Results of the Sheeps Head 10k...Sat 30th Mar 2013

A total of 169 people turned up for this year's Sheepshead 10k run in Ahakista, down a bit from the 181 of last year.

Place    Last Name    First Name     Gun Time    Chip Time
1    O'SHEA    ALAN 33:46    33:45    5:24/M    SM   
2    DULLEA    MICHAEL 34:45    34:44    5:34/M    SM   
3    GLAVEY    TIMMIE 35:24    35:23    5:40/M    SM   
13    HAYES    ORLA 40:25    40:23    6:28/M    F   
21    O'SHEA    GERALDINE 43:18    43:15    6:56/M    F40   
22    CLARKE    IMELDA 43:28    43:27    6:57/M    F45   

The full results can be seen HERE

Mardyke track to be renamed 'The Sonia O'Sullivan Track'...

Back in November of 2012, I had a post up about the re-development of the track at the Mardyke complex in Cork City. The official opening of the new track will now take place on Saturday, the 13th of April at 1pm with Sonia O'Sullivan doing the honours and it will be renamed The Sonia O'Sullivan Athletics Track. The opening is to coincide with the IUAA Track and Field Championships which takes place at the Mardyke venue on the 12th and 13th of April.

Sonia O'Sullivan is one of the greatest Irish athletes of all time having won a silver medal in the 5000m at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, a Gold medal in the 1995 World Championships, a Silver medal in the 1500m at the 1993 World Championships as well as three European Championship Gold medals and two World Cross-Country Championship Gold medals.

Irish International racewalker Colin Griffin laments the lack of Sports Council funding...

Just over a week ago, the Irish Sports council announced their list of grants to athletes for 2013. Of those listed, one notable exception was Irish international race walker Colin Griffin. This was despite the fact that Colin has already qualified for the 50 km race in the World Athletics Championships in Moscow next August.

In response to the lack of funding, Colin Griffin issued the following statement......
"The 2013 International Carding Scheme grants were announced today by the Irish Sports Council. Despite achieving the criteria for International Class and submitting my application, Athletics Ireland did not forward my application to the Irish Sports Council.

I achieved the criteria for International Class category of an IAAF ‘A’ Standard (4.02.00) in May 2012 at the World Race Walking Cup in Saransk where I finished 15th in a time of 3.52.54. This performance, at a time when I was not Carded, in a standard of competition identical to the World Championships or Olympic Games; was on merit the best performance of my career to date and demonstrated significant progress. Unfortunately at the Olympic Games 11 weeks later while on course for a similar top 16 performance and a significant PB, I was disqualified after receiving my third red card at 38km.

The manner in which my application was dealt with has been unfair. There has been no provision for or avenue open to me to appeal against that decision made solely by the AAI Performance Director, something unprecedented for any athlete, and despite requests for an independent ruling on my application which were largely ignored. In this manner my rights have been infringed and I have not been accorded due process.

I am currently one of only 3 Irish athletes that have qualified for this summer’s World Championships where I have achieved AAI’s tougher (than IAAF) A Standard time for the 50km walk. Now my ability to prepare for these championships and continue my international athletics career at this level is severely compromised.

Colin Griffin"

Recent piece in Sportsmail

In another recent interview, he was quoted as saying.....“It’s unprecedented because in the past if you met the criteria your application always went to the ISC and if they rejected it you would have the chance to appeal and have your case heard before the final decision was made. Had the Sports Council received it, rejected it and I was given the chance to appeal then fair enough I would have accepted that. But it’s the way it was done and the fact that I had to fight this case internally within Athletics Ireland that I’m disappointed with. There’s no shortage of money there. There’s extra staff being appointed and there are so many officials who get generous expenses. I just don’t think it has been channeled through in the right way. Training camps that were previously supported up until 2011 were vital, and it was no coincidence that when those training camps were supported in 2010, I was able to get sufficient technical support and feedback and I suffered no disqualification in competitions that year. Then you’ve officials going away to competitions who aren’t directly part of the management team. That’s a drain on resources which are supposed to be limited.”

“The athletes in the category I feel I’m entitled to are being offered €12k plus additional support so there is no way I’m able to train at the level required with that amount. “Competing at the World Championships would be very difficult at the moment as I’d have to support myself now it would mean putting more emphasis on my work. I never mix up my living expenses and my training expenses. It’s a case of priorities – I’m 31 as well this year. If I was ten years younger I might get away with it but not at this stage of my life. There’s only so much time I can devote to this and allow it to consume me. I will have to make a decision whether I can compete internationally this season and prepare properly by trying to commit without the necessary funding to do that. I wouldn’t want to go to the World Championships and risk a repeat of any previous disappointing results due to not being prepared. It’s a very disappointing situation and one that could have been avoided if the simple things were done properly.”

Colin Griffin has represented Ireland at the Beijing and London Olympics. He also coached Laura Reynolds to a top 20 finish in the womens 20km walk in the London Olympics.

