Ballycotton 10 - Car Parks...As you can see from the map above, they will be using 3 car parks for this year's event (6 in 2008). Click on the map to enlarge it. The distances shown are from the car park to the start line. Subtract half a mile for the distance to the race HQ.
Most of the car parks are in fields. Two years ago, the ground was so wet that some (..if not all?) of the fields could not be used. For the last few weeks, the rainfall has actually been very light so there is a good chance that they should be ok for next weekend.

Some basic facts and info....

• They will have shuttle buses taking runners from the car parks to a road block near the old church, about 300 metres from the school and Race HQ. After the race, the shuttle buses will take the runners back to the car parks. Please note that these car parks are numbered so you could remember which nmber car park you are in so you can catch the correct bus.
• Note for Ballycotton 10 first timers!! You really need to turn up early for the race. This is not an ordinary race where you can just turn up 30 minutes beforehand. You really have to see it to appreciate the difficulty of getting 2000+ runners into what is basically a Cul-de-Sac. You need to allow time for traffic jams, bus transfers, getting changed, getting warmed up and getting to the start line early enough to get a good position. You should try and get there by say 11:30am and give yourself plenty of time. Note that you cannot drive into Ballycotton! You are not going to get near the place without being stopped by a steward and be directed to the nearest car park. If you miss the last shuttle bus, you're out of the race :o( I remember 3 years ago, I went down early and I still got stuck in a half mile tailback going into Cloyne and that was 8 miles from Ballycotton!! I think if I had been later, I'd have missed the race. You have been warned...Get there early
• Just in case you arrive really early and you did not read the FAQ section..." There will be no parking within one mile of the village and a tow-away truck will be in operation from 10am onwards. " So, use the designated car parks.
• There will be a one way system in operation in the general area again this year. This really speeds up the traffic when you are leaving the area. Just follow the stewards instructions.
• If you are one of those people who are going to cycle in from the car parks then you probably have the best option. You don't have to arrive so early and as you'll be one of the first back to the outer car parks, you can beat all the traffic out of the area.
  

So, if there is one thing that I tried to impress on you here is that getting there early really pays off. Give yourself plenty of time, have a look around the race HQ and maybe buy one of those famous Ballycotton 10 t-thirts, get changed, jog up to the start and get a good position for the start.

In the next post, I'll look at the course and do a preview of it.