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Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Results of the Glanmire Ladies Football 4 mile... Sun 29th Jan 2017



A total of 299 people took part in this year's Glanmire Ladies Football 4 mile race on what was a damp day for running. It was a complete contrast to the Saturday which was nice and sunny. This fundraiser for the club was just over 4 miles in length.

1    1884    Power    Declan 23:02
2    1866    Grufferty    James    Leevale AC  23:32
3    1848    Mckeown    Kieran    Watergrasshill AC 24:29
29    978    Rooney    Laura    Watergrasshill AC  30:10
30    1922    Mahony    Kathryn     30:18
35    725    Dennehy    Mary    Run with Mary  30:33

James Grufferty (2nd) & Declan Power (1st)


Photos...
1) The organisers have an album HERE

The full results are below...


Monday, January 30, 2017

Results of the North Cork AC 5k in Doneraile Park...Sat 28th Jan 2017

This 5k organised by North Cork AC was held on Saturday the 28th of Jan 2017.

1    Shane O Rahilly    Ferrybank AC        17:18    SM    50
2    Shane Kearney    St Catherines AC        18:01    SM    101
3    PJ Carey    Kilmallock AC        18:01    SM    113
8    Lorraine Bolster    Mallow AC        18:56    SW    5
12    Mei Ming Cronin    Doneraile        19:32    SW    208
16    Carol Cullinane    Dunboyne AC        19:42    SW    123


Photos...
1) North Cork AC have a gallery HERE

 

The full results are below...


Saturday, January 28, 2017

Results of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun... Sat 28th Jan 2017


A total of 420 people turned out for this weeks 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park, the second highest ever. As you can see from the chart, the record was set last week with all of the publicity from Operation Transformation.

1 Shane FITZGERALD FOLEY    18:08    VM35-39 M 1    Midleton AC
2 Morgan O'REGAN    18:09    VM40-44 M 2    Midleton AC
3 Hugh O'KEEFFE    18:40    SM20-24 M 3
27 Mary SWEENEY    20:57    VW55-59    F1    St Finbarrs AC
34 Louise LONG    21:34    SW30-34    F2    Le Cheile AC
54 Maeve COTTER    22:45    VW35-39    F3    Eagle A.C.


The full results can be seen HERE

Friday, January 27, 2017

Poll for best 10km race in Cork in 2016 now open

The poll for best 10km race in Cork in 2016 is now open.

These were the nominations....

10km...
Cork BHAA UCC 10km road race (Apr 2016)
Bweeng 10km road race (May 2016)
Emer Casey 10km road race in Youghal (May 2016)
East Cork Harbour 10km road race (August 2016)
Liscarroll 10km road race (August 2016)
Rebel Run 10km road race (Oct 2016)
Thomas Kent Memorial 10km road race in Castlelyons (Nov 2016)
You can vote here.... https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BS3WDKH

The polls will close in mid-February.

Events this weekend... Sat 28th & Sun 29th Jan 2017

There are plenty of runs coming up this weekend. The forecast is for dry weather on Saturday while Sunday looks a bit wetter.

5k Parkrun...Sat 28th (9:30am)...€free...various locations...  
Cork...Castle Demense, Macroom // Showgrounds, Clonakilty // Bere Island, Beara Peninsula) // Glengarriff // Castlehaven // Ballincollig Regional Park...
Waterford...Tramore // Limerick...University of Limerick // Kerry...Killarney & Tralee // Clare...Kilrush & Clarisford // Tipperary...Templemore

Cork...Sat 28th (11am)...North Cork AC 5k in Doneraile Park...€10...

Cork...Sun 29th (10:30am)...Crookstown 5k fun run/walk...€10...In aid of Pieta House...
Limerick...Sun 29th (12 noon)...Milford Hospice 10k run/walk...€25...University of Limerick...

Cork...Sun 29th (1pm)...Glanmire Ladies Football 4.3 mile fun run...€10... info...


Thursday, January 26, 2017

Poll for best 5 mile race in Cork in 2016 now open

The poll for best 5 mile race in Cork in 2016 is now open.

These were the nominations....

