Stewards required for the 2011 Ballycotton '10' race

It's time to kick off a week long look ahead to the Ballycotton '10' race next weekend.

First up....an appeal from the organisers for people to help out with stewarding at the race. I know from others than have helped out before that they got a great buzzz from being part of the whole event. Perhaps if you are injured or not doing it this time, you might consider helping out? Ballycotton Running Promotions organise many different road races at very low cost to runners and this is the one occasion where they need help the most.

Stewards required for Ballycotton ‘10’ 2011

While most people involved in athletics, probably want to be on the start line of Ballycotton ‘10’ on Sunday March 6th at 1.30pm. This we know is not possible for many reasons, but you can still be involved from a different perspective. As everyone knows, all events require quite a bit of organising, both before the event and on the day of the event.

We at Ballycotton Running Promotions would like to welcome all non-participants to come and help out in the smooth running of this great event. We will require stewards for various positions before, during and after the race, so feel free to volunteer.

If interested, please contact Tom Hartnett at 086-2386390 or at ballycottonrunning@eircom.net

Regards

Ballycotton Running Promotions

Races this weekend...26th & 27th Feb 2011

There are no races in Cork this weekend but there are in neighbouring counties.

On Sat 26th, Gneeveguilla AC are holding a 5k race in Killarney, Co.Kerry. This is the 1st of 4 races in their 5k series which have proved to be very popular with runners in the Kingdom. The entry fee is only €5 and it starts at 11am.

On Sun 27th, there are 2 races to choose from. In Castleconnell to the NE of Limerick, there is a 10 km road race at 2pm. In West Waterford, there is a 10 km road race in Dungarvan. The entry fee is €8 and it starts at 11am.

More details on all of these race on the Running in Munster website.

Turn up the heat...pile on the fat??

I came across this piece in the Telegraph newspaper. It refers to a study done that suggests that if you live in a very warm enviroment then you may put on more fat. The basic idea is that the temperature in your house is reduced, your body burns up more energy to try and compensate and stay warm.

According to the study...."The body starts to heat itself if it drops below the "thermoneutral zone" which is around 25 deg C.



A four degree centigrade rise in temperature reduces the amount of energy used to heat the body by as much as 800 calories."
 
The full article can be found HERE

Ballycotton '10' entries starting to arrive by post...

Just a quick note to say that people have started to get their race packs in the post which should contain your timing chip for the race.

Starting next Monday, we'll have a week long series of posts on the blog with plenty of info on the big day.

Irish Indoor Championships on RTE Player until 28th Feb

The Irish Indoor Athletics Championships were held last weekend (Sat 19th/Sun 20th Feb 2011) in Belfast. Highlights of this event are now available on the RTE Player until the 28th of February (Please note that it is 50 min long).

In amongst the many athletes, a number from Cork were taking part...

Ailis McSweeney of Leevale AC set a new personal best of 7:32 in winning the Womens 60 Metres (...see ~15:10 in the RTE Programme)

Robert Heffernan of Togher AC won the Mens 5 km walk in a time of 19:09 and lapped everyone else in the process (...see ~31:46 in the RTE Programme)

Marian Andrews of Togher AC (Married to Rob Heffernan) won the Womens 400m in a time of 54:00 seconds, just missing out by 0.35 seconds to qualify for the European Indoor Championships in Paris in March (...see ~8:50 in the RTE Programme).

The full results can be seen in PDF format HERE

Results of the Carrigaline 5 Mile Road Race...Sun 20th Feb 2011

A record 291 runners turned out for this 5 mile road race in Carrigaline just to the south of Cork City in what were windy but dry conditions.

Sean McGrath of East Cork AC won the mens race in a time of 25:21 with a comfortable cushion of just over 90 seconds to the 2nd man home.

The ladies race was won by Lizzie Lee of Leevale AC in a time of 28:40, over 3 minutes ahead of her nearest rival. Lizzie is obviously back in flying form again after picking up an injury over the winter months.

Results...the full results can be found HERE

Gerry Forde leading the field...

(Updated Sun 20th Feb 22:40)
Photos....there is a gallery of 242 photos showing the finish line on the Eagle AC website HERE

.....another smaller gallery of 64 photos of the finish on the Eagle website again HERE

....a very large gallery of some really nice photos by Gearoid O'Laoi HERE

Preview of the Carrigaline 5 Mile Road Race...Sun 20th Feb 2011

Updated Fri 18th Feb 8pm....This 5 mile road race which is organised by Eagle AC starts at 11am on Sunday the 20th of February 2011. Coming 2 weeks before the Ballycotton '10', it's a good way to check your level of fitness before the big day.

Directions & Parking...Carrigaline is located 6 miles to the South of Cork City and is clearly marked from the South Ring Road.

As you approach Carrigaline, take the relief road going left towards Crosshaven. Stay on this until you come to the next major junction.

The Community Centre is about 200 metres to the left / East of this junction. However, there is very limited parking there. There is plenty of parking if you drive straight ahead. Go through the junction and after 300 metres, there is a large car park on the right. If that gets full, there is another large car park at a local Lidl store just ahead. Both car parks are a very short walk from the Community Centre.

Registration....The race HQ is in the local community Centre as shown below. As you can see, it is only a short walk across a small park from the Car Park to the Hall.

The entry fee for 2011 is €8. One Euro of this will be donated to Carrigaline Meals on Wheels. Once you enter the hall, you will have to fill out a form with your details before you register for the race.

If you have pre-registered, go straight to the Pre-Entry desk where your number will be waiting for you.

The Course...It's not the flattest of races with a few drags out along the course but nothing too bad. You start about 500 metres East of the Community Centre in a housing estate (When you come out of the community centre, turn right and follow everyone else to the start).

The road is fairly wide at the start....

...and by the time the runners reach the main road, the field should be well spread out. There is nothing special about the first 2 miles. It's pretty flat with a few tiny hills and you can expect your first mile time to be very fast. Note that the road here is not closed so watch out for any cars. Just before the 2 mile mark, you turn left.....

...and then into probably the most serious hill of the race which is about 400 metres long.

