Results of the Cork BHAA 'Pfizers' 6 Mile Road Race - Wed 29th Apr 2009

Although the wet weather was very similiar to last year's event, the turnout this year was much higher with a record crowd of around 275 taking part. As a race over the years, the Pfizers 6 mile never seemed to attract the bumper crowds that you would get at say a 5k or 4 mile race. Yet as a road race....and especially in terms of the work put into the event and the refreshments afterwards, it has to be one of the best races on the Cork BHAA calendar.

It would be also worth noting that some of the local Cork BHAA races are now attracting runners from other counties as well. A number of people from Waterford have run in the last 2 races while there is a loyal following from a certain Kerry Contingent ;o) Not only did they clean up in the prizes last night in Ringaskiddy but they also made the long trip last week from Killarney to Youghal for the beach race! It should remind us how luckly we are to have so many road races on our doorstep here in Cork.

Lost & Found.......Someone sent me a mail today saying that a person lost a sum of money at the race last night. If anyone who found it would like to return it to it's righful owner, then they can send an e-mail to me and I'll pass on the contact details. My e-mail is shown at the bottom of the right hand column.

Results.......the full results are now available HERE.

Category Results........in the meantime, here are the category results.

PFIZER 6-MILE ROAD RACE
1 Cathal O’Connell (UCC, M45) 32:13; 2 Derek O’Leary (Twomey Transport) 32:21; 3 Simon Simcox (Leisure World) 32:31; 4 Sean Stilwell (K-Vent) 32:57; 5 S Dowling (Kearys) 33:37; 6 Noel O’Regan (Army, M40) 34:26; 7 Kieran O’Sullivan (Cork Garda) 34:31; 8 P Hickey (Avondhu Motors) 34:38; 9 W McNamara (DMP Enterprises) 34:39; 10 Austin Browne (Stasol) 34:48.

M40: 2 John Dunphy (Midleton News) 37:35; 3 Conor McMahon (Phoenix Clinic) 37:57.

M45: 1 John Desmond (Statsol) 36:15; 2 Tim Lucey (Cork County Co) 36:26; 3 Denis Carroll (Blarney Woollen Mills) 36:27.

M50: 1 John Collins (Team adidas) 35:44; 2 Tom Cody (Midleton UDC) 36:20; 3 P Collins (Team Herbal) 36:23.

M55: 1 Joe Gough (Mileeen Foods) 36:11; 2 Pat Twomey (UCC) 38:33; 3 P O’Sullivan (Maria Immaculata) 42:26.

M60: 1 Paddy Gyves (ITW-Hi Cone) 43:09; 2 Jimmy Murray (HSE) 43:56.

M65: 1 John Cotter (ESB) 45:08.

Team: (Grade A) 1 Statsol 45; 2 Avondhu Motors 78; 3 Leisure World 111.

(Grade B) 1 UCC 106; 2 Midleton UDC 141; 3 Cork City Co 223.

(Grade C) 1 Midleton News 131; 2 Blarney Woollen Mills 212; 3 Statsol 216.

Women: 1 Rhona Lynch (GE-Healthcare) 35:55; 2 K Teahan (HSE) 37:41; 3 K Cashell (Imperial College) 38:41; 4 M Crowley (temp-reg) 38:54; 5 H Leonard (Shouragh Childcare, F35) 39:45; 6 Fidelma Kirwan (Sensory Labs, F40) 40:42.

F35: 2 Mary O’Connell (IPS) 46:21.

F40: 2 M Mulcahy (BoI) 46:45.

F45: 1 Aine Murphy (UCC) 46:26.

F50: 1 F O’Connor (Dept of Educ).

Team: (Grade A) 1 UCC ‘A’ 178; 2 UCC ‘B’ 272. (Grade B) 1 IPS 362; 2 Dept of Educ 364.

(......with thanks to John Walshe of Ballycotton Running Promotions for the above results)

Preview of the Cork BHAA 'Pfizers' 6 mile road race - Wed 29th Apr (8pm)
This 6 mile race is one of the longest established road races in the Cork area. Considering that this is the only race in Cork this week, it is likely to attract a large crowd. Last year, they got 215.......this year??

Registration...
The registration point for this race is the Pfizers Sports Centre which is located near Ringaskiddy. From Cork, take the main road for the Car Ferry and Ringaskiddy. As you go through Shanbally, you will pass through a small roundabout. About 400 metres later, you'll see the first turn off to the left. Take this and there will be stewards there directing you towards the car park. The entry fee is €5 for registered runners and €7 for non-registered.

Course...
The start is about 300 metres up the road towards Ringaskiddy. After an inital slight climb up towards Shanbally, there is a good bit of downhill running in the first mile. Then you turn left and for the next mile and a half, you have a number of small climbs and falls in the road but nothing serious. Just after the 2.5 mile mark, you join the back Carrigaline to Ringaskiddy road and the road is pretty flat until about the 4 mile mark. Here, there is a short climb until you reach the entrance to Novartis. After that, it's reasonable until there is a steep drop by the 5 mile mark. The last mile is a very gradual uphill section all the way to the finish.

Overall...
It's not the flatest of courses but there are no serious hills to worry about. If you have only done short races up to now, you'll have to pace yourself a bit to do the 6 miles comfortably. Perhaps the extra distance might deter a few runners from turning out but in terms of refreshments afterwards, this one is amongst the best on the Cork BHAA calendar.

If you want to have a closer look at the course or get your directions, I have put the route up on the MapMyRun website.

Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon and Marathon Relay 2009....Part 8 of 12 by Mick Dooley, Cork BHAA
(Mick Dooley of the Cork Business Houses Athletic Association wrote a 12 part series of articles for the Evening Echo last year. Needless to say, they are as valid this year as last year so I will be republishing them here (...with a few changes) on this website. They are written with the beginner in mind. Part 8 is based on 5 weeks to go, about the 27th of April).

Run for Charity...

Running a marathon is a great achievement. It gives great personal satisfaction having completed several weeks of intensive training. However, you can also help many other people if you decide to run for a charity. This can make your event much more rewarding, knowing, that you are helping other people while also achieving your goal. You may think that your effort to raise money for charity is of little significance but all charities are based on small amounts of money raised on a continuous basis. So no matter how small your donation is, it will be gratefully received by the charity of your choice. If you have not already found a charity to run for, you can view a comprehensive list of registered charities on the marathon website. You can contact the charity of your choice directly for your race pack.Cork city marathon has not endorsed any particular charity for this year’s event but, has made a comprehensive list of charities available to view, on their website. Charity running is a great way to enable runners to prepare and compete in a classic event as well as raise significant funds for a cause of their choice.

Bord Gais Cork City Marathon Training Guide

Week 8 of a 12 week training plan

Beginners

Mon, 30mins jog, Tue 40mins easy, Wed 60mins steady, Thurs rest, Fri 30mins easy, Sat rest, Sun- two and half hour run

Improvers

Mon 30mins jog, Tues 45mins easy, Wed 90mins easy, Thurs rest, Fri 16x1mins fast, Sat 30mins easy, Sun 20 mile steady pace

Serious Runners

Mon 60mins easy, Tues 12x2mins 1min off, Wed 100mins easy, Thurs 7x5mins with 3mins recovery, Fri 45mins easy, Sat Rest, Sun 20mile steady pace

Some news items...Sunday 26th of April 2009

1) Cork City Marathon.......Just a reminder that the cheap entries for the 2009 Cork City Marathon & Relay close on Thursday, the 30th of April. The current entry fee is €70 for the full Marathon and €100 for a relay team. After Thursday, the fees will increase to €80 and €110 until the final closing date on the 8th of May. For more details, visit the Cork City Marathon website.

2) Castlemartyr 4 Mile Road Race......there are now a set of 117 photos taken by Joe Murphy of Eagle AC available on the Eagle website. The full results are available here in an earlier post.

3) East Cork AC launch new website......East Cork AC have just launched their new website and has details about how East Cork AC members have been doing in the local races recently. One item of particular interest is a section on the East Cork winter 3k series with all of the results for each race over the last few years. (I especially like the section with the race details.......those excellent graphics look very familiar ;o)

The new website can be found at http://www.eastcorkac.com/index.html

4) Fota 4 Mile race.......This evening race isn't coming up until the end of May but Eagle AC members got a sneak preview of the course yesterday........in the rain!

The route is mostly along narrow roads within the park with a short section inside the hard shoulder on the main road outside. It is reasonably flat with a few gentle inclines although there is at least one sharp pull near the end.

As a run, it was unusual to say the least to have Wallabies jumping out of your way, to have Giraffes looking out of a shed to see what was going on and to pass a herd of Bison grazing. This is certainly going to be one of the more unusual fixtures in the 2009 race calendar.