5 mile
Bandon 5 mile road race (Jan 2016)
Carrigaline 5 mile road race (Feb 2016)
Midleton 5 mile road race (May 2016)
Ballyandreen 5 mile road race (May 2016)
Millstreet 5 mile road race (June 2016)
East Ferry 5 mile road race (June 2016)
Ballycotton 5 mile road race (Aug 2016)
Kinsale 5 mile road race (Sept 2016)

You can vote here.... https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RZTTWD8

The polls will close in mid-February.

Dry fit top for the 2017 Dungarvan 10 mile road race

The Dungarvan 10 mile road race is coming up on Sunday the 5th of February and there are no entries left now except for perhaps elite runners. The design for the 2017 dry fit top has now been released....


While the actual colour may differ slightly, you can get a good idea of what it will look like. They are sponsored by Ger Wyley Sports and they are usually NIKE tops as opposed to something cheap and cheerful. As running tops go, these are as good as you'll get anywhere.

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Death of International Cross Country?

In the last month, there have been two articles which have articulated the huge issues concerning international cross country and athletics at present.

The first is that the sport isn't clean. There are athletes who are doping and not getting caught. As you will have seen from the ongoing Russian controversy, some of this was almost on an industrial scale.

The second is that African athletes are competing for European countries for money and have no connection with those countries. e.g. all those Kenyan athletes competing for Turkey.

In December, Athletics Illustrated outlined the urgency of the problem is this article... 
http://athleticsillustrated.com/editorial/the-death-of-cross-country/



In another article on The42 website which appeared last weekend, Fionnuala McCormack outlines her frustration with the current situation.

Here is a short quote from the article...

“The questions I want to ask are how do they improve by two minutes over 10k in one year? To me that’s the massive problem. It’s kind of glossed over by the fact people are changing country but that has been happening for years and it’s turned into a complete farce really.

“In a way I wonder why other people don’t talk about it and I wonder if it is better to keep the mouth shut. That’s not really what we’re there for but it is the athletes who have to say something at some point.”


You can read the full article here... http://www.the42.ie/fionnuala-mccormack-interview-3179925-Jan2017/

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Aoife Cooke of Youghal AC wins National Intermediate Cross Country title



The National Intermediate Cross Country Championships were held in Galway last weekend and Aoife Cooke of Youghal AC won the women's title. This adds to the National Novice title that she won in December of 2015 in Dungarvan.

Aoife Cooke's victory came almost 39 years after her aunt, Mary Dempsey (now Sweeney), won the same race over a snow-covered course at Rockwell College in February of 1978.

Aoife also led the Cork team to Gold with a score of 27 points, two points ahead of Dublin on 29.

As you can see below, East Cork AC and Youghal AC turned out in numbers for this race and Youghal managed to take a team Silver.

ID Time PositionName Club Name Club Team County Team
274 20:01 1 Aoife Cooke Youghal A.C. Youghal A.C. Cork

207 21:10 5 Fiona Santry East Cork A.C. Cork
276 21:43 9 Ruth Millerick Youghal A.C. Youghal A.C. Cork
273 22:33 12 Evelyn Cashman Youghal A.C. Youghal A.C. Cork

272 22:50 15 Deirdre Ansbro Youghal A.C. Youghal A.C. Cork
206 22:57 16 Eadaoin O'Neill East Cork A.C. Cork
278 23:18 18 Louise O'Brien Youghal A.C. Youghal A.C. Cork

275 23:50 23 Julie Keneally Youghal A.C. Youghal A.C. Cork

211 24:20 26 Michelle Ahern East Cork A.C.

279 25:18 33 Margaret O'Mahony Youghal A.C. Youghal A.C

Club Team Points
Place Club Positions Points
2 Youghal A.C. 1, 9, 12, 15 37

County Team ...Points
1 Cork 1, 5, 9, 12 ...27

In the men's race, East Cork AC were in action and managed to field a full team to take a very respectable 5th place.

43 29:41 14 Kenneth Kelleher East Cork A.C. East Cork A.C.
59 31:17 26 Andrew Sheehan Leevale A.C.
38 31:19 27 Shane Harrington East Cork A.C. East Cork A.C
39 31:39 33 Brian Harty East Cork A.C. East Cork A.C
44 32:26 44 Kevin O'Leary East Cork A.C. East Cork A.C.

