2015 Sports Capital Programme open until Fri 24th April

This might be of interest to some athletic clubs.

Back in July of 2014, I had a post up about how only €800 out of €4.2 million in sports grants in Cork went to athletics. That €800 in question went to Ballymore Cobh AC.

As some people pointed out, a lot of athletic clubs don't have their own facilities and can't avail of these grants. However, plenty of other athletic clubs elsewhere in the country managed to get substantial grants so it's obviously not the case that all clubs in Cork couldn't avail of a grant with the exception of one.

The Sports Capital Programme (SCP) is operated by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and provides grants to assist in the development of sports facilities and the provision of sports equipment. The 2015 Sports Capital Programme is open for applications until the deadline for applications...5pm on Friday 24 April 2015. Registrations will close at 5pm on Friday 10 April 2015.

If you think your club might be able to avail of a grant then go to https://www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie/

History of the Castlemartyr 4 mile race...by John Walshe

The Ballintotis 4 mile road race is coming up near the town of Castlemartyr in East Cork on Thursday the 16th of April 2015. More info in this earlier post.

This is a relatively new race which was first run in 2010 and it has its origins in the annual Castlemartyr 4 mile road race which was first held back in 1986.

In the following article, John Walshe of Ballycotton Running Promotions outlines the history of the race which has traditionally marked the start of the summer season of evening road races in Cork.

CASTLEMARTYR ROAD RACE HISTORY...by John Walshe
With the Ballintotis four-mile road race just two weeks away, this might be an opportune time to have a look back at the event which preceded Ballintotis, the Castlemartyr race over the same distance held for the first time on Thursday April 17th, 1986.

The race was organised by the then newly-formed East Cork AC and Castlemartyr in mid-April would herald the start of the spring and summer races for the next 23 years. Numbers taking part over that near quarter-of-a-century show an average of 108 runners per race, a far cry from the 1,000 or so expected this year on April 16th.

The biggest race was the final one in Castlemartyr in 2009 which had 217 finishers. The following year of 2010, East Cork AC – in conjunction with Ballintotis Community Council – moved the short distance to the picturesque lakeside setting. The numbers that year jumped to 435 and the phenomenal increase since can be seen from last year’s total of 996 finishers.

A nostalgic photograph which recently surfaced shows what the start of a typical road race was like 20 to 30 years ago. It is of the fourth Castlemartyr race, held on Thursday April 20th, 1989. The race started on the main street, as can be seen from the old entrance to the Carmelite College (now Castlemartyr Resort) in the background. The route turned right over the bridge on to the Ladysbridge road for almost a mile, then a left around Dower before re-joining the main N25 Youghal road just before three miles with the finish on the roadway outside the national school.

Just 81 runners took part that night, with victory going to Liam O’Brien of the promoting club in 19:25, eight seconds ahead of his team-mate, John Kearney. Tony Ryan from Dungarvan was third in 19:37. It is worth noting that 41 of the 81 finishers broke 24 minutes with only 10 runners slower than eight-minute pace (32:00).

Liam O'Brien on his way to victory in the 1989 Castlemartyr 4 mile. Photo: Donal O'Rourke

The serious intent of those taking part can be seen from their posture on the starting line, in particular the track stance of Liam O’Brien (fifth from left) who had in the previous five years represented Ireland at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles and World T&F Championships in Rome.

The man on the left with the gun held high in the air is the legendary starter Dan McCarthy who will once again be setting a much bigger number on their way in two weeks time.

Along with Liam O’Brien, some of the other runners on the front line include Eric Meade, Tony Ryan, Mary Sheehan, Denis McCarthy, George Walsh, Marion Lyons, Eamonn McEvoy (who, along with Denis McCarthy and John Walshe, ran all 24 Castlemartyr races), John Delaney, Tom Hartnett, Joe Murphy, Michael Roche, Pat Kerrigan, John Kearney, Paul Mulholland, Willie Griffin, Bryan Meade and Tom Owens.

* Sincere acknowledgments are due to Castlemartyr native Pat Walsh who provided the start line picture taken by local man Donal O’Rourke on that night in 1989 and also to Denis McCarthy of Ballynoe from whose meticulous collection of athletics material the full result sheet was obtained.

Results & Photos of the Cork BHAA UCC 10k road race...Sun 29th Mar 2015

The annual Cork BHAA UCC 10k road race was held on the Lee Road/Straight Road circuit on Sunday the 29th of March 2015.

1 Eric Curran M1 00:32:31 UCC Student
2 Chris Harrington M2 00:32:38 Chris Harrington Construction
3 John Meade M3 00:32:40 Joyce Wolfe Physio M-A-1
30 Karina Teehan 0/35H F1 00:38:38 Joyce Wolfe Physio
99 Mary Dennehy 0/35H F2 00:42:42 Murphys Rock F-A-1
106 Cloada McMarrow 00:43:01 Temp Reg

The full results are up on the Cork BHAA website HERE

Photos...
1) Irene Hartigan of UCC has a gallery HERE

Photos...(Facebook account required to view)
1) Joe Murphy has a gallery of photos HERE

Results of the Cloyne Commons 4km road race...Sun 29th Mar 2015

A total of 175 runners turned out for this 4k race in Cloyne on Sunday the 29th of March 2015

1 13:47    SHEEHAN, Nigel    Youghal AC    M    05:32.6
2 13:53    MCKEOWN, Kieran    Watergrasshill AC    M40    05:35.0
3 14:00    O'KEEFFE, Marty    Youghal AC    M45    05:37.8
8 14:59    QUAID, Annette    Leevale AC    F35    06:01.6
18 16:28    GILROY, Helen    Midleton AC    F45    06:37.4
20 16:45    LEAHY, Eileen    Midleton AC    F    06:44.2

The full results can be seen HERE

Update : Someone asked about overall results for the series. There are none as the overall winners were worked out on a points system.

