Please Note: Due to a clash with the National Half-Ironman Triathlon Championships the Midlands Meander 200 will now be on SUNDAY 19th May.
Please Note: Due to a clash with the National Half-Ironman Triathlon Championships the Midlands Meander 200 will now be on SUNDAY 19th May.
I was checking your site tonight and noticed you have changed the date for the run to Sunday. Nice one for informing us. I have booked days off work especially to take part. I don’t understand why you have cancelled this as I thought the whole point of an Audax was that it was a self sufficient run , that there was no marshals or food stops, no ambulances nothing to organise. To cancel it as the half iron man are doing a 90 k run and above all else not to inform the people taking part seems a bit rich. I have a good mind to do it myself on Saturday but that means I will not get my brevet card signed and not officially taking part in an Audax which was the whole point in the first place.
totally pissed off cyclist
Hi Owen, Apologies that you were not made aware of the change, which was made at short notice. However it has been posted on the webpage since since 30th April, but we should also have sent out an e-mail for those who do not check the website regularly.
The change was made due to a clash with the National Half-Ironman Triathlon Championships, which is on the Saturday, and their Cycle route covers many of the same roads we will be using. It was felt by the organiser of the MM200 that this could cause a potential safety problem.
Cheers, Niall.
Owen
Apologies for any inconvenience caused. As soon as I became aware of the clash of events I informed the webmaster of the Audax Ireland website to put up a Newsflash on the website. This happened on 30th April. As a first time Audax Event Organiser, in my ignorance, I assumed prospective participants accessed the audax Website regularly to keep up to date with any changes. In my defence I make the following points:-
1. The National 1/2 Ironman Championships are using a 20km section of our route as part of their 90km cycle which they are completing twice. The roads will be CLOSED/Restricted Access to the public. As this section is an integral part of the route I was left with no option rather than change the route dramatically. Even if the roads were open who wants 150 ultra-competitive triathete cyclists whizzing by shouting “Get out my way” – quite the opposite to the Audax philosophy. Safety of all participants is paramount.
2. The weekend didn’t change – only from a Saturday to a Sunday within the same weekend.
3. The event is only a 200km. For a fit cyclist they should complete the event by 5pm and can return to whatever part of the country that evening. I understand that 300km plus events need to be run on a Saturday to allow enough rest before completing the journey home. There is an option for you to commence the route at 6am and once evidence of passage is received at the control points your completion can be validated. This would allow time to return home if that is the main concern.
4. Before I posted up the date change I had received only 2 entries so I presumed that all participants were aware of the change.
I will gladly return your Entry Form with the 5 Euro should you request same.
I hope this will not discourage you from entering future events and hope to see you next year at the Midland Meander 200Km.
Conor Isdell
Event Organiser