5 East Cork A.C. 14, 27, 33, 44 ...118

As you can see above, there were 5 men from Cork taking part. As six were required for a county team, Cork were not presented in the inter county competition.

Full results as always on the Athletics Ireland website.

Togher AC donate €3,166 to Cork Mental Health Foundation

Due to the high numbers taking part in the Togher AC 5k road race over Christmas, the club has been able to donate €3,166.20 to the Cork Mental Health Foundation.


From Togher AC.....Due to the overwhelming success of this year’s Togher 5K, we were able to donate €3,166.20 to Cork Mental Health Foundation who have been our charity partner since the beginning of this annual event a number of years ago. 

Pictured are members of Togher AC, Frank Doherty (Chairperson Togher AC), Aidan Hartnett (Secretary Togher AC), Niall McCarthy (Chairperson Togher Community Association) and Brendan McCarthy (Development Manager Cork Mental Health Foundation). 

Both Togher AC and Cork Mental Health Foundation & Housing Association would like to thank all the participants, volunteers, sponsors, Togher Community Association, Togher Boys School and especially Ryans Supervalu Togher (Main Sponsor) for their support of this great event. Everyone is already looking forward to next year’s race.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Cobh Couch to 5k programme starts Tues 24th Jan 2017

Ballymore Cobh AC are starting their Couch to 5k programme on Tuesday the 24th of January 2017. This would be an ideal way for any beginners in the Cobh area to start running with the help of experienced tutors.

Sinéad O'Connor from Cork represents Ireland in Cardiff


Sinéad O'Connor of Leevale AC in Cork made her first outing in an Irish singlet last weekend when she represented Ireland in the Celtic Cross Country in Cardiff in Wales.

Womens Results

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Notice...Glanmire Ladies Football 4 mile road race - Sun 29th Jan 2017


This race in Glanmire is coming up on Sunday the 29th of January 2017 at 1pm. The course is approx 4.3 miles and the organisers have said there will be results afterwards.



The race HQ is at Glanmire GAA grounds which is right alongside the main road that runs through Glanmire and Sallybrook.

This is the 4.3 mile course which starts and finishes at the GAA grounds....



From the organisers....Due to the large number of runners expected on Sunday, the race committee have decided to have another evening for registration on Friday evening at football training 6pm to 7.30pm At SARS all-weather pitch..

We now also can do online registrations. Once racers have register their details online, with the attached link, they can collect their allocated number bib at our pre-registration desk on Sunday morning, and payment is made then, much quicker than queuing to register.

Results of the Glenville 4 mile...Sun 22nd Jan 2017



This 4 mile race in Glenville was held on Sunday the 22nd of Jan 2017.

1    138    Curran, Eric    00:20:19.83    MALE   
2    101    Merritt, Colin    00:20:55.33    MALE   
3    55    Davis, Alfie    00:22:15.83    MALE    Ork
16    56    Ennis, Joan    00:25:11.35    FEMALE   
28    185    Duffy, Dolores    00:26:42.86    FEMALE   
31    118    Goggin Walsh, Jennifer    00:27:00.86    FEMALE   


Photos...
1) Gerard Sullivan has two albums.... #1 #2
2) Mick Dooley of Eagle AC has a nice gallery HERE 

The provisional results can be seen below...


Results of the Cloyne 4k road race...Sun 22nd Jan 2017

The third race in the Cloyne 4k series was held on Sunday the 22nd of January 2017 on a cold but dry morning.

1    0:12:48    MCGRATH, Sean    East Cork AC    M    05:08.9
2    0:13:13    SHEEHAN, Nigel    Youghal AC    M    05:18.9
3    0:13:35    SPITERI, Paul    Midleton AC    M    05:27.8 
44    0:16:55    LEAHY, Eileen    Midleton AC    F    06:48.2
48    0:17:24    O'KEEFFE, Mary    Midleton AC    F50    06:59.9 
55    0:17:37    ERFURTH, Anna    Carrigtwohill AC    F    07:05.1 


The full results are below...


Saturday, January 21, 2017

Record numbers for the Ballincollig 5k parkrun...Sat 21st Jan 2017


With the TV programme Operation Transformation in full swing, a record 448 people took part in this weeks 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park. That's up from the previous record of 397 which was set last week.