The Fota Wildlife Park website can be found at http://www.fotawildlife.ie/index.html

5) Marathon.......The London Marathon takes place today and no doubt there will be a few Cork runners present. Another not so well known Marathon on today is the Tresco Marathon (That's Tresco, not Tesco!!) in the Scilly Isles. Looks interesting ;o)

Results of the East Cork Road Championships...Thurs 23rd Apr 2009

This event in Ballynoe consisted of a 5 mile road race for men and a 2 km road race for women. As expected, the fields were pretty small and consisted mainly of local runners.

Race Report by Donal O'Donoughue.......
It was a little damp, more so during the Ladies 2000m, but things cleared up somewhat by the time the Men's 5 mile started. There were 18 ladies - double last year.There were 31 men - the same number as last year. This was mainly an East Cork clubs event, with a few independent runners like me taking part.

It's still got that short but incredibly steep hill, which the Ladies do once, but the men do four times.
The course was marked at each mile, and somebody had even taken the time to draw white circles around the few potholes on the course. Nice :-)
John Walshe had the results in double-quick time.
The winner of the Ladies and the Men's event each received a silver cup, and there were medals for 2nd, 3rd. East Cork AC cleaned up, taking 8 out of the top 10 places, and also won the team prize, despite the fact that individual winners did not count in the Team prizes. Midleton AC had a big turnout too, and came second in the team category. Youghal AC were third.
Teas, sandwiches, buns and fruit cake at the Community Centre finished off a very enjoyable evening.
On a sad note, I see that Eircom have put a note on the public Telephone Box in Ballynoe, saying this facility is about to be removed. We need to get a preservation order placed on this phone box. It's our finish line!!.......Donal O'Donoghue

Results........

Imokilly Oil/East Cork Road Championships
Thursday 23 April 2009. 7:15 pm
Women's 2000m
Place Time Name Team Race Age Category min/mile
1 0:07:20 NOLAN, Michelle Midleton AC F35 05:53.9 3401 1

2 0:07:34 HICKEY, Fiona Youghal AC F 06:05.2 3406 2

3 0:07:47 WALSH, Niamh Youghal AC F 06:15.7 3412 3

4 0:07:50 DRENNAN, Sally Midleton AC F40 06:18.1 3402 4

5 0:07:53 GEARY, Caroline Midleton AC F 06:20.5 3416 5

6 0:08:06 O'KEEFFE, Mary Youghal AC F45 06:30.9 3413 6

7 0:08:45 O'CONNOR, Linda East Cork AC F 07:02.3 3410 7

8 0:09:03 MURPHY, Christine Midleton AC F 07:16.8 3418 8

9 0:09:07 PERRY, Anne-Marie Midleton AC F35 07:20.0 3403 9

10 0:09:24 HENNESSY, Elaine Midleton AC F50 07:33.7 3405 10

11 0:09:33 KENNEDY, Yvonne Midleton AC F 07:40.9 3411 11

12 0:09:51 COUGHLAN, Ciara Carrigtwohill F 07:55.4 3408 12

13 0:09:51 HEGARTY, Linda Midleton AC F35 07:55.4 3404 13

14 0:10:02 CARR, Lorraine Sr. Catherines AC F 08:04.3 3417 14

15 0:10:06 BEAUSANG, Margaret Midleton AC F50 08:07.5 3409 15

16 0:10:47 MCCARTHY, Joan Midleton AC F50 08:40.5 3415 16

17 0:11:02 KEANE, Mary Midleton AC F40 08:52.5 3414 17

18 0:12:18 TOHER, Mary Midleton AC F50 09:53.7 3407 18

TEAM: 1 Midleton AC 17 (Sally Drennan, Caroline Geary, Christine Murphy)

Men's 5-Mile
Place Time Name Team Race Age Category min/mile

1 0:28:22 MCGRATH, Sean East Cork AC M 05:40.3 208 1

2 0:28:44 MEADE, Eric East Cork AC M40 05:44.7 226 2

3 0:28:47 HAYES, Frank East Cork AC M 05:45.3 285 3

4 0:29:21 CURTIN, Noel Youghal AC M45 05:52.1 283 4

5 0:29:29 MAHONY, Tim East Cork AC M 05:53.7 11 5

6 0:29:47 MCCARTHY, Denis East Cork AC M45 05:57.3 1 6

7 0:29:51 O'CARROLL, Frank East Cork AC M 05:58.1 288 7

8 0:30:00 O'DWYER, David East Cork AC M 05:59.9 287 8

9 0:30:15 O'KEEFFE, Marty Youghal AC M40 06:02.9 278 9

10 0:31:05 HARTNETT, Tom East Cork AC M45 06:12.9 46 10

11 0:31:26 DUNPHY, John Midleton AC M40 06:17.1 54 11

12 0:31:53 CASHMAN, John Midleton AC M40 06:22.5 279 12

13 0:32:29 COONEY, Kevin Midleton AC M45 06:29.7 52 13

14 0:33:06 COONEY, Shane Midleton AC M 06:37.1 83 14

15 0:33:20 GRIFFIN, John Grange-Fermoy AC M 06:39.9 73 15

16 0:34:00 TIERNEY, Conor East Cork AC M 06:47.9 282 16

17 0:34:21 RAMSELL, Ned Midleton AC M 06:52.1 93 17

18 0:34:27 PRENDERGAST, Gary Rathcormac M 06:53.3 290 18

19 0:34:50 DALTON, Marc Midleton AC M 06:57.9 280 19

20 0:34:57 MURPHY, Michael Midleton AC M 06:59.3 293 20

21 0:35:02 PARKINSON, Nick Midleton M 07:00.3 222 21

22 0:35:37 MCGRATH, Phil East Cork AC M55 07:07.2 96 22

23 0:36:09 O'LEARY, Ted St. Catherines AC M 07:13.6 284 23

24 0:37:07 O'CONNELL, Donie Midleton AC M55 07:25.2 221 24

25 0:37:21 O'DONOGHUE, Donal Little Island M40 07:28.0 286 25

26 0:37:25 MCCARTHY, Danny Midleton AC M55 07:28.8 281 26

27 0:37:37 WALSHE, John East Cork AC M55 07:31.2 63 27

28 0:39:50 FLANAGAN, Eamon Youghal AC M40 07:57.8 289 28

29 0:41:12 KELLY, Thomas Ballymore-Cobh AC M50 08:14.2 292 29

30 0:43:00 O'MAHONY, William Youghal AC M60 08:35.8 291 30

31 0:44:56 KEARNEY, Batt Leevale AC M50 08:59.0 75 31

TEAM:

1 East Cork AC 26 (Tim O’Mahony, Denis McCarthy, Frank O’Carroll, David Dwyer)

2 Midleton AC 50 (John Dunphy, John Cashman, Kevin Cooney, Shane Cooney)

3 Youghal AC 71 (Noel Curtin, Marty O’Keeffe, Eamon Flanagan, Willie O’Mahony)

Organised by East Cork Board AAI
Results produced by Ballycotton Running Promotions

Results of the Mallow 5 Mile Road Race...Thurs 23rd May 2009

This 5 mile road race in Mallow took place on a dull and dreary evening, almost a carbon copy of the weather conditions for the Mallow 10 mile race back in January. Exactly 100 runners turned out despite the weather, a slight increase last year's figure of about 90. One notable feature of the race was the number of non-Cork runners present with people travelling from Kerry, Limerick and Clare. No doubt if it didn't clash with the East Cork Road Championships, another 20-30 runners would have been present. Perhaps if the weather was a little kinder as well, maybe a figure of 150 might have been reached??

As for the route, it was my first time running this race although there was a bit of deja vu as it was on exactly the same route as part of the Mallow 10 race. The back roads towards the finish are nice and quiet although there is one 'not so nice' section on the main Mallow/Killarney road where the hard shoulder disappears and you end up running between pools of water on your left and passing cars on your right. At least the Gardai were present here to slow traffic down, otherwise it would be pretty dangerous.

Results.........the full results are now available HERE.

Results of the Cork BHAA 'Stride by the Tide' 4 mile beach race...Tues 21st April 2009

Just to keep things in order, I'll put this post up now even though the results are not out yet. Most likely, they will be ready for Friday afternoon.

Just over 180 runners turned out for this race near Youghal in east Cork, one of only 2 beach races in the country. The numbers were probably a bit down on what would normally be expected for a Cork BHAA race. Most likely this is due to the fact it's a good 45 minute drive from Cork City.

Conditions for the race were pretty ok with a dry bright evening although it was a little bit cool with the south-westerly breeze. The beach this year seemed to be in better condition than last year. Perhaps it was just down to the tides but there were no big pools to avoid or soft pockets of dry sand to fight through.

