For the brave souls who endured gusting winds for the first BMW Clontarf Half Marathon this year, this weekends storm Debi might not have given them much comfort that this weekend would be much better. And lets be honest, looking at the Met Eireann forecast for the weekend, it may well be a similar experience.
So what can you do knowing you're in for a blustery run? As trite as it sounds, you need to relax. These runs offer a totally different experience for runners, and you need to be ready for all conditions for any given race. Knowing you're not going to PB, and that you probably need to give yourself a 5-10 minute grace for your target time means you will be heading into the race with a realistic expectation of what your time should be. If you're aiming for sub 2, be happy with sub 2:10, and so on.
Looking back at the last edition of the Clontarf Half Marathon early in the year, there were some issues for people collecting numbers. This was avoidable, and it is something the race organisers will be resolving for this race, however, don't leave things to chance! Arrive early and make sure you collect your number. It is your responsibility to arrive on time, and as much as we may blame race organisers for delays and issues, we need to be as prepared as possible as participants.
The start line is in a large football field in Clontarf opposite the LGFA HQ. There is not much shelter available, apart from a few bushes on the edge of the field. Given how many participants that will be taking part, be sure to have a nice warm coat at the start, and have it in a waterproof bag so you can put it on when you finish to get warm again. If possible, have a full change of clothes ready so you can change into something dry straight away.
The out and back course up to Sutton is as wide open to the elements as they come. The water stations use hard plastic cups. If you are one of those poor souls like me who has yet to learn how to drink from a cup and run, I'd suggest have a water bottle handy. There are toilets on the course, but best not to need one if you're going to be out on the course, so the pre race ritual of queuing for the portaloo before the race begins is a must.
There are loads of things we can do as runners pre-race, but the main things are hydrate, fuel, relax, and enjoy! The reality is that once the is over, you will feel like a hero for completing your own Battle of Clontarf!
Best of luck, and we hope to see you out on the course!
So what can you do knowing you're in for a blustery run? As trite as it sounds, you need to relax. These runs offer a totally different experience for runners, and you need to be ready for all conditions for any given race. Knowing you're not going to PB, and that you probably need to give yourself a 5-10 minute grace for your target time means you will be heading into the race with a realistic expectation of what your time should be. If you're aiming for sub 2, be happy with sub 2:10, and so on.
Looking back at the last edition of the Clontarf Half Marathon early in the year, there were some issues for people collecting numbers. This was avoidable, and it is something the race organisers will be resolving for this race, however, don't leave things to chance! Arrive early and make sure you collect your number. It is your responsibility to arrive on time, and as much as we may blame race organisers for delays and issues, we need to be as prepared as possible as participants.
The start line is in a large football field in Clontarf opposite the LGFA HQ. There is not much shelter available, apart from a few bushes on the edge of the field. Given how many participants that will be taking part, be sure to have a nice warm coat at the start, and have it in a waterproof bag so you can put it on when you finish to get warm again. If possible, have a full change of clothes ready so you can change into something dry straight away.
The out and back course up to Sutton is as wide open to the elements as they come. The water stations use hard plastic cups. If you are one of those poor souls like me who has yet to learn how to drink from a cup and run, I'd suggest have a water bottle handy. There are toilets on the course, but best not to need one if you're going to be out on the course, so the pre race ritual of queuing for the portaloo before the race begins is a must.
There are loads of things we can do as runners pre-race, but the main things are hydrate, fuel, relax, and enjoy! The reality is that once the is over, you will feel like a hero for completing your own Battle of Clontarf!
Best of luck, and we hope to see you out on the course!