Preview of the Cork BHAA 'Togher PTAA'...Wed 1st Sept 2010

This is the next big race locally and is sure to attract a large turnout. With the evenings rapidly getting shorter, this is one of the few evening road races left on the calendar. Just a quick reminder before you read the preview.....the race starts at 7:30pm! Allow plenty of time to get there, find parking, queue for the entries and then get up to the start line in time.


Location.......the sign on for this race is in St.Finbarr's GAA hall in Togher (See large RED dot on the map below). As far as I know, parking is mainly on the road outside so it's limited. To get there, just remember that while it is alongside the N25 South Link road, you need to take a bit of a detour to get there. Look for signposts for Togher on the South Link road....that should bring you up onto the Tramore Road (see RED dots). Follow this to it's end and the GAA hall is at the end of the cul-de-sac opposite the road junction. See the link for the course map to get a better idea of where to go.

Getting to the start line....Leave the GAA clubhouse, come out the cul-de-sac and turn right. Up over the bridge, past the church and the start is up a slight hill.


Course....
Mile 0-1....very fast. You start with a fast downhill section. Down and right at the road junction, past the church and then a short steep section as you climb up the bridge over the South Ring down. It's pretty short though and then it's rapidly down hill and flat as you head towards the 1 mile mark on the Clashduv road. A fast mile.


Mile 1-2....It starts flat and fast. Once you hit the junction, there is a slight climb as you go through some housing estates. It soon flattens out and then drops downhill again to the 2 mile mark. The slowest section of the course but nothing serious.


Mile 2-3....This is essentially flat. A very fast mile and it continues flat until the finish.


Overall....this is a city 5 km road race which goes along the side of busy roads and through housing estates. It is always well organised and plenty of stewards. Not exactly the most scenic of routes especially of you are more used to the races in the countryside. As it is based in the city, it should attract a big turnout so remember this as well as the early start time of 7:30pm.


The entry fee for registered runners is €5 and €8 for non-registered.


To get an better idea of where the course is, try this LINK and zoom in and out.

Results of the Shannonvale 10 km road race - Fri 27th Aug 2010

This new 10 km road race took place in Shannonvale just to the North of Clonakilty in West Cork just 24 hours after the Ballycotton 5 race. Around 50 people took part. I'm not sure  how accurate the course was but I hear it was a challenging course.

The organisers hope to hold the race again next year and improve the event.

The full results are HERE

Overall results of the 2010 Ballycotton Summer Series

Last Thursday saw the conclusion of the very popular Ballycotton Summer Series with the final race in Ballycotton itself. Each race attracted between 400 and 500 runners which is proof alone of the popularity of these events. A total of 244 completed the 4 races in the series. There was a time not too long ago when 244 for one race would have been considered good!

The overall positions for the series can be seen HERE or if that doesn't work for you, try HERE

If you want to, you can still see the standings after 3 races HERE if you want to compare positions (That page may be taken down at some stage!)

The top 50 men and top 15 women received series t-shirts. The 50th position in the mens section was decided by a mere 5 seconds. When you consider that is after 20 miles and over 2 hours of running, it's really close.

James McCarthy of East Cork AC

Overall winner of the mens section of the 2010 Ballycotton Summer Series

Rhona Lynch of Eagle AC

Winner of the Ladies section

Races this weekend....27th-29th Aug 2010

The only race in Cork this weekend is a 10 km in Clonakilty, West Cork. I don't have much info on this one other than the following....

SHANNONVALE 10K.....Clonakiltyrun/walk for local charities........Friday 27^th August 2010 at 7pm.........Registration at Phair’s Pub...........Entry € 10

I think Phair's pub is about 2 miles North of Clonakilty. Look for signs to the right as you approach Clonakilty.


Use this LINK for a rough idea of where it is. Zoom out to get an overall picture.

Results of the Ballycotton 5 Mile Road Race - Thurs 26th Aug 2010

A total of 498 runners turned out for the last race in the Ballycotton Summer Series. This was down a tiny bit on last years record figure of 505. The big issue this year of course was the roadworks in Midleton and the big delays. You'd have to wonder if there were people that got caught up in the traffic, decided that they wouldn't make the start in time and turned back? In the end, the race organisers delayed the start of the race to accommodate those turning up late.