As expected, times on the beach were slower than what you would expect to get on the road. It is however a unique event and it makes a novel change from the usual road races.

Results.......the results are now available HERE.

Preview of the Mallow 5 Mile road Race - Thurs 23rd Apr (7:30pm)

The main thing to remember about this race is that you do NOT have to enter the centre of Mallow town itself. Everything is happening to the West of Mallow.

Registration...The main event centre for the race is at the Roundabout Tavern. This is at the main roundabout which is on the N20 Cork to Limerick road. I am told that parking should also be available near here. Note that the entry fee is only €5!! There will be prizes for the first 4 Men and Women finishers and for the first finisher in each age category.

The course...The 5 mile course basically follows part of the same route as the annual 10 mile road race. It starts around the 3.5 mile mark and finishes around the 8.5 mile mark. From the Roundabout Tavern, the start is just a short way out the N72 Killarney road. The first 2 miles of the race are mainly inside the hard shoulder alongside the busy road. Near the latter sections of the 2 miles, it can get very narrow so you need to be careful. Fortunately, just after the 2 mile mark you turn off left and you are onto nice quiet country roads. From here until the finish, the traffic should be light and is without doubt, the nicest part of the race. Overall, the course is pretty flat and there are only a few small drags. One is near the 2.5 mile mark just after you cross the river and the other one is just a few hundred metres before the finish. Again, nothing major so no need to worry about them.

The Finish...Note that there is a bit of walk/jog from the finish back to the Roundabout Tavern. See red dots above. You need to go up onto the main road and jog inside the hard shoulder or along the footpath on the other side. The distance is about 1.2 kms.

Overall...A pretty flat 5 mile course. Note the start time...7:30pm, not 8pm! There is also a 5 mile walk starting at 7pm. All proceeds on the night go to Enable Ireland.

If you want to look at the course in more detail, Mallow AC have put the course up on the MapMyRun website.

There is a flyer for the race HERE.

Preview of the East Cork Road Championships...Thurs 23rd Apr 2009
Unfortunately, there is a clash of races on Thursday evening with 2 events on offer. To the north of Midleton, there is East Cork Road Championships in Ballynoe starting at 7:30pm. This race will be mainly of interest to runners from east Cork although it is open to other runners as well. The other race on Thursday evening is the Mallow 5 mile road race. This also starts at 7:30pm and is likely to draw a much larger field.

East Cork Road Championships........
Directions.........Take the N25 to Midleton and on the main street, take the turn off left (R627....This is signposted "Dungourney 10; Tallow 26"). After 9 kms, you reach Dungourney and keep going towards Tallow. Later you will pass Leahy's Open Farm and then you need to take a left at the next crossroads. This is signposted "Ballynoe 5; Conna 9". From there, it's a straight 5km run into Ballynoe. If you're coming from Fermoy direction, you most likely need to go via Conna.
Note that Ballynoe is a fair ditance from Midleton so plan your journey, and allow plenty of time to get there.
Registration...........Registration, changing, refreshments and results are at the "Ballynoe Community Centre".This is at the north end of the village, opposite the Church.
There are two events 1) The Ladies’ 2000m, and 2) The Men's 5 mile race.
Men’s Five Mile.....The middle section and the majority of the race consists of four laps of a triangular course. The start line is a half-mile south of the village, on the road towards Dungourney. You then run back into the village, through the central crossroads, and past the Community Centre, going downhill slightly.
After the yellow "junction ahead" sign, you take a sharp left.You're onto a narrow quieter road, continuing downhill again.
Just after a YIELD sign, and the FAILTE hedge, you take another sharp left. After 100m the road gets *very* steep, as you go uphill past the GAA grounds, and the Garda Station.
At the top of the hill, there is a STOP sign. This is the crossroads. Turn left here. That completes the first of four triangular laps.
As each lap is a little over a mile, you will appear to encounter the mile-markers in reverse order! Don't worry; just count your laps carefully.
At the fourth lap, you will turn right at the STOP sign, heading out the road from which you started. The finish line is at the brown Eircom public telephone box.
(...with thanks to Donal O'Donoghue for the above preview)

Entry date for Bay Run extended until 21st April...

The official closing date for entries to this half-marathon in west Cork was the end of last week. They have however extended the final closure date until today, Tuesday the 21st of April.

Race details......runners start in Glengarriff and run on the main road back to Bantry. The entry fee is €50. More details on their website......http://www.bayrun.ie/

Preview of the Cork BHAA 'Stride by the Tide' 4 mile Road Race - Tues 22nd Apr (8pm)
This race which is sponsored by Quality Hotels takes place on Redbarn beach near Youghal in East Cork. It is the only race during the year which is run on a beach.

Directions...
Take the main road for Youghal from Cork. As you approach Youghal, do not go on the Youghal bypass but take the left just before it, go under the bypass and head towards the town. After a few hundred metres, look out for and take the turn off right. It should be signposted as the R633 for Ballymacoda. After 1.5 kms on this road, you come to a crossroads. Turn left here. You should see the signposts for the Quality Hotel anyway. See the map above.

Entry...
As per normal at Cork BHAA events, it is €5 for registered runners and €7 for non-registered.

Course...

From what I remember, it is basically two and a half laps of a course that is marked out on the beach. It is a very unusual race in that as you take the sharp turn at the end of each loop, you are watching everyone else who is ahead and behind you. It's a bit like running a race and spectating at the same time. The race is run on a part of the beach which is between the low tide and high tide mark. As a result, you are not running on soft sand although you might hit the od patch. You should have no problem doing it in your normal runners.

Overall...

The fact you can watch a race at the same time as running in it makes this a special and unusual event. The softer surface, while ok for running on, definetly means that your time for this 4 mile race will be slower than usual. The sand seems to absorb most of the energy when you foot hits the surface and you need to put more effort in than you would on the road. If you want to see where the race is, have a look at this link...

http://pininthemap.com/27c8f39995f0d9723

Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon and Marathon Relay 2009....Part 7 of 12 by Mick Dooley, Cork BHAA

(Mick Dooley of the Cork Business Houses Athletic Association wrote a 12 part series of articles for the Evening Echo last year. Needless to say, they are as valid this year as last year so I will be republishing them here (...with a few changes) on this website. They are written with the beginner in mind. Part 6 is based on 6 weeks to go, about the 20th of April).

Week 7...Bord Gais Energy Cork City Marathon - Running Injuries

When it comes to marathon training or long distance running, the word injury is a dreaded word to hear but many injuries may not be as bad as first thought. You should not panic or loose hope, many of the everyday aches and pains are caused by high mileage and bad footwear and may be very easily remedied by a short lay off from training and some gentle stretches and a good foot and leg message. If your training is going ok and you are sticking to a plan, a short rest period of 7 to 10 days should not affect your overall preparation and you should not loose your overall fitness because of a short lay off. If you feel pain while running you must stop, do not run through pain simply because you have to complete your long run on a given date, pain means stop.If your injury is more serious, you should immediately seek professional help and advice once and again, even some of the more serious injuries can be treated very successfully with a few treatment sessions. There are numerous sports injuries therapists available that will identify and treat whatever injury is presented. The important thing is that you must give yourself every chance to be on the start line on June 2nd, you have the commitment made, you have the training mileage logged now you must watch the niggling injuries. Two of the most common running injuries worth mentioning are Ankle Sprain and Achilles Tendonitis.

Achilles Tendonitis...........The Achilles tendon is located at the back of the leg just above the heel. The Achilles tendon connects the heel to the lower leg muscles. An Achilles strain is a common sports injury and can often become chronic and prevent any form of running at all. Even with a slight strain you should stop running for at least 7 to 10 days depending with the severity of the injury with a gradual increase to normal training. Achilles tendonitis is generally caused a sudden increase in speed, sharp hill work and bad stretching before and after running. Tight hamstrings and calf muscles also increase the risk of Achilles tendonitis

Ankle Strain.........Ankle sprain affects the ligaments around the ankle and with many runners, they often prefer to run on cross country and running trails as opposed to roadways. Running on uneven surfaces can result in ankle sprain. Total recovery from ankle sprain can take up to six weeks depending on the extent of the ligament and soft tissue damage.The treatment of ankle sprain can be treated by the RICE method, a treatment commonly used in sport for sprains and strains.

R - Rest will speed up the healing time

I - Ice using ice packs for 10 minutes sessions will decrease swelling

C - Compression bandages will speed up healing also

E - Elevate your foot using pillows to decrease swelling

Injury Prevention...........