Results of the Baltydaniel NS 5k in Doneraile Park...Sat 28th Mar 2015

This 5k in Doneraile Park attracted a large field of runners, joggers and walkers.

1 17:11 GILEECE, Kevin 3D TRI CLUB M 00:05:33
2 17:15 BYRNE, Rob M 00:05:34
3 18:32 O'FLATHEARTAIGH, Naoise BANDON AC M 00:05:59
11 20:28 SWEENEY, Mary ST FINBARRS AC F 00:06:36
22 21:25 FOX, Maire 3D TRI CLUB F 00:06:55
30 22:16    FENTON, Cora        F    00:07:11

The full results can be seen HERE

Photos...
1) North Cork AC have some photos HERE 
2) Klickapic Photography has loads HERE 

Video of the start of the race from North Cork AC...

Races in Cork this weekend...Sat 28th & Sun 29th Mar 2015

There are a number of races in Cork this weekend so there is plenty to choose from...

Cork...Sat 28th (9:30am)...Macroom 5k parkrun...€free...Castle Demense...
Cork...Sat 28th (9:30am)...Clonakilty 5k parkrun...€free...Showgrounds...
Cork...Sat 28th (9:30am)...Bere Island 5k parkrun...€free...Beara Peninsula...
Kerry...Sat 28th (9:30am)...Tralee 5k parkrun...€free...Tralee Town Park...CANCELLED
Cork...Sat 28th (11am)...Doneraile Park 5k race...€7...

Cork...Sun 29th (9:30am)...Cloyne Commons 4k...€4...
Cork...Sun 29th (11am)...Cork BHAA UCC 10k road race...€5 reg/€8 non-reg...Straight Rd/Lee Rd...
Cork...Sun 29th (11am)...Gaeilscoil de HÍde 5k fun run/walk...€7...

As always, there is a more complete list of events in Cork and Munster on the race calendar.

Cork City Marathon entries go up by €10 on the 31st of March

Just a reminder about the closing date for the early bird entries for the Cork City Marathon, Half-Marathon and Relay is the 31st of March.

After the 31st, the entry fees go up by €10. If you've decided to do one of the events then you should enter asap to avail of the cheapest prices.

The early bird prices are €65 for the marathon, €42 for the half and €97 for the relay.

More details about how to enter, previews of the course, etc in this earlier post.

Launch of the Munster Ladies Mini-Marthon in Mallow...

There was a race launch recently in the Corkman Newspaper offices for the Munster Ladies Mini-Marathon which is coming up on Sunday the 3rd of May in Mallow, N.Cork.

All proceeds from the event are going to the following charities...Cope Foundation, Irish Cancer Society, St.Josephs Foundation, Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association, Friends of Mallow Hospital and the Mercy Hospital. Promoted by Duhallow AC.

The course is a 7km loop which starts and finishes at Mallow GAA complex.

More info on the race website... http://munsterladiesminimarathon.com/

The Facebook page for the race is HERE

You can enter online at http://registration.precisiontiming.net/events/preview?id=141&EventNAme=Munster_Ladie%27s_Charity_Mini_Marathon

Members of Duhallow AC at the recent launch

Athletics Ireland announce 2015 grants for Irish athletes...

Athletics Ireland has just released a list of athletes who qualify for grants from the Irish Sports Council for 2015.

The selected athletes are...
Robert Heffernan Podium (€40k)...(2014 = €40k, 2013 = €40k, 2012 = €40k).
Fionnuala Britton World Class (€20k)....(2014 = €20k, 2013 = €20k, 2012 = €20k)
Ciarán Ó Lionáird World Class (€20K)...(2014 = €12k, 2013 = €20k, 2012 = €20k).
Mark English World Class (€20K)...(2014 = €12k, 2013 = €0k, 2012 = €0k).
Paul Robinson World Class (€20K)...(2014 = €12k, 2013 = €0k, 2012 = €0k).
Thomas Barr World Class (€20k)...(2014 = €0k, 2013 = €0k, 2012 = €0k)
Brian Gregan International (€12K)...(2014 = €12k, 2013 = €12k, 2012 = €0k).
Laura Reynolds International (€12K)...(2014 = €12k, 2013 = €12k, 2012 = €0k).
Brendan Boyce International (€12K)...(2014 = €12k, 2013 = €12k, 2012 = €12k)
Alex Wright International (€12k)...(Recently declared for Ireland having represented Britain before).

Those who got grants in 2014 and will get nothing in 2015 are...Jessie Barr (400m hurdles), Rose-Anne Galligan (800m) and Derval O'Rourke (now retired).

In 2014, one person got €40k, one got €20k and nine got €12k.
In 2015, it's one €40k, five €20k and four €12k.


