Now that we're into March, I'll be starting more training programmes this month. Whether you're a beginner, someone who just wants to get fitter or someone who wants to improve their race time from the 5k to the marathon, a plan can be tailored for you.
More info here... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/p/coaching.html
Harty's Quay on the Rochestown Road is a popular starting spot for people running and walking on the local Greenway. When the small car park there is full, many people park somewhere locally including straight across the road in Woodville Estate.
The problem however was that this estate became in effect a second car park and some inconsiderate parking meant that local residents had trouble getting access.
This came to a head on the 1st of March 2021 when cars started to be clamped.
Apparently a lot of people got caught out on Monday. As you can see from the photo above and below, there are plenty of Blue notices up on poles.
If you know someone that uses Harty's Quay on a regular basis, just let them know of the situation.
** Minister for Inspiration **
Just being frivolous to lighten the mood. Forgive me
🤣
“I wandered lonely as a long distance runner,
That floats on high o'er vales and hills within his own 5k zone”
Had a nice cycle today to help the legs and took a few pics. I got 5 miles done in 90minutes on the bike. Won’t qualify me for Tour de France but but but there was chatting to be done with people along the way. Few nice pics taken and I suppose I should be quoting Wordsworth or some of the great poets on the beauty of Daffodils.. No way.
I had a Kings of Leon Morning and their lyrics were rattling in my head.
"I can't get there on my own
You can't leave me here alone
I’m just trying to do what’s right
Oh a man ain't a man 'less he's fought the fight" 🎼🎼
Take care, spring has arrived, there isn’t a whole lot of hope ahead but if we give up on ourselves and our friends then we are definitely f***ed.
#pwr #Survive21
For this weeks online jigsaw, we go back to 2019 and the 2h 10m pacers at the Greenway Half-Marathon in Co. Waterford. This photo was taken on one of the many fine viaducts on this popular Greenway.
You can find the 150-piece jigsaw HERE
As there are unlikely to be any physical road races in the near term, the 2021 Cork City Marathon is going virtual this year.
Some info from the organisers....
Cork City Marathon 2021 is going virtual!
Despite the best efforts of the organisers, it won’t be possible to host a traditional Cork City Marathon on the June Bank Holiday this year. Every possible option for a road race was explored, but the safety concerns for all involved – the runners, spectators, volunteers, medics, suppliers – were overwhelming. Plans to postpone the full event until 2022 and to go virtual for 2021 were finalised today.
The Virtual Cork City Marathon is an individual and team race that is open to runners, joggers and walkers of all abilities. Cork’s younger citizens, aged 16 to 18, are also welcome to take part in the Youth Challenge, as part of the main team event.
The Cork Marathon has a proud community ethos whereby elite athletes and casual runners share the same course. While participants can’t share the course this year, they can still celebrate their own achievements, be it completing a leg of the team event, a half marathon or the classic marathon distance. Participants are urged to run for charity, run for fitness, or to run for no reason other than because they can! If a carrot is needed, there will be lots of goodies to be won throughout the next few months too!
Event website... http://www.corkcitymarathon.ie/virtual-run/
Entries... https://eventmaster.ie/event/YbZDfrOFjv
* * *
In summary... This 2021 Cork City Marathon, Half-Marathon & Relay costs €11 to enter and there is a medal on offer which may or not be of interest to participants.
The real value of this virtual event is that it's something to focus on as the evenings get gradually longer and the days get gradually milder.. €11 isn't a whole lot and is probably more of a sign of you committing to doing an event rather than anything else.
Coaching... If anyone is interested in individually tailored training programmes, you'll find details HERE
After all the rain on Tuesday and early Wednesday, it looks as if high pressure is on the way which should mean dry settled weather. The temperatures during the day will be around 10 degrees C with light winds. When the sun does come out, it may feel warm in sheltered spots as there is now a bit more energy in the sun as we approach March.
There may well be the odd weak front of rain as shown above but it should stay mostly due. The fine weather is expected to last into the second half of next week.
So if you're running, walking or cycling, make the most of it. Once this high pressure system moves away, we'll be back to business as usual with the conveyor belt of low pressure systems coming in from the Atlantic.
Here is the rainfall forecast from Met Eireann for the next 10 days...