Do proper warm ups and warm downs

Don’t start or finish your run with a sprint

Ensure that you have the correct footwear for your foot type

Bord Gais Cork City Marathon Training Guide

Week 7 of the 12 week training plan (...intended for the 21st of April)

Beginners

Mon 20mins easy, Tue 15x90secs fast, Wed Rest, Thurs 80mins easy or 4mile race, Fri Rest, Sat 30mins quick, Sun- two and half very easy.

Improvers

Mon 45mins easy, Tues 5x5min fast, Wed 90mins easy, Thurs hills 12x90secs or 4 mile race,Fri rest- jog, Sat 30mins easy, Sun 3hrs very easy

Serious Runners

Mon 60mins easy, Tues 20x1mins fast, Wed 90mins easy,Thurs 3x10 with 3mins recovery or 4 mile race, Fri rest/jog, Sat 1hour hilly run hard, Sun 3 hours steady

Races this weekend in Munster....Fri 17th to Sun 19th Apr

There are no less than 7 races in Munster this weekend with a race in each county plus one in Wexford.

Fri 17th....Waterford - Dungarvan 6 mile Marine Climb.

Sat 18th.....Clare - 10k fun run, Kerry - 10km fun run.

Sun 19th......Tipp - Senior road championships, Wexford - Half Marathon, Kilkenny - 4 mile Ladies Only race, Cork - IMRA mountain race near Millstreet.

More details on the Running in Munster website.

Results of the Castlemartyr 4 Mile road race - Thurs 16th Apr 2009

The first evening race of the year took place in more or less perfect conditions. The strong easterly wind that was there earlier in the day had largely died away leaving just a gentle breeze by the start at 8pm(.....or 8:10pm as was the case ;o). A total of 218 runners took part, an increase of about 60 on last year's figure of 156. Perhaps we are in for another summer of record numbers at the evening races? If there are over 200 runners at this stage, how many will turn out for the Cork BHAA races or the Ballycotton Summer Series?

Warm up / Warm down........Just a note for the future. Warming down afer the race last night in the fading light, it was obvious it was no longer safe to run out back along the course. So for the first time, I tried the road north of Castlemartyr. It turns out that it's quiet and has a good footpath for about 2 kms as far as Mogeely. It's a lot safer to warm down on, even when it's pretty dark (9:15pm ;o)

Race Photos..........there are a batch of 117 up on the Eagle AC website.

