We are running a subsidized bus from Dublin city centre (multiple stops) to the Glendalough Hotel (near race starts) on Saturday morning the 20th of May (race morning) leaving Dublin City Centre at 6 am.
Note times are approximate but ensure you are at the station of your choice (as indicated during purchase) AHEAD of this. The bus WILL NOT wait and it will not turn back. If you miss the bus your only option is to take a taxi to Glendalough (which will cost around 100 euro).
You should disembark quickly and go to the Emergency Helpdesk area behind the Glendalough Hotel to leave any drop-bag you have (tagged with your name) and to collect a replacement BIB (if you lost the one sent to you or it didn’t arrive). Then make your way towards the start line as quickly as possible.
RETURN TRIP?
For your return trip use St. Kevin’s Bus service at 17:45 from Laragh (bus stop across from Lynhams Hotel – 300m from the race finish).
NOTE ON THE LARAGH TO GLENDALOUGH HOTEL MORNING SHUTTLE
Please note this is not the free shuttle bus running between Laragh and Glendalough Hotel during the morning. If you buy this ticket, you will be taken straight to the Glendalough Hotel where you can access the Emergency Helpdesk (for BIB issues) and leave a drop-bag to be taken to the start line for you (name tag required).
This morning shuttle (white bus from Martin Lynch) is only for people who drive to Laragh and park there. If you buy this ticket you do not need to change off the bus and go onto the shuttle. You are going straight to where you must jog the final 800-1200m to the start line.
Running Coach Ireland are sponsoring a bonus prize of €1000 for the first runner or runners (male or female) to break the 2:30 barrier for this year’s edition of the Glendalough Lap of the Gap Marathon.
Anyone wishing to attempt must adhere to the below terms and conditions and must have read and consented to these terms and conditions as written.
Logo by: Sergio Mansillo
DETAILS
The runner is deemed to have broken the 2:30 barrier if they record a chip time finish of 2:29:59 or less. In case of chip failure, the official start time and finish time shall be compared and if the differential 2 hours 30 minutes or less the attempt shall be deemed successful.
The runner must also provide their GPX / watch recording for verification after the race. Complaints about the accuracy of the official race timing should be submitted to the Race Director within 30 minutes of race finish. The Race Director along with the Treasurer of Glendalough AC will confer and provide final judgement on whether the time was in fact broken.
DIVISION OF PRIZE MONEY
The total prize money pot for this attempt is €1000. Should multiple athletes succeed in this feat during the race, the prize pot will be split among the three fastest runners in order of times as such:
Fastest: 70% (700 euro)
Second fastest: 20% (200 euro)
Third fastest: 10% (100 euro)
Should four or more runners thus break the time there will be no bonus money payment to the 4th fastest or lower.
Please note such division does not apply to the general prizes funded by Glendalough AC. So only the fastest person on the day to break the Course Record receives the normal bonus for this.
FORMAL RECOGNITION
In order to be formally recognised as a valid sub-2:30 competitor, you must have run the following times classifying you as an elite athlete:
For times set over the marathon distance
Men and Women: 2 hours : 30 minutes
For times set over the half marathon distance
Men and Women:1 hour : 12 minutes
Subject to change
FORCE MAJEURE
While no effort will be spared to ensure every runner can move around the course unrestricted in the fastest possible time, Glendalough AC and Running Coach Ireland will not be held liable for disruptions to the course or unforeseen incidents that impede an athlete’s attempt at sub-2:30 examples which could include:
Traffic accidents
Animals on the road
Road blockages
Incident related to marking or marshals resulting in runner getting lost
It should be noted that in case of most such major incidents, the race will be neutralised and declared null and void in most situations. In such a case, we would strive to re-run the sub-2:30 attempt in future years.
COURSE FAMILIARITY
We strongly encourage all sub-2:30 aspirants to run or drive over the full course during one or multiple runs and to download a GPX of the course that the aspirant or his supporters can have as backup on their watch in case route marking is removed and/or junction marshals are incapacitated.
SPECIAL SUPPORT
Valid and accepted sub-2:30 elite competitors will have the right to additional support along the course in the form of a support cyclist and or one or multiple pacers who can carry water, gels etc. In addition, the elite runner can ask to have their drink of choice placed at the water station. This must be tagged with the elites name.
Only sub-2:30 competitors accepted by the race organisers are allowed to organise such support and must notify us in advance of who is the support cyclist
It is the responsibility of the elite runner to recruit and brief their support and to ensure the organiser is informed of their names and personal details for a support BIB.
Lap of the Gap can provide a limited amount of support cyclists on request by the elite runner if they cannot recruit their own.
TIME VERIFICATION
Only runners, who are awarded an official time by crossing the Finish Line wearing their registered Timing Chip, will be entitled to prize money.
In the case of chip malfunction, a backup system based on official start time and finish time is available and will be used for the time calculation.