Kerry...Results of the Good Friday Run - Fri 29th Mar 2013

Pl.    Name   Club/City/Country    Cat.    Subcat.    #    Net    Gross
1 Mark Hanrahan        John Buckley Sports     M     MS   (24:07)     24:07
2 James McCarthy        East Cork AC     M     MS  (24:29)     24:29
3 Cian Murphy        Iveragh     M     MS   (26:30)     26:30
10 Laura Crowe        An Riocht     F     FS  (27:50)     27:50
20 Angela McCann        Clonmel AC     F     F40  (29:48)     29:49
32 Nollaig O Neill             F     F40  (31:12)     31:12

The full results can be found HERE

T-Shirt Sponsors for the Ballintotis 4 mile road race...

The organisers of the Ballintotis 4 mile road race have just announced their sponsors for the t-shirts for this years event...

The photo above shows John Walshe and Tony Mulcahy of A.C.S Air Conditioning and Refrigeration and Susan and Ray Fitzgerald, make a presentation of this year's Ballintotis '4' t-shirts to race directors Seanie Murphy and John Cashman.

The Ballintotis 4 mile road race is coming up in East Cork on Thursday the 18th of April and it is always one of the most popular races in the Cork region. More details in an earlier post.

Usain Bolt to make £500,000 in London Anniversary Games...

On the 26th and 27th of July this year, the London Anniversary Games looks like it is going to attract some of the biggest names in world athletics. Amongst those taking part is Usain Bolt who is reported to be making £500,000 tax free for two races. Other big names taking part will be 800m gold medalist David Rudisha, 5000m and 10000m Olympic champion Mo Farah, Heptathlon gold medalist Jessica Ennis and Bolt's training partner and Olympic silver medalist Yohan Blake. It does look however very unlikely that the Blake and Bolt  will race each other.

Bolt is said to have avoided competitions in the Britain in the past as the UK tax laws would have meant that he would liable for endorsement earnings as well. Last February, the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne granted a one off tax exemption for overseas athletes taking part in the anniversary games so that the best fields could be assembled.

The Anniversary games are expected to attract sell-out 80,000 crowds when tickets go on sale at the end of April for what will be the last athletics event to be held in the Olympic stadium before it is converted into a multi-use, 54,000-seat venue with West Ham FC as the anchor tenant.

More information can be found HERE

Preview of the Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 mile road race...Mon 1st Apr 2013

The Jack O'Keeffe 4 mile road race is coming up in North-West Cork on Easter Monday, the 1st of April.

This 4 mile road race starts in Boherbue and finishes in the village of Kiskeam. As you can see from the map below, it's a central location for a lot of people...i.e. N Cork, Mid and N Kerry, W Limerick.

This map below shows the exact location on the R577 road....

 If you are coming from the direction of Mallow then take the N72 road to Killarney and turn off right at this junction...

Follow this road to Boherbue and you'll see the Co-Op store on the far side of the town where the race will start. Keep driving and 4 miles later, you'll see the entrance road to the local GAA grounds as you enter the outskirts of Kiskeam..

The race is being organised by Gneeveguilla AC, one of the largest athletic clubs in Kerry. The entry fee is €15 on the day and there is a huge array of prizes on offer. These are usually in the form of vouchers for the Supervalue store in Boherbue and are pretty generous. The prize for the first man and woman is €300 each.

Plenty of parking available at race HQ in Kiskeam

 As this is a point to point race, there will be a bus available to take runners to the start line in Boherbue. If you are going as part of a group in a few cars then it might be as well to arrange your own transport......leaving one car in Kiskeam and drive back to Boherbue.

Note that the race starts at 3pm. It would be advisable to arrive in plenty of time to allow for the bus transport, especially if it has to make more than one trip.

As far as I know, a cotton T-shirt will be given to all finishers at the end of the race.

There will be the usual refreshments of tea, coffee, sandwiches, etc afterwards as well.

A full preview of the course can be seen HERE

Prizes......again a reminder......if you win a prize then make sure you spend it in Boherbue before you drive home.

Reminder about Bandon Half-Marathon entries...

Just a reminder that the closing date for the cheapest entries for the Bandon Half-Marathon and 10k is the 31st of March.

Entries......
10k.....Up to the 31st of March, the entry fee is €12. After that, it goes up to €15 and the entry fee on the day is €20.

Half-Marathon...Up to the 31st of March, the entry fee is €20. After that, it goes up to €25 and the entry fee on the day is €30.

The Bandon Half-Marathon is on the morning of Saturday, the 11th of May. More details in an earlier post.

Photos of the World Cross Country Championships...Sun 24th Mar 2013

As most of you will know, the World Cross Country Championships were held last Sunday in Bydgoszcz, Poland. In the womens competition, Fionnuala Britton was the top European finisher while the Irish team were the top European team.

Joe Murphy of Eagle AC made the long trip to Poland and took some great photos. You can see the slideshow HERE

Cork Marathon prices going up on the 1st of April...