East Cork AC - CASTLEMARTYR '4'
Thursday 16 April 2009. 8:00pm
Place Time Name Team Race Age Category min/mile
1 0:20:29 MCGRATH, Sean East Cork AC M 05:07.2 799 1
2 0:21:11 FAHY, Roy East Cork AC M 05:17.7 726 2
3 0:21:33 MARSHALL, Con St. Finbarrs AC M 05:23.2 380 3
4 0:21:47 O'MAHONY, Donnacha East Cork AC M40 05:26.7 710 4
5 0:22:06 COFFEY, Shane Togher AC M 05:31.4 769 5
6 0:22:20 O'REGAN, Noel Midleton AC M40 05:34.9 887 6
7 0:22:35 O'SULLIVAN, Kieran St. Finbarrs AC M 05:38.7 753 7
8 0:22:43 MCEVOY, Eamonn St. Finbarrs AC M50 05:40.7 766 8
9 0:22:44 BICKERDIKE, Mark Leevale AC M45 05:40.9 709 9
10 0:22:46 MCCARTHY, Denis East Cork AC M45 05:41.4 711 10
11 0:22:50 BROWNE, Austin Eagle AC M40 05:42.4 739 11
12 0:23:06 GORMLEY, Martin Letterkenny AC M40 05:46.4 723 12
13 0:23:11 HENNESSY, John Midleton AC M 05:47.7 881 13
14 0:23:13 O'DWYER, David East Cork AC M 05:48.2 741 14
15 0:23:15 PATTERSON, Robert Dunmanway M 05:48.7 378 15
16 0:23:18 MURPHY, Michael St. Finbarrs AC M50 05:49.4 721 16
17 0:23:21 O'CONNOR, Brian Grange-Fermoy AC M 05:50.2 744 17
18 0:23:24 LYNCH, Rhona Eagle AC F 05:50.9 727 18
19 0:23:37 POWER, Pat Eagle AC M 05:54.1 856 19
20 0:23:40 DEVINE, Ken St. Finbarrs AC M40 05:54.9 745 20
21 0:23:45 PARNELL, Carmel Leevale AC F50 05:56.1 855 21
22 0:23:48 DESMOND, John Eagle AC M45 05:56.9 873 22
23 0:23:50 WALSH, Colin Cork M 05:57.4 846 23
24 0:23:52 MURPHY, Neil St. Finbarrs AC M 05:57.9 773 24
25 0:23:53 CODY, Tom Midleton AC M50 05:58.1 895 25
26 0:23:53 WALSH, Paud Eagle AC M 05:58.1 738 26
27 0:23:57 WILLIAMS, Robbie Cork M 05:59.1 845 27
28 0:23:58 MAHER, Shane Grange-Fermoy AC M 05:59.4 730 28
29 0:24:00 CURTIN, Martin Castlemartyr M 05:59.9 824 29
30 0:24:03 HARTNETT, Tom East Cork AC M45 06:00.6 704 30
31 0:24:08 MURPHY, Eoin Cork M 06:01.9 792 31
32 0:24:10 HALLIHAN, John Leevale AC M40 06:02.4 714 32
33 0:24:11 CARROLL, Denis Eagle AC M45 06:02.6 746 33
34 0:24:14 O'MAHONY, David Cork M 06:03.4 708 34
35 0:24:16 DUNPHY, John Midleton AC M40 06:03.9 736 35
36 0:24:22 MURPHY, Pat Eagle AC M50 06:05.4 758 36
37 0:24:31 O'CALLAGHAN, David Eagle AC M40 06:07.6 822 37
38 0:24:33 CASHMAN, John Midleton AC M40 06:08.1 703 38
39 0:24:35 MCGRATH, Grellan Eagle AC M40 06:08.6 872 39
40 0:24:47 COONEY, Kevin Midleton AC M45 06:11.6 705 40
41 0:24:47 BRENNAN, Kieran Ballymore-Cobh AC M40 06:11.6 862 41
42 0:24:49 MURPHY, Paddy Bandon AC M 06:12.1 716 42
43 0:24:54 CASHELL, Katherine St. Finbarrs AC F 06:13.4 861 43
44 0:25:06 O'BRIEN, Tom Cork M40 06:16.4 827 44
45 0:25:19 CLEARY, Paul Whitegate M 06:19.6 819 45
46 0:25:23 JAMES, Kieran Castlemartyr MJ 06:20.6 701 46
47 0:25:28 AHERNE, Neilus Midleton AC M50 06:21.9 375 47
48 0:25:34 HICKEY, Fiona Youghal AC F 06:23.4 832 48
49 0:25:36 COONEY, Shane Midleton AC M 06:23.9 768 49
50 0:25:37 CAHILL, Maurice Youghal AC M 06:24.1 751 50
51 0:25:42 RELIHAN, Gary Eagle AC M 06:25.4 743 51
52 0:25:42 GEARY, Kevin Ladysbridge M 06:25.4 776 52
53 0:25:53 MCGRATH, Phil East Cork AC M55 06:28.1 798 53
54 0:25:57 FITZGERALD, John Grange-Fermoy AC M40 06:29.1 731 54
55 0:26:05 O'REGAN, Billy Grange-Fermoy AC M40 06:31.1 863 55
56 0:26:13 SIEVEWRIGHT, Kevin Eagle AC M40 06:33.1 790 56
57 0:26:15 EVANS, Kieran Castlemartyr M 06:33.6 706 57
58 0:26:15 COLLINS, Damien Leevale AC M 06:33.6 806 58
59 0:26:16 MCGRATH, Mike Eagle AC M45 06:33.9 749 59
60 0:26:17 GRIFFIN, John Grange-Fermoy AC M 06:34.1 722 60
61 0:26:19 RYAN, James Kileens M40 06:34.6 386 61
62 0:26:20 O'DOHERTY, Gary Cork M 06:34.9 889 62
63 0:26:23 PRENDERGAST, Gary Rathcormac M 06:35.6 860 63
64 0:26:25 FITZGERALD, Joe Midleton M 06:36.1 728 64
65 0:26:27 SADLIER, Douglas Cork M 06:36.6 377 65
66 0:26:28 NICHOLSON, Andrew Youghal AC M 06:36.9 834 66
67 0:26:29 RAHILLY, Patrick Cork M 06:37.1 771 67
68 0:26:30 O'HALLORAN, Declan Bandon AC M45 06:37.4 803 68
69 0:26:33 HIGGINS, Terence Eagle AC M 06:38.1 888 69
70 0:26:34 CHAMBERS, Darren Youghal AC M 06:38.4 835 70
71 0:26:35 O'REILLY, Kevin Youghal AC M 06:38.6 752 71
72 0:26:37 GEARY, Ann Midleton AC F 06:39.1 829 72
73 0:26:40 HORGAN, Dan Midleton AC M50 06:39.9 864 73
74 0:26:50 MCCARTHY, Jim Thomastown M 06:42.4 791 74
75 0:26:57 DALTON, Marc Midleton AC M 06:44.1 817 75
76 0:26:58 O'SULLIVAN, Billy Midleton AC M 06:44.4 886 76
77 0:27:00 WILLIAMS, Adrian Midleton AC M45 06:44.9 379 77
78 0:27:01 GIBSON, Andy Eagle AC M40 06:45.1 757 78
79 0:27:03 O'DONOGHUE, Patrick Cloyne M 06:45.6 760 79
80 0:27:08 RAMSELL, Ned Midleton AC M 06:46.9 707 80
81 0:27:09 BYRD, Charlie Cork M40 06:47.1 733 81
82 0:27:10 DRENNAN, Sally Midleton AC F40 06:47.4 720 82
83 0:27:25 HARTIGAN, Irene UCC AC F 06:51.1 849 83
84 0:27:28 O'REILLY, Kevin Midleton AC M45 06:51.9 775 84
85 0:27:29 BULMAN, George Youghal AC M50 06:52.1 750 85
86 0:27:33 ROCHE, Joe Eagle AC M40 06:53.1 740 86
87 0:27:33 O'LEARY, Ted Conna M 06:53.1 774 87
88 0:27:34 POWER, Conor Killeagh M 06:53.4 384 88
89 0:27:37 MURPHY, Mick Carrigtwohill M 06:54.1 823 89
90 0:27:39 O'MEARA, Fergal Midleton AC M40 06:54.6 893 90
91 0:27:40 SHIELDS, Aoife UCC AC F 06:54.9 376 91
92 0:27:46 O'SULLIVAN, Pat Bandon AC M55 06:56.4 767 92
93 0:27:47 POWER, Anne-Marie Eagle AC F35 06:56.6 857 93
94 0:27:48 TWOHIG, Flor Eagle AC M45 06:56.9 843 94
95 0:27:56 WOODS, Billy Midleton M 06:58.9 387 95
96 0:27:59 MCCARTHY, Richard Gortroe M40 06:59.6 825 96
97 0:28:03 QUIGLEY, John Eagle AC M55 07:00.6 725 97
98 0:28:09 GEARY, Caroline Midleton AC F 07:02.1 381 98
99 0:28:26 ARNOTT, Pat Youghal AC M50 07:06.4 896 99
100 0:28:34 GALVIN, Ricky Carraig Na BhFear M 07:08.4 837 100
101 0:28:36 KELLY, Thomas Ballymore-Cobh AC M50 07:08.9 713 101
102 0:28:38 CASEY, Darren Cork M 07:09.4 818 102
103 0:28:40 WALSHE, John East Cork AC M55 07:09.9 702 103
104 0:28:47 NICHOLSON, Gordon Youghal AC M50 07:11.6 833 104
105 0:28:51 O'DONOGHUE, Donal Little Island M40 07:12.6 899 105
106 0:28:54 KEARNEY, Batt Leevale AC M50 07:13.4 838 106
107 0:28:55 O'REGAN, Maura Bantry AC F 07:13.6 858 107
108 0:28:56 MURRAY, Jimmy Rising Sun AC M60 07:13.9 718 108
109 0:28:57 CONNOLLY, Vincent Midleton AC M50 07:14.1 802 109
110 0:28:58 COTT, Brian Midleton M 07:14.4 841 110
111 0:28:59 LINEHAN, Frank Togher AC M55 07:14.6 747 111
112 0:29:05 WALSH, Anthony Cork M45 07:16.1 807 112
113 0:29:09 MORRISSON, Kevin Midleton AC M45 07:17.1 892 113
114 0:29:12 MCCARTHY, Danny Midleton AC M55 07:17.9 777 114
115 0:29:19 GRIFFIN, Louise Tynedale Harriers F40 07:19.6 859 115
116 0:29:25 O'SULLIVAN, Martin Ballincollig AC M50 07:21.1 877 116
117 0:29:27 O'CONNELL, Donie Midleton AC M55 07:21.6 772 117
118 0:29:35 O'DRISCOLL, Chris Cork M60 07:23.6 765 118
119 0:29:37 MCPARLAND, Cian Cobh M 07:24.1 826 119
120 0:29:39 O'KEEFFE, Pat Cork M40 07:24.6 734 120
121 0:29:40 MEIKLE, Tanya West Waterford AC F35 07:24.9 830 121
122 0:29:46 BYCZEK, Stanislaw Midleton AC M45 07:26.4 781 122
123 0:29:46 DUCHNICZ, Adam Midleton AC M 07:26.4 782 123
124 0:29:47 O'NEILL, Vincent Midleton AC M40 07:26.6 762 124
125 0:29:48 FLANAGAN, Eamon Youghal AC M40 07:26.9 732 125
126 0:29:49 MURPHY, Kieran Midleton AC M 07:27.1 840 126
127 0:29:50 O'LEARY, John Leevale AC M60 07:27.4 764 127
128 0:29:54 MCCARTHY, Michael West Waterford AC M50 07:28.4 717 128
129 0:29:57 O'CONNOR, Gerry Eagle AC M50 07:29.1 748 129
130 0:29:59 HEGARTY, Margaret Midleton AC F35 07:29.6 737 130
131 0:30:03 GUINANE, Elaine Cork F 07:30.6 759 131
132 0:30:27 BARRETT, Olan Grange-Fermoy AC M 07:36.6 719 132
133 0:30:35 COONEY, Tony Ballincollig AC M50 07:38.6 876 133
134 0:30:36 O'CALLAGHAN, Denis Glanmire M40 07:38.9 804 134
135 0:30:37 LINEHAN, Ted Eagle AC M55 07:39.1 797 135
136 0:30:38 MULCAHY, Mary St. Finbarrs AC F45 07:39.4 809 136
137 0:30:38 CLEARY, Eibhlin East Cork AC F 07:39.4 831 137
138 0:30:39 CRONIN, Niamh Tower F 07:39.6 382 138
139 0:30:41 FITZGERALD, Thomas Farranfore M 07:40.1 370 139
140 0:30:43 HANNIFFY, Gary Cork M 07:40.6 816 140
141 0:30:52 O'REGAN, Padraig Ladysbridge M 07:42.9 371 141
142 0:30:56 O'CALLAGHAN, Tim Glanmire M45 07:43.9 805 142
143 0:31:05 PERRY, Anne-Marie Midleton AC F35 07:46.1 795 143
144 0:31:09 MURPHY, Christine Midleton AC F35 07:47.1 373 144
145 0:31:10 ATKINS, Adrian Whitegate M 07:47.4 389 145
146 0:31:29 MURPHY, Austin St. Finbarrs AC M60 07:52.1 729 146
147 0:31:38 BUCKLEY, Aidan Eagle AC M45 07:54.4 742 147
148 0:31:43 O'MULLAIN, Micheal Blarney M 07:55.6 761 148
149 0:31:45 WALDRON, Norah Cork F 07:56.1 391 149
150 0:31:51 NAGLE, Dan Mallow AC M60 07:57.6 789 150
151 0:31:56 O'BRIEN, Ger Glanmire M 07:58.9 770 151
152 0:32:00 SHERIDAN, Catherine Midleton F 07:59.9 879 152
153 0:32:04 WILSON, Dean Midleton M 08:00.9 878 153
154 0:32:06 RUANE, Michael Cork M 08:01.4 894 154
155 0:32:07 O'KEEFFE, Mary Midleton AC F40 08:01.6 884 155
156 0:32:09 O'CONNELL, Derek Cork M 08:02.1 735 156
157 0:32:31 HENNESSY, Elaine Midleton AC F50 08:07.6 891 157
158 0:32:31 LANDERS, Martina Youghal AC F35 08:07.6 880 158
159 0:32:32 SAVAGE, Ann Midleton AC F45 08:07.9 796 159
160 0:32:33 LYONS, Finbarr Midleton AC M 08:08.1 842 160
161 0:32:34 CLIFFORD, Sonya Cork F35 08:08.4 756 161
162 0:32:41 MURPHY, Liam Bandon AC M 08:10.1 828 162
163 0:32:43 GALVIN, Brian Carraig Na BhFear M 08:10.6 836 163
164 0:32:45 MURRAY, Theresa Cork F 08:11.1 801 164
165 0:32:48 KEILTHY, Debbie Cork F 08:11.9 390 165
166 0:32:52 O'MAHONY, William Youghal AC M60 08:12.9 385 166
167 0:32:56 COLEMAN, John Cork M40 08:13.9 875 167
168 0:33:02 HURLEY, Claire Ballincollig F 08:15.4 850 168
169 0:33:21 CUSACK, Tom Midleton M40 08:20.1 865 169
170 0:33:31 FITZGERALD, Evelyn Eagle AC F 08:22.6 885 170
171 0:33:34 FOLEY, Brendan Midleton M 08:23.4 388 171
172 0:33:40 SPILLANE, James Coachford M 08:24.9 808 172
173 0:33:41 HEGARTY, Linda Midleton AC F35 08:25.1 794 173
174 0:33:58 BEAUSANG, Margaret Midleton AC F50 08:29.4 763 174
175 0:34:07 CULLINANE, Owen Navan M 08:31.6 783 175
176 0:34:20 KENNEDY, Yvonne Midleton AC F 08:34.9 839 176
177 0:34:30 DUNNE, Maggie Carraig na bhFear AC F50 08:37.4 785 1

