Back in 2008/2009, there were roughly 60 events per year. By 2012, that had gradually increased to about 90. In 2013 however, there as been a big jump. On obvious change has been the introduction of the 5k Park Run in Macroom every week. Even allowing for the 32 of them that took place in 2013, the remaining number for 2013 is about 125, a big change in a year.
So where did all of these new races come from? If you were to look back say ten years ago then the bulk of events were organised by the various athletic clubs, the Cork BHAA and Ballycotton Running Promotions. What has changed in more recent years are the number of events which are organised by others. These include commercial races, charity events, non-athletic clubs, schools, etc.
One noteable growth area in 2013 has been the number of 'fun runs' starting up. This was obvious elsewhere in Munster in 2012 and has now become more wisdespread in Cork in the last 12 months.
Numbers at races.....Despite the large increase in the number of events, there has been no real decline in numbers attending individual races. Many if not most seemed to be pretty steady compared to 2012. An example can be seen in the numbers attending the Churchtown South 5 and Ballycotton 5 last Summer.
Cork BHAA......Looking at the many results, the BHAA had another busy year with plenty of runners taking part in their series of races. They have a full calendar of their own races in 2013 and the process of getting results out in a few days was much improved. It's also worth pointing out that the BHAA races only cost €5 for registered runners, one of the cheapest entry fees anywhere in the country and that has the effect of moderating entry fees in the Cork region. You only have to look at races in Dublin and Leinster to see where €15 is considered 'cheap' for a local 5k.
Predictions for 2014........And what of the new year? What does it hold in store?
Prediction 1......I think we are likely to see the growth in 'fun runs' continue as more organisations look at it as a way to raise funds. Considering that the calendar is already very busy, it's hard to imagine that there won't be some clash of dates in 2014.
Prediction 2......With the introduction of a new 5k Park Run in Clonakilty in 2014, I think there will be around 200 events in Cork County in 2014. If that's the way it pans out then the question will be if there are enough runners to support that number of events?
Prediction 3......With prediction 2 in mind, I think some of the smaller races may struggle in 2014. The big races like the Ballycotton 10, Mallow 10, etc will carry on as before but it's the small races that don't have a lot of local support may be the ones to feel the pinch.
Blog Traffic.....Looking at hits on the blog, it's been another busy year.
The traffic to the website has continued at a high level in 2013 and it still remains by far, the largest running related website in Cork and Munster.
Credits for the year.....A long list! Thanks to all those of you who have contributed to the upkeep of the blog in 2013....be it by means of using the donate button on the right hand side of the blog or those of you who bought items on Amazon after clicking on links for the books and watches. Every item sold generates a small commission which keeps the site going.
.........and the most common question I get asked?.......It must take ages to keep the site updated?..........and yes, it does! One of the main reasons for the blog is to have all the results and information for races in one spot. I know from experience what it's like when information is scattered across various sites with each just promoting their own events. That's why I keep a race calendar for Munster on this website and an identical version on the Running in Munster site. There are other calendars out there but none are as accurate or cover the whole province......and believe me, it's a job in itself keeping it updated!
I'd also like to thank all those photographers who took the time to takes pictures and share them with all of the runners...........like Gearóid Ó Laoi, Kieran Minhane, Doug Minihane and Joe Murphy. I know from speaking to runners that photos are one thing they really like to see after a race. Apologies to any of the other photographers that I left out!
By the way, if anyone wants advice on how to put photos online but isn't sure how to do it then send me an e-mail.
And a final word of thanks to you the reader of this blog. For the comments that you have left during the year and the feedback that you have given on the various races.
New Years Resolutions........If there is one thing you might consider then it's to help out at a race. I have yet to hear any race organiser complain about the fact that they had too many race stewards on the day. Offer to help at one of the many local races, I'm sure they won't have any trouble finding a job for you. It's also a good way to see a race from the other side of the fence so to speak. You might be suprised to see just how much work is involved in putting on a high quality event.
Happy New Year!
which would be considered by many to be the bible of running books.