Just a quick reminder that the entry fees for the Cork City Marathon, Half-Marathon and Relay are going up on the 1st of April...

If you have decided to do one of the events then you should enter asap. More details in an earlier post.

6k race series in Clonmel, Co.Tipp

For anyone in South Tipp, this might be of interest. Clonmel AC are organising a 6k race series during the month of April. The format takes the form of guessing your finish time, running without a watch and then getting so many points for the difference between your estimated time and your finishing time.

There is a free 6k run coming up on Wednesday, the 27th of March. This is allow people to run with a watch and see what their time actually is.

More details on the Running in Munster website.

Some photos of the Douglas 5k...Sat 23rd Mar 2013

This 5k was held last Saturday in the Tramore Valley Park in Cork City and attracted a field of 149 runners.

Some photos can be seen HERE

Ronan Kennelly of Douglas Lions Club also passed on the following message......"We are very appreciative of all the help we received  from the BHAA officials who gave their time on a voluntary basis. We would also like to thank Sky Windows as a sponsor and Robert Kennedy for his help with the posters and forms."

The next 5k coming up in the Tramore Valley Park is on April the 27th and is being organised by the Cork City Marathon. Details in another post.

Results of the Munster Masters Road Championships...Sun 24th Mar 2013

The Munster Masters Road Championships were held in Moyglass, Co.Tipperary on Sunday, the 24th of March 2013.

The Cork county teams did especially well taking 1st in the mens O35 and 3rd in the mens O50 section.

The Cork womens teams made a clean sweep of it taking Gold in the O35 and O45 categories.

Men O35 Team County...
1 Cork (1, 2, 6, 8, 12, 17) 46.....2 Tipperary (7, 9, 11, 14, 19, 22) 82.....3 Limerick (13, 15, 18, 29, 33, 57) 165
Men O50 Team County...
1 Clare (36, 64, 68, 76) 244.....2 Tipperary (47, 77, 80, 87) 291.....3 Cork (59,75, 79, 81) 294

Women O35 Team County...
1 Cork (4, 5, 6, 7) 22.....2 Clare (2, 8, 14, 18) 42.....3 Tipperary (1, 9, 27, 35) 72
Women O45 Team County...
1 Cork (12, 13, 21) 46.....2 Clare (8, 23, 24) 55.....3 Waterford (19, 29, 30) 78

The full results can be seen HERE

Turkish athletes suspected of failing drugs tests...

Last Friday, the Guardian newspaper had an article about how Turkish female athlete Cakir Alptekin faces a ban from the sport after blood 'abnormalities' were discovered during testing of her biological passport. Alptekin is the current Olympic champion at 1500m.

Nevin Yanit

In the same article, it says......"Also under suspicion by the IAAF is the European 100m hurdles champion, Nevin Yanit, 27, who finished fifth in the final at London 2012. Yanit, also Turkish, won gold in Helsinki last year and also triumphed at the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg earlier this month."

Now where this gets interesting is that Derval O'Rourke finished 4th in that final in Gothenburg at the start of March. If Yanit was found to be cheating then she could be stripped of her Gold medal which would move Derval up into bronze. Obviously it's early days yet and there will no doubt be re-tests and appeals but if you read the article in the Guardian then it's obvious that Turkish athletics isn't exactly squeaky clean.

Irish team finish 5th in the World X-Country Championships in Poland

The Irish Womens team finished an impressive 5th in the World Cross Country Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland (Sun 24th March 2013).

Not only was Fionnuala Britton the leading European runner in 14th place but the Irish team was also the leading European team.

In a competition that was always going to be dominated by African runners, the Kenyan and Ethiopian teams took first and second place respectively. The team 'from' Bahrain took third but to be honest, it's a bit of a joke in that it was completely made up of Kenyan and Ethiopian runners. The USA were fourth but should have by rights, finished third.

POS     TEAM     COUNTRY     MARK
1     Kenya     Kenya     19 (1,5,6,7)
2     Ethiopia     Ethiopia     48 (2,3,15,28)
3     Bahrain     Bahrain     73 (4,8,20,41)
4     United States     United States     90 (13,21,26,30)
5     Ireland     Ireland     115 (14,27,32,42)
6     France     France     122 (16,33,35,38)
7     Great Britain  Great Britain      154 (31,37,40,46)
8     Canada     Canada     167 (24,25,58,60)
9     Spain     Spain     183
10     Uganda     Uganda     188
11     Poland     Poland     256
12     Japan     Japan     278
13     Brazil     Brazil     298
14     South Africa     South Africa     305
15     Australia     Australia     344



There were some great Irish performances in there but the two that stood out for me were Linda Byrne who finished within two seconds of the top British finisher Gemma Steel and Ava Hutchinson who was just 10 seconds behind Linda.

