New route could lead to faster times at Strabane half marathon

A NEW race route has been announced for the Strabane Lifford Half Marathon.

The race will start at 9.30am on Sunday, May 18.

Organisers say the new route should lead to faster times and better vantage points for spectators.

This is the detailed breakdown of the route of Sunday’s half marathon:

The start line is on Railway Street at the Alley Theatre in Strabane.

From the start line, runners will run in a coned runner’s lane to the Asda mini roundabout turning left onto Lower Main Street past Strabane Retail Park.

They will continue along Main Street to its Junction with Bridge Street.  At Bridge Street junction, runners will then take a right turn, slight incline and run over the bridge on a coned runner’s lane.

Runners will continue along Bridge Street to Five Ways Junction. They will run straight through the Five Ways Junction and onto the Urney Road.

With a slight incline, runners will then run to the A5 junction turning right onto the A5 in a coned runner’s lane.

Progressing on the A5, runners will run to the Bradley Way Roundabout, turning right at the roundabout onto Bradley Way past the front of Strabane Rugby Club

At the end of Bradley Way, runners will turn left onto Bridge Street towards the town centre. Running over the bridge, runners will turn left onto Main Street to its Junction with John Wesley Street.

At John Wesley Street, runners will run to its Junction with Railway Street. At its junction with Railway Street, runners will turn right running past the Alley Theatre.

At its junction with Canal Street, runners will turn left onto Canal Street running all the way to its junction with the Canal Link. Turning left onto the Canal Link, they will run to its junction with Dock Street.

Turning left, runners will then run to its junction with Railway Street. Turning right onto Railway Street, runners will run all the way to the A5 roundabout.

Approaching the roundabout, runners will follow the directional flow of traffic around the roundabout, taking the second exit to Lifford Road.

Runners will then continue over the main Strabane/Lifford bridge into Lifford.  The first of the Water Stations will be situated at Railway Street (three miles).

At the ‘3 Coins Roundabout’, runners will take the first exit on to the N15 (main Lifford to Ballybofey road).

At approximately 4.1 miles the first relay changeover will take place.

Runners will continue along the main N15 for nearly  four miles before turning left into Clady.  The second water station will be situated along the N15 at around the seven mile mark.

In Clady village, runners will return to Strabane (approximately 3.5 miles) along the Urney Road. At the 8.9 mile mark the second relay change point is located.

At approximately 10 miles, a third water station will be located.  At the junction of the Great Northern Link Road/A5, runners will cross the A5 to the Greenway path, turning left and run along the greenway adjacent to the main A5.

At its junction with Bradley Way Roundabout runners will turn right again onto Bradley Way. At approximately 11.5mile point passing the fourth and final water station, runners will run towards Bridge Street turning left onto it.

Running along Bridge Steet in a conned running lane runners will run to Main Street turning right onto Meeting House Street on the extended footpath.

Runners will run to the pedestrian bridge, turning right onto it. Having run over the bridge with the finishing line in sight runners will run around the exterior of the track, along the bottom of the Ballycoleman Estate before turning left and entering the Melvin Sports track to the finish line in front of the grandstand.