As you can see above, this is a marked increase with 5 now on €20k as opposed to just one last year.

Considering that Rob Heffernan is the current 50km race walking world champion, he was always guaranteed to get the maximum amount.
Fionnuala Britton won the European Cross Country Championhips in 2011 and 2012 as well as finishing 3rd in the European Indoor 3000m in Sweden in 2013. She also led the Irish team to a team Bronze at the European Cross Country Championships last December.
Ciarán Ó Lionáird was cut last year from €20k to €12k despite winning a bronze medal in the 3000m at the European Indoor Championships in March 2013. He now moves back up to €20k.
Mark English who won a Silver medal in the 800m at the recent European Indoor Championships moves up to €20k also.
2014 was a breakthrough year for both Paul Robinson and Thomas Barr as they improved their performance times significantly. They both move up to €20k.

One of those who got a grant for €12k was racewalker Brendan Boyce. At a recent 50k race in the Slovak Republic, he finished just behind Rob Heffernan for a new PB. If he can put in a performance like that in a major championships then he should be another one on track for an increase next year.

Previous posts...
2014 grants
2013 grants
2012 grants
2011 grants

NIKE sponsor drugs cheat Justin Gatlin

Justin Gatlin of the USA is one of the world's top sprinters with a personal best of 9.77 seconds for 100m. He is however a controversial character having twice been banned for drug offences.....for amphetamines in 2001  and for testosterone in 2006.

The news that he has been given a sponsorship deal by NIKE has been greeted by dismay by many in the athletics community.

Paula Radcliffe in her twitter posted the following........“I am very disappointed to hear this news. I don’t believe it truly reflects the core values of the Nike that I am proud to represent, nor the integrity and the ideals of the people I work with on a daily basis.”

Athletics Weekly have an article on it HERE .....and they ask how can a company like NIKE sponsor a known drugs cheat like Gatlin and yet drop someone like Jo Pavey who won the 10000m at the European Championships last year aged 41.

Rob Heffernan moves one step closer to an Olympic Bronze medal

At the Olympics in London in August of 2012, Sergei Kirdyapkin won the Gold medal in the 50km walk. Rob Heffernan finished 4th in the same event.

Kirdyapkin was subsequently found to have been doping so the Russian Anti-Doping Agency RUSADA announced back in January of 2015 that he would be banned for three years and two months from 15.10.2012, with the cancellation of the results of the July 20, 2009 - September 20, 2009, June 29, 2010 - August 29, 2010 December 17, 2011 - June 11, 2012.

Needless to say, the Russians were cherry picking the ban dates so that he could keep his medals which is a farce.

It was announced yesterday that the IAAF...the governing body for international athletics...were not accepting this and they have filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.

If that appeal is upheld then the Russian should be stripped of his Gold and Rob Heffernan will be upgraded to Bronze.

Sports journalist Ian O'Riordan has an article in the Irish Times about it HERE

Marathon Club Ireland featured on Irish TV

Marathon Club Ireland (MCI) as the name suggest is a club for marathon runners in Ireland. They were established in 2010 and currently have about 200 members from all over the country.

There was a recent 24 minute long feature on Irish TV about the club and a recent marathon held in Westmeath.

Programme description........"This week’s Westmeath County Matters looks at the work of Marathon Club Ireland who recently held an event at Lilliput Adventure Centre outside Mullingar. We chat to the Chairperson and PRO of Marathon Club Ireland about how the club came about; We meet David and Sandra of Team Kerr, whose son is confined to a wheelchair, and they explain how marathons have become a family occasion with the purchase of a very special chair; Several runners aged from 68-78 talk to us about what marathons bring to their lives; and we speak with Eimear Hurley, who was a finalist in RTE’s ‘Fittest Family’, about her experiences in Lilliput."

If you have any interest in running marathons then I think you'll find it of interest. You find it HERE

Michal Kapral...The World's Fastest Joggler

I came across this story recently about a Canadian runner named Michal Kapral. His claim to fame is that he is the World's Fastest Joggler.........i.e. someone that runs while juggling three balls. His Guinness World Record time for this feat in the marathon is an amazing 2h 50m 12s!

Just imagine how hard that must be? First off, running a 2:50 marathon..........and then actually juggling three balls while running 6:30 min/mile pace! For the record, he only dropped it twice out of approx 32,000 catches over the 26.2 mile course.

He also holds the world record for 'Joggling' in the Half-Marathon. His time here was 1h 20m 40s.........or 6:10 min/mile pace!

Pretty amazing when you think about it.

You can see a clip of him in action below...

Notice...Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 mile road race - Mon 6th Apr 2015

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 6th of April 2015.

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 in N.Cork, W.Limerick & E.Kerry...

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.

Preview.......A full preview of the course with directions, maps, photos, etc can be seen HERE

Medal Holders from Kerry Signature Furniture

Someone sent me an e-mail about these this morning. A company called Kerry Signature Furniture is making wooden medal holders that might be of interest to someone who likes to display the medals they collect.

They can be personalised with name, date and time. The generic ones are €15 each and the personalised ones are €20. Shipping costs are €6.50.

Other than that, I don't really know anything about them or what the quality is like. For €20-25 though, it's not exactly a big investment.