For those who left early, a very valid point was made while the prizes and those 'precious' ;o) top 15/50 t-shirts were been given out and it's worth repeating here.

The total cost for entering the 4 races in the Ballycotton Summer Series was €21. There was prizes for every race, refreshments after every race, prizes for the overall series and the top 15/50 t-shirts of course (top 15 women/50 men). If Ballycotton Running Promotions can do all that for €21 then why should a half-marathon cost €50? If you decided to travel to Galway city this weekend and run in the Half-Marathon there, you would be paying €65 for the privilege.

One thing that I have noticed creeping in recently is that some race organisers seem to be justifying their entry fees by comparing them to the €50 commercial Half-Marathons as if €50 was the norm. It's not. Ballycotton Running Promotions have shown that a 4 race series can cost only €21 to enter.

It's worth pointing out as well that the Cork BHAA will be holding their Cork to Cobh 15 mile road race in October....price?....€10!

The race results for the Ballycotton 5 can now be seen HERE

Photos........at last! I was a bit busy over the weekend so here they are.

Winner of the 2010 Ballycotton 5 mile road race

Alan O'Shea of Bantry AC winning the mens race in a time of 24:38

Lizzie Lee of Leevale AC winning the womens race in a time of 28:49

The field of nearly 500 runners still bunched even after half a mile

Someone in the crowd spots the 'famous' Ned Ramsell of Midleton AC finishing

The most important members of the Ballycotton Running Promotions team...the ladies feeding the runners at the end of the race with tea & biscuits!

John O'Driscoll has a gallery of 190 photos HERE

Another large gallery by Gearoid Lee HERE

Preview of the Ballycotton 5 mile road race - Thurs 26th Aug 2010

This is the 4th and final race in the Ballycotton Summer Series in East Cork.

Start and Registration...First of all note....the race starts at 7:30 pm!! , not 8pm. There is some distance between the parking area, registration and the start of the race. Parking is usually in a field on the way into the village on the left. Give yourself plenty of time for this one. The car park is about 600 metres from the National school where the registrations are taken. Considering that this race is likely to attract in excess of 400 entries, there will probably be delays there. If you have to then go back to your car to get changed, then that's another 600 metres and then you need to jog another 900m to get back to the start line!! All this takes time so you should really try and enter early.


As for the entries, inside the hall in the school, there will be 2 queues....


Queue 1)...Any runner who ran the first 3 races of the Ballycotton Summer Series (Ballyandreen ‘5’ & Shanagarry '5' & Churchtown South '5'). The race number you get corresponds with your overall position after the first three races. Please join the correct queue in the main hall and ask for your number from the list ............1 to 211 (men) and 301 to 371 (women)..........which will also be posted on the wall.


Queue 2)...Any new runners can enter as normal in the committee room just off the main hall. This is not a BHAA race, so if you are not a member of an athletics club just say where you are from (Cork, Charleville, Cloyne).


Entry fee is €6 with €1 donated to charity.Having the correct amount ready helps to speed up the process.

Course...The first 3 miles of this race are pretty easy as they are mostly slightly downhill or flat. The tough work comes in the last 2 miles. First of all, there is a short but steep hill just before the 3 mile mark which will almost certainly slow you down. At the top of the hill, you turn the corner and the 3 mile will be just there. After that, it's mainly flat with some small bit of uphill and downhill running. The next hard section is after the 4 mile mark where you re-join the main road going back into Ballycotton. For any of you who have done the Ballycotton 10 road race, this is the famous hill around the 8.5 mile in that race. It's not that steep but it's about 400 metres long and gradually reduces in intensity. Once it flattens out, you'll have a nice run into the finish in the village.


If you want to have a closer look at the course and need directions (it's in Ballycotton!!), then look at the following link........http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/ireland/cork/453964670


The plaques for completing the four races will be given out after the finish - people must hand in their race number (marked 'plaque winner') to receive plaque. Overall prizes and T-shirts will be presented in the hall afterwards.


If you did the previous 3 races and you want to check what your position/overall time is, then click on this link.....http://www.ballycottonrunning.com/Summer%20Series%20Results/Overall%20Series%20after%20Race%203%202010.htm


More info from Ballycotton Running Promotions HERE

Test to determine your foot type...

For most people, foot type is not an issue. You just wear a neutral shoe and away you go.

In some cases however, people have different type foot arches and wearing the wrong type of shoe can lead to pain and injury.