It's not so bad if you take it handy. Then through 2 kinks in the road and down into the village of Shanbally. Left past the church, climb slightly and then fall downhill to the 3 mile mark, all inside the hard shoulder of the main road. At about 3.5 miles, you turn left off the main road and then you have the next climb.....

It's pretty short but enough to get you into trouble if you push too hard. Then you run downhill to the 4 mile mark which is in a hollow and then climb back out at the other side. This is the 3rd real hill in the race and the least serious. After that, nearly all of the running is flat or slightly downhill as you finish through the housing estates. After the last corner which is a sharp left....

....the finish is about 70 metres away so you should see it in plenty of time.

So overall, probably not a course for getting PB's but it's not too bad either. The 11am start is a good idea. It means people can go there, do the race, go home and still have the afternoon free.


If you want to have a closer look at the course, you can find it on the MapMyRun website.

A flyer for the race is available HERE.

Irish Sports Council announce 2011 grants...

The Irish Sports Council announced today their grants for high performance sports in 2011....(Updated 18th Feb 2011)

From the press release....
"€7.8 million is being invested in high performance sports in 2011. The Irish Sports Council made a decision to maintain funding at the 2010 levels as the coming year is the vital preparation and qualification year for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games."

In terms of athletics, they gave grants under the term 'Podium Category'  to the following...
Derval O'Rourke (60/100m Hurdles), Robert Heffernan (20/50km Racewalking), David Gillick (400m) and Olive Loughnane (20km Racewalking).

The full report can be seen HERE

Updated...18th Feb 2011....There is an article about it in the Irish Times HERE

Full results of the Cork BHAA X-Country race...Sun 13th Feb 2011

The full results are now available HERE

Photos for this race can be seen in an earlier post.

News items....Lost & Found, Skibb race and Derval O'Rourke

Just a few news items...

Lost items at the Mealagh Valley 10....A pair of red mittens with a Canadian logo were found after the Mealagh Valley 10 mile race near Bantry. If these are yours, contact Geraldine O'Sullivan at 087 6173376

New Road Race in Skibbereen?........For those of you in West Cork, you might find this of interest. There is talk of an upcoming road race in Skibbereen in late April. More details as they become available.

Derval O'Rourke.........There was a piece in the Irish Examiner on Tuesday about Derval O'Rourke competing in the Irish Indoor Championships in Belfast next Sunday. However, according to her own blog, she currently has a slight injury and won't be competing. The newspaper quotes her coach as saying that she is currently preparing for the European indoors in Paris in March.

Next weekend.....The next race coming up is the Carrigaline 5 mile road race on Sunday. More details later...

Results of the Munster Senior X-Country Championships...Sun 13th Feb 2011

The AAI Senior Cross Country Championships took place last Sunday the 13th of Feb 2011 in Kilnaboy, Co.Clare. It was a successful event for Cork runners with club and county teams taking Gold in both the ladies and mens races.

Senior Women 5 km.....In this event, Carmel Crowley of Bandon AC took off from the start and led the field to take 1st place with Niamh Roe of Eagle AC taking the bronze in 3rd. The Cork team won the title by a large margin with Eagle AC winning the club competition.

Senior Men 10 km....For this race, the weather conditions got very nasty with heavy rain. The 1st man home was Sean Hehir from Co.Clare with Sean McGrath and James McCarthy from East Cork AC taking silver and bronze respectively. Again, the Cork team won by a large margin with East Cork AC winning the team prize.

The full results in PDF format can be found HERE

Results of the East Cork AC 3 km road race (7th of 7)...Tues 15th Feb 2011

This 3 km road race in Midleton was the 7th and final race in what was yet again a very successful 3k Winter Series. The numbers were down a bit on 3 weeks ago but still pretty good. The results are below...

