Race Instructions 2022
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Event Instructions – Waterside Half Marathon
Sunday 4th September 2022
Thank you for registering for the forthcoming Waterside Half Marathon which takes place on Sunday 4th September 2022. We are delighted that you have entered this year’s event and wish you every success. If you are a returning participant or visiting for the first time, we are delighted to welcome you to the Derry area and hope that your stay and race experience will be an enjoyable one.
The Waterside Half Marathon Start Time is 9.30am at Ebrington Square, a short walk from the Race HQ at Foyle Arena
During the event we would ask you to co-operate fully with the Police, Organisers, Stewards and Race Marshalls to ensure a safe and enjoyable event for all.
⭐️ Race Meeting Point
Race HQ is in Foyle Arena, 2 Limavady Road, Derry BT47 6JY. Race Start is in the adjacent Ebrington Square at 9.30am sharp. Wheelchair Participants start at 9.20am.
You have worked hard for this event so please arrive in good time to facilitate Parking, warm up etc.---- by 8.30am latest, is recommended!
⭐️ Parking
Parking is available at the Foyle Arena but is likely to be taken up early. Convenient overspill parking is available at the following nearby locations:
- Ebrington (Top Entrance)
- Foyle College, Limavady Road
- Oakgrove Integrated Primary School, Limavady Road.
- Old Bridge Car Park on lower Glendermott Road.
- Waterside Theatre on Glendermott Road
Alternatively, you may choose to use the Foyleside East Carpark which will open at 8am and offer all participants a reduced daily rate of £2.50. This is located on the West Bank and walk across the Peace Bridge to St Columb's Park. Getting dropped off is another option! We ask that you advise any family or friends who are coming to support you to use city centre car parks, but to be mindful that the peace bridge will be closed from 10:00am, so to ensure that they are early.
⭐️ Race Pack – Number, Chip, T-Shirt
You can collect your Race Pack from Foyle Arena on
Friday 2nd September 11am – 8pm
Saturday 3rd September 10am – 5pm.
For those travelling race packs can also be collected early on Race day Sunday 4th September 7.30am – 8.30am.
⭐️ Changing Facilities
It is advised to come changed and ready to run, however changing facilities and showers are available in the Foyle Arena. Toilets are in the Foyle Arena and Portaloos at the Start area in Ebrington site.
⭐️ Warmup
Please warm up inside St Columb's Park, the Waterside Greenway or Ebrington---do not use St Columb's Road, Browning Drive or Limavady Road.
You will be called to the start line at the Clock Tower in Ebrington from: 9:20am
⭐️ Baggage Area
There will be Bag Drop/Pick up area on the track opposite the Finish. Warm up gear and other essentials should be placed in the numbered bag provided in your race pack and left in the supervised tents before you go the start line. Alternatively, there are lockers available in Foyle Arena, you will require £1 in order to use these.
⭐️ Race
Wheelchair participants will go at 9.20am from the front of the start line. Everyone else, including the first leg relay runners go at 9.30am. The front ranks of the start area is reserved for the faster runners, please respect this!
The designated pacers will be visible around the start area from 9.00am. They can be identified by their coloured, balloons and distinctive luminous pacers vests. Locate your own particular finishing time group and ensure you line up with them at the start.
The wearing of earphones while running (whether in a race or warming up) can be especially hazardous therefore the wearing of headphones is not permitted. Bone conducting headphones such as Aftershokz are allowed. You have to be able to hear what is going on all around you and particularly any information or warnings from Marshalls, Police, Officials or other Runners on the course.
Most of the course is within dedicated Runners Lanes, traffic free Parkland and Greenways. Traffic is limited in the Gransha Park grounds.
Please let organisers or race marshals know if you are having difficulties at any time during the event.
⭐️ Water
Hydrate well in advance, there are five water station for the Half Marathon,
3 Miles, U3A Gransha
7 Miles, Boomhall Pathway
9+ Miles, Council Car Park
11.5 Miles, Foyle Valley Railway Museum
Finish Line
In an effort to make the race more environmentally friendly we will have large Recycling Bins located 150m after the water stations for the empty water bottles. These bottles will be reused and recycled in art installations at our upcoming events.
Don’t forget to Squeeze and Squash your water bottles before throwing them into the bins so they can be recycled.