It's a pretty amazing concept if you step back and think about it. 400 plus people taking part in a free organised run which is organised by volunteers. It's not hard to see why the parkrun concept has proved so popular.

1 Brian CARROLL    18:40    VM35-39    M1    Crusaders Athletic Club
2 Tobi GRAB    18:50    VM40-44    M2   
3 Donal HANNIGAN    19:07    VM40-44    M3 Dell EMC Running Club
26 Mary SWEENEY    21:18    VW55-59    F1    St Finbarrs AC
30 Clodagh MCMORROW    21:34    SW30-34    F2    St Finbarrs AC
55 Louise SHEEHAN    22:54    VW40-44    F3    Ballincollig Athletic Club


The full results of the 32nd parkrun can be seen HERE

Photos...
1) Mick Dooley of Eagle AC has a small number of photos HERE

Friday, January 20, 2017

Notice...Running workshop in Eyeries, West Cork - Fri 27th & Sat 28th Jan 2017

This might be of interest to anyone in West Cork as there are very few courses like this held in the region...


The course will be held in the village of Eyeries on the Beara Peninsula and is being organised by Eyeries Running Promotions.

See the info below....

New to Running, want to start a new habit and get out in the open air and take in some of the amazing sights we have on our doorstep. Begin on the right foot with the Running Workshop, taking place in Eyeries on Friday and Saturday 27th and 28th of January, with Owen Dwyer, Chartered Physiotherapist. Hosted by Eyeries Running Promotions. €40 for the Introductory Talk and Practical session. Owen will cover all aspects of running that will appeal to all levels.
Book at eyeriesfivemile AT gmail DOT com

Blog passes 10 Million Pageviews


I just noticed that during the last week, the website has passed the 10 million pageviews mark!

Poll for best 4 mile race in Cork in 2016 now open

The poll for best 4 mile race in Cork in 2016 is now open.

These were the nominations....

4 mile
Ballymore-Cobh 4 mile road race (Aug 2016)
Belgooly 4 mile (Dec 2016)
Ballintotis 4 mile (Apr 2016)
Cork BHAA Stryker 4 mile (Apr 2016)
Carriganima 4 mile (Sept 2016)
Cork BHAA Stryker 4 mile (Apr 2016)
Fermoy 4 mile (Sept 2016)
Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 mile (Mar 2016)
Killeagh 4 mile (Mar 2016)
Glanmire 4 mile (June 2016)
Corkbeg 4 mile (July 2016)

You can vote here.... https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/72LSJF3

The polls will close at the end of January.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Poll for best 5k race in Cork in 2016 now open

The poll for best 5k race in Cork in 2016 is now open.

These were the nominations....

5k
VHI Lust for Life 5k in Cork Airport (Sept 2016)
St.Luke's Home 5k (Sept 2016)
Youghal 5k (July 2016)
Shanagarry 5k (July 2016)
Carrigtwohill 5k (July 2016)
Clonpriest 5k in Gortroe (June 2016)
Togher 5k (Dec 2016)
Fota Cheetah Run 5k (May 2016)
Rosscarbery 5k (Oct 2016)
Grant Thornton 5k in Cork City (June 2016)
Newmarket 5k (Dec 2016)
Cork BHAA John Buckley 5k (May 2016)
Bweeng 5k (May 2016)
Kilcredan 5k (May 2016)
Cloyne 5k (Aug 2016)

You can vote here.... https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z2SG65L

The polls will close at the end of January.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Kevin Donovan begins 32 County Challenge...by John Walshe

The following article was written by John Walshe of Ballycotton and appeared in the Midleton & District News on the 11th of January.

KEVIN BEGIN’S HIS 32-COUNTY CHALLENGE (Midleton & District News, January 11th)

While many of the 170 or so runners at the Bandon road race on New Year’s Day were happy just to get another year underway, for Kevin Donovan it was the start of what promises to be a hectic 12 months, writes John Walshe

Kevin’s goal is to run a race in each of the 32 counties on this island and it’s something that very few people have achieved in a calendar year. On well-known local runner, Denis McCarthy of East Cork AC, did compete the challenge a few decades ago but in his case, as they were very few races around at that time, it took him a number of years to achieve it.