Our 10 day Atlantic Chart shows the precipitation and pressure forecast in 6 hour intervals.pic.twitter.com/oO4pbM4nYk
— Met Éireann (@MetEireann) February 24, 2021
Slowly but surely, the evenings are getting longer.
** Health is Wealth **
I have spoken to you of picking a goal to help motivate yourself and glad to see so many have done so.
Sadly, there are many who we have lost to running, who found the whole situation so difficult and lacked the motivation to keep going. I can see it in some of my own gang and I am reading it in other pages I visit. 🏃♀️
I have spoken about the Mental benefits from exercise but may I also dwell on the physical benefits in the hope it will get you going again.
This pandemic mainly attacks the immune and the respiratory system.
Running helps the lungs and running plus some speed work has been shown to increase lung capacity.
Running in daylight hours helps load the body with Vitamin D which in turn helps the immune system.
Running takes you out in the open air and you are more likely to see and speak to other people.
Folks, no-one can do it for you. You must get up, get out and look after yourself as best you can.🤓
The majority of us runners are not in an age bracket to receive this vaccine for a while yet and it could be anything up to 6 months before you will get an invite. (Of course there are exceptions through some underlying conditions or because of your work situation)💉
What I am suggesting is regardless of your running goal, think of the actual physical benefits to running a few times a week to help yourself.
The stronger, fitter, nearer to ideal weight, that you can present yourself gives you a better sporting chance of getting through this whole mess. Saying that my lungs are good and my immune system is strong is no guarantee of anything but it does increase your odds of avoiding or coping with it. Just being healthier is a better way to live your life anyway.
I stress I am no expert, have no medical qualifications and all above is just general advice and common sense.😎
I am still running towards my Paddy’s Day 10 mile, ☘️ but I have taken all forms of pressure from myself in regards to time. If it doesn’t appear on posted finishing times of a race and if there is no photographer to snap me dying on the last half mile then why would I care about my watch.⌚️
The mixed messages we are receiving from ‘On High’ about resumption of anything would lend you to think 2021 is a wipe-out in terms of Big races or anything else that involves a crowd of people, so it is better to be planning yourself and staying in control.
Stay safe, Stay healthy, Stay well, Stay strong, Stay in control.
2nd Annual PWR Marathon is looking more likely as every week passes.
#pwr #survive21
The Karen Fenton Memorial 5k is usually held in April every year and it helps raise much needed funds for an Ovarian Cancer Charity. This year, the organisers are holding a virtual event and are asking runners to take part.
You can register HERE
From the organisers... Unfortunately due to Covid the 'Karen Fenton Memorial Run' in 2020 was unable to go ahead, the organisers were hoping to follow up with a great event this year but unfortunately in these unprecedented times they are still unable to host a real event.
🌼As an alternative please join Karen Fenton's family & friends for a virtual 5km run/walk during April 2021.
🏃♀️🚶Run or walk anytime or anywhere between April 16th and 19th and upload your results to myrunresults.com portal.
There is an option to donate further to the Karen Fenton Ovarian Cancer Fund during registration.
👕 Remember the day with an option to purchase event merchandise.
Register @ https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/KarenFentonMemorialRun
We are continuing to raise much needed funds for cancer awareness, research and to support the operation of the cancer machine in CUHC. To date we have raised over €120,000 and recently we donated €80,000 to go towards the purchase of the “Ion Torrent Genexus Integrated Sequener” machine, a new innovative machine that had been unavailable to cancer patients in Cork. The machine is located in CUH, where Karen spent her final two months. Once fully commissioned the machine will operate under the expert guidance of Medical Oncologist Dr. Dearbhaile Collins and Clinical Director for Cancer Services, Dr. Richard Bambury. Dr. Collins specialises in gynaecological malignancies, including Ovarian Cancer. This state of the art technology will analyse cancer mutations and find new “precise” treatments for patients.
Any additional donations are welcome as we continue to fundraise for this worthy cause.
Visit http://www.karenfenton.ie/ for more information.
For this weeks online jigsaw, we go back again to the 2016 Ballycotton 10 mile road race.
You can find the 150-piece jigsaw HERE
The organisers of the Dingle Marathon announced recently that that their Full and Half Marathon which was scheduled for Saturday 8th May 2021 has been postponed.