POS    BIB    ATHLETE    COUNTRY    MARK    DETAIL (Some of the 96 finishers with the Irish, British, French and US finishers shown) (Top 4 to score)
     1     Emily CHEBET    KEN     24:24   
     2     Hiwot AYALEW    ETH     24:27   
     3     Belaynesh OLJIRA    ETH     24:33   
     13     Neely SPENCE    USA     25:08   
     14     Fionnuala BRITTON    IRL     25:08   
     16     Sophie DUARTE    FRA     25:17   
     21     Emily INFELD    USA     25:27   
     26     Mattie SUVER    USA     25:41   
     27     Mary CULLEN    IRL     25:42   
     30     Kim CONLEY    USA     25:45   
     31     Gemma STEEL    GBR     25:47   
     32     Linda BYRNE    IRL     25:49   
     33     Laurane PICOCHE    FRA     25:50   
     34     Deena KASTOR    USA     25:52   
     35     Christelle DAUNAY    FRA     25:53   
     37     Louise DAMEN    GBR     25:55   
     38     Christine BARDELLE    FRA     25:56   
     40     Stephanie TWELL    GBR     25:58   
     42     Ava HUTCHINSON    IRL     25:59   
     45     Clémence CALVIN    FRA     26:03   
     46     Eleanor BAKER    GBR     26:04   
     47     Delilah DI CRESCENZO    USA     26:05   
     48     Lauren HOWARTH    GBR     26:05   
     65     Emily WICKS    GBR     26:48   
     70     Elizabeth LEE    IRL     26:55   
     96     Namakando NAMAKANDO    ZAM     31:27

In the post race analysis on RTE, it was said that Fionnuala Britton should have concentrated on Cross Country races only in the build up to this race and to have ignored doing the European Indoor championships. It might be true if this was the main race of the year but was it? Everyone expected the African runners to dominate all of the medals at this event regardless of who else turned up. Should she have spent the last few months concentrating on just Cross Country and getting a top 10 finish or should she have run indoors as she did and won a bronze medal in the 3000m indoors at the European Championships in Sweden? I think most people would pick the second option.

Results of the Douglas 5k run...Sat 23rd March 2013

A total of 149 people turned out for the inaugural Douglas 5k run in the Tramore Valley Park in Cork City on Saturday, the 23rd of March.

RACE NO. NAME POSITION TIME
1 Rory O'Sullivan 16:40
2 Patrick Roche 16:51
3 Don Healy 16:58
13 Niamh Roe 18:59
22 Shiela Buckley 20:13
23 Ann Marie Healy 20:25

The full results can be seen HERE

Preview of the Douglas 5k run...Sat 23rd Mar 2013

This main event coming up in Cork this weekend is the Douglas 5k run which takes place in the Tramore Valley Park in Cork City. A few weeks ago, there was the Operation Transformation 5k in the park and it attracted a huge number of people who ran, jogged and walked the route.

The entrance fee is €10 and proceeds for the event goes towards Douglas Lions Club and the underage section of Douglas Rugby Club.

It is also being sponsored by Cork City Council.

Please note that there is no right hand turn into the park from the South Link Road. See course preview map below...

From the organisers......Entries open at 1PM and will close at 2PM.  There is plenty of parking in the venue with steward on-site from early morning.  There is pedestrian access via Half Moon Lane off the South Douglas Road.  Refreshments and prize giving in marquee afterwards.  There will be a manned baggage drop at the Lions club van.

As you can see from the map above, access to the park is from the South Link Link. The course is basically two laps of a 2.5 km course. There are a few small pulls along the course but nothing serious. Most of the route would be regarded as pretty flat and fast.

Entries will be taken on the day beforehand with the run itself starting at 2:30pm. Fruit and water will be available post race.

Any questions about the event can be directed to douglasrun2013@gmail.com

Tramore Valley Park is located on the southside of Cork City near the Ring Road

Irish Sports Council announce 2013 Athletics grants

The Irish Sports Council have just announced their grants to athletes for 2013. This time around, Rob Heffernan is the only person to secure the maximum €40,000 grant while Derval O'Rourke drops down to €12,000.

2013 Funding
€40,000 - Podium : Robert Heffernan Athletics
€20,000 - World Class : Ciaran O'Lionard Athletics, Deirdre Ryan, Fionnuala Britton
€12,000 - International : Brendan Boyce, Tori Pena, Derval O'Rourke, Linda Byrne, Mark Kenneally, Brian Gregan, Laura Reynolds, Ava Hutchinson, Caitriona Jennings, Jessie Barr

2012 Funding
€40,000 – Podium: Olive Loughnane, Derval O'Rourke, Robert Heffernan, David Gillick
€20,000 - World Class: Ciaran O'Lionard, Deirdre Ryan, Fionnuala Britton, Paul Hession
€12,000 - International: Alistair Cragg, Stephanie Reilly, Linda Byrne, Mark Kenneally, Brendan Boyce, Joe Sweeney, Ciara Mageean, Joanne Cuddihy, Ava Hutchison

Race notice...Bandon Half-Marathon and 10k - Sat 11th May 2012

This Half-Marathon and 10k road race is coming up in the town of Bandon in West Cork on Saturday, the 11th of May 2012. The Half-Marathon will start at 9:30am while the 10k will start 45 minutes later at 10:15am.