See the video clip below for a test to determine what type foot you have...

New 10k, half-Marathon & Marathon race planned for Clonakilty, Co.Cork!!

There was a time not so long ago when there were very few Marathons in Ireland. Long distance races now seem to be popping up all over the place and a new set of races is planned for the town of Clonakilty in mid-Winter. The aim of the organisers is to attract people to the town of Clonakilty in the run up to Christmas. 


The 3 races are planned for Saturday the 11th of December. From what I hear, the 10k may be more of a fun run type of event while the half-Marathon and Marathon will be over the full distance and they will be accurately measured by a Jones counter. The course is described as follows..."The course will start at The Waterfront in Clonakilty, meandering through Rathbarry, Ardfield, Castlefreke, Ownahincha, Long Strand, Red Strand, Dunmore and Inchydoney, taking in breathtaking scenery along the way." The course is supposed to have a few hills so it may not be the fastest.


Other than that, I don't have much info at the moment. It is certainly very ambitious to try and arrange 3 events for the same day. It also raises lots of questions....


1) Will they have enough stewards for all 3 events?
2) Will the Cork BHAA Turkey Trot event on the following day (Sun 12th) take from the numbers?
3) Will people travel down to Clonakilty for a long distance race in mid-Winter? It is certainly a long journey for runners outside of the county.
4) What will the entry fees be? I'd guess that this may be crucial. Too much and it may turn people off.


There should be more information in September. It will be interesting to see what kind of interest this one generates.

Results of the Cork BHAA 'Army/Navy' 5 Mile road race - Wed 18th Aug 2010

The results for this race can now be seen HERE.

In the meantime, we have some video clips and photos of  the race.

Video.....
The first clip shows the race after roughly half a mile.


The 2nd clip shows the race roughly 400-500 metres before the finish. It starts with Sean McGrath running past like Usain Bolt. Notice the size of the gaps for the front runners! I guess it's like this for most races except you don't really notice it because you are in the race.


Photos....
There is large gallery of 181 photos HERE

Leevale ladies placed 2nd in the National Leagues

Leevale ladies were placed second in the national leagues on Saturday in Tullamore. It's a big achievment for a Cork club to come second nationally and they are planning on winning next year! ;o).............Info from Lizzie Lee of Leevale AC


Photos HERE

Interview with Derval O'Rourke on RTE television

After her recent silver medal performance over the 100 metres hurdles at the European Championships, Derval O'Rourke was interviewed on the Saturday Night with Miriam show on RTE 1.


The interview lasts for the first 11 minutes. The link is HERE

Preview of the Cork BHAA 'Army/Navy' 5 Mile Road Race - Wed 18th Aug 2010

This is the next big race coming up locally and is sure to attract a large turnout.


Please note that it will start at 7:30pm, not the usual 8pm!

Getting there....From Cork City, follow the signs for the car ferry & Ringaskiddy which is on the western side of the outer harbour. As you enter Ringaskiddy, drive straight through and when the road is about to end, take the left towards the Naval base. Once you get to the base, there will be Navy personnel directing you to the parking area. The registration is usually in the Sports Hall on the base. Just join the correct queue.......€5 for registered runners and €8 for non-registered.

Course details...The start and finish points are in the Naval base itself. The course goes back over the bridges towards Ringaskiddy and on to the 1 mile mark.....most of it reasonably level with a slight pull over the bridges. Around the 1.5 mile mark, you take a sharp left and climb 500 m up a steep hill. This is by far the hardest part of the race as the hill is long enough and steep enough to leave you out of breath if you push too hard. Then you take a right onto a quite back road above Ringakiddy and on to the 2 mile mark. This road rises and falls a bit until you join the main road again that was part of the Novartis 5k route. From here, you run downhill past the 3 mile mark into Ringaskiddy and then the last 2 miles are pretty flat until you finish back inside the Naval base. The only hill along the last mile is the bit over the bridges again.

Overall......a pretty reasonable course with just one bad hill. Probably not the fastest of courses so you might find this reflected in your time. Depending on the weather, the numbers for this race may be well over 400. So with the big numbers entering and the fact the race starts at 7:30pm, you need to keep an eye on the time.

