Registered Users Posts: 122 ✭✭pete_mcs


    Fair Play to you, what a excellent time for any marathon, but in that heat and that terrain that was brill.
    I done the half and got to admit I really enjoyed it. Besides the heat :mad:. Im the whitest man alive and really struggled up the second hill, ended up walking up most of it. Found the downhill part quiet difficult, there was a couple of slowers decenders in front of me that I just could not pass safely. Was not worried about my time so I did not bother me. Loved the final 2.5 mile on the tarmac, must have been downhill all the way. looking forward to next year already, might force myself into tackling the full----slowly.:)


  • #17
    catweazle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,830 ✭✭✭catweazle


    Ya thats my only complaint, looking at the results and wondering whether the times ahead of you were either a super fast half marathon or a slow 10k, you kinda dont know where you stand.

    I took it easy at the start and treated it as a LSR finished in 2.12 but to be honest I would never have got up the 2nd mountain so well if I had gone out at race pace, I am no good at the off road either so I probably wouldnt have shaved off a huge amount of time overall

    Very well organised though, loads of water, fruit etc, really enjoyed it, well done on the marathon Bombie that must have been the toughest one you ever did.

    I met the marathon winner after, he seemed disapointed at not getting sub 3


  • #18
    bonaparte2
    Registered Users Posts: 248 ✭✭bonaparte2


    I ran the half marathon and had an absolute blast. The organisers were more than helpful, I thought it was run very well and I was so dehydrated I'd say I nearly drank my entry fee in water. Nevertheless finished in just over two hours, but I'll stick to cold weather from now on if possible


  • #19
    barrigone
    Registered Users Posts: 25 ✭barrigone


    I ran the Half too finished in 2.01. it was my 1st off-road and easily the best craic ever! Ye all seemed not to like the big descent, to me it was best craic ever, flew down it! and didnt mind the hills too much either. i'm hooked, roll on the Kerry Challenge Half on 19th June! Wouldnt be ready for the 3 day event yet but really looking forward to trying the half. By the way winner of the Half did it 1.25


  • #20
    archie72
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭archie72


    i did the half and didn't realise how "off road" it was goign to be, but thoroughly enjoyable and the scenery at the top of the hills before the final descent was jaw-droppingly spectacular. Well run and i think i'll go for the full next yr! very well run too and plenty of water stations which were most welcome, only complaint, t-shirts a tad too yellow:)

    One last thing, there were signs on the course for a half marathon in fanore in august, but i can't find any details of it on the web, does anyone know anything about it


  • #21
    OuterBombie
    Registered Users Posts: 295 ✭✭OuterBombie


    4 stars (good)
    archie72 wrote: »
    i did the half and didn't realise how "off road" it was goign to be, but thoroughly enjoyable and the scenery at the top of the hills before the final descent was jaw-droppingly spectacular. Well run and i think i'll go for the full next yr! very well run too and plenty of water stations which were most welcome, only complaint, t-shirts a tad too yellow:)

    One last thing, there were signs on the course for a half marathon in fanore in august, but i can't find any details of it on the web, does anyone know anything about it

    There was a discussion about it a month or so ago on the forum here. Its a coastal run from Fanore to Doolin (one-way i think) and is planned as a pre-cursor to a full marathon next year. Sorry I don't have a web link....


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