Results & Photos of the 2017 Dublin City Marathon...Sun 29th Oct 2017

The annual Dublin City Marathon was held this year on Sunday the 29th of October and almost 16,000 participants completed the course.

The full results can be found on the following websites...

Dublin City Marathon website

TDL Chip Timing


Photos...(Updated Wed 1st Nov @8:10pm)
1) Irish Runner have 900 pics HERE
2) Sportsfile have 382 photos HERE
3) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery of the 2 mile mark  HERE
 and another batch at 25 miles... HERE up to 3:35 and HERE (3:35 to 4:20) ...
4) Sean Cassin has 357 photos on Flickr HERE
5) Marie Kenna has 172 photos HERE
6) Peter Mooney has almost 1300 photos HERE
7) Mark Costello has 1000+ pics HERE
8) Kevin O'Donoghue has 700+ pics HERE
9) Susan Parker Laste has 320 photos HERE
10) There are commercial finish line photos HERE 



Male runners from Cork & Munster under 2:50...
#    Name            Cat    Cat Pos    Club    Overall Position Chip Time
52  Eoin        Sugrue   M40        3  n/a  18        02:28:36 
34    Alan    O' Brien    M35    4    EAGLE A.C.    21    2:29:32
55    Michael    Morgan    M40    5    ST. FINBARRS A.C.    26    2:33:28
58    Michael    Corbett    M40    6    ST. FINBARRS A.C.    33    2:35:53
5602    Vivian    Foley    M45    2    EAGLE A.C.    45    2:38:54
56    Joe    Cunningham    M45    3    ST. FINBARRS A.C.    51    2:40:09
57    Ken    Devine    M50    2    ST. FINBARRS A.C.    61    2:41:53
32    Trevor    Power    M35    18    WATERFORD A.C.    65    2:42:07
4649    Mohamed    Wahbi    MS    30    ST. FINBARRS A.C.    95    2:45:10
2598    Michael    Byrne    M35    31    ST. CATHERINES (CORK) A.C.    102    2:45:48
4055    Trust    Mtinsi    M35    36    KILKENNY CITY HARRIERS A.C.    113    2:46:43
2587    John    Murphy    M45    12    GRANGE/FERMOY A.C.    121    2:47:34
4852    Pat    O' Connor    M45    13    EAGLE A.C.    133    2:48:20
5388    Ruairi    O' Callaghan    M35    44    EAGLE A.C.    143    2:49:21
177    Declan    Ryan    M35    45    THURLES CROKES A.C.    144    2:49:27
1981    Don    Hayes    M35    46    AN BRU AC    145    2:49:25
5210    Sean    Percy    M35    49    TEMPLEMORE A.C.    153    2:49:43
810    Frank    Hill    M50    4    EAGLE A.C.    161    2:49:57

Female runners from Cork & Munster under 3:15...
#    Name        Gen    Pos     Cat    Cat Pos    Club            Chip Time
697    Sorcha    Kearney    Female    14    F40    2    ST. FINBARRS A.C.    2:58:33
4785    Carolyn    Hayes    Female    24    FS    12    WEST LIMERICK A.C.    3:03:05
5856    Niamh    Cronin    Female    34    F40    10    ST. FINBARRS A.C.    3:05:58
3599    Linda    Grogan    Female    35    F35    9    DUNDRUM A.C.    3:05:51
1262    Joan    Ennis    Female    36    F50    1    GRANGE/FERMOY A.C.    3:07:00
2446    Murna    Griffin    Female    41    F35    11    LIMERICK TRI CLUB    3:08:10
5854    Orla    Crosbie    Female    59    F50    3    ST. FINBARRS A.C.    3:12:45
319    Fiona    Dukelow    Female    60    F45    9    U.C.C. A.C.    3:12:14

Winners of the National Marathon Championships...