Considering it's relatively close proximity to Cork City, it is likely to attract a good sized field. Bandon is just 20 miles (31 kms) to the south-west of Cork City which is roughly a 35 minute drive....

Both race routes are on roads to the west of the town. The races have AAI approval and will be chip timed over an officially measured course. Bandon Athletic Club are currently fund raising for the construction of an all weather running track in the town which would be of huge benefit to the West Cork community.

Entries......

10k.....Up to the 31st of March, the entry fee is €12. After that, it goes up to €15 and the entry fee on the day is €20.

Half-Marathon...Up to the 31st of March, the entry fee is €20. After that, it goes up to €25 and the entry fee on the day is €30.

You can enter by post by downloading the entry form in PDF format HERE

You can enter online HERE

More information on the race on the race website...http://www.bandonhalfmarathon.com

More info in future posts... 

Race notice...Ballintotis 4 mile road race - Thurs 18th Apr 2013

After a long dark winter, the summer road racing season kicks off on the 18th of April with the Ballintotis 4 mile road race in East Cork. Located just to the west of Castlemartyr, it always attracts a huge crowd. In 2012, they got over 700 runners and I'm sure that the organisers will be hoping for another bumper crowd this year again.

Statement from the race organisers.....
BALLINTOTIS LOOKS FORWARD TO 4 MILE RACE ON APRIL 18th

With just 5 weeks to go preparations are continuing at pace in Ballintotis as the local community looks forward to welcoming the running fraternity to their 4 Mile Race on Thursday April 18th

There should be a great buzz of activity in the area as the local Community Council Race Committee have again joined forces with East Cork AC and Ballycotton Running Promotions to host what promises to be a memorable sporting and social occasion.

In the heart of this vibrant community there are now 3 major focal points - St Colman’s Church, the local National School and of course the new Community Centre. Regular visitors to Ballintotis over the past few years have seen the development of the new Centre.  All monies raised from the race have initially gone towards it’s construction and from now on will go towards enhancing it’s facilities and offsetting running costs.

The race setting is surely one of the most charming on the busy Cork circuit. It’s start and finish line border scenic Loughaderra Lake with the final mile of the course skirting this well known beauty spot. Participants should note that again this year early entries will be taken from 1pm on race day inside the Community Centre and this area will also be the venue for post race refreshments and prize giving.  Top prize on the night for both the first man and first lady across the line is a three night extended weekend break at Trabolgan Holiday Centre, whilst there are also some excellent runners up, placed and category prizes to be won.

Entry fee for the race is 10 euro and all taking part will receive a souvenir t shirt to mark their visit to Ballintotis.  There will also be plenty of spot prizes to be won on the night.

Incidentally, a new Fit4Life Club has also recently sprung up in the Ballintotis area with the moving of the race from nearby Castlemartyr in 2010 generating a huge interest in running amongst the locals. The new club members will officially launch this year’s race on Wednesday evening March 20th.

So, there is still time to get into training for the big race, get on those running shoes and enjoy the 2013 Ballintotis ‘4’ Miler on Thursday April 18th. Incidentally last year’s entry of almost 750 created a new high for a mid week ‘4’ mile road race in Cork.  “Be part of this year’s event” - More information from 086-8778182 or on www.ballintotis.com 

A preview of the course can be seen HERE

Five Greatest Irish Runners in Villanova history...

For decades, many Irish athletes have gone to Villanova college in the US to get a university education. In fact, Irish athletes were so synonymous with Villanova that it was called the 'Irish Pipeline'.

In conjunction with St.Patrick's Day last weekend, Villanova University had an article on their blog titled 'The Five Greatest Irish Runners in Villanova History'. With several decades worth of athletes to choose from, they finally decided on the top 5.

The five picked were Sonia O'Sullivan, Eamonn Coghlan, Marcus O'Sullivan, Ronnie Delaney and John Hartnett.

The article can be seen HERE

Results of the Mallow 10 mile road race...Mon 18th Mar 2013

Conditions were almost perfect for this years Mallow 10 mile road race in North Cork with nearly 900 runners taking part.

The 95 minute pacers in action around mile 8....Photo courtesy of Doug Minihane

In the mens race, West Waterford AC made a clean sweep of it taking the top 3 spots while in the womens race, Fiona  Roche of Raheny Shamrock AC set a new course record with a time of 56:53.
This knocked 1:47 off the previous Ladies record of 58:40 set by club mate Annette Kealy in 2011, earning her a EUR 500 bonus.