Results of the 'John Hartnett Challenge' 10 mile race - Sun 15th Augt 2010

I was kind of expecting the numbers for this race to be well down on last year considering that there was a Half-Marathon in Clonmel on the same day. At the start line, this seemed to be the case however when the results were finally announced, the numbers were up slightly on last year! This year there was 63 finishers compared to 56 in 2009.


As a race, this type of event is never going to attract the big numbers that say a 5k would. All of the fun runners were missing on Sunday and it was up to each runner to test themselves over this challenging course.


And what a challenge it was!! Around 300 metres after the start, the long climb started and didn't end until roughly the 4.8 mile mark. After that it was more or less downhill for the next 4.5 miles until you had to negotiate a tough little climb back into the village and the finish.


In a local race calendar full of short races, this is a unique event and hopefully it will attract greater numbers in future.


The results can be seen at this LINK


(If you have problems seeing them then leave a comment and I'll try a different format) 

Photos..........
A small selection of photos HERE

Mick Rice of Athenry AC wins Connemara 100

The Connemara 100 mile took place on Saturday the 14th of August and it was won by Mick Rice of Athenry AC in a time of 14 hours and 27 minutes. To put that into context, he was running at an average of roughly 8:30 minute per mile pace for the full 100 miles!!


That's equivalent of running nearly 4 marathons back to back with each one taking roughly 3h 45m. The mind boggles ;o)


Obviously, careful planning of hydration and feeding over such a distance is a major issue when you are trying to  avoid 'hitting the wall' and running out of energy. Other 'mere mortals' usually come across this problem when they are running the usual Marathon distance of 26.2 miles!


If confirmed, the time of 14 hours and 27 minutes would be a new Irish record for the 100 mile distance.


Cork runners may have come across Mick Rice last June when he ran in the Cork City Marathon as the 3 hour pacer.


Photos HERE


Mick Rice has a report on his blog HERE

Races this weekend....Fri 13th - Sun 15th Aug 2010

This weekend, we have 1 race in Cork with 2 races in adjoining counties.


Friday 13th August....
There is a 5 mile road race in Ardmore, West Waterford at 7:30pm. It always seems to attract a big turnout probably due to it's location. As well as attracting the usual West Waterford regulars, it is with easy reach of runners travelling from Cork. The course includes a few small hills but nothing too serious. More details on the Running in Munster website.


Sunday 15th August....
In Clonmel Co.Tipperary, there is a Half-Marathon which starts at 11am. The entry fee is €35. 
There is a race flyer HERE


In Cork, there is the John Hartnett Challenge in Ballyhooly near Fermoy. It is described as a '10 mile Tar & Forest Run' with a 300 metre climb. Some more details...
The John Hartnett Challenge 2010....10 Mile Tar & Forrest Run (300m Climb)...Ballyhooly Co. Cork...Sunday August 15th @12.30
Prizes 1st M & F €100; Prizes 2nd & 3rd M & F
Prizes F35+ M&F 40+, 45+, 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+
Prizes 1st & 2nd teams of 3
One prize per person
Collect prizes on day of race
Entry on day
Fee: €8 (U18 €5)
Refreshments will be available
Contact Eddie @ 086 8428344


Getting there.......the race starts and finishes just to the south of Ballyhooly near Fermoy in NE Cork. To get there, you need to drive into Fermoy and follow the old Dublin road. After you cross the bridge, you need to turn left at the church with the 3 statues outside and take the N72 west for Castletownroche and Mallow. Ballyhooly is on this road. When you enter the village, look out for signs for the GAA pitch. The registration and changing rooms are there. The start and finish points are just to the south of Ballyhooly....see the map here for an idea of where it is.

The race starts at 12:30pm.

Route.......
This is the route for 2009. I presume it's much the same for 2010? The race starts just to the south of the village near the bridge over the Blackwater river. You run south to the road junction and straight away, you're climbing. Pretty soon, you turn off right onto forest track with a well packed smooth surface. This is shown as Green on the map. The running is flat for a while but you turn right and then start climbing again. After that, the gradient eases off until you are back onto the public road again (shown in Blue).
Then you have a 3 km long but gradual climb until you turn off right again into the forestry, shown in Red. This section has a lot fewer big trees and is probably the hardest part of the run. The forest road surface this time is a bit rougher but should be ok. The incline starts easily but soon, it really gets tough until you reach the highest point at 330m asl, about 300 metres higher than when you first started out. Just to put that into perspective, Cork Airport is about 140 metres above Cork City so this is over twice the climb.