If you're interested, see their website... http://www.kerrysignaturefurniture.ie/personalised-gifts

Reminder...Great Island 4m & 10m race, Cobh - Sun 12th April 2015

Now that the Mallow 10 mile is out of the way, the next big 10 mile race coming up in Cork is the Great Island 10 on Sunday the 12th of April 2015. There was a photo shoot recently in Fota with Rob Heffernan who was on hand to endorse the upcoming event.

From the organisers......We had great fun with sporting legend Rob Heffernan last Friday for our photocall in Fota and are delighted another one of Cork's Sports Stars are supporting our event on April 12th. ‘It’s fantastic to see a local running event go from strength to strength with runners from all over Ireland descending on the seaside town of Cobh for the 6th time this year, in what has become a major event on the running calendar in Cork, a great course, great challenge and all for a great cause’

As well as the usual 10 mile race, there is a properly measured 4 mile race this year as well which will suit runners and walkers who prefer the shorter distance.

More info including details on how to enter, course previews, etc in this race notice.

Results & Photos of the Mallow 10 mile road race - Sun 22nd Mar 2015

The weather conditions for the Mallow 10 this year were almost perfect...dry, mild with a very light wind. It may have been a little too warm at times early on with the sunshine but it clouded over later which made things a lot more comfortable.

This was also the first year of the 'new' course. In reality, it was much the same as previous years except the start and finish points had changed. This resulted in a short downhill start with an extra climb up from the river. Overall, I thought it didn't have much impact in terms of times and I think it was about as hard as last year. Some people have compared the course to Ballycotton and said it was easier? I thought overall, they're both about the same....some small hills but nothing much.

Top 10 men and women...

1 Martin Fagan        Mullingar Harriers    M 48:28
2 Mark Hanrahan        Leevale    M 49:53
3 Alan O Shea        Bantry AC    M 51:13
4 Trevor Power        Waterford AC    M 52:47
5 Colin Merritt        Carrig Na Bhfear    M 53:32
6 John Meade        St Finbarr's AC    M 54:19
7 Brian Murphy.        Iveragh AC    M 54:39
8 Brian Hegarty        Leevale AC    M 55:21
9 John O'connell            M 55:49
10 Michael Morgan        St Finbarrs    M 55:57

1 Michelle Finn        Leevale AC    F 56:29
2 Laoise Ní Thuama            F 1:02:50
3 Nollaigh O Neill        Leevale    F    F40 1:03:28
4 Anne Curley        Donore Harriers    F    F40 1:04:01
5 Carol Finn        Leevale ac    F 1:04:13
6 Angela Mccann        Clonmel    F    F40 1:04:22
7 Joan Ennis        Grange Fermoy    F    F50 1:05:35
8 Niamh Cronin        St. Finbarrs    F    F35 1:06:16
9 Adele Walsh        St. Senan's AC    F    F35 1:06:23
10 Clotilde Fitzgibbon        Grange Fermoy AC    F    F45 1:07:02

The results on the race website are here... https://mallowtenmile.wordpress.com/results/2015-results/

This is where the final official results will go once the corrections are done.

The provisional results can be seen on the Precision Timing website HERE
Contact them if you see any errors.
Update......Several people are shown with an English address which is an error. Precision Timing are working on this at present.

Photos...(Updated Mon 11pm)
1) Mick Dooley of Eagle AC has a gallery of 32 photos HERE
2) Kieran Minihane has a gallery of photos HERE 
3) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE
 and another near the 8.5 mile mark HERE and No.3 HERE

Photos on Facebook...Account required to view
1) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a video of the start of the race HERE

Mallow 10 forecast...

Looking good for the Mallow 10. This is the satellite view at 8am this morning. Some fog in the valleys which should burn off. Otherwise, blue skies. High pressure to south so any winds are very light.

Rob Heffernan & Brendan Boyce qualify for the 2015 World Championships in China

A number of Irish international race walkers were in action today (15th March 2015) at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge Permit Meeting in Dudince in the Slovak Republic.

Brendan Boyce & Rob Heffernan

In the mens 50km walk, Rob Heffernan and Brendan Boyce finished in 4th and 5th place respectively. Their times were also inside the 3h 55m qualifying time for the World Championships in Beijing in August of this year.

 This was also a new personal best time for Brendan Boyce, beating his previous best of 3:51:34 which he set at the European Championships in Zurich last year. It was also one of his best finishing positions, just 11 seconds behind the current World Champion Rob Heffernan whereas in the past, he would have been well behind Rob.

In the 20km walk, Alex Wright finished in  5th place in 1:27:56, outside the qualifying standard of 1:23:30 for the World Championships.

Entries for the Great Railway Run filling up...

I just got a notification from the organisers of the Great Railway Run that the number of entries has already exceeded last years figure and there is still a month to go. They are looking into the possibility of capping the numbers for safety reasons as they can only handle so many.

The two messages that they would like to convey are...
1) If you are interested in doing the 25km, 10km or 5km then enter as soon as possible.

2) They are also looking for volunteers to help out on the day. Proceeds go towards the local Carrigaline Lions Club.

More info about the race can be found in this earlier post.

