Trends in Running Shoes for 2020...

It would seem that the big trend in running shoes for 2020 is bigger soles and more cushioning.

As you can see from the shoes above, some of the newer high end shoes from manufacturers have more cushioning and they also are curved upwards at the front to encourage more of a rocking motion from heel to toe.

As outlined in a previous post about the NIKE Vaporflys, those shoes really have seemed to shaken up the whole running shoe market and other manufacturers are now trying to follow the trend.

Notice: Dromina 10 mile & 10k road race in N Cork - Sun 19th Apr 2020

The Dromina 10 mile road race in its back back in the 1980's was as big as the Ballycotton '10' with large numbers for the time taking part. After a lapse of some thirty odd years, it returned in 2019.

After its reappearance last year, it is back again this year and it will take place on Sunday the 19th of April 2020.

Entry Link

The early bird entry fee is €20 (plus booking fee) up to the 31st of January. From the 1st of February, it costs €25 (plus booking fee). Entry on the day is €30.

The 10 mile race will start at 12 noon with the 10k starting at 12:30pm. The race HQ is in the local community hall which is on the north-east side of the village.

The village of Dromina is located in north Cork and is on the road between Charleville and Newmarket.

There is also a dry fit top as part of the entry. Details to follow when the design is finalised.

More info below.

Poll for the best races in Cork and Munster now open

The poll for the best races in Cork and Munster in 2019 is now open.

Click HERE

Please note that you will be required to answer several questions and you have to give your email address as you may be asked to confirm your vote.

You won't be put on a mailing list or anything like that. I just want to ensure there is no abuse of the poll and that the votes are genuine.

I'll close it off at the end of the month.

18-Week Programme for the 2020 Cork City Marathon starts 27th January

The 2020 Cork City Marathon is coming up on Sunday the 31st of May. I'll be running an 18-week training programme for it which will start on the 27th of January. Details below...

Please note that this is tailored for each individual person, it's not some sort of generic one-size fits all plan. The plan adapts according to the progress being made.

For it to be of value...

a) You'll have to answer questions initially so that a suitable programme can drawn up. This will be based on your current training and experience and how much time you have available. It's a plan designed to suit your life and work schedule as opposed to the other way around.

b) You'll also have to provide feedback every two weeks and the plan will be based on this.

c) You really do have to follow the plan. There is no point dipping in and out of it or be off running 5k races every weekend when you're supposed to be doing a long run. The plan can be adapted to accommodate the occasional race but they must be occasional.

The cost for the 18-weeks is €99.... from the cold dark evenings of January to the long Summer evenings at the end of May.

If interested, email: johndesmondrunning AT gmail DOT com

Cork City Half-Marathon... This 14-week programme will be starting on the 24th of February. Cost €69.

Cork City Marathon Relay... This 12-week programme will start on the 9th of March. Cost €59.

Results of the Cloyne Commons 4k - Sun 19th Jan 2020

Cloyne Commons 4k Series Race 3 -     Sunday 19 January 2020. 9:30 am

Provisional Results for All Competitors in finish order.    Pace    Race    Race
Place    Time    Name    Team    Race Age Category    min/mile       
1 0:12:28 O'LEARY, Kevin East Cork AC M 05:00.8 995  1
2  0:12:37 KELLEHER, Kenneth East Cork AC M40 05:04.5 796 2
3 0:12:56 MCKEOWN, Kieran Watergrasshill AC M45 05:12.1 873 3
4 0:13:21 GILTINAN, Donal    East Cork AC M    05:22.2    72    4
5 0:13:22    KELLY, Chris    East Cork AC M 05:22.6    798    5
6 0:13:24 HENNESSY, John Midleton AC M45    05:23.4    759 6
7 0:13:28 INCE, Ken Watergrasshill AC    M    05:25.0    779    7
8 0:13:30 CROWLEY, Tim    East Cork AC    M    05:25.8    77    8
9 0:13:33    GOGGIN, John    Unattached    M40    05:27.0    91    9
10 0:13:34 COLLINS, John Skibbereen AC  M 05:27.4 111 10
    11    0:13:35    MURPHY, Niall    East Cork AC    M    05:27.8    67    11
    12    0:13:38    DUGGAN, Paul    St Finbarrs AC    M50    05:29.0    702    12
    13    0:13:47    O'BRIEN, Billy    Skibbereen AC    M40    05:32.6    943    13
    14    0:13:57    COUGHLAN, Denis    St Finbarrs AC    M    05:36.6    109    14
    15    0:13:58    CASHMAN, Paul    Watergrasshill AC    M40    05:37.0    621    15
    16    0:14:01    KEARNEY, Paul    Aghada RC    M    05:38.2    789    16
    17    0:14:02    SANTRY, Fiona    East Cork AC    F    05:38.6    74    17
    18    0:14:05    DOLPHIN, Michael    Leevale AC    M40    05:39.9    684    18
    19    0:14:14    MEYLER, Shane    Ballymore Cobh AC    M45    05:43.5    884    19
    20    0:14:24    GRAB, Tobi    Leevale AC    M40    05:47.5    133    20
    21    0:14:26    GOGGIN WALSH, Jennifer    Carraig na bhFear AC    F    05:48.3    730    21
    22    0:14:30    CREMIN, Mike    Unattached    M    05:49.9    646    22
    23    0:14:44    MALONE, John    Youghal AC    M45    05:55.5    80    23
    24    0:14:46    COLLINS, Trevor    Naas AC    M40    05:56.3    634    24
    25    0:14:49    LEDDY, Seamus    Unattached    M40    05:57.6    79    25
    26    0:14:56    O`SULLIVAN, Linda    Watergrasshill AC    F45    06:00.4    940    26
    27    0:15:00    HANNON, Tim    Midleton AC    M40    06:02.0    746    27
    28    0:15:01    SMIDDY, Oliver    Unattached    M40    06:02.4    1088    28
    29    0:15:04    MINIHANE, Briain    Unattached    M    06:03.6    887    29
    30    0:15:05    RYAN, Don    Midleton AC    M45    06:04.0    1064    30
    31    0:15:08    FENNESSY, Kevin    Unattached    M40    06:05.2    710    31