East Cork AC 3Km Winter Series Race 7 15/02/11

1 Sean McGrath East Cork AC 9.01
2 Thomas Maunsell Leevale AC 9.24
3 Tony Kelleher Togher AC 9.28
4 James Curran St Finbarrs AC 9.38
5 Conor Tierney East Cork AC 10.03
6 John Hennessy Midleton AC 10.10
7 Denis Coughlan St Finbarrs AC 10.20
8 Cathal Kelly St Finbarrs AC 10.26
9 John Lynch East Cork AC 10.26
10 Eric Meade East Cork AC 10.28
11 Briain O'Tuama UCC AC 10.29
12 Denis McCarthy East Cork AC 10.30
13 Niamh Roe Eagle AC 10.31
14 Denis Dunne Eagle AC 10.32
15 Ronan Power Carrigtwohill 10.45
16 Darragh Canavan Midleton AC 10.46
17 Jonathan Finn Carrigtwohill 10.46
18 Josh O'Sullivan Hourihan Midleton College 10.46
19 Michael Mulcahy Knockraha 10.48
20 Matt Chojan Midleton AC 10.49
21 Adam Duchnicz Midleton AC 10.51
22 James Bermingham Fermoy 10.58
23 John Griffin Grange Fermoy AC 10.59
24 AJ Murphy Ballinacura 10.59
25 Ian O'Sullivan East Cork AC 11.01
26 David O'Dwyer East Cork AC 11.03
27 Paul Mullamphy Cork 11.04
28 John O'Callaghan Eagle AC 11.05
29 Niamh Walsh Youghal AC 11.05
30 John Dunphy Eagle AC 11.20
31 Stan Byczek Midleton AC 11.26
32 Cillian Lynch Midleton CBS 11.28
33 Trevor Collins Naas 11.29
34 Martin O'Reilly St Finbarrs AC 11.31
35 Paul Cleary East Cork AC 11.32
36 Eugene McCarthy Midleton AC 11.33
37 Aisling Moran UCC AC 11.34
38 Dave Creedon East Cork AC 11.35
39 John Cashman Midleton AC 11.37
40 Emmet Foley Whitegate 11.40
41 Romund Figielus Carrigtwohill 11.48
42 Pat Fogarty Glounthaune 11.49
43 Dermot O'Sullivan East Cork AC 11.50
44 Caolan O'Brien Midleton AC 11.52
45 Mike Hallahan Midleton AC 11.52
46 Tara Rhatigan UCC AC 11.53
47 Killian Deady Midleton CBS 12.00
48 John O'Farrell Midleton CBS 12.08
49 Catherine Normoyle Midleton AC 12.10
50 Stephen Burke Cork 12.12
51 Billy Power Passage West 12.13
52 Niall McCarthy Midleton AC 12.15
53 Darragh Thompson Midleton AC 12.17
54 Kieran Mulcahy St Finbarrs AC 12.18
55 Killian Nolan Youghal AC 12.18
56 Billy O'Sullivan Midleton AC 12.19
57 Kevin Rohan Midleton CBS 12.20
58 Fergal Quinlan Cork 12.21
59 Ted O'Leary West Waterford AC 12.25
60 Liam Morrissey Saleen 12.31
61 Tim McCarthy Carrigtwohill 12.33
62 Dave Smyth Midleton 12.36
63 Jimmy Murray Rising Sun AC 12.37
64 Shane Ruddle Ballinacura 12.39
65 Eadaoin O'Neill East Cork AC 12.40
66 Kevin Dunne Ballinacura 12.41
67 Aidan O'Herlihy Whitegate 12.42
68 Kevin Hayes St Catherines 12.43
69 Claire Fitzgerald Midleton AC 12.44
70 David O'Sullivan East Cork AC 12.46
71 Simon Thompson Midleton AC 12.50
72 Dave Barry Midleton 12.52
73 Dave Fleming Midleton 12.55
74 Declan Kearney Aghada 12.56
75 Ava Gaffney UCC AC 12.57
76 Leo O'Donovan Ballinacura 12.58
77 John Carey Midleton AC 13.01
78 Karen Grant Ballinacura 13.03
79 Batt Kearney Leevale AC 13.04
80 Thomas Nyhan Glounthaune 13.05
81 Caroline Flethcher Midleton AC 13.07
82 Michael Daly Midleton AC 13.08
83 Susan Delaney Midleton AC 13.10
84 Trish Murphy Midleton AC 13.16
85 John Walshe East Cork AC 13.28
86 Finbarr Lyons Midleton 13.36
87 Dara Healion ? 13.37
88 Barry Ahern Midleton AC 13.38
89 Sarah-Jo Sinnott UCC AC 13.42
90 Brian Healy Midleton AC 13.48
91 Padraig O'Regan Ladysbridge 13.49
92 Donal O'Donoghue Little Island 13.59
93 Andrew Williams Midleton CBS 14.01
94 Frances Maunsell Midleton AC 14.03
95 Jacuk Luczak Carrigtwohill 14.05
96 Danny McCarthy Midleton AC 14.06
97 Ines Figielus Carrigtwohill 14.06
98 Catriona McGregor Midleton AC 14.08
99 Donie O'Connell Midleton AC 14.09
100 Con Warren Carrigtwohill 14.19
101 Simon Fitzgerald Glounthaune 14.22
102 Jack Hallahan Midleton AC 14.23
103 Fiona O'Callaghan Aghada 14.34
104 Philip Mullane Midleton AC 14.42
105 Patrick Cotter Tower 14.42
106 Zac O'S-Hourihan Ballyandreen 14.44
107 Rachel Carey Youghal AC 14.45
108 Paul O'S-Hourihan East Cork AC 14.45
109 Eamonn Murphy St Patricks College 14.49
110 Colin O'Reilly Midleton CBS 14.57
111 Lochlann McCarthy Midleton 14.58
112 Barbara Curran St Patricks College 14.59
113 Mary Mulcahy St Finbarrs AC 15.08
114 John Corcoran Ballynoe 15.20
115 Sinead Ivers Midleton AC 15.21
116 Noreen Fitzgerald Midleton AC 15.40
117 Ann Harrington Midleton AC 15.40
118 Lisa Collins Cork 15.41
119 Susan Buckley Midleton AC 15.42
120 Eleanor Troy St Patricks College 15.54
121 Ann Gillen St Patricks College 15.55
122 Marian Cotter Midleton AC 15.57
123 Ciara Fitzgerald Carrigtwohill GNS 15.58
124 Norah O'Brien Carrigtwohill GNS 15.59
125 Jim Curtin East Cork AC 16.07
126 Marie Magan Midleton AC 16.14
127 Therese O'Donovan Cobh 16.17
128 Joy Sexton Midleton AC 16.22
129 Sean Emerson Midleton 16.29
130 Billy Caball Cork 16.30
131 Noreen Emerson Midleton AC 16.40
132 Colette Barry Midleton AC 17.17
133 Grainne Murphy Inniscarra 17.30
134 Helen Gilroy Midleton AC 17.46
135 Hannah Kierans Carrigtwohill 18.13
136 Paul Kierans Midleton AC 18.15
137 Susan McCarthy Midleton AC 20.09
138 Elaine Counihan Midleton AC 20.26
139 Marian Carroll Midleton AC 20.43
140 Kathleen O'Connell Midleton AC 21.40
141 Daragh Cashman Ballintotis 22.00
142 Eoin Cashman Ballintotis 22.00

(...with thanks to Liam O'Brien of East Cork AC for the above results)

Category results of the Cork BHAA 5k X-country race - Sun 13th Feb 2011

There was a substantial increase in numbers for the Cork BHAA Cross Country race this year. The 5k race in Beaumont Park attracted 148 runners which is well up on the usual figure of around 100-120. When you consider that it clashed with a 10 mile road race in West Cork and the Munster Senior Cross-Country Championships in Co.Clare then it is a bit suprising but welcome.

The mens race was won by John Meade in a time of 17:47 while Joyce Wolfe wons the ladies race in 21:17.

