Cork Marathon...Locations, Expo, buses, info...Big Post!

Here is some additional info with regards to the Cork City Marahton.......we'll start off with details for those of you not from Cork and just show you where everything is.....

Getting to the City Centre...There will be major traffic restrictions throughout the city on Bank Holiday Monday, but the general advice is to use the city’s Ring and Link roads when possible. You can drive into the city centre but allow plenty of time. Contra-flows will operate in the Jack Lynch Tunnel, on the South Ring Road to Mahon and on the South City Link.

Parking........As you might expect, a major event like a Marathon will result in a lot of road closures. There is plenty of parking areas within the city but if you are coming from outside Cork then using the Black Ash Park & Ride might be the easiest option.

When you arrive in Cork from say Kerry or from Waterford / Dublin, you will end up on the South Link Road. At the Kinsale Road roundabout......which has a flyrover.......you will see signposts for the city centre. The Black Ash Park & Ride facility is just off this and is well signposted.

The Park & Ride service from the Black Ash centre, on the South City Link (N27), into the city centre will operate every 10 minutes from 07.30 to 19.15. The service costs €5 for the day. Participants and spectators are urged to use this facility and leave your car outside the city centre. The bus will bring you into the centre, a minute’s walk from the City Hall and a few minute’s walk from the marathon start line.

This is a map showing the city centre. As you can see, the Park & Ride bus stops on Lapp's Quay....just across the river from the City Hall. It only takes a few minutes to walk from the City Hall to the start / finish line on Patricks Street (Maylor St is the most direct route....narrow rd).

Registration......Registration is at Cork City Hall on Saturday 4th (11am-6pm) and Sunday 5th (12-6pm) June. If I get more info on the expo, I'll post them...

Race Day – Monday 6th June.......Changing Facilities......On race day, the City Hall and the Millennium Hall (same area) will be available for changing and leaving your bag for later collection. All bags must have a label (available in the halls) with your race number clearly written on it. Please do not leave valuables in the halls. The halls are open from c. 7.30am to 5pm.

Buses......Buses will go to the three outlying relay changeover points.
Relay Changeover Point  FIRST Bus       LAST Bus
Silversprings                            08.00   08.30
Ringmahon Road                      09.45   11.00
Model Farm Road                     10.30   13.30
The Half Marathon starts on the Ringmahon Road at 11.30am. Access to the start area is from Skehard Road only. Parking is very restricted and there are extensive road closures in the area, so buses will be provided from City Hall to the Skehard Road. You can also use the relay buses for Ringmahon but priority will be given to relay participants. The first bus leaves City Hall at 10am and last half-marathon bus will leave City Hall at 10.45 sharp. The bus journey is approx. 20mins and will drop you opposite the CSO on Skehard Road, five minutes walk from the starting area at the east end of Skehard Road.

Timing Chips........Each full and half-marathon participant will wear a timing chip on their shoe. For the relay, the team member who will cross the finish line wears the chip on his/her shoe. They’re using a disposable ChampionChip timing system that you fasten to your shoe lace.

Start Line.......The marathon and team relay start in the city centre at 9am on St Patrick’s Street. The wheelchair marathon sets out a few minutes before that. The start area will be zoned into your predicted time for the race – please respect these zones. For safety and comfort, walkers in particular are advised to start towards the back of the field.

Finish Line.........All three events finish on St Patrick’s Street. At the Finish Line, there will be a commercial photographer snapping everyone who crosses. You’ll be able to buy these photos shortly after race day. There will also be a video at the finish line.

Medals..........Everyone who finishes gets a medal. The marathon and half-marathon medals will be given immediately after the finish line. The finishing relay member must go to City Hall to collect their team’s medals.

Course Time Limit & Roads......The course time limit is 6 hours for the marathon and relay and 3.5 hours for the half marathon. After that, the Gardaí may ask you to move onto the footpaths but the finish line will stay in place for 7 hours.
All competitors should note that while most of the course is closed to traffic, there will be traffic on two main roads: the Wilton Road and the Carrigrohane Road. In both cases, the Gardaí will operate a stop/go system for traffic to give you priority to cross the road to traffic-free lanes. Although all other roads are officially closed to traffic, please remember that essential traffic will be guided through the course by the Gardaí and that there is always the possibility of traffic straying onto the course inadvertently.
The Jack Lynch Tunnel is a critical link in the city’s traffic network. If you haven’t reached the tunnel by 11.30am, you will not be permitted through it.

Toilets...........There will be portable toilets at the start area, on St Patrick’s Street, at the start of the half marathon and just before each of the Relay Changeover points.