• 1st Place - Laura Graham 02:39:07
• 2nd Place - Caitriona Jennings 02:42:36
• 3rd Place - Pauline Curley 02:50:55 

• 1st Place - Freddy Sittuk 02:16:05
• 2nd Place - Gary O'Hanlon 02:18:53
• 3rd Place - Sergiu Ciobanu 02:19:06
 

Results of the Cullen Halloween 6k...Mon 30th Oct 2017

This 6k run was organised by Duhallow AC

RESULTS OF CULLEN 6KM ON OCTBER 30TH 2017
SEAN TWOHIG 22.44 DUHALLOW AC 1ST MAN
MARTINA KIELY 22.53 ST.FINBARRS AC 1STWOMAN
PATRICK O KEEFFE 24.16
ARRON O KEEFFE 24.17 1ST JUVENILE BOY
JOHN CAHILL 25.08
PHILIP O NEILL 25.58
SAOIRSE TOMPKINS 26.56 1ST JUVENILE GIRL
ANDRZEJ I EMILKA CHOMICZ 28.34DUHALLOW
DYLAN FITZGERALD 28.41
DARAGH CAHILL 28.46
DONAL FALLON 29.32
SEAN KELLEHER 30.13
MARYANN MURPHY 30.53 DUHALLOW AC

Results & Photos of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun...Sat 28th Oct 2017

After the recent storm damage, Ballincollig Regional Park opened again to the public on Fri 27th Oct and the 5k parkrun on Saurday got 244 runners.

1 Barry O SHEA    17:33    SM30-34    M1
2 Damian KENNEALLY    18:14    SM30-34    M2    Eagle A.C.
3 Eoin O'CONNELL    18:23    VM45-49    M3    MORDEN RUNNERS
29 Rachel O'CALLAGHAN    21:58    VW40-44    F1
44 Olga O'SULLIVAN    23:45    VW40-44    F2    Dell EMC Running Club
51 Louise Lynch O'KEEFFE    24:10    VW50-54    F3

Full results

Photos...
1) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE
2) The organisers have a gallery HERE

Looking ahead to the 2017 Dublin City Marathon

The main race in the country this weekend is of course the Dublin City Marathon on Sunday the 29th of October.

Weather....Almost ideal. With high pressure over the country, it will be dry and the winds will be light. Temperatures around 10-12 deg C. The weather shouldn't be an issue for the event.

Tracker......This is a tracker for following anyone taking part... https://track.rtrt.me/e/TDL-DUBLINM-2017#/tracker

Live Stream... The link is https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZgjItq9-Ic61za7HCkKz8g



Pace Groups.......See below...

 

Ballincollig 5k parkrun resumes Sat 28th Oct 2017

Cork County Council staff have been busy over the last week removing fallen trees and branches in Ballincollig Regional Park after ex-hurricane Ophelia and the park will be open to the public again on Friday the 27th of October.

This also means that the 5k parkrun is going ahead on Saturday the 28th of Oct at 9:30am.

The organisers have issued the following...We are looking for volunteers - Saturday, October 28th!!
Pre-event Setup, Parking, Finish Tokens, Finish Token Support, Barcode Scanning, Marshals, Photographer. Remember if you run under 22 minutes, you can also volunteer for barcode scanning, funnel manager and finish token support!

Email ballincollighelpers AT parkrun DOT com to help.

If any new people want to run in this event, all you have to do is register, print out a bar code and bring it along on the morning of the event. Everything is free. More details at http://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/

Notice...MMRA Halloween 5k Run in Currabinny Woods - Thurs 26th Oct 2017

The Munster Mountain Running Association are holding a special themed Halloween Run in Currabinny Woods on Thursday the 26th of Oct 2017. This is open to adults and children alike.

The entry fee is actually going to be €6 for IMRA members and non-IMRA members just need to pay an extra €1 registration fee (€7 total) as it's the last race of the year.

Note that you must have a torch and jacket. More info at https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1511/


Currabinny Woods is about 9 miles south-east of Cork City. The approach road is nearly opposite the Novartis plant near Ringaskiddy.