Photos....(Updated 10am Tues 15th Feb 2011)
A slideshow of photos taken by Matthew Chojan can be seen HERE

The full results can now be found HERE

Results Cork Bhaa Cross Country 5k Beaumount Park
Men : 1 John Meade (UCC) 17:47, 2. Paul Gallagher (UCC) 17:55, 3. Trevor Woods (UCC) 18:01, 4. Danny Smith (Team Addidas) 18:17, 5. Willie Walsh 18:25,
0/40 1. John Hennessy (Jannsen) 18:58, 2 Connor Murray (Jannsen) 20:56, 3. John Griffen (Flexable Connectors) 21:01.
O/45 1.John Hallahan (An Post) 19:57, 2. Tom Sheehan (Bandon Tyres) 20:45, 3. Stanislaw Byczek (Midleton News) 21:35.
O/50 1. George Bullman (Quality Hotels) 22:36, 2. Denis O Shea (Cork Garda) 22:38, 3. Batt Kearney (Blarney Wollen Mills) 25:35.
O/55 1 Pat Moloney (Army) 21:03, 2. Willie O Riordan (Army) 21:43, 3. John O Riordan (UCC) 22:24. O/60 1. Pat Twomey (UCC) 22:32, 2. Jimmy Murray (HSE) 24:18.
0/65 1 John Cotter (ESB) 27:38 , 2. Paddy Daly (Army) 27:40. O/70 1. John O Leary (Bookdeal) 26:48. Ladies : 1.Joyce Wolfe (Joyce Wolfe Physio) 21:17, 2. Ashling Moran (Temp Reg) 21:35, 3. Louise Cavanaugh (North West City) 21:47, 4. Rachel O Callaghan (Cork Shops) 22:00.
O/35 1. Ruth Kent (Board Gais) 31:24
O/40 1 Mary Histon De Barra (Hse) 25:39.
O/45 1. Sally Drennan (Dept of Education) 22:59, 2. Monica Twoigh (Eolas) 26:04, 3. Francis Lynch (Hayden Training) 27:37.
O/50 Mary Toher (Dept of Education) 39:56.

Results of the Mealagh Valley 10 Mile Road Race - Sun 13th Feb 2011

This was the 2nd year of this challenging 10 mile road race. It looked a bit ominous for a while before the race when a heavy 20 minute rain and hail shower drenched the valley but by the time of the start, the sun had re-appeared and conditions for the race were fine.

In total, there were 180 finishers which is down on last years figure of 217 but considering that there was a BHAA cross country race in the city and a Munster Senior cross country race in Co.Clare today as well, perhaps a bit of a drop was to be expected.

Having done this race last year, I had remembered where all of those tough hilly sections were. This year, I got re-acquainted with all of the smaller ones in between that I had forgotton about! What a course...up...down...up...down.....If you had to compare it to say the Dungarvan 10 then you would have to say that the Dungarvan course is as flat as a pancake in comparison. The Mealagh Valley isn't a course for setting PB's or fast times but what a spot for a race! It's a really nice secluded valley in the heart of west Cork.

Considering how hilly it was, some fine times were still posted. The winner of the mens race was George Waugh who ran a time of 55:46. George is in training for the busy racing season ahead having had a very successful 2010 season by winning the Limerick City Marathon, the Great Island 10 Mile road race in Cobh and the Clonakilty Marathon in December.

The ladies winner was Maureen Harrington of Riocht AC who made the trip from Co.Kerry to run 70:14 and retain her title.

Video.....
Around the 1 mile mark.....(with thanks to John O'Driscoll)


Photos...(updated 10am Tues 15th Feb 2011)
There is a slideshow of photos from John O'Driscoll available HERE

There is another gallery HERE

Results...
Bantry AC MEALAGH VALLEY RING '10'...Sunday 13 February 2011. 12:00 pm
Provisional Results for All Competitors in finish order. Pace Race Race