PAYMENT
Prize money will be posted / delivered to the successful runner to break sub-2:30 in the form of a cheque once the runners GPX file has been validated.
PRIZE MONEY ELIGIBILITY
Prize money in Lap of the Gap is cumulative, any runner who breaks 2:30 retains their rights to all existing prizes including podium prizes and the bonus prize for being ‘King of the Hill’ as well as the prize money for Course Records.
The 2:30 bonus prize is sponsored by Running Coach Ireland. All other cash prizes are financed by Glendalough AC.
Doping disclaimer
Any athlete who is subsequently determined to have committed a doping offence at the time of the event or is suspended from competition due to an offence committed prior to the event resulting in his/her performance at the event being invalidated shall be liable to refund any and all sums from the race organisers / sponsors relating to his/her performance at the event including the bonus prize and any standard prize money.
Any athlete failing a doping test in such circumstances will be banned for life from entry into the Glendalough Lap of the Gap Marathon.
WHY NO WOMEN’S TIME TARGET?
The 2:30 barrier is currently an absolute goal which is within the capabilities of elite men and a few elite women and as such the while it is more difficult for a woman to achieve this, we do not currently separate targets.
It is possible that in future years, Running Coach Ireland or other sponsors may feel the need to setup a separate attempt specifically aimed at lowering the women’s record but for 2023 the focus remains solely on the absolute barrier of 2 hours 30 minutes.
We had a lot of racing over the weekend (reported separately) but the main event was our annual club fund-raiser – the Glendalough Lap of the Gap Marathon and Glen to Glen Half-marathon (Glendalough to Glenmacnass).
From humble beginnings this event has grown into an iconic fixture on the Irish racing calendar and this year we had record numbers with nearly 600 tickets sold and nearly 400 people participating on the day along with the nearly 60 strong crew and the numerous spectators.
Lap of the Gap 2022 – the largest yet
Many took the opportunity to stay locally with at least 20 guests in Lynhams Hotel, 2 in the Youth Hostel and many more of which we are unaware. This meets one of the stated three goals Glendalough AC have for this event:
Raise funds for Glendalough AC and the development of athletics in Laragh
Create revenue for the local area through running tourism
Setup an event that offers both a unique experience for the average participant and a unique athletic feat for competitive and elite athletes
This year more than met our expectations with top runner Tudor Moldovan setting an incredible new record for the Glen to Glen (70:35) which left all on-lookers leaving inspired along with universally positive feedback from all participants.
Tudor Moldovan treated the spectators to a truly world class performance
The services and supplies needed to run the event generates nearly €25,000 for the local and Irish economy in addition to the positive impacts of runners staying in local accommodation and eating and dining in local cafes and restaurants. In addition, 9% of this year’s starters had flown in from abroad for our event.
The club wants to extend it’s gratitude to the many participants, all our suppliers and partners, and to the local community. Here’s to many more happy Lap of the Gaps!
Please find below the important questions regarding Lap of the Gap 2020 cancellation due to COVID-19. If you cannot find the answer to your question below please email lapofthgap@gmail.com with the subject line ‘cancellation query’ or email us through our Facebook page.
Your entry is automatically deferred to 2021 (if you do not contact us and inform us otherwise – see below).
I cannot make 2021’s event. What are my options?
You can either get a refund (see below), transfer your event to 2022, or sell your entry to a friend.
Can I get a refund?
Yes, considering the extraordinary situation, you can avail of a refund should you so choose. Please note transaction/processing fees are not refundable – only the entry fee paid.
To get your refund please email lapofthegap@gmail.com with the subject ‘refund’ – this is a dedicated account setup to handle the refunds for the event and the only one we will be monitoring for this.
Alternatively, we suggest you avail of the name change option to transfer your entry to a friend.
Will the money arrive back in my account?
No. At this time all money resides with Glendalough AC. As a club account, we cannot facilitate electronic transfer. You will instead receive a cheque in the post.
How long will it take to receive the refund?
We will try to process your request within 5 working days depending on volumes. As our volunteers cannot make regular travels to the post office to post cheques during this period, actual time from request to receiving the cheque can take 3-4 weeks.
How do I transfer my entry to a friend?
Simply email us at lapofthegap@gmail.com with the subject ‘name change’ adding your friend’s email on CC along with their full name, date of birth, gender, full address, and t-shirt size and we will update your entry to reflect your friend.
How long will it take to get my refund?
It depends on the demand we receive. As our permanent staff are all volunteers, it may take a few weeks to process refunds in case we receive many requests.
How do I defer my entry to 2021?
This happens automatically (see above). If you wish to defer, simply do nothing.
My ticket was transferred from 2019 to 2020. Do I qualify for a refund?