Kevin, who grew up outside Ballycotton and now lives in Midleton, explains how the idea came about: “Since I have gotten into running over the last two years, I like to set myself various challenges. For 2017, I thought about what I could do. I started looking around at various races and came across a 32 county challenge in which you have one year to run a race in each of the 32 counties.



“I started running over the last two years and attended many races, from 4km to half-marathon, from Ballycotton to Windsor. The main reason I got into running was when my father passed away in July 2014. He used to do a lot of running back in the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s. In 1980, my father, Dan Donovan, ran his first Ballycotton ‘10’. It was always an ambition of mine to be the next generation to run this race which I successfully did I in March 2016. It was a big moment for me when I crossed the finish line.”

Over the last few years, Kevin has competed in many races, both home and abroad. “I did races like the Silverstone 10km (interested in F1!), Run Norwich 10km (avid Norwich City supporter!), along with my first half-marathon in East Cork. Over the two years, I have averaged 25 races a year,” he says.

But it’s not all about running the 32 counties as Kevin’s challenge will also benefit two charities, the Irish Deaf Society (IDS) and Cork Deaf Association (CDA).

“The main reason I have selected these charities was when I was young, I had Specific Speech Disorder. This meant I found it hard to say the words even though there was no problem with the brain. I was brought to different special centres and schools but with no success.

“It wasn’t until a decision was made for me to go to the School for the Deaf in Douglas, which changed my life. It was the staff that got me talking and made the gradual process of improving my English. Even though I was never deaf, I made many great friends during my time there. Thanks to them, I could go onto mainstream secondary school and onto college where I got my Honours Degree in Chemistry in CIT.”

Kevin has a special word of praise for Sr. Pauline Casey, who is also originally from the Ballycotton area. “I owe a lot of my success to Sr. Pauline and the staff who took me on and recognised the problem I have and worked very hard with me. My disorder is not obvious anymore, but there is the odd hint!

“For me personally, I feel IDS are working very hard to make the Irish Sign Language (ISL) recognised by the state. I also feel there are many charities that often get overlooked for other better-known charities or many people may not know these charities exist. I hope by doing this challenge that it will brings ISL to the forefront. I consider ISL to be my second language, ahead of French as I never studied Irish. I choose CDA as they are local and many of my friends are from Cork,” he concludes.

With just a week of 2017 gone, Kevin’s daunting challenge is already underway. Along with Bandon, he also ran the Ferrycarrig five-mile in Wexford last Sunday and next in line is the Banner County on January 28th where he will take part in the Resolution Run 5km.

The following is Kevin Donovan’s 32-County Challenge itinerary:


Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Notice...Carrigaline 5 mile road race - Sun 19th February 2017

This 5 mile road race is coming up in Carrigaline on Sunday, the 19th of February 2017 at 11am. Coming three weeks before the Ballycotton '10', it is ideally placed as a test run to check your fitness level before the big day itself.



While you can enter on the day of the race, you can also pre-enter from the end of January.

The pre-entry link is http://www.active.com/cork-cork/running/eagle-ac-carrigaline-5-mile-2017

All those who pre-enter will be put into a draw for a €30 One4all voucher.

The race is organised by Eagle AC, has an Athletics Ireland permit and has been accurately measured by Jones Counter. More info on the Eagle AC race page.

Location...The town of Carrigaline is only five miles south of the South Ring Road so it is within easy reach of Cork City. Race HQ is at the local community sports hall where runners can enter on the day. For those who pre-enter in advance, they can skip the queues there and pick up their numbers at the pre-entry desk.



The race is co-sponsored by The Edge Sports Shop


Route Preview.........A preview with maps, directions and details of the course can be seen HERE

Monday, January 16, 2017

Emer Casey 10k in Youghal changes to a mid-week 5k!


One of the most popular 10k races in Cork has been the Emer Casey 10k in Youghal. This was held on a Sunday in late May every year and was always well supported.

This year, it's all change! It will now be a 5km race around the streets of Youghal and  it will be held on Thursday the 6th of April 2017 at 8pm.

This will now become the first evening race on the 2017 calendar, ahead of Ballintotis.