Results of the Glen River Park 5k parkrun - Sat 18th Jan 2020

It's good to see the numbers for the 5k parkrun in the Glen in Cork City over the 100 mark again with 126 taking part this week.

1 Florent CHEVALLIER Male SM30-34 19:44
2 Aidan NOONE Male SM20-24 19:50
3 Liam MURPHY Male VM50-54 Watergrasshill AC 20:13
6 Katie HICKSON Female VW40-44 21:09
20 Edith O'DONNELL Female JW11-14 23:25
23 Sandra WALSH Female VW45-49 23:28

Full results

Photos...
1) Mick Dooley has a gallery HERE

Results & Photos of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun - Sat 18th Jan 2020

A whopping 530 participants took part in this weeks 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park, the third highest ever!

The chart above shows the numbers since the start of January 2019. Between New Year's resolutions and Operation Transformation, the numbers are always up at this time of year.

1 Tim POWELL Male SM30-34 Serpentine RC 17:44
2 John O MAHONY Male VM45-49 17:53
3 Thomas NELSON Male SM25-29 Queens Triathlon Club 18:30
27 Sorcha KEARNEY Female VW40-44 St Finbarrs AC 20:35
29 Nollaigh O'NEILL Female VW45-49 Leevale AC 20:42
31 Mairead PEREZ Female VW45-49 20:44

Full results

Photos...
1) Colette Ryan has a gallery HERE
2) Joe Murphy has 20 photos HERE

Nominations for the best races in Cork & Munster in 2019

Now that we're into the New Year, it's time to vote for the best road races in Cork and Munster in 2019. First though, the nominations.

Leave a comment below and nominate the best 5k, 4 mile, 5 mile & 10k race in Cork and the best 10 mile and half-marathon in Munster in 2019. We'll open the poll then in a few days.

Update: Keep the nominations coming in, I'm updating the list every few hours.
Update Sun 19th Jan 11pm

By the way, check the lists below. There's no point nominating a race that has already been nominated.

Railway works cause temporary change to Mallow Town parkrun course

Please note that due to ongoing work on the railway, part of the western part of the Mallow Town 5k parkrun course has been closed off to the public. This closure is planned from Monday the 13th of January to Saturday the 8th of February 2020.

In the meantime, Cork County Council have given the organisers permission to used the section to the east which includes the newly surfaced paths by Castlelands.

The start and finish remain in the same spot.

Wheelchair athlete Jerry Forde hits 465 marathons!

The main man Jerry Forde with Paddy Rodgers who helped out on the bike

A few weeks back, I had a post up about how Jerry Forde was looking for a cyclist to help him out for an MCI marathon in Blackrock in Cork City on Saturday the 4th of January. Big shout out to local runner Paddy Rodgers who answered the call!

When Jerry first told me about needing a cyclist for the marathon, I asked him was that the one at the Blackrock Castle car park. 'Ya ya, that's the one' said Mr Forde and he duly told me the date and start time.

Grand says I, I'll turn up and do the first of five laps with Jerry and then hand over to Paddy for the other four.