You must transfer to 2021 and are not entitled to a refund. Most transfers are refund requests beyond the normal deadline for refunds. As such the value of your ticket was voided in 2020 and you were given a free ticket to 2020 as an exception. If your transfer was done under special circumstances, you can contact us to discuss the details.
Can I leave my entry fee as a donation to you?
Yes, your entry fee in that case will go towards covering the losses we are deciding to absorb in 2020 for services already rendered to us by professionals, deposits and so on. Any surplus goes into the fund-raising money for the event dedicated to improving the trail network around Laragh and the athletic development in our valley.
How do I leave my fee as a donation?
You can inform us on lapofthegap@gmail.com that you do not wish a transfer to 2021 or refund or you can simply do nothing and make up your mind later.
Can I change my event for 2021?
Yes, we’ll announce a process for this in January 2022. Please note that if you upgrade from marathon to half-marathon there will be an upgrade fee. There will be no downgrade fee if you move from the full marathon to the half-marathon.
I bought a bus ticket. Is it refundable?
Yes, please ask for this along with the refund of your ticket to lapofthegap@gmail.com. Note only the bus ticket price is refundable – not the transaction and processing fees.
I received a free ticket as part of a competition / reward for volunteering. Can I get the value refunded?
No, you must transfer your ticket to 2021 or sell it to a friend and request a name change from us.
Is registration open for 2021?
Yes, if you know someone who wants to register please find next year’s event details and registration here.
We are sad and disheartened to announce the Glendalough Lap of the Gap Marathon will not be taking place on 23rd of May as planned following concerns over our organisation’s ability to plan and execute a safe high-quality event – even if the current situation should be lifted in time for the event to legally go ahead.
We had looked forward to celebrating our 5th anniversary with you but feel this decision is in the best interest of our entrants, crew, suppliers, and public safety.
All entries will be deferred to the rescheduled 22nd of May 2021. Postponement to later in 2020 was sadly not an option as Athletics Ireland is not currently issuing new road race permits for the second half of the year. We feel it is not possible to continue to plan for this year’s event in such circumstances and will instead pull out all the stops for you to make 2021 our best event yet.
If you have any queries, please first review our new dedicated ‘Questions and Answers’ page. If you cannot find your answer email lapofthegap@gmail.com with the subject ‘other query’. Please don’t ask your question in the comments of our page as it may not be spotted by our volunteers.
Sean Hehir – Irish international and fresh off his 2:17 marathon in London – took the time to answer three questions for us after participating, and breaking the record of, our half-marathon fund-raiser ‘Glen to Glen’ (run in conjunction with the Lap of the Gap Marathon). Congratulations to Sean on the new mark of 72:21 – the quest for sub-70 has begun!
Sean Hehir on the descent from Glenmacnass Waterfall
How did you hear about the Lap of the Gap Marathon and Glen to Glen Half and what attracted you to doing the event?
I
love to race regularly. The weeks immediately after the target marathon in the
spring and autumn provide a great opportunity for competing in races I haven’t
done before in new and different places, enabling maintaining fitness and
conditioning before recommencing full training. In the last 2 weeks I entered
the IMRA Leinster League Bray Head run and the Wicklow Way Relay with my
Rathfarnham WSAF AC teammates. I saw the Glen to Glen Half and The Lap of the
Gap Marathon listed on the Athletics Ireland accredited fixture list and on the
MyRunResults website. When I saw the race profile featuring the climb from The
Upper Lake in Glendalough up to Glenmacnass waterfall and back I decided to
give the half marathon a go. I’m very glad I signed up and would love to come
back to try better my time or try my hand at The Lap of the Gap Marathon. The
marathon race winner’s stone trophy is beautiful and I would love to try earn
one in the future.
Your personal best for the half-marathon is 65:12 and your new record is 72:21 – do you feel the course is about 6-7 minutes slower than a regular city half-marathon or would sub-70 be achievable for yourself or a runner of similar ability in the right circumstances?
A sub 70min clocking is definitely achievable in The Glen to Glen Half. Conditions
during the early mile in Glendalough
this year were ideal (light wind and mild) which definitely helped. The first 5km are fast and flat, with a fast pace still achievable on the gradual slopes from 5km-10km. Mile splits take a hit from 10km to the turnaround point at Glenmacnass waterfall and it’s very difficult to get lost time back on the steep descents. However coming down the hill at speed in the second half of the race is a fantastic feeling and your momentum definitely carries you over the line in the closing miles. The road surface on the route is excellent and there is great support from race officials at the water stations. It would be great to see the 70 minute barrier broken in the not-so-distant future.
Which
part of the course did you enjoy most and what part did you feel played best to
your personal strengths?
My
favourite part of the route was the last uphill mile climbing towards the
turnaround point at Glenmacnass
waterfall. The scenery is stunning and although your legs are screaming as the
climb hits 20% in places, it is a strangely enjoyable experience. The opening
miles in Glendalough are also beautiful (and flat).
Glendalough AC 