178 0:34:31 HURLEY, Susan Cork F 08:37.6 813 178
179 0:34:54 SEXTON, Michael Cork M 08:43.4 898 179
180 0:34:59 O'SULLIVAN, Audrey St. Finbarrs AC F 08:44.6 754 180
181 0:35:00 HALLAHAN, Olive Midleton AC F40 08:44.9 715 181
182 0:35:23 O'DONOVAN, Geraldine Cork F 08:50.6 866 182
183 0:35:39 ARNOTT, Evet Youghal AC F35 08:54.6 897 183
184 0:35:43 SOLORZ, Holly Cork F 08:55.6 755 184
185 0:35:46 O'SULLIVAN, Miriam Cork F 08:56.4 374 185
186 0:36:21 KELLEHER, Frankie Cork F 09:05.1 800 186
187 0:36:33 O'CONNOR, Declan Cork M45 09:08.1 712 187
188 0:36:37 BROWN, Liz Whitegate F 09:09.1 847 188
189 0:37:00 LONG, Kenneth Carraig na bhFear AC M 09:14.9 900 189
190 0:37:03 COLEMAN, Susan Cork F 09:15.6 871 190
191 0:37:05 FLEMING, Niamh Grange-Fermoy AC F40 09:16.1 784 191
192 0:37:09 MCCARTHY, Joan Midleton AC F50 09:17.1 778 192
193 0:37:20 BARRETT, David Glanmire M 09:19.9 844 193
194 0:37:20 BARRETT, Lisa Glanmire F 09:19.9 372 194
195 0:37:30 COLCLOUGH, Siobhan Cork F 09:22.4 882 195
196 0:37:30 HALPIN, Michael Limerick M 09:22.4 883 196
197 0:37:53 O'KEEFFE, Helen Carrigtwohill F 09:28.1 874 197
198 0:37:57 FUOHY, Mike Youghal M 09:29.1 786 198
199 0:37:57 MCMULLEN, Lucy Youghal F 09:29.1 787 199
200 0:37:58 NOLAN, Nora-Ann Kerry F 09:29.4 848 200
201 0:38:11 PIDGEON, Gillian Cork F 09:32.6 820 201
202 0:38:45 TWOMEY, Veronica Lisgoold F 09:41.1 890 202
203 0:38:54 O'NEILL, Collette Knockraha F 09:43.4 779 203
204 0:38:55 GREENE, Caroline Cork F 09:43.6 814 204
205 0:38:56 FERGUSON, Thais Cork F 09:43.9 815 205
206 0:39:03 MCSWEENEY, Colm Cloyne M 09:45.6 724 206
207 0:39:08 PIDGEON, Rodney Cork M 09:46.9 821 207
208 0:39:17 O'LEARY, Clare Midleton AC F 09:49.1 793 208
209 0:39:35 O'CONNOR, Niamh Carrigaline F 09:53.6 811 209
210 0:39:37 MYLOD, Eileen Knockraha F40 09:54.1 867 210
211 0:39:40 KEANE, Mary Midleton AC F40 09:54.9 868 211
212 0:39:40 CASSIDY, Eileen Cobh F 09:54.9 780 212
213 0:40:00 CALNAN, Catherine Carrigaline F 09:59.9 810 213
214 0:40:00 TUNNEY, Sandra Carraig Na BhFear F 09:59.9 788 214
215 0:40:46 LEDDY, Aileen Glanmire F40 10:11.4 870 215
216 0:40:56 MCGRATH, Marie Midleton AC F35 10:13.9 869 216
217 0:47:54 HEGARTY, Claire Carrigtwohill F 11:58.3 812 217
WHEELCHAIR: FORDE, Jerry Blarney-Inniscarra AC M55 40:02
24th Annual Castlemartyr '4' Road Race
Results produced by Ballycotton Running Promotions

Preview of the Castlemartyr 4 mile road race - Thurs 16th Apr (8pm)
This race, the first evening road race on the calendar, always marks for me the start of the Summer. The temperatures might still be a bit on the nippy side but the evenings are really beginning to stretch out.

Registration...
If you have never done this race before, the thing to remember is that everything is centered around the main crossroads in the middle of the town of Castlemartyr in East Cork. To register, you need to go to the school which is about 50 metres away from this major junction (...marked as an X above). There is a limited amount of parking in the schools grounds.

Course...
It's a reasonably fast course so you should expect to get a reasonable time. The start is just North of the crossroads. Once the race begins, they hold the traffic on the main N25 road as we cross this very busy junction and head South towards Ladysbridge. We don't quiet make that village however as we take the first left onto a quiet country road. The running is easy along this section until just after the 2 mile mark when there is a short sharp climb followed by an equally short and sharp decent down to the road junction with the busy N25 road. From here, we run inside the wide hard shoulder all the ways into Castlemartyr.
Just one thing...the finish. You have to remember that it is NOT at the school. You have to go as far as that busy crossroads, take a left and the finish is just there.

Overall...
This race usually seems to get a big crowd. It's almost like a bit of a tradition at this stage...doing the first evening road race every year. But with an 8pm start, you'll see that they are just able to squeeze it in. By the time the last runners are finishing or you finish your warm down, the light will be rapidly vanishing.
If you want to have a closer look at the course, I have put it up on the MapMyRun website. Just zoom in and out to get your bearings.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/ireland/cork/540358473

Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon and Marathon Relay 2009....Part 6 of 12 by Mick Dooley, Cork BHAA
(Mick Dooley of the Cork Business Houses Athletic Association wrote a 12 part series of articles for the Evening Echo last year. Needless to say, they are as valid this year as last year so I will be republishing them here (...with a few changes) on this website. They are written with the beginner in mind. Part 6 is based on 7 weeks to go, about the 13th of April).
Week 6...Bord Gais Energy Cork City Marathon - Running Gear

It’s not always the running gear that looks good that is the best. Most of all, your running gear should be comfortable and appropriate to the weather conditions.

Footwear...Choosing your running gear is the one of the important decision you will make as a runner. Having the right running shoe for your foot strike will help you avoid injury and also avoid serious discomfort while doing long mileage. The shoe companies have designed many different shoe types to meet the needs of different runners. If you are buying new shoes, you should go to a specialist running store where you will get good advice on what you need. It is a good idea to bring your own shoes with you, this will give them a good indication of your foot strike and they can then recommend shoe type and style. Some shops also have specialist equipment to measure your foot strike. Make sure that you are training in shoes with low mileage wear to maximize absorption of shock.

Stop Watch.....A good stopwatch is an invaluable piece of equipment for a runner to use. Most stopwatches have a clear display showing your total running time, and are also able to record split and lap times which will be very use full when you start to run specific training sessions.

Apparel and Accessories........Wear Cool-max or synthetic blend socks, singlet, and shorts that wick away moisture/perspiration and won't cause chafing to enhance your comfort level. Use Body Glide, Skin Lube, Vaseline, or similar products (on feet, under arms, between thighs, nipples, etc.) to eliminate or reduce chafing and/or blisters. Do not over-dress. Assess the need to wear tights, long-sleeves, etc. as excess clothing can lead to overheating of the body. Doing so makes the "real feel" 10 degrees warmer once you begin running. In cooler weather and/or in windy conditions, consider wearing an old t-shirt that you can discard once your long run or marathon begins, but be sure that you won't be running into the wind later on your return route. Also remember that if you choose to wear a hat, it will trap body heat (great in cold weather) but a bad idea for a long run or marathon with hot/humid conditions).