One obvious question will be how dark will it be? Normally for a race in the countryside and starting at 8pm, mid April is about the limit as the sun sets at 8:32pm.

On the 6th of April, the sun sets at 8:16pm so it will be getting dark not long after the race starts. As the course is two and a half laps in the centre of the town, the street lighting should easily make up for any loss of daylight. 

So what are your thoughts? Did you prefer the 10k race on a Sunday in late May or would you prefer to have it as a 5k on a Thursday at the start of April?

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Results & photos of the Cork BHAA FMC 6km road race in Little Island...Sun 15th Jan 2017


A total of 373 runners turned out for this year's Cork BHAA FMC 6km road race in Little Island. The weather conditions were perfect with a temperature of about 10 deg C and a light wind.

This is always the first road race on the Cork BHAA calendar every year and gets a good turnout. The figure of 373 is very good for a local road race but is still down 7% on last year. As you can see from the chart, the numbers are well down on a few years back and is probably a reflection of the greater choice of events on the calendar at present. A few years back, the BHAA race would have been the only race on that weekend. This weekend, there was a choice of a 5k parkrun in Ballincollig, a trail race near Fermoy and the BHAA race in Little Island.

1 Anthony Mannix M1  18:53 Dell-EMC
2 COLIN MERRITT 0/45B M2  19:03 Army
3 Alan O'Brien M3  19:28 McCarthy Insurance Group
55 Joan Ennis 0/50K F1  23:35 Avondhu MF
57 Carmel Parnell 0/60M F2  23:40 Cork Shops
58 Joyce Wolfe 0/35H F3  23:46 Joyce Wolfe Physiotherapy 


The full results can be seen HERE

Photos...(Updated 16th Jan @23:08)
1) Derek Costello of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE
2) Peter Howie has some nice photos of the finish line HERE
3) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE 

Phil Healy of Bandon AC qualifies for the European Indoor Championships

Phil Healy of Bandon AC was in action on the indoor track in Athlone where she posted two qualifying times in the 60m sprint for the European Indoor Championships.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Events on Sunday the 15th of Jan 2017


There are a number of events on Sunday the 15th of January.

Cork...Sun 15th (11am)...Cork BHAA FMC 6km...€5 reg/€10 non-reg...Little Island... 
Cork...Sun 15th (11am)...MMRA Corrin Hill Trail Race...€10...
Tipperary...Sun 15th (11am)...St.Joseph's CBS Nenagh Secondary School 10km & 5km fun run/walk...10km €15 / 5km walk €5... 

Waterford...Sun 15th (12 noon)...29th Annual Kiely Monumental Cup (5 miles)...€8...Colligan Woods...info ...  


Record numbers take part in the Ballincollig 5k parkrun


A record 397 people took part in this weeks 5k parkrun in the Ballincollig Regional Park on Saturday the 14th of Jan 2017. This was due mostly to the level of publicity from the Operation Transformation TV programme and it's likely that the numbers should stay high for the next few weeks.

1 Michael MORGAN    17:37    VM40-44    M1    St Finbarrs AC
2 Jonathan MURPHY    18:39    SM30-34    M2    Leevale AC
3 Paul HARTE        19:26    SM30-34    M3
4 Niamh MOORE    19:31    SW20-24    F1
27 Mary SWEENEY    21:30    VW55-59    F2    St Finbarrs AC
43 Louise SHEEHAN    22:38    VW40-44    F3    Ballincollig Athletic Club


The full results of the 31st Ballincollig parkrun can be seen HERE

Photos...(Updated 15th Jan 2017 @19:43)
1) Nessan Frawley has 5 small galleries on Facebook... #1 , #2 , #3 , #4 , #5
2) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery of 500+ photos HERE 

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Club membership numbers in Cork for the end of Dec 2016

Athletics Ireland have recently released the 2016 year end membership stats for clubs in Cork and they show club membership on the rise. This is largely due to new clubs being established in the northern part of the county as well as existing clubs running successful Couch to 5k programmes.



As you can see from the chart above though, the club membership increase is totally due to masters i.e. those aged 35 and above. These would be referred to as 'recreational runners' as opposed to say athletes involved in track and field.