Place Time Name Team Race Age Category min/mile
1 0:55:46 WAUGH, George unatt/Bandon M 05:34.5
2 0:58:56 WILMOT, Kevin Bandon AC M 05:53.5
3 0:59:44 DE BURCA, Cosmas unatt/Bandon M 05:58.3
4 0:59:50 LAFFAN, Tom Bandon AC M40 05:58.9
5 1:01:29 MANGAN, Simon Gneeveguilla AC M 06:08.8
6 1:02:49 SMITH, Kevin Midleton AC M 06:16.8
7 1:03:00 DULLEA, Mike unatt/Drimoleague M 06:17.9
8 1:03:09 MURPHY, Paddy Bandon AC M 06:18.8
9 1:03:26 LYONS, Dennis St. Finbarrs AC M 06:20.5
10 1:05:54 O'SHEA, Jerry unatt/Kenmare M35 06:35.3
11 1:06:07 O'MAHONY, Stephen Skibbereen AC M45 06:36.6
12 1:06:16 O'CONNOR, Pat Eagle AC M40 06:37.5
13 1:07:14 O'SULLIVAN, Joe Bandon AC M45 06:43.3
14 1:07:30 DESMOND, John Eagle AC M45 06:44.9
15 1:07:45 BULMAN, Mark Donoughmore AC M45 06:46.4
16 1:08:37 HARRINGTON, John Bantry AC MJ 06:51.6
17 1:09:09 FITZGERALD, Kevin unatt/Carrigrohane M35 06:54.8
18 1:09:12 O'HERLIHY, Colin Eagle AC M40 06:55.1
19 1:09:20 O'BRIEN, Donncha Skibbereen AC M 06:55.9
20 1:09:25 DESMOND, Andrew unatt/Bantry M35 06:56.4
21 1:09:48 SARGENT, Fergal unatt/Carrigtwohill M 06:58.7
22 1:10:00 CORNFORTH, Anthony unatt/Bantry M45 06:59.9
23 1:10:14 HARRINGTON, Maureen Riocht AC F40 07:01.3
24 1:10:16 BARRY, Killian unatt/Bandon M 07:01.5
25 1:10:27 O'BRIEN, Gerard unatt/Bantry M35 07:02.6
26 1:10:34 O'SULLIVAN, Flor unatt/Kenmare M45 07:03.3
27 1:10:38 BUSTON, Jackie unatt/Bandon M 07:03.7
28 1:11:00 CAREY, Ken unatt/Cork M50 07:05.9
29 1:11:10 MCCARTHY, Dan Tralee Harriers M50 07:06.9
30 1:11:18 HOGAN, John Mallow AC M35 07:07.7
31 1:11:26 KELLEHER, Denis Midleton AC M45 07:08.5
32 1:11:53 KELLEHER, Brian unatt/Innishannon M 07:11.2
33 1:11:55 KOCSIS, Balazs unatt/Cork M 07:11.4
34 1:11:58 PRENDERGAST, Karen unatt/Cork F 07:11.7
35 1:12:09 PALMER, Tom Kenmare AC M40 07:12.8
36 1:12:10 DONEGAN, Kevin unatt/Portlaoise M 07:12.9
37 1:12:40 REGAN, Maura Eagle AC F 07:15.9
38 1:13:03 CARR, Jean Clonliffe Harriers F50 07:18.2
39 1:13:13 LEHANE, Donnacha Eagle AC M 07:19.2
40 1:13:24 WIENEKE, Peter Bantry AC M50 07:20.3
41 1:13:40 O'HALLORAN, Declan Bandon AC M50 07:21.9
42 1:13:52 BYRD, Charlie unatt/Cork M45 07:23.1
43 1:13:55 O'LEARY, Andrew unatt/Clonakilty M 07:23.4
44 1:14:00 CREAN, Gerard unatt/Bandon M 07:23.9
45 1:14:09 LEE, Kenneth unatt/Rochestown M35 07:24.8
46 1:15:01 DORGAN, Ian unatt/Carrigaline M35 07:30.0
47 1:15:16 O'KEEFFE, Pat unatt/Cork M40 07:31.5
48 1:15:33 O'SULLIVAN, Denis unatt/Midleton M45 07:33.2
49 1:15:40 WOOTTON, Hannah Eagle AC F 07:33.9
50 1:15:45 WILMOT, Eddie Bandon AC M40 07:34.4
51 1:16:27 MCEVOY, Angela St. Finbarrs AC F45 07:38.6
52 1:16:50 O'SULLIVAN, Stephen unatt/Bantry M40 07:40.9
53 1:17:07 GILMORE, Neil Carbery Harriers M50 07:42.6
54 1:17:14 HENRY, Aiden St. Finbarrs AC M40 07:43.3
55 1:17:25 BUCKLEY, Michael unatt/Coachford M 07:44.4
56 1:17:31 FOLEY, Stephen unatt/Blarney M 07:45.0
57 1:17:52 CASEY, Michael Yankee Runners (Chicago) M40 07:47.1
58 1:18:12 DEASY, Killian unatt/Clonakilty M35 07:49.1
59 1:19:03 MOLONEY, Bob unatt/Cobh M 07:54.2
60 1:19:20 MCGRATH, Donal unatt/Bantry M 07:55.9
61 1:19:47 COLLINS, Clare unatt/Timoleague F40 07:58.6
62 1:19:51 MCNULTY, Hugh unatt/Union Hall M40 07:59.0
63 1:20:30 BARRY, Eamon unatt/Bandon M 08:02.9
64 1:20:33 WALSHE, John East Cork AC M55 08:03.2
65 1:20:41 KIERANS, Paul Midleton AC M45 08:04.0
66 1:20:47 O'DONNELL, Brian unatt/Clonakilty M35 08:04.6
67 1:20:58 SCANNELL, Dan unatt/Rylane M 08:05.7
68 1:21:01 MURPHY, Alma Skibbereen AC F35 08:06.0
69 1:21:04 O'BRIEN, Gerard unatt/Rylane M45 08:06.3
70 1:21:06 HAYES, Cormac unatt/Cork M 08:06.5
71 1:21:10 MOLNAR, Gabor unatt/Cork M 08:06.9
72 1:21:22 MURPHY, Julie Bantry AC F 08:08.1
73 1:21:30 FLYNN, Maire unatt/Timoleague F35 08:08.9
74 1:21:36 COUGHLAN, Anthony Bantry AC M40 08:09.5
75 1:21:51 SANTRY, John unatt/Clonakilty M 08:11.0
76 1:22:42 O'LEARY, Ted West Waterford AC M40 08:16.1
77 1:22:43 RIORDAN, Niall unatt/Curraglass M 08:16.2
78 1:22:59 MURPHY, Sean unatt/Killorglin M35 08:17.8
79 1:23:00 MCNULTY, Ailise Skibbereen AC F 08:17.9
80 1:23:04 DEASY, Richard unatt/Waterfall M35 08:18.3
81 1:23:07 VAUGHAN, Emmett unatt/Bantry M 08:18.6
82 1:23:29 MURPHY, Christy unatt/Kealkill M 08:20.8
83 1:23:30 KINGSTON, Eddie unatt/Waterfall M35 08:20.9
84 1:23:31 HEFFERNAN, Alan unatt/Watergrasshill M 08:21.0
85 1:23:45 QUIGG, Damian unatt/Killorglin M 08:22.4
86 1:24:05 O'SHEA, Denis Kenmare AC M40 08:24.4
87 1:24:18 O'MEARA, Patrick unatt/Clonakilty M 08:25.7
88 1:24:31 HURLEY, Diarmuid Bantry AC M50 08:27.0
89 1:25:08 MURPHY, Liam unatt/Timoleague M35 08:30.7
90 1:25:09 DONEGAN, John Bandon AC M50 08:30.8