At the highest point, I'd reckon you are close to the 4 mile mark. After that, it's downhill all the ways. You lose height on the forest road until you re-join the public road (blue), down the road a bit, accross a straight section of forest road and then downhill to the finish.
Overall.........this is no fun run. It will live up to it's name....i.e. a challenge run. The first 4 miles will be uphill and slow and the last 5.5 miles are downhill and fast. If you are a fan of easy flat 5 km races then this may not be the race for you. If however you are willing to test yourself on the hills then this is a good event. It's unfortunate that it is clashing with the Half-Marathon in Clonmel but the entry fee of €8 for this race as opposed to €35 for the Half-Marathon may be the deciding factor for some.


More details and updates later..

Results of the Corrin Hill trail run - Tues 11th Aug 2010

This trail race in Corrin Hill woods was a new race with the purpose of raising funds for Down Syndrome Ireland. With the clear blue skies, it was a stunning evening for such an event.


Q. Is there a demand for this kind of event locally? I know there are loads of road races but this is something different. Perhaps a series of races in local woods? Something hilly so it's a bit of a challenge? A mix between a road race and a mountain race?


What do you think? Leave a comment by clicking on the link below the post.


Here are the results from the organisers....


Thanks to all who attended Tuesday's Trail run. A good crowd of 44 turned up to tackle the hill. With the healthy attendance we'll have to look into staging another race next year.

Results can be seen at.....http://orienteering.ie/results/FullResults.php?1529

€450 euros was raised which will be donated to Down Syndrome Ireland through the Tour de Munster Cycle.

Thanks to all their help......Danny O'Hare

Drinking Beetroot Juice boosts stamina....

Drinking beetroot juice boosts stamina and could help people exercise for up to 16% longer, a UK study suggests.

A University of Exeter team found nitrate contained in the vegetable leads to a reduction in oxygen uptake - making exercise less tiring.

The small Journal of Applied Physiology study suggests the effect is greater than that which can be achieved by regular training.

Beetroot juice has previously been shown to reduce blood pressure.

The researchers believe their findings could help people with cardiovascular, respiratory or metabolic diseases - and endurance athletes.

They focused on eight men aged 19-38, who were given 500ml per day of organic beetroot juice for six consecutive days before completing a series of tests, involving cycling on an exercise bike.

On another occasion, they were given a placebo of blackcurrant cordial for six consecutive days before completing the same cycling tests.

After drinking beetroot juice the group was able to cycle for an average of 11.25 minutes - 92 seconds longer than when they were given the placebo.

This would translate into an approximate 2% reduction in the time taken to cover a set distance.

The group that had consumed the beetroot juice also had lower resting blood pressure.

Mechanism unclear

The researchers are not yet sure of the exact mechanism that causes the nitrate in the beetroot juice to boost stamina.

However, they suspect it could be a result of the nitrate turning into nitric oxide in the body, reducing how much oxygen is burned up by exercise.

Study researcher Professor Andy Jones - an adviser to top UK athlete Paula Radcliffe - said: "We were amazed by the effects of beetroot juice on oxygen uptake because these effects cannot be achieved by any other known means, including training.

"I am sure professional and amateur athletes will be interested in the results of this research.

"I am also keen to explore the relevance of the findings to those people who suffer from poor fitness and may be able to use dietary supplements to help them go about their daily lives."

Professor John Brewer, an expert on sports science at the University of Bedfordshire, said: "These findings are potentially exciting for many people involved in sport and exercise, but will almost certainly require further more extensive studies before the exact benefits and mechanisms are understood.

"We must also remember that exercise and training and a sensible diet will always remain as the essential ingredients for a balanced and healthy lifestyle."

Dr Simon Marshall, of the University of San Diego, has carried out work on exercise and health.

He said much more work was needed involving many more subjects to draw firm conclusions.

"Certainly, a diet high in nitrate-rich fruits and vegetables is good for your heart health and this study provides further evidence of this."

........Source....BBC News

Charity Trail Race - Corrin Hill, Fermoy - Tues 10th Aug 2010

This charity trail race takes place in the woods at Corrin Hill just outside Fermoy on Tuesday, the 10th of August at 7:15pm. The entry fee is €10 with all money raised going towards Down Syndrome Ireland.