A preview of the course can be seen at http://munsterraceroutes.blogspot.ie/2013/01/cork048.html

The website for the race is http://www.thegreatrailwayrun.com/grrHome.php

Looking ahead to the Mallow 10 race next Sunday 22nd Mar 2015

Just a quick look ahead to the Mallow 10 mile road race next Sunday the 22nd of March 2015.

Weather......The current forecast is that it will be a mild dry day with a gentle breeze from the south-west. Should be a mixture of clouds and sunshine. Conditions should be pretty good for running fast times although it may feel a little warm if there is a lot of sunshine. It's forecast to be about 10-12 deg C.

Almost certainly, you shouldn't be wearing layers of clothes. At the recent Ballycotton 10 race, it was obvious from the photos that some of the newer slower runners were wearing way too much. Full length leggings and jackets are a no-no. If you wear just enough so that you feel slightly cold at the start line then that's about right.

As you can see from the map above, the course is much the same as last year except that that start line is closer to race HQ while the finish line is further away.

The map below shows where everything is.....

You can find maps and a preview of the course here... http://munsterraceroutes.blogspot.ie/2013/01/cork002.html

All the info about pacers, chip timing, etc is up on the race website... http://mallowtenmile.wordpress.com/

New Interfirm league in Kerry & comparing it to Cork & Dublin

In Cork and Dublin the Business Houses Athletic Association (BHAA) operate successful inter-firm race leagues which attract a huge number of runners. A new inter-firm series has now been announced for Co.Kerry.

First off, a quick look at the BHAA in Cork and Dublin.
 
Cork BHAA....It costs €10 to register with them for the year and then registered runners pay €5 per race with non-reg runners paying €8. All in all, very good value.

BHAA....The BHAA in Dublin charge €15 to register for the year. Registered runners pay €10 per race while non-reg pay €15. Obviously not as good as the Cork BHAA rates but cheaper than many of the other races in the Dublin area.

Both the BHAA and Cork BHAA are independent of Athletics Ireland although many of the people in the BHAA may well be members of athletic clubs as well.

Kerry...The new inter-firm league in Kerry is different in that it is organised by the Kerry County Athletics Board in partnership with Run the Kingdom, a commercial company which operates the Tralee Marathon as well as as several other races in the North Kerry area.

It will cost €15 to register for this new Kerry league and for each race, registered runners pay €10  while non-reg pay €20. Companies can pay an annual registration fee of €500 that will entitle their employees to avail of a discounted rate of €5 per race.

This is the provisional calendar...
Tralee Inter-Firms 10K - Wed. 22nd April - 7.30pm
Dingle Inter-Firms 5k - Wed – 13th May - 8.00pm
Listowel Inter-Firm 4 miles - Fri. 19th June - 8.00pm
Cahersiveen Inter-Firms 4 miles - Wed. 8th July - 8.00pm
Killarney Inter-Firms 5 miles - Wed. 29th July - 8.00pm
Kenmare Inter-Firms 5K - Wed. 12th August - 8.00pm
Killorglin Inter-Firms 5K - Sun. 27th September - 9.00.am
Tralee Inter-Firms 10K  - Sat. 4th October - 10.30am

Some points......
1) It just goes to show what good value the Cork BHAA races are! €5 for registered runners per race, just half of what it is in Dublin and Kerry. For that you get a proper road race with results and usually refreshments after the race.

2) The Kerry races are on a par with the prices with the Dublin prices although the entry fee for non-reg runners is expensive at €20.

3) It might be worth mentioning that the leagues in Cork and Dublin are in large population centres and hold most of their races near each city. The events in Kerry are spread out over the county and the population density is lower. I'm not sure if there will be many runners traveling from say North Kerry all the way down to Cahersiveen for a race or vice versa?

4) On the plus side, there aren't that many races in South Kerry.....Kenmare, Caherciveen, Killorglin......so it might encourage more activity in that area?

Thoughts....??

Update on the Mallow 10 mile road race...Sun 22nd Mar 2015

The race website for the Mallow 10 mile road race coming up next Sunday has now been updated with all the latest info.


Some of the key points are...
The race will start at 12:30 sharp
The race will be using chip timing. There will be a start gantry this year so your time starts once you cross the line, not when the gun goes off.
Pacers at 5 minutes intervials from 60 minutes to 90 minutes
2 Water Stations (bottles) on the course (3.5miles and 7 miles aprox)

For all the info, go to http://mallowtenmile.wordpress.com/ and read down through the posts.

You can find a preview of the course here.. http://munsterraceroutes.blogspot.ie/2013/01/cork002.html

Remember, no entries on the day. The race hit the limit of 1500 places a few weeks back. 

Update on the Ballintotis race from the organisers...

re Ballintotis Road Race

A technical problem developed with our web site www.ballintotis.com for a brief period last week. As a result it has come to our notice that some people had difficulty in accessing on line entry.
This problem was subsequently quickly sorted - but should anybody still experience any further problems - PLEASE PRESS THE REFRESH SYMBOL.
Sorry for any inconvenience.

On line entry remains open until Monday April 13th.

Many Thanks

====================

More info about the race in this earlier post.

Results of the MMRA Bweeng Trail Race...Sun 15th Mar 2015

A total of 43 runners turned out for this trail race near Bweeng in Co.Cork on Sunday the 15th of March 2015.