⭐️ Toilets
There will be toilets available at Race Start in Ebrington Square and Finish Area, St Columb’s Park. There will also be toilets available at
2.5 Miles, Gransha Grounds.
5 Miles, Gransha Roundabout.
7 Miles, Boomhall Pathway.
9 Miles, Pure Gym/KFC.
9+ Miles, Council Car Park.
⭐️ First Aid Cover
Static and Mobile First Aiders will cover the course...there will be 2 First Aiders at each mile point and ambulance back up is in support.
⭐️ Race Number & Chip Timing
Your Race Number must be worn at the front of your running top and fastened with safety pins. The Chip Timing is incorporated into the Race Number and the chip will record your race time and place, so it is important that you fasten it securely and it is always clearly displayed. You may be disqualified if your number is not clearly visible. On the back of your race (bib) please put any important medical information and a contact number in case of emergencies. YOU WILL BE DISQUALIFIED IF FOUND SWAPPING NUMBERS.
⭐️Finish
Everyone must cross under the finish gantry on the St Columb's Park track to register a finish time. (Wheelchairs, Half Marathon and final leg Relay Runner)
DO NOT STOP--Keep moving on through the finish funnel to receive your well-deserved finishers medal--the final Relay runner gets 3 with Drinks/ Snacks.
Medals and Goodies will be presented as you exit left onto the infield grass area to relax, recover and meet up with family and friends. Do not forget to collect your baggage from the bag drop tents! Best to get into dry clothing asap!
Finish line First Aiders will identify and treat anyone needing attention and may direct them to the finish area Triage station.
You may want to get your picture taken in the infield area.....we will have a special backdrop set up to facilitate this record of your achievement.
Take time out to relax and share your race experiences with your fellow finishers! Everybody will have a story to tell!
⭐️Results
The results will be available after the race on the Website and our Waterside Half Marathon Facebook Account.
⭐️ Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy recovery and injury prevention services are available at Foyle Arena – to book in advance ring Foyle Arena on (028) 71 37 6555
⭐️ Prizes
The podium finishers, the top 6 males, females and wheelchair winners, will be presented with their awards in the Infield backdrop area straight after they finish their race.
All prize money— Open, Age Categories and Relay winners-- will be posted to prize winners as soon as processed by Council Staff.
⭐️ Pacers
We will have race pacers running 1.30, 1.45, 2.00, 2.15 and 2.30.
Race pacers will have Coloured Balloons with the pacer times to maximise visibility.
The external pacing of runners by non-participants/cyclists, etc. is not permitted and may result in disqualification of the runner.
⭐️ Race Cut Off Point
The Waterside Half Marathon is a running race in which participants should make best efforts to complete the course within the 3 hour cut-off point. For purposes of Health and Safety, to safely get traffic flowing again and protect all participants, after this time all roads will be reopened throughout the race route and the race sweep car will collect those at the back of the race unable to keep up with the allotted pace time. After this time individuals are at their own risk, they must use the footpath and comply with the rules of the highway, no marshals or First Aid will remain on the course after this time as the race is over.
⭐️ Route
Just a reminder that the route has changed slightly from 2019. The main changes in the route is that you will turn left onto St Columbs Road and then right through the gates into St Columbs Park. Continue straight through the park until you get to the entrance at St Columb’s Park House where you will turn left downhill towards the Greenway and run along the Greenway until you get the Gransha. The other change in the route is within the Gransha Grounds when you turn right towards Bridgeview House at the junction turn right for U3A past Lakeview then swing left and then take the next right turn towards Oak Villa and then left back along the Main Avenue. Right again heading for the Back road.
All other elements of the route are the same as 2019.
⭐️ Please read the details of the route and a map is also available here https://www.derrystrabane.com/whmroute
⭐️ Sustainability
Any clothes left at the start and finish areas will be donated to charity if not collected. There will be refill stations at the finish line please use these once you get your water bottle to refill.
⭐️ Race Permit/Certificate
This race has a Permit from Athletics NI.
The route has a Certificate of Measurement by a certified Athletics Ireland Course Measurement Official.
Once again thank-you for your registration and we wish you all the best on Sunday.
If you require any further details before the event, please do not hesitate to contact us at halfmarathon@derrystrabane.com or 02871 253253