The thing here though is that people just don't get to the age of 35 and then decide to start running. It's safe to say that a large percentage of the 'Seniors' are probably in the 28 to 34 age bracket and that probably grew in line with the masters numbers. That being the case, those aged between 20 and 27 must have declined. This is the very age bracket  for those involved in track and field.

Cork Clubs........These are the clubs in Cork with more than 80 adult members....

Mallow AC have been very successful in attracting lots of new members in 2016 and this was due in no small part to their Couch to 5k programme. They now replace Ballymore Cobh AC as the largest club.

Ballymore Cobh AC and Eagle AC are down a bit while Leevale AC see an increase.

Togher AC is another club with a successful Couch to 5k programme as they pile on the members to take the 6th spot.

As you can see, the rest are up and down a bit while the Dromahane Couch to 5k programme puts them in 12th spot.

These are some of the clubs with 30 to 80 adult members...


As always, numbers aren't everything. Some clubs like East Cork AC are more involved in the serious side of running and their numbers are small as a result. The charts above just show the relative sizes of each club, not how good or bad they are.

The charts also don't show non-AAI clubs like Happy Feet and the Wibbly Wobbly Wonders who are very successful with their own programmes.

The full figures for all the clubs in the country can be seen on the Athletics Ireland website.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Notice...FACE 5k road race, Kilworth - Sun 12th Feb 2017

Fermoy Action Children's Education (FACE) is a charity whose aim is to help children with learning difficulties. They are holding their annual 5k road race in Kilworth near Fermoy on Sunday the 12th of February 2017. The course has been accurately measured by Jones Counter and the race has an Athletics Ireland permit.



The race also has its own website where you can find out more about the charity as well as maps, prizes and directions..... http://face5k.wordpress.com/

You can also find a more detailed preview of the course HERE

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Couch to 5k Programme in Banteer



Duhallow AC are holding a Couch to 5k programme in Banteer Sportsfield from the 10th of January 2017 on Tuesday and Thurday nights for 6 weeks. This is ideal for complete beginners or for anyone that wants to get fit.

It will cost €5 per nite and start @ 8 o'clock and run for about an hour. This year they will collect the money when you register. Reg will be at the dressing rooms in the pitch at 7 45 on the 10th of January,

Results of the Fight for Fionn 5k in North Cork...Sun 8th Jan 2017

The 5k charity run near Banteer was held on Sunday the 8th of January 2017.

1 Kellian O'Sullivan, 1st Juv. 18.35
2 John Dumphy, Eagle, 1 Man 18.48
3 David Barrett. 19.29
18 Margurite Murphy 1st lady. 25.00
20 Catherine Ring Duhallow 26.18
24 Breda Barrett. 28.49


Full results below...

Monday, January 09, 2017

Nominations for the best 10m and half-marathon race in Cork & Munster in 2016???

Now that the new year has started, it's time to look back and consider what were the best races of the year? In this post, we'll look at the best 10 mile and half-marathon races.

As some of the really big races like the Dungarvan 10 are outside Cork but attract a lot of Cork runners, we'll include nominations for any race in Cork and Munster. In your opinion, what were the best 10m and 10k races in 2016 and why?


Leave a comment and we'll start the poll very soon.

Entry Stats for the 2017 Mallow 10 mile road race

Now that the entries to the Mallow 10 mile road race have closed, here are some of the stats...


Of the 1250 entries, roughly 55% are members of a club. That compares to 56% last year so there is little change.

Last year, nearly 43% of the entries were women. This time around, it's up to 46% which is high as 10 mile road races go. It tends to be around the 40% mark usually.

The chart above shows the age profile. There are no suprises there as it shows that most runners are in their late 30's or early 40's.

The next chart shows the breakdown of the top clubs by entry (10 or more)...

The host club as expected take the top spot with 78 entries. In second spot, Eagle AC have 43 with Grange Fermoy in third with 32.

A full list of the club entries can be seen below...


Sunday, January 08, 2017

Results & photos of the Cork BHAA Cross Country race...Sun 8th Jan 2017


The weather conditions were cloudy and mild for this years Cork BHAA Cross Country 5k race in Beaumont Park in Cork City on Sunday the 8th of January 2017. A total of 164 people took part which is up on last year but down on 2015. It's probably the type of event where the weather has a big bearing on numbers.