1 Mike Cunningham M50    0:39:29 Mooreabbey ... Limerick
2 Tom Blackburn M40    0:40:06 Mooreabbey ... Limerick
3 James Slowey M    0:40:36 Cork
9 Annette Quaid F    0:46:12 Cork
17 Ide Kelleher F40 0:49:45 Mallow AC Cork
20 Joan Ryan F40    0:51:17 Mallow AC    Cork

The full results can be seen HERE

Photos....
1) The organisers have a number of galleries...1...2...3...4...

Results of the Jog4Jamie 4 mile fun run in Kilbrittain - Sun 15th Mar 2015

This charity 4 mile run was held in Kilbrittain on Sunday 15th March 2015. Between runners and walkers, about 500 people took part.

1 Denis Ryan    23.53
2 Paddy Murphy    24.07
3 Paul Holland    24.15
29 Claire Sutton    29.14
34 Ann McCarthy    29.23
40 Theresa Barnett    29.56

Results HERE

Photos...
1) The organisers have galleries HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE

Start...

Woman pulled out of race for running too slow

The annual Spen 20 mile road race in Yorkshire, England was held last Sunday the 16th of March and attracted a field of about 300 runners. As such, it's a pretty low key event and wouldn't get much media attention except for the fact that a slow runner was told that she would have to withdraw from a race.

The race was organised by Spenborough & District AC and started off with one lap of local athletics track. The runner below #185 is Netty Edwards and was one of the last to leave.

At the one mile mile, she was doing about 15 minute per mile pace which would have given a finish time of about 5 hours. In a conversation with the organisers just after that point, she was told that she would have to reach the halfway point of 10 miles in 2 hours if she wanted to continue....i.e. 12 min/mile pace. The organisers reason for this was that they said they couldn't expect race stewards to stay out on the course for 5 hours when 4 hours would usually be the norm.

As it was obvious that she wouldn't make that deadline, she returned to the start and was given a refund of her entry fee. The story might have rested there except for the fact that Netty mentioned it on social media and it went viral!

It may well have petered out at that stage except that someone in the club weighed in with this on Facebook......."I think this is an issue that needs to be raised at the next committee meeting however I stand by what I said one complaint out of 300+ satisfied runners is a 100% record. Perhaps we should notify other race organisers about this person so she won't do our race again or any other races"

This of course just made the situation a whole lot worse as it now seemed that not only was the club removing a runner from the course from being too slow but now they wanted to organise a boycott of that runner as well.

Needless to say, there was a huge backlash against the club for that comment left by a club member. They finally came out with a statement after being in the eye of a media storm for two days.

Maybe if it was 20 or more years ago, someone like Netty doing 15 min mile pace would have been the exception and any complaints would not be seen.

Today, there are a lot of runners especially women who are running in the 11-14 min/mile region who can identify with problems encountered by some slower runners in long distance races and these are encountered here in Ireland....
Examples......
Race stewards gone from junctions
Water stations empty and gels gone
T-shirts given out at the end of a race are gone or aren't a suitable size.
Water / Goodie bags at the end are gone.

After all the hype has died down, there are probably a few lessons for a lot of race organisers from this....
1) If you are going to take money off someone for a race entry then treat them the same as the faster runners.
2) If you need to enforce a time limit then let people know in advance.
3) Think about what is said on social media and its consequences before anything is posted.

Some of the media sites where the story was carried.....
Womens Running
Athletics Weekly
The Guardian

Results & photo of the Cork County Novice & Masters Road Championships...Tues 17th Mar 2015

The annual Cork county Novice & Masters Road Championships were held in Midleton on Tuesday the 17th of March 2015. Organised by the Cork Athletics Board and hosted by Midleton AC, there were two separate races for men and women over a 4 mile circuit.

Conditions for the event were pretty much ideal...overcast and cool with just a gentle breeze. The numbers were up a bit on last year but it seemed to be mainly clubs from Cork City and East Cork making up the numbers. It probably has something to do with the location because there seemed to a complete absence of club runners from West Cork and from the North of the county. I presume if it was held in those areas then the clubs there would participate but there would be a drop in the numbers from East Cork and Cork City?

In the womens novice category, St.Finbarr's AC took Gold, well ahead of Midleton AC in second  and Eagle AC in 3rd. In the Womens Over 35 Masters which covers 35-44 year olds, St.Finbarr's were on top again, Midleton AC again were second and Eagle AC just behind in third. In the Womens Over 45 Masters, Midleton AC came out top this time to take Gold with St.Finbarrs taking Silver.

Members of Midleton AC before the race

In the Novice Mens category, Leevale AC come out on top, just ahead of St.Finbarr's AC in second . Youghal AC were 3rd here. In the Masters Men O35 Teams (35-49 year olds), St.Finbarr's AC took Gold ahead of Leevale AC this time. Eagle AC were 3rd. In the Masters Men O50 category, Leevale AC were top, Youghal AC were 2nd and Eagle AC were 3rd.

You can find the full results up on the Cork Athletics website HERE

Photos......(Updated Thurs 19th Mar @11am)
1) I have about 50 photos HERE
2) Mick Dooley of Eagle AC took a number of photos of the mens race and the womens race
3) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has 137 photos HERE 

Photos.....(Facebook account required to view)
1) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE and HERE

Lost item : A Black 'Hilly' sweatshirt was lost in the room in the Midleton Park hotel after the race. If someone picked it up by accident then let me know and I'll forward your details to the owner.