Kit Bag........Your kit bag should be large enough to contain all your running gear, a change of clothing, shower gear, running shoes, a small amount of money and a small medical pouch. All of which should have it’s own place so you can find whatever it is you need without, having to scour the whole bag if something particular is required. A good kit bag will have different compartments which will help you to organise each section. Remember, to label your bag with your name, address and mobile number in case you misplace it.

Bord Gais Energy Cork City Marathon Training Guide

Week 6 of the 12 week training plan (...intended for the 13th of April)

Beginners

Week 5.....Mon 40mins easy, Tue Rest, Wed 70mins Steady, Thurs Rest, Fri warm up 6x3 mins warm down, Sat Rest, Sun 2 hours

Improvers

Week 5.....Mon 30mins easy, Tues 45mins steady, Wed 90mins easy, Thurs Rest , Fri 30 mins easy, Sat warm up 30mins hard warm down, Sun two and half hours steady

Serious Runners

Week 5.........Mon 45 mins steady, Tues 8x2mins fast, Wed 90 mins easy, Thurs 3x10 mins 5 mins recovery, Fri rest/jog, Sat warm ups 4miles fast warm downs, Sun 3 hours very steady

Results of the Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 mile road race - Mon 13th Apr 2009

The 'Jack O'Keeffe' Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 mile road race took place on Monday, the 13th of April in mild and sunny conditions. A total of 90 runners took part in the race, an increase of 18 on last year's figure of 72 runners.

This was my first time doing this particular race and I'm sure there are many others who never tried it and might wonder what it was like. First of all, the race is in a lovely part of the county and you have the backdrop of the mountains to the south. Once you register, they use a bus and several cars to take the runners from Kiskeam to the start line in Boherbue 4 miles away. From there, you run back to the finish in Kiskeam.

The course....

To be honest and blunt about it, there is a problem with the course. The race takes place on the R577 which is a busy road that is a major route for traffic in this area. It really is not safe. At one stage in the race, I found myself running in the middle of the road with stopped traffic on the right and a creamery tanker passing me on the left...all of this on what is a reasonably narrow road. I know other runners further back had a similiar experience. You really have to ask what's the point in having a route with the start 4 miles away and using the busiest road in the area when there are plenty of minor roads to the north and south of Kiskeam which could be used for a nice quiet looped route with the start and finish near the village. Perhaps when the first race took place 15-20 years ago, the road was quiet but in 2009, that's no longer the case.

I don't want to sound too critical as the other aspects of the race were fine. The club had a fine spread afterwards and the results and prizes were given out promptly. As races go, the organisation was as good as other races. However, having creamery tankers and cars weaving around runners along the course really isn't on, especially when there are safer options.

Kiskeam is in a nice part of the county and has the potential to attract a large entry from both Cork and Kerry. However, the expensive entry fee and the current course will not encourage runners to make the trip. There are plenty of other cheaper and safer races to choose from at this time of year.

Results......

'Jack O'Keeffe' BOHERBUE-KISKEAM '4' - Monday 13 April 2009.