91 1:25:26 HILLIARD, Mark unatt/Clonakilty M 08:32.5
92 1:25:47 BRADY, Adam unatt/Clonakilty M35 08:34.6
93 1:26:36 COLLINS, Patrick Kilfinane AC M70 08:39.5
94 1:27:29 O'SULLIVAN, Padraig Bantry AC M45 08:44.8
95 1:27:51 WYNMAN, Ken Eagle AC M40 08:47.0
96 1:27:53 COTTER, Mary Eagle AC F45 08:47.2
97 1:27:58 MCGRATH, Donal Eagle AC M45 08:47.7
98 1:28:22 HARRINGTON-BUCKLEY, Kitty St. Finbarrs AC F45 08:50.1
99 1:31:18 SMITH, Danny unatt/Bantry M35 09:07.7
100 1:31:53 HINDLEY, Fleur unatt/Bantry F45 09:11.2
101 1:32:24 COLLINS, Pauline Bantry AC F35 09:14.3
102 1:32:25 MURPHY, Sinead unatt/Bantry F 09:14.4
103 1:33:03 LANE, Kevin unatt/Ballinhassig M 09:18.2
104 1:33:19 MCGRATH, Jane Eagle AC F45 09:19.8
105 1:33:58 O'NEILL, Ronan unatt/Carrigaline M40 09:23.6
106 1:35:15 O'RIORDAN, Fiona Eagle AC F40 09:31.3
107 1:35:47 BUCKLEY, Liz unatt/Drimoleague F35 09:34.5
108 1:35:57 O'SULLIVAN, Dominic Bantry AC M 09:35.5
109 1:36:06 O'SULLIVAN, Kathy Bantry AC F 09:36.4
110 1:36:07 MCCARTHY, Linda Bantry AC F 09:36.5 32 110
111 1:37:02 O'DONOGHUE, Donal unatt/Little Island M40 09:42.0
112 1:37:36 HILLIARD, Maria unatt/Clonakilty F45 09:45.4
113 1:37:41 CREEDON, Marie unatt/Ballinora F45 09:45.9
114 1:37:49 SMITH, Ursula unatt/Bantry F35 09:46.7
115 1:37:50 MURRAY, Patricia Bantry AC F45 09:46.8
116 1:38:12 COTTER, Marion Midleton AC F 09:49.0
117 1:38:29 FARELY, Tom unatt/Bantry M35 09:50.7
118 1:38:29 CRONIN, Dermot unatt/Bantry M 09:50.7
119 1:38:33 CRONIN, Brian unatt/Durrus M 09:51.1
120 1:40:42 MCCARTHY, Noreen unatt/Drimoleague F45 10:04.0
121 1:43:25 O'ROURKE, Sharon Bantry AC F 10:20.3
122 1:43:40 BYRD, Tom unatt/Cork M50 10:21.8
123 1:43:42 REGAN, Cora Ballincollig AC F40 10:22.0
124 1:45:25 O'MAHONY, Teddy unatt/Bantry M50 10:32.3
125 1:45:51 O'SHEA, Geraldine Bantry AC F35 10:34.9
126 1:49:54 MURPHY, Brian unatt/Bantry M 10:59.2
127 1:51:54 HEALY, Sean unatt/Lehenaghbeg M40 11:11.2
128 1:53:14 O'CONNOR, Marie Bantry AC F 11:19.2
129 1:53:53 O'DONOGHUE, Eileen unatt/Bantry F60 11:23.1
130 1:53:54 TRACEY, Maria unatt/Glanmire F 11:23.2
131 1:54:30 O'SULLIVAN, Helen Bantry AC F 11:26.8
132 1:54:31 O'DONOVAN, Gerard Bantry AC M 11:26.9
133 1:57:21 CONLON, Tara unatt/Kinsale F 11:43.9
134 2:03:05 O'SULLIVAN, Norma Bantry AC F 12:18.3
135 2:03:06 O'SULLIVAN, Irene Bantry AC F35 12:18.4
136 2:03:07 COFFEY, Bernadette Bantry AC F40 12:18.5
137 2:04:47 LEHANE, Marian unatt/Bantry F 12:28.5
138 2:05:35 O'LEARY, Maire unatt/Killarney F 12:33.3
139 2:05:36 MCCARTHY, Noreen unatt/Bantry F 12:33.4
140 2:06:05 O'BRIEN, Grainne unatt/Drinagh F 12:36.3
141 2:08:35 MCCARHY, Majella unatt/Bantry F40 12:51.3
142 2:08:35 MCCARTHY, Eamonn unatt/Bantry M40 12:51.3
143 2:08:36 O'DONOGHUE, John unatt/Bantry M40 12:51.4
144 2:11:32 KEANE, Una unatt/Bantry F 13:09.0
145 2:11:34 GRACE, Teresa unatt/Bantry F35 13:09.2
146 2:12:01 TRACEY, Anthony unatt/Glanmire M60 13:11.9
147 2:12:03 TRACEY, Anne unatt/Glanmire F65 13:12.1
148 2:12:13 O'SULLIVAN, Bridget unatt/Glengarriff F50 13:13.1
149 2:12:24 MURRAY, Martin unatt/Bantry M45 13:14.2
150 2:14:18 O'SULLIVAN, Sinead Bantry AC F 13:25.6
151 2:14:24 O'DRISCOLL, Anita unatt/Bantry F 13:26.2
152 2:14:25 O'SHEA, Michelle unatt/Bantry F 13:26.3
153 2:17:04 CAMERON, Kate unatt/Bantry F45 13:42.2
154 2:17:05 PYBURN, Frances unatt/Durrus F35 13:42.3
155 2:18:41 MINEHANE, Ursula unatt/Bantry F50 13:51.9
156 2:20:39 EVANS, Lauren Bantry AC F 14:03.7
157 2:26:14 O'LEARY, Fiona unatt/Bantry F 14:37.2
158 2:26:19 O'SULLIVAN, Gerard unatt/Killarney M 14:37.7
159 2:26:21 KAVANAGH-O'SULLIVAN, Mary unatt/Beara F50 14:37.9
160 2:26:58 HARRINGTON, Amy unatt/Bantry F 14:41.6
161 2:26:59 HARRINGTON, Tim unatt/Bantry M50 14:41.7
162 2:27:00 HARRINGTON, Nora unatt/Bantry F45 14:41.8
163 2:27:02 HARRINGTON, Lydia unatt/Bantry F 14:42.0
164 2:27:03 O'SHEA, Mary unatt/Bantry F40 14:42.1
165 2:27:04 O'BRIEN, Helen unatt/Bantry F35 14:42.2
166 2:27:58 O'SULLIVAN, Mairead unatt/Wexford F35 14:47.6
167 2:27:59 O'SHEA, Noreen unatt/Bantry F35 14:47.7
168 2:29:13 COOMBES, Margaret unatt/Skibbereen F50 14:55.1
169 2:29:15 CADOGAN, Marian unatt/Clonakilty F55 14:55.3
170 2:43:13 MURPHY, Megan unatt/Bantry F 16:19.1
171 2:43:16 MCCARTHY, Claire unatt/Bantry F 16:19.4
172 2:43:27 CRONIN, Sheila unatt/Bantry F45 16:20.5
173 2:43:31 O'MAHONY, Mary unatt/Blarney F 16:20.9
174 O'SHEA, Mary-Ann (waker) unatt/Beara F60
175 MCSWEENEY, Helen (walker) unatt/Macroom F40
176 MURPHY, Tony (walker) unatt/Bantry M 209
176 177 DUGGAN, Siobhan (walker) unatt/Killarney F60
178 O'SULLIVAN, Maura (walker) unatt/Beara F55
179 Unknown (walker)