Notice...Eyeries 5 mile road race, West Cork - Sat 11th Nov 2017

This is the 4th year of the Eyeries 5 mile road race and follows on the success of the previous three years. The Beara Peninsula in West Cork is one of the most scenic parts of the country and an ideal backdrop for this road race in November. It might well suit any clubs or small groups who are looking for a day or weekend away.

On a nice sunny day, it's an absolutely stunning spot. The town of Castletownbere is only 4.5 miles away so there is plenty of accommodation on offer.

From the organisers.....EYERIES 5 MILE ROAD RACE...We are hopeful of continued local support and also the support of runners in the wider Cork and south-western area which we have got over the last three years.

The event has attracted fields of up to 300 runners which is no mean feat in this part of the world. This is due in no small part to an appreciative running community that recognise our endeavours to have a well run event. In the spirit of rewarding as many as we can, we place a big effort in covering all categories with prizes. We have over 50 prizes on offer again this year.

Race proceeds are in aid of Beara AC which is being reformed and will be Cork's latest athletics club from January 2018. We are very excited by this and the opportunities that it will give to young and old in Beara. Its is our priority to offer our youth the opportunity to participate compete at the many athletics events that are on offer throughout the calendar.

€10.00 Online Pre-registration: To pre-register online (for only €10.00) click HERE

Or Register on the Day: begins at 12 noon on the day (11 November 2017) in Eyeries Hall. €12.00 per person if registering on the day.

In November, this stunning part of West Cork can be very quiet and I'm sure they would appreciate all the support that they can get.

Course Preview...A full preview of the course can be seen HERE

More info about the race the locality at https://www.facebook.com/Eyeries-Five-Mile-1194649237340228/

Short video of the race in 2014...

Leaders go wrong way in the Venice Marathon...

At the Venice Marathon over the weekend, the lead motorbike went the wrong way and took the leaders out onto a busy road with cars on it. By the time they got back on track, they had lost too much time to catch the eventual winner Eyob Faniel who won in a time of 2h 12m.

Waterford Half-Marathon Sells Out...

For anyone who hasn't heard, the annual Waterford Half-Marathon on Saturday the 2nd of December is now closed. All places are now gone and there is no waiting list.

If you know someone with an entry who can't make it then you can get their number transferred to you for a fee of €3 until the 28th of November. Details HERE

Results & Photos of the Rebel Run 10k & 5k...Sun 22nd Oct 2017

There was a total of 624 runners in this years Rebel Run...420 in the 10k and 204 in the 5k. As can be seen from the chart above, this was a new record for the event with the total numbers up 33% on last year.

First 3 men in the 10k

10k winners
1 Eric CURRAN (698)     32:34 Senior  (1) Male  (1)
2 James MCCARTHY (311)  32:46 Senior  (2) Male  (2)
3 Gary EGAN (277)     34:55 Over 40  (1) Male  (3)
19 Susan MURNANE (455)     40:09 Over 40  (1) Female  (2)
23 Katie HICKSON (605)     40:27 Over 40  (2) Female  (3)
33 Annemarie POWER (193) 41:57 Over 40  (3) Female  (4)

10k results
https://www.sportsplits.com/home/results?c=74&r=346&e=1&cul=en-US

First 3 women in the 5k

5k winners
1 Richard MULLINS (275)  17:37  Male  (1)
2 Darren AHERN (314)  18:57  Male  (2)
3 Gary WALSH (219)  19:11  Male  (3)
4 Rosaleen MACKEOWN (467)  19:21  Over 40  (1)     Female  (1)
7 Claire O' BRIEN (379)  19:36  open  (1)  Female  (2)
11 Rachel CAREY (265)  21:28  open  (2)  Female  (3)

5k
https://www.sportsplits.com/home/results?c=74&r=346&e=2

Photos.. (Updated Mon 23rd Oct @10:18am)
1) There are over 600 photos going up on the Running in Cork Facebook page
...a) Start of the 5k
...b) Finish of the 5k
...c) Start of the 10k
...d) Finish of the 10k
2) Mick Dooley of Eagle AC has a small gallery HERE
3) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has two galleries... 10k start ... 10k at Curraheen Bridge 

Looking ahead to the Rebel Run 10k & 5k...Sun 22nd Oct 2017

The big race in Cork this weekend is the Rebel Run 10k & 5k on Sun 22nd of October. At the moment, the course is clear and it's going ahead. Just remember to check on Saturday evening in case any trees have come down to make sure everything is still ok.