So I cycled from home that morning and turned up just before 8:30am at the Blackrock Castle car park. Not only was there no sign of Mr Forde but there was also no sign of any race! I was wondering at this stage if I had got the times and date wrong.

I cycled on the loop on what would be the opposite direction to the runners and eventually spotted Bernice Glavin. After a quick chat, Bernice tells me that she had started early and the start was in St.Michaels GAA grounds in Mahon, a small detail Mr Forde had forgotten to tell me!

Eventually we got going about half an hour late with an official start time. After a chilly first lap, I then handed over to Paddy who did the honours for the remaining four.

Amazingly, this was Jerry's 465th marathon! I spoke to Jerry during the week and I have now updated his marathon list... https://jerryforde.wordpress.com/list-of-marathons/

Fingers crossed, he hopes to hit the 500 mark sometime in the middle of 2021.

Thanks also to Alan who also offered to help. Alan, you never left your email address in the original post so I couldn't contact you.

Notice: MMRA Corin Hill Trail Race nr Fermoy - Sun 19th Jan 2020

The MMRA are holding their a trail race on Sunday the 19th of January 2020 at Corrin Hill to the south-west of Fermoy. This is a good introduction to trail running for anyone starting off.

Note that MMRA membership is required which costs €10 for the year.

More info on the IMRA website... https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1841

More info on the 2020 MMRA events HERE

MMRA training event for 15-19 year olds - Sat 25th Jan 2020

Notice : Locha Lua Half-Marathon in Ballingeary in West Cork - Sat 11th Apr 2020

This popular Half-Marathon is coming up in Ballingeary in West Cork on Saturday the 11th of April 2020.

Entries
Regstration online / Clárú: Click HERE

Registration: Half Marathon €25 // Half Marathon Relay (2 Person Team 9km/12km) €30 per team // Walk €20

Option to purchase event technical t-shirt @ €7.50

The Event : This is the second Locha Lua half marathon - based in the Muskerry Gaeltacht in Ballingeary Co Cork and will take place at 10am on Easter Saturday 11th April 2020. It follows a relatively flat course winding along the shores of Locha Lua in the stunning Lee Valley.

Runners will first head east on the R584 from Ballingeary turning right in Inchigeelagh village and returning on the scenic South Lake Road to complete the circuit of the lakes which is an exact half marathon distance. There is also a relay option with the change point in Inchigeelagh Village.

The section between Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh is pretty flat. There are a number of climbs in the second half but note that the ascent is never more than 100 feet or 30 metres.

It really is a stunning location and the elevated parts of the course have some nice views.

The race has an AI permit and was measured by Jones Counter. It will also be chip timed.

Registration: https://eventmaster.ie/event/Rv4CL5h76

To contact the organisers, use lochalua19 AT gmail DOT com

Half-Moon Lane entrance to Tramore Valley Park likely to remain closed for 2020

Gate at the Half-Moon Lane entrance in Dec 2019

Back in early 2019, Cork City Council finally opened the Tramore Valley Park in Cork City to members of the public. The most northerly entrance to the park at Half-Moon lane has remained closed however.

This has led to the ironic situation whereby the people that are living closest to the park like in Turners Cross can't get access to it.

In a response to a query from Cllr. Mick Flynn, Cork City Council have said that the Half-Moon entrance will remain closed for at least another 12 months!

The reasons cited were...

a) The volume of traffic going to Christ King Girls Secondary School, a number of commercial premises, including the ESB, a pitch & putt club, one residential property and a large City Council Depot.

b) There is also no public footpath on the laneway, while the junction at the end of the 250m stretch is completely blind in both directions when exiting and does not have traffic lights.

In an answer, the City Council Director of Operations said... “It is also important to note that providing an access to the park from Half Moon Lane will also attract visitors arriving by car and, given that there is no dedicated parking area, cars are likely to be abandoned along the narrow lane creating a serious obstruction for other vehicles using the lane to access their premises and for parents dropping and collecting school children.”

The Council said that consultants will undertake a traffic assessment and survey of the lane. They will then prepare draft improvement proposals to address the issues.

Following this, a Part 8 application will be made and should that get the green light, a detailed design, tender and contract will follow.
 

From a running point of view, this news would seem to put a damper on the 5k parkrun in Tramore Valley Park starting up anytime soon.

MMRA calendar for 2020 now updated...

The Munster Mountain Running Association (MMRA) have put on a large calendar of events for 2020 and there is something there for everyone. They have nice trail races on tracks though woods all the ways up to the more extreme events on mountains.

The MMRA page on the blog is now updated with the full list of 2020 fixtures and you can view it HERE