PositionNumberTime Name Club M/F Category
1 51:23 HARTY, Philip WESTWATERFORD MS
2 51:57 BRALITIS, Sandis WEST WATERFORD AC MS
3 53:53 ZAKIS, Raivis WEST WATERFORD AC MS
4 54:32 MEADE, John ST. FINBARR'S A.C. MS
5 54:38 SMITH, Danny BALLYNONTY AC MS

PositionNumberTime Name Club M/F Category
1 56:53 ROCHE, Fiona RAHENY SHAMROCKS FS
2 59:53 MC CANN, Angela N/A Clonmel, F40
3 1:00:41 CURLEY, Anne DONORE HARRIERS F40
4 1:04:28 DORIS, Anna MIDLETON A.C F40
5 1:05:09 SWEENEY, Mary ST. FINBARRS AC F50

Provisional results for the moment HERE

Photos...(Updated 20th Mar @2:30pm)
1) Doug Minihane has loads of photos HERE 
2) Darren O'Brien Photography has a large gallery on Facebook HERE

Results of the Ballydehob 10k run...Sun 17th Mar 2013

There seems to have been a big drop in numbers this year for the annual Ballydehob 10k road race. In the last two years, they got 205 in 2011 and 235 in 2012. This year, it has dropped to 146.

Place    Last Name    First Name     Gun Time    Pace    Category
1    O' DONNABHAIN    CATHAL  33:26    5:21/M    SM
2    MINTERN    CHRIS  35:09    5:37/M    JM
3    DULLEA    MICK  35:37    5:42/M    M
29    HEALY    ANN MARIE  44:11    7:04/M    F35
36    DUKELOW    FIONA  46:45    7:29/M    F35
43    O BRIEN    JULIE  48:12    7:43/M    SF

The full results can be seen HERE

Results of the Ballinhassig 4 mile road race - Sun 17th Mar 2013

 This 4 mile road race which was organised by Rising Sun AC was held on Sunday, the 17th of March 2013.

1    20:38    O'DONOGHUE, Tim    East Cork AC    M
2    21:19    WAUGH, George    Bandon AC    M
3    22:07    WOODS, Trevor    St. Finbarrs AC    M40
14    25:19    KENNY, Michelle    Midleton AC    F
27    26:01    KILTY, Caroline    Eagle AC    F
33    26:42    DINAN, Margo    St. Finbarrs AC    F45

The full results can be found HERE

Irish racewalkers in action in Lugano, Switzerland...Sun 17th Mar 2013

A number of Irish athletes were in action on Sunday in the 20 km race at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Lugano, Switzerland.

In a field where 81 competitors finished, all of the Irish athletes finished in the top half with Rob Heffernan finishing 10th. Bredan Boyce who is based in Cork finished 35th while Cian McManamon from Co.Mayo finished 37th.

Lugano Trophy 2013 - (1) 20km maschile / Men

 posto nome                            anno naz squadra                                 tempo   ritardo    pett     media
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1. Wang Zhen                       1991 CHN PR CHINA                              1:19.08     -----   (101)      3.57
    2. Dmytrenko Ruslan                1986 UKR UKRAINE                               1:20.38      1.30   (119)      4.01
    3. Campion Kévin                   1988 FRA AFA FEYZIN-VENISSIEUX                 1:21.02      1.54   (183)      4.03
    4. Kovalenko Nazar                 1987 UKR UKRAINE                               1:21.10      2.02   (118)      4.03
    5. Palma Olivares Isaac Antonio    1990 MEX MEXICO                                1:21.13      2.05   (113)      4.03
    6. Nowak Lukasz                    1988 POL POLSKA                                1:21.17      2.09   (125)      4.03
    7. Xu Faguang                      1987 CHN PR CHINA                              1:21.35      2.27   (103)      4.04
    8. Gomez Cruz Pedro Daniel         1990 MEX MEXICO                                1:21.38      2.30   (114)      4.04
    9. Losev Ivan                      1986 UKR UKRAINE                               1:21.55      2.47   (120)      4.05
   10. Heffernan Robert                1978 IRL IRELAND                               1:21.59      2.51   (115)      4.05
   35. Boyce Brendan                   1986 IRL LETTERKENNY                           1:27.20      8.12   (116)      4.22
   37. McManamon Cian                  1991 IRL IRELAND                               1:27.35      8.27   (117)      4.22

Results format....Finishing time...Time behind winner...Race Number...Avg time per km

Interview with Fionnula Britton on RTE's Saturday Night Show

A short interview with Fionnuala Britton on RTE's Saturday Night Show can now be seen on their Player service.

It starts at 29:13 and lasts until 36:10. Click HERE

Preview of the Mallow 10 mile road race - Mon 18th March 2013

The main race next weekend in Cork is of course the Mallow 10 mile road race next Monday. Entries for this closed some time back and there are no entries on the day.

Race headquarters is at the Mallow Youth Centre. Please note that as the race numbers were already posted out, there is no need to go there before the race. The race itself starts at 12:30pm.

The thing to remember with the Mallow race is that there are 3 main points in the town that you will be using...

A.....This is the location of the Youth Centre. Post race prizes, refreshments, etc will be here.