Please note that this event has sold out and there are no entries on the day.

Details from Cork Sports Partnership...
CORK REBEL RUN - SIGN IN DETAILS
All registered participants should now have received their Event Information Pack for this Sunday's Cork Rebel Run by email. If you have not yet received your Event Information Pack, please email info@corksports.ie and we will resend.

Please note the following Sign In times for this year's Rebel Run Events.
- Friday October 20th 5pm - 7pm
- Saturday October 21st 12pm - 2pm
- Sunday October 22nd 8am - 9am

Sign In will take place in the Track Stand at CIT (Red Brick Building)
Ample Parking is available in CIT car park for Sign In and on the morning of the event. 

More info on the 10k route HERE

5k map HERE

Met Eireann issue Orange weather alert for Sat 21st Oct 2017

At 2pm on Thurs 19th Oct, Met Eireann have issued an Orange weather alert for next Saturday the 21st of October 2017.

The storm in the mid-Atlantic has been given the name Brian and is expected to pass over Ireland on Saturday morning. The strong winds in Cork are likely to be from the West whereas the winds from ex-hurricane Ophelia were from the South and the South-West.

Following on from the damage done by Ophelia, there is a potential for more fallen trees, branches and power cuts. It won't be as strong as Ophelia though.

If you are going to any event, please check the status before traveling.

Update Fri 8am : At the moment, the parkrun in Ballincollig, Macroom and Glengarriff are cancelled. The run in Ballinacurra is cancelled. The Rebel Run on Sunday is going ahead as planned.

Results of the Ardfield 5k...Sun 15th Oct 2017

100 people turned out for this years 5k in Ardfield with about 70 runners and 30 walkers.

Full results below....

Ballincollig Regional Park closed for at least a week

Cork County Council announced yesterday that the Regional Park in Ballincollig is likely to be closed for at least a week. This will obviously impact on the 5k parkrun next Saturday, the 21st of October.

Update Thurs 19th Oct 2017 : The parkrun on the 21st of October is definitely cancelled. However, work has begun on clearing the trees.

There are at least 60 fallen trees in the park due to ex-Hurricane Ophelia which is pretty amazing considering it is in valley. It will obviously take Council staff some time to remove all fallen trees and other potentially dangerous branches.

Regional Park staff have asked members of the public to respect the closure notices until it is opened again. They issued the following on Facebook......."Park is closed for a reason. It will be for a few days. Obviously all tree care specialists are currently clearing roads 1st as higher priority to ensure public safety of those whom have to travel on them. Trying to tell people to stay out already grief from them. We are trying to stop you being injured even if you don't have self preservation in mind.
Broken tree limbs dangling over paths."

Over 90,000 households in Cork suffered a power supply loss storm Ophelia. Obviously council staff with tree cutting equipment will be busy working on roads around the county over the next week.

Many roads and paths blocked after Ex-Hurricane Ophelia

Now 48 hours after the remains of Hurricane Ophelia hit the country, many roads and paths around Cork are still blocked. Outside of Cork City, many large urban population centres were without power for 24-48 hours and it's very likely that it will take several days to get to all the smaller rural areas.

Around Cork City, many trees are down. The photo above shows the old railway path in Blackrock with a fallen tree and electricity wires on the ground. This was taken on Tuesday the 17th of October.

