Preview of the Waterford Half-Marathon....Sat 15th Jan 2011

Entries...Online entries are closed but you can still enter on the day for €30 at the Regional Sports Centre.

More info from the organisers...
For those entered the WAC half Marathon on 15th January number collection is available upstairs at the RSC on the following dates;

Friday Jan 14th from 18:30 to 20:30 & Saturday Jan 15th from 9:00 to 11:15…..Race day
Goody bag will be presented immediately after the race as athletes hand back in their race number.
Shower facilities are available at the RSC on the day as well as 800 carpark spaces
There will be 3 water stations on the course
As well as water and bananas at race finish refreshments will be available immediately after the race upstairs at the RSC.
The prize giving will be trackside at 3pm.
Entries will be accepted on the day until 11:15am.....(€30)
Race starts at 12 noon.
 

The course....Essentially, the race starts in Waterford City near the Regional Sports Centre and then takes in a small loop in the town. You then head south in the hard shoulder on the Waterford to Tramore road. As you approach Tramore, you turn off left into the countryside, re-appear near Tramore and then head back to Waterford on the same main road but on the opposite side. The finish is on the track of the Regional Sports Centre. There are no major hills on the route but there are a few small drags. The course could be considered reasonably fast.
 

Weather....Basically.....windy, wet & mild! The temperature is expected to be around 11 deg C so it won't be cold. The day is expected to be wet but it's hard to say whether during the race what it will be like? It's might be a light mist or it might be a downpour. It will certainly be very windy. The 1st half of the race will be directing into the wind while the wind will be behind the runners for the 2nd half.
 
Overall.....It's probably not the nicest of routes in that you spend a lot of time running inside a hard shoulder but it certainly isn't the worst. It is essentially a half-marathon organised by club runners for club runners and this is evident by the level of organisation on the day.