B......This is the START. It's about 1 mile from the Youth Centre so allow yourself time to get there.

C.....This is the FINISH. It's a short walk back to the Youth Centre.

Getting to the Youth Centre..........If you are coming from Cork City, then turn right at the main roundabout on the main N20 road and drive into the town. Keep going STRAIGHT.....shown above as Davis Street. You need to look out for the statue on the left....see pic below...

Turn left here and head up the hill. As it flattens out, you'll see a shopping centre on your right and then the road takes a sharp left. After this, the Youth Centre is just down there on the right. Parking is available in three different car parks within 250 metres of the centre. Just follow the race stewards directions on the day.

Pacers....The Mallow race will have a larger spread of pacers this year. They start at 60 minutes and go up in 5 minute steps to 95 minutes.


Headphones / MP3 Players / iPods / etc.....As the roads are not closed, all of these devices are
banned!

Water Stations....Water on course at mile 4 and 7 and at the finish...to be confirmed...

Previous posts......
1) Full course preview HERE
2) Mallow 10 entry list....HERE
3) Buff headgear...HERE

Race notice...Douglas 5k Run - Sat 23rd Mar 2013

Even though the new Tramore Valley Park is not yet open to the public, we can see that a number of events are going to be held there this year. Considering it's central location, ease of access and the fact that there is no traffic to be concerned about then it's likely to become even more popular.

A few weeks ago, there was the Operation Transformation 5k in the park and it attracted a huge number of people who ran, jogged and walked the route.

The next event to be held there is the Douglas 5k run. Organised by Douglas Lions Club in conjunction with Douglas Rugby Club, it is coming up on Saturday, the 23rd of March at 2:30pm.

The entrance fee is €10 and proceeds for the event goes towards Douglas Lions Club and the underage section of Douglas Rugby Club.

It is also being sponsored by Cork City Council.

As you can see from the map above, access to the park is from the South Link Link. The rough outline of the course is shown in green and is basically two 2.5 km loops.

More details closer to the event...

Race notice...Jack O'Keeffe 4 mile road race - Mon 1st Apr 2013

Looking ahead to some more races coming up in the near future, this one might be of interest to anyone west or north of Cork City, in Kerry or south and west Limerick. The Jack O'Keeffe 4 mile road race is in North-West Cork on Easter Monday, the 1st of April.

This 4 mile road race starts in Boherbue and finishes in the village of Kiskeam. As you can see from the map below, it's a central location for a lot of people...

The race is being organised by Gneeveguilla AC, one of the largest athletic clubs in Kerry. The entry fee is €15 on the day and there is a huge array of prizes on offer. These are usually in the form of vouchers for a local co-op and are pretty generous.

There will be the usual refreshments of tea. coffee. sandwiches, etc afterwards as well. More details closer to the date.

Official and Final Ballycotton 10 results are now out...

The official and final results for this year's Ballycotton 10 are now out. They can be seen HERE

The organisers also issued the following statement...
"2013 BALLYCOTTON ‘10’ OFFICIAL RESULTS
The results are now on the website and show a total of 2,602 finishers, similar to last year. Sergiu Ciobanu’s time has been corrected to 49:18, a two second improvement on 2012. Also, after East Cork were originally declared the team winners, a check-back found that Raheny were first although both clubs finished on the same points total. 

Maria McCambridge’s time of 55:01 was only 13 seconds outside the course record she set last year and she can now claim the two fastest times in a race which has been won in the past by likes of Sonia O’Sullivan, Marian Sutton and Karen MacLeod.

There was one category course best; Joan Coyle’s 81:29 knocking over two minutes from Catherine O’Regan’s F65 time.

Unfortunately, a small number of finishers don’t have a chip time but with all such timing systems a certain percentage aren't picked up at the start so therefore don't get a chip time, only a gun time. However, the gun time is always the one recognised for official purposes.

Anyone wishing to see their five-mile splits can do so on the Precision Timing website by just clicking on their name in the results.

Despite our warnings, a tiny minority still persist in transferring numbers – all we’ll say is that we have already been in touch with some of the culprits and further action may follow.

Finally, the traditional result booklet will be out after the weekend and anyone requesting a copy can do so from the contact in the race programme. The booklet will also be freely available at local races over the coming weeks..........Ballycotton Running Promotions"

The old provisional results show 2597 finishers so they have obviously found a few more along the way. Intriguing enough, three of the results that were provisional have now been replaced by question marks. The names matching the numbers can still be seen in the provisional results.

They are 2417, 455 and 1919.

Race notice...Castleisland 10 mile road race - Sun 21st Apr 2013

There are two 10 mile road races coming up on the 21st of April in Munster. As covered in a previous post, the Great Island 10 mile race in Cobh should be of interest to runners from Cork City, East Cork and West Waterford.

The second race is the Castleisland 10 mile road race in Co.Kerry which should attract runners from the Kingdom, NW Cork and W Limerick.

The online entry fee is €20 (€20.80 incl. charges). More details on the Running in Munster website.