All HALF MARATHON participants for the May event have now automatically been transferred to SATURDAY 7TH MAY 2022 and all FULL MARATHON participants for the May event have now automatically been transferred to SATURDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 2021.
The Dingle event is normally held on the first Saturday in September every year. When the pandemic impacted the 2020 event, they initially sought to move it to May 2021 and then hold their September 2021 event as per normal. As such, the two events in 2021 would have compensated for the loss of the 2020 event.
Now that the May 2021 event has been postponed, it means a real loss in revenue for both the organisers and the whole hospitality sector in Dingle. As for whether the September event will go ahead, we'll have to wait and see. I think a lot of people suspect it will be 2022 before things get back to some sort of normality.
Once this pandemic passes and it will, it's possible that some races may have disappeared from the calendar forever but the Dingle event is one of the most popular in the country. It is probably one of the most scenic locations in the country for a race, it makes for a great weekend away and it will bounce back stronger than ever.
Statement from the organisers....
***EVENT UPDATE***
We very much regret to inform you that due to COVID 19 restrictions it obviously is not possible to proceed with the Dingle Full and Half Marathon which was scheduled for Saturday 8th May 2021 (which had been postponed from September 2020). Accordingly, all HALF MARATHON participants for the May event have now automatically been transferred to SATURDAY 7TH MAY 2022 and all FULL MARATHON participants for the May event have now automatically been transferred to SATURDAY 4TH SEPTEMBER 2021.
We fully appreciate the disappointment that this will bring but we must put the health and wellbeing of all our runners, walkers, crew, medical providers and all our community, team, and families first. We feel that it is only fair to make the decision now in order that people can plan accordingly.
We have emailed all registered participants and we fully appreciate the inconvenience that the date changes may have to peoples individual circumstances so please feel free to contact us by email at run@dinglemarathon.ie if you have any queries or if we can assist in any way.
We look forward to brighter days in the beauty of Dingle Peninsula and we can’t wait to welcome you to Dingle when the time is right.
The Killeagh 4-mile road race is held on the first Sunday in March every year. As you might expect, the upcoming race had to be cancelled.
In a recent online poll, the Bere Island 5k parkrun took the top spot in the 'World Cup of parkrun Beauty 2021' with over 1,500 votes. As you can see from the view above, it's well deserved.
Hopefully once this pandemic has passed, it will bounce back stronger than ever.
💖💞 The Love of running 💖💞
Valentine's Day this weekend and I have no notion of talking all sweet gooey stuff or wild romantic drivel. This is a safe zone. I wouldn’t know how to do it anyway. 😃
What I ask of you is to look at yourself and love what you do.
Run when you can, but relax and allow yourself days off when it just is not possible to run for a variety of reasons. Love yourself enough not to be killing yourself. 🧐🤔
It isn’t easy at the moment and this was the hardest week of weather in a while. Throw in all the restrictions and doom talk and it is easy to have missed a day or 2.
My plan last week for 10ml Patrick’s Day was flexible and 1 bad week won’t affect it.
Maybe start next week again and if you like delay the proposed 10 mile for another 2 weeks until Easter. It was only meant as an interim goal to get us through the next 2 months. Based on current predictions there will be no mass gatherings anywhere this year so go easy on yourself.
💖💞
Fall back in love with running and that can only happen when you take the pressure off yourself. Having a tough plan that is hard to follow only sets you up for failure and disillusionment. Just go out relax and enjoy your miles.
Leave the watch at home sometimes and instead count the number of birds species you see.
💖💞
I want to remain positive and I can only do that if I set myself up for success with realistic goals. If I run I want to enjoy it and love the act of running and what it brings.
It will get better, the local restrictions will go in time and our running groups will increase so if there is 1 goal you should aim for, it is to be ready to resume with your buddies once we get the green light. There is little point in getting the permission to run and mix again and you finding yourself unfit and out of shape.
💖💞
Again and it is an act of love. Make contact with your running buddies and see that they are doing Ok. They would love to hear from you.
Hoping to do a Valentine virtual run for Irish Heart Foundation this weekend so maybe we get a break in the weather to let us run.
Take care, have a lovely weekend and honest, I do love you all.
💞💖
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story, baby, just say, "Yes"..." 🎼
#pwr #Survive21