Place Time Name Team Race Age Category min/mile

1 0:19:41 CIOBANU, Sergiu Clonliffe Harriers M 04:55.2 1 1

2 0:20:37 MURPHY, Cian Iveragh AC M 05:09.2 78 2

3 0:20:53 O'CALLAGHAN, Donal Riocht AC M 05:13.2 22 3

4 0:21:15 MURPHY, Ed Gneeveguilla AC M 05:18.7 37 4

5 0:21:23 FITZGERALD, Arthur Farranfore-Maine Valley AC M 05:20.7 45 5

6 0:21:40 O'CONNOR, Tim Riocht AC M 05:24.9 52 6

7 0:22:03 LINEHAN, Adrian Duhallow AC M 05:30.7 10 7

8 0:22:14 O'DRISCOLL, James Skibbereen AC M 05:33.4 64 8

9 0:22:37 BARRETT, John Gneeveguilla AC M40 05:39.2 24 9

10 0:22:43 KELLY, Brian New York M 05:40.7 7 10

11 0:22:54 TWOMEY, Sean Gneeveguilla AC M 05:43.4 86 11

12 0:23:21 O'LEARY, Ian Dundrum South Dublin AC M40 05:50.2 51 12

13 0:23:51 MURPHY, Humphrey Riocht AC M45 05:57.6 3 13

14 0:23:52 BARRY, Fergal Gneeveguilla AC M40 05:57.9 38 14

15 0:24:00 DESMOND, John Eagle AC M45 05:59.9 89 15

16 0:24:12 CODY, Tom Midleton AC M50 06:02.9 66 16

17 0:24:18 DE BARRA, Gearoid North Cork AC M40 06:04.4 21 17

18 0:24:34 CAHALANE, Sean Gneeveguilla AC M35 06:08.4 43 18

19 0:24:36 O'MAHONY, David Ballincollig M 06:08.9 32 19

20 0:24:37 COLLINS, Niall North Cork AC M35 06:09.1 63 20

21 0:24:42 TEAHAN, Karina Gneeveguilla AC F 06:10.4 17 21

22 0:24:45 HAYES, Willie St. Finbarrs AC M50 06:11.1 50 22

23 0:25:12 MAYBURY, Kevin CIT AC M 06:17.9 61 23

24 0:25:21 DUNPHY, John Midleton AC M40 06:20.1 6 24

25 0:25:31 FINN, Michelle Duhallow AC F19 06:22.6 40 25

26 0:25:46 FITZGERALD, Tom West Limerick AC M45 06:26.4 16 26

27 0:25:52 KIELY, Catherine Gneeveguilla AC F 06:27.9 75 27

28 0:25:55 WALSH, Tony Kilmallock AC M35 06:28.6 18 28

29 0:26:18 JOY, Brendan Gneeveguilla AC M19 06:34.4 56 29

30 0:26:24 KENNY, Denis Thurles Crokes AC M50 06:35.9 42 30

31 0:26:30 O'SHEA, Gerald Kiskeam M 06:37.4 11 31

32 0:26:32 CRONIN, Denis Mallow AC M45 06:37.9 33 32

33 0:26:45 FINN, Carol Duhallow AC F 06:41.1 39 33

34 0:26:54 KIRWAN, Fidelma Eagle AC F40 06:43.4 88 34

35 0:26:55 CURTIN, Sean Gneeveguilla AC M19 06:43.6 29 35

36 0:27:23 MANGAN, Anne Star Of The Laune AC F50 06:50.6 68 36

37 0:27:29 O'CONNELL, John Midleton AC M 06:52.1 90 37

38 0:27:32 O'CONNOR, Mary Riocht AC F40 06:52.9 23 38

39 0:27:36 MORAN, Dermot St. Marys AC M50 06:53.9 77 39

40 0:27:44 DALY, Ben Gneeveguilla AC M 06:55.9 80 40

41 0:27:47 COLLINS, Dan Ballydesmond M35 06:56.6 85 41

42 0:27:48 MURPHY, Caroline Gneeveguilla AC F40 06:56.9 9 42

43 0:27:52 O'MAHONY, Eamonn Kiskeam M 06:57.9 12 43

44 0:28:01 O'RIORDAN, Dan Newmarket M50 07:00.1 44 44

45 0:28:08 SHINE, Donie Duhallow AC M55 07:01.9 74 45

46 0:28:30 ANGLAND, Mattie Gneeveguilla AC M50 07:07.4 20 46

47 0:28:31 O'MAHONY, Sylvie Youghal AC M50 07:07.6 28 47

48 0:28:33 KELLY, Thomas Ballymore-Cobh AC M50 07:08.1 36 48

49 0:28:36 CLEARY, Pat Tralee M60 07:08.9 15 49

50 0:28:44 LANGAN, Jim Tullamore Harriers M65 07:10.9 5 50

51 0:28:51 O'RIORDAN, Pakie West Limerick AC M45 07:12.6 13 51

52 0:28:55 MULCAHY, Barry Midleton M 07:13.6 67 52

53 0:29:04 WALSHE, John East Cork AC M55 07:15.9 2 53

54 0:29:05 MURRAY, Jimmy Rising Sun AC M60 07:16.1 57 54

55 0:29:14 O'DRISCOLL, Chris Cork M60 07:18.4 26 55

56 0:29:30 FINN, Gayle Duhallow AC F17 07:22.4 41 56

57 0:29:34 CRONIN, Elaine Gneeveguilla AC (Fit For Life) F 07:23.4 69 57

58 0:29:37 CREMIN, Denis Gneeveguilla AC M45 07:24.1 27 58

59 0:29:41 MCCARTHY, Danny Midleton AC M55 07:25.1 55 59

60 0:29:42 O'CONNELL, Mary Gneeveguilla AC F35 07:25.4 48 60

61 0:30:08 LYNCH, Mike Riocht AC (Fit For Life) M50 07:31.9 83 61

62 0:30:13 CARROLL, Aoife Mallow AC F 07:33.1 76 62

63 0:30:18 FITZGERALD, Maura Farranfore-Maine Valley AC F19 07:34.4 46 63

64 0:30:20 O'DONOGHUE, Donal Little Island M40 07:34.9 87 64

65 0:30:30 BUCKLEY, Laura Eagle AC F 07:37.4 49 65

66 0:30:40 JOY, Niamh Gneeveguilla AC F17 07:39.9 65 66

67 0:30:44 FEEHAN, Ted Gneeveguilla AC M65 07:40.9 59 67

68 0:30:58 O'CONNOR, Irene Riocht AC F 07:44.4 53 68

69 0:31:01 MCCARTHY, Michael West Waterford AC M50 07:45.1 58 69

70 0:31:14 CRONIN, Noreen Gneeveguilla AC F35 07:48.4 72 70

71 0:31:18 O'LEARY, Margaret Gneeveguilla AC F40 07:49.4 19 71

72 0:31:23 NAGLE, Dan Mallow AC M60 07:50.6 62 72

73 0:31:30 TWOHIG, Jerry Duhallow AC M50 07:52.4 73 73

74 0:31:51 FLYNN, Nora Gneeveguilla AC F40 07:57.6 79 74

75 0:32:27 CRONIN, Joseph Mallow AC M15 08:06.6 34 75

76 0:32:29 KERLEY, Sile Riocht AC F40 08:07.1 81 76

77 0:32:30 CRONIN, David Mallow AC M15 08:07.4 35 77

78 0:32:36 FITZGERALD, Olivia Gneeveguilla AC F 08:08.9 47 78

79 0:32:48 WEBB, George Rising Sun AC M65 08:11.9 60 79

80 0:32:56 CLEARY, Francis Tralee M50 08:13.9 14 80

81 0:33:50 DINEEN, Grainne Gneeveguilla AC F19 08:27.4 8 81

82 0:34:04 MCPARLAND, Cian Cobh M 08:30.9 30 82

83 0:34:31 SPILLANE, James Coachford M 08:37.6 25 83

84 0:35:06 CULLINANE, Eileen Riocht AC F45 08:46.4 82 84

85 0:35:09 WEIR, Sarah Gneeveguilla AC F 08:47.1 70 85

86 0:35:22 KENNEALLY, Jonathan Cobh M 08:50.4 31 86

87 0:35:43 MOYNIHAN, Paula Gneeveguilla AC F 08:55.6 71 87

88 0:36:25 MCCARTHY, Joan Midleton AC F50 09:06.1 54 88

89 0:37:01 COLLINS, Helen Ballydesmond F 09:15.1 84 89

90 0:42:52 O'SULLIVAN, Joan Gneeveguilla AC F50 10:42.9 4 90
WHEELCHAIR: FORDE, Jerry Blarney-Inniscarra AC M55 39:40
Organised by Gneeveguilla AC
Results produced by Ballycotton Running Promotions

Kilnaboy 10 results....Sun 12th Apr 2009

For anyone looking for these results, they are now up on the Running in Munster website.

Preview of the Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 Mile Road Race...Mon 13th Apr 2009

This 4 mile race takes place in north-west Cork on Easter Monday at 2pm. This is a small race and usually attracts around 60-70 runners. It may not be the best day for a race seeing as how it is the day after Kilnaboy but perhaps it might be of interest to anyone not making the trip to Co.Clare.

Getting there.......

Boherbue and Kiskeam are located about 30 kms west of Mallow in north-west Cork. From Mallow, take the N72 towards Killarney. After you pass the tun-off left for Millstreet, look out for the turn-off to the right, the R576 for Boherbue and continue on towards Kiskeam.

Registration......

The entry fee is €12 which is expensive although that does include a t-shirt. There are also plenty of category prizes which might explain the high entry fee. You register in the Community centre in Kiskeam and then a bus will take you to the start in Boherbue.

Course......

Starting in Boherbue (~190m asl), you lose height at first until the lowest point on the course near the 1 mile mark (~170m). From there, it is a gentle climb to the highest point at around 2.5 miles (~215m asl) and then there is a gentle downhill section for the last 1.5 miles into Kiskeam (~180m asl).

Flyer....

A flyer for the race which is organised by Gneeveguilla AC is available HERE.

Looking ahead to events this weekend....Sun 12th & Mon 13th

1) Kilnaboy 10........The main race in Munster this weekend is the Kilnaboy 10 mile road race in Co.Clare. So far, 245 runners have completed the first 3 races in the John Buckley Sports Munster Ten-Mile Spring Classics Series. No doubt, a lot of them will be making the trip to Kilnaboy to run in the 4th and final race. A preview of the race is now up on the Running in Munster website.

2) Cork Marathon Training Run........Kieran Daly will be doing a slow 14 mile run from Harty's Quay in Rochestown at 8 am on Sunday morning. The pace will be 9 to 10 minute miling. More details are available in an earlier post.

3) 4 Mile Road Race........On Easter Monday, there is the Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 Mile Road Race. I'll do a quick preview of this here later.

Another record month for traffic to this site...
It seems like every few months, a new record is set for the number of hits on this website. With the Ballycotton 10 at the start of March, that was the case with a large increase in the numbers visiting with a total of 12,538 for the month. On an annual basis, the site had just over 107,000 hits in the last 12 months. Looking at the figures for 2008, it would suggest there is a possibilty that the next new record may be set in June with the Cork City Marathon & Relay. Onwards and upwards...

Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon and Marathon Relay 2009....Part 5 of 12 by Mick Dooley, Cork BHAA

(Mick Dooley of the Cork Business Houses Athletic Association wrote a 12 part series of articles for the Evening Echo last year. Needless to say, they are as valid this year as last year so I will be republishing them here (...with a few changes) on this website. They are written with the beginner in mind. Part 5 is based on 8 weeks to go, about the 6th of April).

Week 5...Bord Gais Energy Cork City Marathon - Be Safe While Running

It is getting more and more difficult to get safe and attractive running routes. Most areas are now built up with houses or there is a vast amount of cars or traffic on the road.As recreational runners, we should respect other road users. If running on the roads in the early morning or evening time, you should wear reflective clothing and wear bright clothing even during the day. Select a route that is safe and not too busy with traffic. It is a good idea to use a looped route with a big loop and a smaller loop which will give you an opportunity to leave some food or drinks at a particular point along the way.It is important when you are going on long runs, whether you are going from home or your work place that you tell your family or work colleagues what route you are taking and the time you expect to return. This may not be as important if you are part of a running group or an organised run. Try and use a recognised running routes, where possible.Please do not attempt to run the marathon course, or any part of it, other than on race day. It is not safe to do so, it is only safe to run the marathon route on race day when it is fully stewarded and marshalled by race officials.

During the Run.....Always stay alert. The more aware you are, the less vulnerable you are. Think about possible escape routes in case of a confrontation. Take notice of who is ahead of you and who is behind you. Know where the nearest public sites are with some general activity - there is usually safety in numbers. If something seems suspicious, do not panic, but run in a different direction. Run clear of parked cars, bushes, dark areas. Run against traffic so that you can observe the approach of on coming cars and trucks. If the same car cruises past you more than once, take note of even a partial registration number and make it obvious that you are aware of its presence (but keep your distance).Once again it is advisable to link up with a running partner or running group. Many running groups meet up at their local sports centre or club. There are two running tracks in Cork at UCC Sports centre in the Mardyke and at CIT track in Bishopstown these are frequently used by local running groups and clubs. Please check out availability and membership fees if you wish to avail of the above facilities.

Champion Sports Cork City Marathon Training Guide

Week 5 of the 12 week training plan (...intended for the 6th of April)

Beginners

Week 5

Mon 30mins easy, Tue 60mins easy, Wed Rest, Thurs warm up 20mins fast warm down, Fri Rest, Sat 30mins easy, Sun 90mins easy

Improvers

Week 5

Mon 45mins easy, Tues 12x1min on hills, Wed 75mins steady, Thurs 45mins easy, Fri rest- jog, Sat 45mins easy, Sun two and half hours

Serious Runners

Week 5

Mon 45mins easy, Tues 10x2mins fast, Wed 90mins easy, Thurs 4x6mins fast, Fri rest/jog, Sat warm ups 12mins fast x2 warm downs, Sun two and half hours

Please note you should use a reasonable recovery time between your repetitions.
Regards........Mick Dooley, Cork BHAA 087-9790806 , Cork City Marathon