WHEELCHAIR: FORDE, Jerry Blarney-Inniscarra AC M55 2:56:45

Results produced by John Walshe of Ballycotton Running Promotions.

Cork BHAA Cross Country Race - Sun 13th Feb 2011

Cork BHAA Cross Country Race (11am)....This 5 km race takes place in Beaumont Park in Blackrock, Cork City. It is the only cross country race on the BHAA calendar and last year, it attracted 116 runners which is well down on the usual numbers. For anyone new to the running scene, you might think that this cross country race will be a race with mud and dirt everywhere. The reality is that this is just a race on grass rather than on tarmac. If it's wet, it might be a bit slippy but otherwise, it's just like a normal race. As the ground is soft, you'll need to work a bit harder during the race so don't expect your time to be close to your 5 km time on the road.

Registration.....The sign on for this race is at the Cork Constitution Rugby grounds. The numbers are likely to be well down on a usual Cork BHAA race so queues shouldn't be a problem. As per usual, there will be 2 entry desks.....non-registered (€8) and registered (€5).

Cork Con.....If you are not sure where that is, click on this link and zoom in and out to get your bearings. As you can see from the map below, Beaumont Park is just across the road. The Yellow dots show how to get there.

Course......Basically, it is roughly 3 loops around the same course. See the map above. See A...the start and finish point are near here. For the very first lap, you head across towards E and then back towards B. Other than that, you basically follow the dots above.

A-B....slightly uphill & the ground is just short grass.

B-C...here you are running under trees on a rough path and grass. It is slightly downhill all the way so it's the most likely place you might trip if you are not careful. It can be a bit boggy half ways down.

C-D...this is mostly uphill running and it's slow going. The closer you get to D, the steeper it gets. In fact just before D, a lot of people will walk this. It's steep and you'd be forgiven for going down on all fours trying to get up it! As the ground gets cut up, it gets more difficult the 2nd and 3rd time around. The only thing though is that it's short...just watch your footing!

D-E...initially flat and then gradually downhill.

E-A...more or less flat.

Shoes...the obvious choice are proper cross country shoes but a lot of people won't have these. If the day is dry, you could probably get away with a pair of old runners. You would however have to watch the downhill sections and the sharp corners.

Preview of the Mealagh Valley 10 Mile Road Race, Bantry...Sun 13th Feb 2011

There are 2 races on next Sunday, the 13th of Feb. You have a choice of a 10 mile road race near Bantry in West Cork or the Cork BHAA Cross Country race in Beaumont, Blackrock in Cork City.

Preview of the Mealagh Valley 10 Mile Road Race...

First of all, the main thing is that you can still enter this race. Due to the narrow roads and restricted parking, the organisers had intended to set a limit of 300 runners. With that in mind, they were taking postal entries only. As of Wednesday, they had got almost 170 entries. They have decided now to take entries on the day up to 11:30am at the latest.

Getting there...

The Mealagh Valley is a secluded area a few kms to the north-east of Bantry in west Cork. If you are travelling from say near Cork City then you need to allow plenty of time to get to Bantry....say 1h 30m and then another 15 mins or so to get to the parking area.

The easiest way to get there is probably via Bandon....Enniskeane....Dunmanway....Drimoleague....Bantry.

Directions from Cork : When you arrive in Bantry, follow the road for Glengarriff to the outskirts of the town and past Caseys filling station. Take next right at Donemark bridge...

Once you turn off right, you stay on this narrow road for about 8 kms. Just keep going straight.
Directions from Kerry : As you approach the outskirts of Bantry, follow N71 passing the golf club on the right. Take the next left and follow road as above to race start and parking.

They will have special areas set aside for parking. Follow the stewards instructions on the day.

Please note! There is no need to go to the Community centre before the race. They will be taking entries at Cronin's Yard which is approx 50 metres from the start line. The entry fee is €15 and the last time for entries is 11:30am. If you have pre-entered then you can collect your race number at Cronin's Yard from 10am on. The race will start at 12 noon.

Map...Approach from Bantry (Red arrow)....Reg near Start....Community Hall near Finish

Course...
The Mealagh Valley is a lovely quiet scenic spot for a race. It does however come at a price in that the course is very hilly. It's certainly not a race to set a 10 mile PB but it should be considered as more of a challenge.

The start is on a narrow road as shown above. There is a slight climb before the road drops rapidly and then levels out. Soon it drops again and you reach the 1 mile mark. After that, you start to climb again and it seems to get steeper and steeper until the worst section just before the t-junction. It's probably no exaggeration to say that some people will walk this section!

The only way is up...

After that, the going is easier. There are plenty of small drags but nothing major. You pass the 5 mile mark...then the junction at the eastern most point of the course and head west for home.

You might think at this stage that since you are heading back down the valley, it might get easier. Dream on! You get to around 7 miles and there is another long hill. Nothing drastic but still slow going. Eventually, you get some fast downhill sections and you eventually turn left and retrace your footsteps from the start towards the finish line.

Overall.....probably the toughest 10 mile road race in the country but it's a great spot when the weather is nice. As the organisers say, it's got everything except flat sections ;o)

The race director is Geraldine O'Sullivan and she can be contacted on 087 6173376 if you have any questions.

The route can be seen in closer detail on MapMyRun

By the way...watch out for the plane in the field!

Photos from the 2010 race website HERE

Comedian Des Bishop launches Great Island 10 Mile Race...

Comedian Des Bishop was on hand to launch a charity event in Cobh for the Irish Cancer Society, a cause that is close to his heart, even though he had just received news that his father Michael had died. Des was appearing at the Cork Opera House and carried on like a true professional despite hearing the sad news. Michael Bishop had been suffering from lung cancer for some time.

Ros Crotty, Des Bishop and Sonya Murphy

The second annual ‘Great Island 10 Mile Road Race’ will take place on 17th April 2011 at 1pm. and once again it is being arranged for the benefit of the Irish Cancer Society and for Palliative Care in particular. Up to 500 runners ran through the streets and roads of Cobh and the Great Island last year raising €35,000. This year an even bigger entry is anticipated.