Members of Youghal AC before the race

Results of the Ballydehob 10k...Sun 15th Mar 2015

A total of 131 runners turned out for this 10k race in Ballydehob in West Cork.

1 John Collins M20-29 37:08.9
2 Michael Coakley    M20-29 37:20.6
3 Enda Fitzmaurice M30-39 38:05.9
15 Geraldine O’shea F40-49 43:37.2
16 Liz Barry F30-39 43:43.7
21 Aoife Coughlan    F20-29 45:51.7

The organisers have a set of provisional results up on their website HERE

The numbers seemed a bit low so I compared them to previous years...

Possibly it's a sign of how things have changed over the last few years? A few years back, a 10k race in Co.Cork might well be the only event on that weekend. Now, there are loads to choose from. For example, this weekend there were multiple 5k parkruns, at least 2 fun runs, an adventure race in Killarney and a half and full marathon in Tralee. It's a bit like the size of the pie is the same but the slices are getting thinner.

2015 Ballintotis 4 Mile Road Race launch at Castlemartyr Resort

As outlined in an earlier post, the Ballintotis 4 mile road race is coming up on Thursday the 16th of April 2015. The organisers held a race launch recently, here is their report...

The countdown is very much underway to this year’s Ballintotis ‘4’ Mile Road Race on April 16th after the event was launched in style in the plush surrounds of Castlemartyr Resort.  Guests were treated to healthy fruit skewers, granola bars and homemade smoothies prepared by head chef Kevin Burke.

Registration is now open for the race and participants can enter online at www.ballintotis.com until midnight on Monday April 13th. Thereafter participants may also enter in person on either Wednesday April 15th at Ballintotis Community Centre or at the same venue on race day from 1pm onwards. It is important to note that those who avail of on line option must also collect their race number in Ballintotis Community Centre on either Wednesday 15th or Thursday 16th April at the aforementioned times. Entry fee is €10 (plus administration fee if availing of the convenient on line entry).

This year’s race will feature a very generous list of prizes with individual prizes going to the top 6 men and top 6 women across the line. There are also 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in all categories and a host of spot prizes to be won. Both Castlemartyr Resort and Trabolgan Holiday Centre will sponsor the top prizes with Castlemartyr Resort offering a fantastic 1 year free membership of their magnificent Leisure Centre for the race winner and 1st female finisher. Thanks to the sponsorship of McCarthy & McGrath Auctioneers, Midleton each participant will also receive a free running buff.

The race is hosted annually as a fundraiser for the continued development and upkeep of the local Community Centre. It is a joint venture between Ballintotis Area Community Council and East Cork A.C with the help of Ballycotton Running Promotions. James McCarthy of the host club has a remarkable record in the event and will be bidding for a six in a row triumph in this year’s race.  Incidentally, 2015 will be the first occasion that the Ballintotis ‘4’ will feature chip timing, with a timing mat located at both the start and the finish line.

After attracting a record entry of 996 runners in 2014, it appears as if Ballintotis is set to again welcome a huge number of runners this year, for a race that has an 8pm start.  For those who might fancy something a little less taxing, the traditional ‘4’ Mile Walk will as usual begin at 6.30pm.  Again entry fee is 10 euro per person, but there is no online entry.

All queries concerning the Race and Walk should be directed to Race Directors -Sean Murphy and John Cashman on 086-8778182

Notice...Jog4Jamie 4 mile charity run - Sun 15th Mar 2015

Back in early December, there was a charity Santa Dash 5k race in Kinsale where some of the proceeds went towards the rehabilitation of GAA footballer Jamie Wall.

On Sunday, there is a 4 mile charity run in Kilbrittan to the south of Bandon. Details below....

On the morning of the race there will three designated parking areas, which will be clearly signposted and marshalled. Registration is in Kilbrittain Community Hall, located in the middle of the village, from where the race will start and finish. A bag drop facility is available in the Hall. On the morning of the race registration will open from 11am, with a race start time of 12 midday. 

There will be tea and sandwiches in the hall after the run and everyone is guaranteed a warm welcome. Registration fees are: €10 for individuals, €20 for families and €5 for under-16’s. All the proceeds of this race are for the Friends of Jamie Wall Trust Fund which was set up to help Jamie Wall in his rehabilitation. 

Jamie Wall, a talented 22-year-old Cork dual hurling and football player, who last June developed paralysis in his legs caused by a spinal abscess. He spent the next eight months in Beaumont Hospital and the National Rehabilitation Hospital. He continues in his fight to make a full recovery and the funds raised from the race will go towards his ongoing medical and rehabilitation expenses and towards supporting him to live a full and independent life. Jamie enjoyed a stellar underage career that took him to the 2010 All-Ireland minor football final that Cork lost to Tyrone, bought him three subsequent years on the U-21 Cork football team and also found a place on the 2012 and 2013 U-21 hurling squads. He was part of the Mary Immaculate hurling team that brought Mary I. to their first ever Fitzgibbon Cup in the Spring of 2013. For his local club Kilbrittain, Jamie won numerous underage medals and in 2010, at the age of 18 was a key member of the Kilbrittain intermediate hurling team that won the Cork Intermediate hurling title, and last year was the captain of that same Kilbrittain intermediate hurling team. A Friends of Jamie Wall Trust Fund has now been established, and all financial donations and contributions as well as all monies raised from fundraising events are lodged to the trust fund bank account. The purpose of the fund is to support Jamie’s ongoing rehabilitation and his goal of living a full and independent life. Your participation and support is greatly appreciated.

