Leinster Champs
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Mick Hanney | Jul 5 2017, 3:22pm | Putting this one out there for discussion. These races are personal favorites of mine and given the choice I'd want them to continue. However, its noticeable that the numbers turning up for these races has dwindled. The last 3 races getting 29 and 25 runners respectively. In recent years a Carlingford race only got a handful of runners. Given the effort needed to organise races, when the field of runners is small, one has to question whether some events are worth having? Its a total contrast with the Leinster League which gets big crowds. While one wouldn't want big crowds at LC races, you don't want just a handful of runners either. Granted theres lots of event clashes happening and it probably doesn't help that its summer holiday season too, so timing is one factor. On a related point few enough people finish out the required series of races too. Is there a future for Leinster Champs races. How does one stimulate interest? What do people want? |
| Stuart Scott | Jul 5 2017, 3:28pm | Interesting discussion Mick! The Slieve Foye race is one of my favourites but it'll get even fewer numbers again (despite being as quick to get to as Fraughen Rock) and the same conversation will happen after. I think the main thing is the nav. A lot are put off when there's no little bits of tape but for me that's the main appeal. I actually thought the numbers at weekend races were quite high at the start of the year (even look at Carrauntoohil!) but they've definitely dwindled lately. I don't think it's a problem though nor do I think it needs fixing. Having said that, maybe a few more of the Paul Nolan Specials could be run during the year to let people brush up on their nav skills and let them become more comfortable with these races? |
| Jeff Swords | Jul 5 2017, 4:57pm | This has come up a couple of times before. For a few anyway, including myself, Saturdays are a bad day for a race as it's when most of the family/kids activities are on, swimming, football, soccer etc, as well as all sorts of other family things that come with the weekend. Even the times don't lend themselves to being able to get out and back and still have the best part of the day ahead. |
| Jeff Swords | Jul 5 2017, 5:17pm | Just on the nav issue Stuart, last years nav challenges, on average, were attracting larger numbers than the championship races this year(split reasonably evenly between short and long courses), with the last race in the West Dublin hills getting around 80 runners. Make of that what you will, but fear of navigation might not be a big an issue as it once was? |
| Barry Murray | Jul 6 2017, 10:49am | good points lads. I would like to be able to do more of these races too and it is a shame they are not getting the attention they deserve. even do the nav courses are going down well , I would still guess that this is the main issue. simply the case of "too many races" is another. If you want to race the LL it is hard to go out at the weekend and race a hard LC. weekend/family/times are also definite factors. So based on those: - course to be marked or does that defeat the purpose ? - push start date of LC out so that it finishes later in August or even Sept ? Morning starts, so no issue with light. ~Plus, many that want to race the LC are not too concerned with the trail series. - Have races on Sundays only. And start times at 10am. Might free people up more ? |
| Stuart Scott | Jul 6 2017, 10:54am | Just to nip Jeff's seditious early start suggestion in the bud, some of us do like some pints on a Sat night! More importantly though, most of the LC races are a good hours drive away, at least, so a 10am race start would mean a 7am arousal. On a weekend!! |
| Warren Swords | Jul 6 2017, 11:16am | Racing weekend and Wednesdays just isn't viable for myself. Can't be competitive in both. I wanted to race last weekend but decided to save legs for the tough Ballinastoe. It's a big time commitment to do two mountain races in one week and Leinster League is just too much craic to say no to. If Leinster Champs was the only IMRA week, it might increase numbers? Then again, if I remember when I first started IMRA races, the champs were intimidating races. Completely different beast from Leinster league. |
| Jeff Swords | Jul 6 2017, 11:26am | Exactly Stuart, it's really a case of horses for courses, it's impossible to cater for everyone. Those running around entertaining on a Saturday tend not to be out on a Saturday night too often, and therefore are up at a much more respectable hour than you guys who were indulging in a bit of debauchery. Barry's suggestion to push them further out in the year, logistics aside, I think is a good one. |
| Gordon Place | Jul 6 2017, 11:28am | My two cents.... Loved these races last year but bad luck with timing of other stuff this year means I missed most. Definitely against marking, I think half the fun is route choice, Fraughen or Carlingford wouldn't be nearly as good without the various routes. You can recce if unsure Good point on pushing the dates a bit to fall around the trail series Maybe Sunday only would not to suit some and current mix of both days for weekend races happens to suit me, with a preference for Saturdays. But no doubt Saturdays can be harder for some as Jeff says. |
| Laura Flynn | Jul 6 2017, 11:40am | Its great we're having some discussion about this. I did one of these races for the first time this year and loved it and think it would be a shame to do away with it. The reason I never did them before was due to family commitments at weekends as Warren has said, so its one advantage of getting older, my kids are almost grown up now and don't need ferrying around. In terms of solutions we can look at earlier starts(sorry Stuart), alternating Sat and Sunday races and trying to schedule them when there are no(or shorter) LL races on. Another option might be to have a buddy system for newbies. This won't suit people who want to be competitive but may suit those who just want to take part. We will certainly take the views expressed into consideration when doing next year's calendar though its not always easy. |
| Laura Flynn | Jul 6 2017, 11:47am | Or later in the season when the trail League is running. This seems like a good option. You probably get up a bit earlier in the Summer too Stuart? |
| Brendan Lawlor | Jul 6 2017, 12:30pm | Useful discussion Too many races and fixture congestion could be a lot of the problem - there are now several non IMRA hill running events (Therelay.ie , lapofthegap, Run the Line, Debra Half marathon, The Warriors, Run the Rock etc) plus many extras which have crept into the calendar over the last few years (Downshill, Ticknock Tick Tock,Clover. ...etc) And thats just hill races - there are loads of adventure races, mud races (not as good as last nights I know !), duathlons, novelty races etc A review of IMRA's calendar is long overdue but as soon as there is any talk of dropping a race (or several) the howls of protest will start - I'm glad I'm not on the committee! |
| Ken Cowley | Jul 6 2017, 2:28pm | I'm generally in favour of earlier starts. A race starting at noon in the depths of Wicklow is the entire day gone, if you're from Dublin. Now, that's no bad thing perhaps, in one way, but for those of us with young kids, it's not easy. Personally, I love the L.Champs, and would suggest spreading the 5 races over July, August, September, and making at least 2 of them 20K plus. There are 8 or 9 great routes on the rota now (it's a bit like the British Open golf courses rota, so it's nice to mix it up, year-to-year) I agree with Warren that having a tough L.Champs race within a couple of days of a Wed Ballinastoe race is a tough-ask on the legs. I would also suggest splitting it between Saturdays and Sundays (we'll never please everyone anyway). RE; marking, I think they would lose something. Re; volunteering, I think they should count as 2 volunteering slots (again.. it's the whole day gone) |
| Laura Flynn | Jul 7 2017, 7:29pm | When we're in the subject on Leinster Champs, I see we still need a Race director and volunteer Lugnacoille. Some of the volunteers can run also. |
| Laura Flynn | Jul 17 2017, 8:00pm | Thanks Eoin , just see you've signed up as RD |