“There are few of us who have not been touched by the scourge of cancer and statistics suggest that very few of us are likely to escape completely”, Eamon Crotty of the organising committee said. “Palliative care is something none of us wants to experience but it is also something that has to be witnessed to be fully appreciated. It offers cancer sufferers the opportunity to spend their remaining time in the relative comfort of their own homes surrounded by those they care most about and ensuring the dignity and privacy that only a home can offer. It is impossible to put a price on such a service”.

The ‘Great Island 10 Mile Road Race’ will take place on the 17th April beginning at 1pm and a 5k walk will also take place at 12.30 pm on the same day for those less inclined to run. Sponsorship cards are available from sonyaomurphy@gmail.com and she can also be contacted on 0877904895.

60th Anniversary Dinner Dance for St.Finbarrs AC on Fri 25th Feb 2011

St.Finbarr's Athletic Club are one of the oldest clubs in Cork and this year, they are celebrating their 60th anniversary. The following was issued by the club...
St. Finbarr’s A.C. will hold its 60th Anniversary Dinner Dance and Awards presentation on Friday 25th February 2011 at 8pm in The Clarion Hotel, Lapps Quay, Cork. Tickets cost €40 each and are available from club committee members and John Buckley Sports on Camden Quay. Current and former members, family and friends of the BARRS are all welcome to attend. We very much look forward to seeing you on the night.

Contact details HERE

Some more Ultra-Running news...

For those of you that might be interested, I came across the following items...

Keith Whyte from Ennis to compete in Anglo Celtic Plate...

There was an article in a recent issue of the Irish Examiner about Keith Whyte of Clare Crusaders AC who is going to compete in the Anglo Cletic Plate 100 km race in Scotland in March. The piece can be found HERE

Race Report on the 24 Hour race by Mick Rice...

Following on from the earlier post about the four Athenry AC runners who  recently took part in a 24 hour race in Finland, Mick Rice has written up his own race report. Mick, who won the Connemara 100 mile last August and ran 2:44 in the Dublin Marathon last October was at the top of his game going into this event. His report really shows the demands such an endurance event places on the body. It makes for fascinating reading and just goes to show how even the best prepared plans can go awry. You can see it on Mick's blog HERE

News.....365 Marathons in 1 year / New race in Clon / Next weekend

Belgian runner sets Marathon record...
A Belgian runner has set a new world record by completing 365 marathon races in a year. Stefaan Engels, dubbed "Marathon Man", began his challenge in Belgium a year ago and has since run a marathon every day across seven countries. He crossed the finish line in the Spanish city of Barcelona after running 15,000km (9,569 miles) in a year.
"I don't regard my marathon year as torture. It is more like a regular job," the 49-year-old said.
He averaged about four hours to complete a marathon. He said his best time was 2 hours and 56 minutes.
Engels suffered from asthma as a child and had been told by doctors to avoid sport. Before Engels, the record marathon man was Akinori Kusuda of Japan - who ran 52 races in a row at the age of 65 in 2009.

New race in Clonakilty...
A new race has now been added to the Cork Race Calendar. This 10km race will take place in Clonakilty in late April. More details closer to the date.

Next weekend...
After a bit of a lull with local races, next weekend is going to be a busy one. You have a choice of a 10 mile race near Bantry, a BHAA cross country race in Cork City or if you live in East Cork, there is a 5 mile race in Waterford which might be of interest. More details later...

Results of the AAI National Intermediate & Masters Cross Country Championships...Sun 6th Feb 2011

The national Intermediate and Masters Cross Country Championships took place in Dublin on Sun 6th of Feb in what were very muddy conditions. See video below...


In the Intermediate Mens race, Michael Herlihy of North Cork AC finished in 2nd place. Michael is a former winner of the Cork City Marathon.

In the Womens Intermediate race, 4 of the top 10 women were from Cork...
Sinead O'Connor (Leevale AC)...3rd, Davina Fenton (St.Finbarrs A C) ...4th, Annette Quaid (Leevale AC)...5th and Niamh Walsh (Youghal AC)...6th. These fine performances helped Leevale AC take the 1st team prize and for Cork to finish 1st county.

In the Womens Masters race, Carmel Crowley of Bandon AC put in an outstanding performance to finish 2nd, just 2 seconds ahead of former Olympian Pauline Curley.

Other winners were Carmel Parnell of Leevale AC finishing first in the F55 section while Ann Donnelly of St.Finbarr's AC finished 1st in F50.

Results in PDF Format...
Intermediate Men....Intermediate Women...
Masters Men....Masters Women

Events this weekend / Derval O'Rourke in Austria...

Races this weekend....
This is one of the few quiet weekends in Cork with no races locally. There are however, 2 events in Kerry. On Saturday, there is a 10 k race in Killarney and on Sunday, there is an off road race near Castleisland. More details on the Runing in Munster website.

Derval O'Rourke...

On Thursday evening, Derval O'Rourke started off her indoor season by finishing a close second in the 60 metre hurdles in an international meeting in Linz in Austria. The winner on the night was the American Yvette Lewis in 8.11 seconds with Derval just behind in 8.16. She had won her heat earlier in the evening in 8.22 seconds.

From the Olympics Ireland website....."She has a best time of 7.84 seconds, clocked in 2006 when winning the World Indoor title in Moscow, but it’s still early season and she will be coming into championship form over the coming weeks.

After a spell of warm-weather training in South Africa, O’Rourke has more indoor races lined up in the coming weeks – intent on having a full indoor season, culminating with the European Indoor Championships in Paris, which take place from March 4th-6th. O’Rourke won bronze in Turin two years ago, in 7.97, and has gold in mind this time round."

For anyone interested, Derval has her own blog HERE

Talk about running by Christopher McDougall

This video clip is by Christopher McDougall, the author of the book Born to Run . This book looked at the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico and how they travel long distances by running. It also looked at barefoot running and ultra-running in general.

In this video from the TED conference, he covers some of those issues and puts forwards a theory as to why people are suited to running long distances. What might be of interest to most people is his thoughts on why distance running is more suited to women and older runners.