1 Evan Byrne M1 00:17:37 Douglas Credit Union
2 Rory Casey 00:17:49 Temp Reg
3 MICHAEL HARRINGTON 0/40A M2 00:17:58 Harrington Upvc Ltd
15 Louise Shanahan 00:19:58 Temp Reg
30 Ronnie Barry 0/40I F1 00:21:32 Cork County Council
33 Deirdre Ansbro 0/35H F2 00:21:47 Travel Ireland



The full results can be seen HERE

Photos... 
1) There are 220 photos up on the Running in Cork Facebook page HERE
2) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE 

Mallow 10 Entries now closed


Entries for the 2017 Mallow 10 mile road race have now closed. All 1250 places have been filled. The only places left now are for elites which will be taken up to Monday 20th March (Male sub 56 mins and female sub 61 mins).

The level of demand this year for entries has been well up on previous years. The race notice for the March 2016 race went up on the 8th of December 2015. By the 5th of January 2016, it was at 500 entries. It passed the 700 mark on the 17th of Jan 2016, the 1000 mark on the 7th of February and the 1200 mark on the 25th of February 2016.

Contrast that to this time around. The race notice went up on the 14th of December 2016. All 1250 places were gone by the 8th of January, over 700 places ahead of the same time last year.

If you have already entered or want to enquire about elite entries then have a look at the race website... https://mallowtenmile.wordpress.com/

Saturday, January 07, 2017

Results of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun...Sat 7th Jan 2017


There was a big jump in numbers this week for the 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park as the publicity for Operation Transformation kicked in. A total of 359 people took part which is the second highest ever. Pretty amazing when you consider that it's free and all run on a voluntary basis.

1 Sean O BRIEN    19:17    VM35-39    M 1
2 Stephen O'SULLIVAN    19:18    JM15-17 M 2
3 Eoin MAC MAHON    19:53    SM25-29 M 3
15 Jennifer GOGGIN WALSH    20:59    SW30-34    F 1    Ballymore Cobh AC
21 Mary SWEENEY    21:25    VW55-59    F 2    St Finbarrs AC
46 Louise SHEEHAN    22:49    VW40-44    F 3    Ballincollig Athletic Club 


The full results of the 30th edition can be seen HERE

Photos...
1) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE

Friday, January 06, 2017

End of the road for the Mealagh Valley 10 mile race?

Bantry AC announced yesterday that the Mealagh Valley 10 mile road race in West Cork will not take place in 2017.

As the chart shows, it was doing pretty well in the early years but like a lot of other races in West Cork, the numbers have dropped in recent years. The 2016 figure was particularly low despite the face that it was a sunny day in contrast to the rain in 2015.

Maybe it will a re-appearance again but for now, there will be nothing in 2017.

Nominations for the best 5m and 10k race in Cork in 2016???

Now that the new year has started, it's time to look back and consider what were the best races of the year? In this post, we'll look at the best 5 mile and 10km races.

In your opinion, what were the best 5m and 10k races in Cork in 2016 and why?

There were a wide number of races to choose from, be it BHAA, club or charity events.

Leave a comment and we'll start the poll very soon.

Thursday, January 05, 2017

Time is running out to enter the 2017 Mallow 10 race



Mallow AC have just announced that there are now fewer than 300 places left for the 2017 Mallow 10 mile road race. It will take place on Sunday the 26th of March.

It is likely to close pretty soon so get your entry in asap if you are interested.

Update Sat 10pm...Less than 50 places left now.

More info in this previous post.

Wednesday, January 04, 2017

Nominations for the best 5k and 4m race in Cork in 2016???

Now that the new year has started, it's time to look back and consider what were the best races of the year? In this post, we'll look at the best 5 km and 4 mile races. In your opinion, what were the best 5k and 4m races in Cork in 2016 and why?

There were a wide number of races to choose from, be it BHAA, club or charity events.

Leave a comment and we'll start the poll very soon.

Couch to 5k programme starting in Ballyvolane on 10th Jan

The Wibbly Wobbly Wonders Running Club are starting a Couch to 5k programme in Ballyvolane on the Northside of Cork City on Tues the 10th of Jan 2017. This is aimed at complete beginners so just turn up on the night.