Notice...Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon - Mon 1st June 2015

The main event on the race calendar in Cork is of course the Cork City Marathon on the June Bank Holiday Monday. With a choice of full marathon (26.2 miles), Half-Marathon (13.1 miles) and the Relay, there is something there to suit everyone.

From the organisers.......Irish Examiner Announced as Title Sponsor for Cork City Marathon
The announcement of the Irish Examiner as title sponsor of the Cork City Marathon brings together two great Cork organisations. The benefit of this partnership to Cork City Marathon is significant as the event continues to reach out to all sectors of society and not just to elite runners. The support of one of Ireland’s leading newspapers will also be a vital tool in promoting the event nationwide and establishing it as a major fundraising vehicle for both local and national charities.

Cork City Marathon is already a major destination event attracting participants from all over the world – the 8,000 runners who took part last year represented 26 countries and the 32 counties of Ireland. Over 9,000 people are expected on the start line of the Half, Full and Relay Marathons  on Bank Holiday Monday – June 1st this year.

Karen O’Donoghue, Marketing Manager of the Irish Examiner, explains, ‘We in the Irish Examiner are delighted to announce our title sponsorship of what is a wonderful event for the city and the greater Munster region.  With this sponsorship, we want to offer our support to the event, the volunteers, its athletes and all the people who participate, from the advanced marathon runner to the novice relay team members. The sponsorship of this prestigious event is a great fit for the Irish Examiner as running attracts a diverse field of participants, volunteers and spectators, which matches the breadth of coverage delivered by the Irish Examiner every day across our print and digital platforms. We hope this sponsorship will encourage our readers to ‘be part of it’, whether it’s a personal goal in terms of sporting achievement, raising money for charity, volunteering, or just a great day out – there is a part to play for everyone in the Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon’.

Jim O’Donovan, Race Director, thanked the Irish Examiner for coming on board as title sponsor and for their support over the years in helping to grow the event. ‘The role that our new title sponsor will play in encouraging people from all walks of life to consider taking part in this  event is invaluable. The Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon is ‘the people’s marathon’ and we’re calling on everyone to be part of it. The big attraction of the relay is that ordinary people, who are not regular runners, can take part. With up to 5 people in each team, the most any individual would have to walk or run is 5.8 miles – which is achievable without too much training.’

Jim explained, ‘Many of the relay teams are groups of friends or work colleagues who are taking part in the marathon to raise money for a charity or a cause close to them. Of course there is the competitive side to the relay too and the Inter-Services Championship brings out a friendly rivalry between our uniformed forces. The Fire Service has been hard to beat over the past few years, winning the Inter-Services Championship and two personal Guinness World Record Awards. Two years ago a Youth Challenge relay was introduced for 16 to 18 year olds and this has been a great addition to the overall event experience.'

The event goes right through the city centre, showcasing Cork to many thousands of participants from across all 32 counties of Ireland as well as many overseas visitors. In addition to the 26.2-mile full marathon there are several other distance options, including a half marathon (13.1 miles) and various relays. The slogan this year, be proud of it, be part of it, sums up the general atmosphere as competitive athletes share the course with novice runners, including many people who turn out in fancy dress to raise money for charity.

At the recent event launch at the Irish Examiner offices, Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. Mary Shields commended Cork City Council on their continuous investment in the event, citing it as ‘one of the biggest days in the city's annual calendar, where Cork embraces visitors from all over Ireland and from overseas.’ Commenting on the financial and social impact on the city, the Lord Mayor said, ‘The boost to Cork’s tourism industry's hotels and restaurants as well as to the retail sector is evident, but just as important is the real sense of community that emerges over the weekend as people volunteer or line the streets to support the runners and walkers, many of whom are raising money for charity.’

Entries......If you would like to take part in the Irish Examiner Cork City Marathon, Half Marathon or Relay, you can book online HERE.

Note that the entry fee goes up on April 30th and May 8th. Enter early to get the best rates.

As you can see above, Cork Marathon offers very reduced prices to people who are not receiving a wage and are in receipt of benefit. This includes persons on disability pension & dependent spouses, carer's allowance, state pension, unemployed, disability benefit and dependent spouses, lone parents, asylum seekers and students over 18 in full-time education

Training....If you want to follow a training plan then they also have those on the Cork Marathon website HERE


Course Previews...If you want to see what the route for the Cork City Marathon looks like then watch this 13 minute video put together by Rob O'Farrell...



Previews.....
1) Marathon...HERE
2) Half-Marathon (13.1 miles)... A preview of the Half-Marathon course with maps and photos can be seen HERE
3) Marathon Relay...
a) Leg 1 of 5 can be seen HERE
b) Leg 2 of 5 can be seen HERE
c) Leg 3 of 5 can be seen HERE
d) Leg 4 of 5 can be seen HERE
e) Leg 5 of 5 can be seen HERE