The race is around 6 kms in length and is on the forest roads in the woods. The surface is reasonable to run on although I'd be inclined to wear perhaps an older pair of runners rather than your best pair. It should be dry underfoot so getting wet shouldn't be an issue.


It is however different from your normal type of race. There is a steep pull all of the way from the start to the cross on the summit. It's not an easy event but if you like a bit of a challenge, then it's worth a go. After all, it's only 6 kms and it's in aid of a good cause.


See below for more info from the organisers....

The race will be just under 6km and will be on nice forest roads (no rough stuff to hurt the ankles).

The route will be clearly marked. It starts gradually dropping down from the car park along the section of forest alongside the old N8 before climbing gradually up to the Cross and then dropping down to the finish.

A few in Cork Orienteering Club (Danny O'Hare , Fiona O'Riordan & Brian Flannelly) are taking Part in the Tour de Munster www.tourdemunster.com charity cycle. The Cycle is in Aid of Down Syndrome Ireland this Year. We are organising this trail race as part of their fundraising for that charity. The event is registered with Coillte & the Irish Orienteering Association.

Race timing will be provided and the results will be published on the CorkO website.

We will have a BBQ afterwards (A burger for all entrants ).

We will also have some spot prizes for finishers.

Race start time is 7.15pm (please turn up by 6.45pm to register)

Cost of entry is €10 all entry money will go to the charity.

Everyone welcome runners of all sorts. Please bring your friends. Email dannyohare@gmail.com if you're bringing a large group.

Directions from Cork city:
Take the N8 Dublin road northbound out of Cork city.
If you wish to avoid the toll, take the Watergrasshill slip road off the dual
carriageway, then follow the signposts for Fermoy along the R639. Pass through
Rathcormac. The turn for Corrin is on the Rathcormac-Fermoy road, about 1km
North of the Cork Mart Roundabout, follows signs for Fermoy Golf Club.

Alternatively, if you wish to pay the toll and carry on to the M8 motorway, exit
the motorway at the Fermoy exit (adjacent to Corrin) and turn back south along
the R639 to reach the access road and the right tun for Corrin.

Results of the 'Route to Crook' 5 mile road race - Sun 8th Aug 2010

There was an entry of 147 for the race this year, 18 up on the 2009 figure of 127. Looking at the photos and the video below, it looks like a lovely spot for a race.....especially when the sun comes out!


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


Photos.....
There is a gallery of 112 photos HERE

Results of the Galtee Runners 8 km road race - Fri 6th Aug 2010

This was the 5th race of 7 in the Ballyhoura Active Summer Series and was also a new race for the Mitcheltown and North Cork region. It attracted a total of 220 entries which is an impressive number for the first running of this race. While a large number of runners travelled from East Cork, South Limerick and South Tipp, a large proportion of the field were locals. It's easy to forget the importance of having local races in your own area to make people aware of the sport. Hopefully we'll see more runners from the North-East of Cork in other races in the near future.

The race for bragging rights...

The mens race was won in a time of 25:50 by Michael Herlihy of North Cork AC, a former winner of the Cork City Marathon. The ladies race was won in a time of 34:16 by Gillian Cotter of St.Finbarrs AC. Gillian also has a connection with the Cork City Marathon having finished 6th in this years race.


The full results can be seen HERE


Photos....
A gallery of photos can be seen on the RacePix website

Preview of the Route to Crook 5 mile road race - Sun 8th Aug 2010

This 5 mile road race starts in Goleen at 4pm on Sunday, the 8th of August. The route goes from Goleen to Crookhaven along the coast road which no doubt would be a stunning route if the weather is fine. The entry fee is €8 and you can enter at the Goleen Community Centre between 2pm and 3:30pm.

Getting there........If you are coming from Cork city, then it's a long way down. It's about 120 kms and the drive will take approx 2h 05m. If you are west of the city then it's obviously less. 



Changes this year.....The big change this year is the earlier start at 4pm. In previous years, the 7pm start was very late for anyone travelling back up to Cork City when after race refreshments and prizegiving are taken into account. The earlier start should help to attract runners from further afield.

Kids race.....In the earlier years of this race, the kids used to run at the front causing an obstruction with the risk of someone falling. They now have their own race with an U16 race over 2.5 miles starting at 3pm.