Mallow 10 Entry List...

As most of you will well know, the Mallow 10 mile road race is coming up next Monday, the 18th of March.

The organisers have now released a list of entries. You can see them HERE

Results of the Cork BHAA Board Gais 5k race...Sun 10th Mar 2013

Pos Name Cat Prize Time Company Team
1 John Meade 16:00 Joyce Wolfe Physiotherapy
2 Wieslaw Sosnowski 0/40A 16:05 Sosnowski
3 Danny Smith 16:36 Team Adidas
38 Michelle Kenny 19:09 Dept of Education 
40 Carmel Parnell 0/55 19:17 Cork Shops
70 Elaine Guinane 0/35 20:30 Dept of Education 

The full results can be found HERE

Race notice...Great Island 10 mile road race - Sun 21st Apr 2013

Following the Mallow 10, the next big 10 mile road race in Cork is the Great Island 10 in Cobh. Starting at 10:30am on Sunday, the 21st of April 2013, this race is sure to attract a large turnout. Last year, they got 604 runners, up from the 394 in 2011.

In the last three years, this race has raised €78,000 for the Irish Cancer Society. You can enter online HERE or by post for €18. It costs €20 on the day.

The race website is HERE.

There is also a 5k fun run and walk on the day for those not up to a 10 mile run. There is no entry fee but you are expected to take a sponsorship card.

A preview of the 10 mile course can be seen HERE

Photos of the Cork BHAA Bord Gais 5k race - Sun 10th Mar 2013

Conditions were a bit on the damp side for this one. The full results should be out soon. In the meantime, here are some photos from Doug Minihane...HERE

Results of the Munster Senior and Novice Road Race Championships - Sun 10th Mar 2013

The Munster Senior and Novice Road Race Championships were held in Newtownshandrum in North Cork on Sunday, the 10th of March.

In the Senior mens race, East Cork AC made it a 1-2 with the club also taking the first team prize. The Cork team also took gold.

Senior Men...1 James McCarthy East Cork Cork / 2 Tim O’Donoghue East Cork Cork / 3 Michael Maher Ennis Track Clare
Team Points...1 East Cork 1, 2, 6, 12 21 / 2 Ennis Track 3, 8, 13, 20 44 / 3 Limerick AC 15, 23, 27, 29 94
County Team Points...1 Cork (1, 2, 6, 7, 12, 18) 46 / 2 Clare (3, 5, 8, 9, 13, 17) 55 / 3 Limerick (10, 11, 15, 19, 23, 32) 110

In the Novice race, West Limerick AC were the first team while Cork won the Novice title.

Novice Men...1 Tim O’Donoghue East Cork Cork / 2 Niall O’Callaghan West Limerick Limerick / 3 Julio Cesear F Castro Kilmurry Ibrickane/N. Clare Clare
Club Team Points...1 West Limerick (2, 7, 22, 29) 60 / 2 St. Finbarr's (9, 16, 27, 28) 80 / 3 Ennis Track (11, 18, 20, 32) 81
County Team Points...1 Cork (1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 14) 43, 2 Limerick (2, 7, 8, 13, 17, 21) 68, 3 Clare (3, 6, 11, 15, 18, 19) 72

In the womens Senior race, Lizzie Lee took the title comfortably leading the Cork Senior team to a silver medal. In the novice section, Anna Doris of Midleton AC took the title helping the club take first team prize as well as the Cork county team to take gold as well.

Senior Women...1 Lizzie Lee Leevale Cork, 2 Angela McCann Clonmel Tipperary, 3 Maria McCarthy Farranfore Main Valley Kerry
Club Team Points...1 Farranfore Main Valley (3, 8, 12, 29) 52, 2 Midleton (6, 14, 17, 19) 56, 3 Ennis Track (5, 15, 18, 20) 58
County Team Points...1 Kerry (3, 4, 8, 9) 24, 2 Cork (1, 6, 7, 14) 28, 3 Clare (5, 15, 18, 20) 58

Novice Women...1 Anna Doris Midleton Cork, 2 Denise Twohig St. Finbarr's Cork, 3 Caitriona Barry Farranfore Main Valley Kerry
Club Team Points...1 Midleton (1, 7, 15, 19) 42, 2 Ennis Track (8, 16, 21, 22) 67, 3 West Limerick (9, 14, 23, 24) 70
County Team Points...1 Cork (1, 2, 7, 10) 202,  Kerry (3, 4, 6, 11) 24, 3 Clare (8, 16, 21, 22) 67

The full results can be seen HERE 

Photos...
1) Gearoid O Laoi has a gallery of photos HERE

Map for the Munster Senior and Novice Road Race Championships...

The Munster Senior and Novice Road Race championships will be held in Newtownshandrum in North Cork.

Organised by North Cork AC, the mens and womens races will be run over a 4 mile route at 1pm. As you can see from the map above, Newtownshandrum is located just a few miles west of Charleville.