With the weekend coming up, there are a number of events on but it's probably best to check that they are not cancelled before traveling. If you live in Cork City, you may not be fully aware of just how bad it is out in parts of the countryside at the moment.

I'll put up info about events cancelled or going ahead towards the end of the week.

Batt Kearney hits 100 parkruns...

Batt Kearney is probably one of the few runners that attend nearly all the races in Cork. If there is an event on then he is almost sure to be there.

Last Saturday, Batt completed his 100th 5k parkrun in Macroom.

Results & Photos of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun... Sat 14th Oct 2017

A total of 253 people turned out for the 70th edition of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun on Saturday the 14th of Oct 2017.

1 Conor DOLAN    18:09    SM30-34    M1    Galway City Harriers
2 Morgan O'REGAN    18:50    VM40-44    M2    Midleton AC
3 Damien GERAGHTY    19:26    SM30-34    M3    Sportsworld
24 Sophie FOLEY    21:56    JW11-14    F1
25 Margaret JONES    21:57    VW45-49    F2    Midleton AC
29 Louise SHEEHAN    22:21    VW40-44    F3    Ballincollig Athletic Club

Full results

Photos...
1) The organisers have a gallery HERE and on Facebook HERE
2) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE 

How to catch a Race Cheater...

Guest Article on the Ballycotton '10'...by Claire Healy

The following article was sent in by Brian Healy and is an account of the Ballycotton 10 mile race written by his daughter Claire back in 2014. It gives a nice account of the event and as can be seen from the title, it was written well before there was any hint that the race might ever come to an end.

BALLYCOTTON 10 WILL RUN AND RUN... By Claire Healy (2014)
 
Runners are penned into the very tip of the cul-de-sac village, the island looms in the background, the Ballycotton Lighthouse and its red beacon at rest on this sunny afternoon. The start of the Ballycotton 10  road race is something to behold.

Start of the Ballycotton 10 mile road race. Photo: John Hennessy

It’s the biggest day of the year for the sleepy fishing spot on the east Cork coast. Almost 3,000 runners pour out, and later back in, the Bog Road, which links the isolated coastline to the outside world.

The village  bears little resemblance to its ordinary stature. Locals line the main street clapping and cheering their annual visitors, their musical Cork accents guiding the runners through the gentle hills and rambling roads.

The race entered its 37th year this March. An extraordinary event that, compared to the scale of the venue, is bigger than the New York marathon.

In an era where more and more people are abandoning the gym and hitting the roads, Ballycotton saw 2571 runners of all levels take on their route. There were 2617 finishers in 2012 and 2601 in 2013. In most normal races, a decline in finishers could be considered a drop in popularity but that certainly can’t be said for the Ballycotton 10 when online entries sold out in 90 minutes last December.
The slight drop could be attributed to the change in the entry process and simply the number of people not turning up on the day. It’s remarkably consistent and the organisers can be reasonably sure that if the same entry criteria applies next year, Ballycotton will see 2,500 to 2,600 runners turn up in March of 2015.

It’s one of the few big races that doesn’t award a finisher’s T-shirt. Ask any athlete, or their significant other, and that familiar grumble that can only come with the experience of a graveyard of vintage race t-shirts at the bottom of the wardrobe ensues.

Instead Brian Healy’s dishwasher plays host to 14 years’ worth of commemorative mugs. The race is the reason he and his family live in the village. Originally coming across the Ballycotton 10 on his athletic travels around Ireland, from their first visit the Healys fell in love and nine years later they came to call the village home. 12 years after his first race, his son Dáire joined him on the start line.
“It’s a tradition…of 37 years. It never fails to astound me how a small voluntary group of people can put on such a professional event, how a local community can assist in the organisation of an event. It doesn’t feel like a big commercial race, it keeps its community feel and you know that the sun will always shine at some stage, it’s part of the day. The village the next day is like nothing ever happened” Brian said.

If it wasn’t for the race, Ballycotton might only be known for notable lifeboat rescues, Dáire notes, mentioning the famous Daunt Rock rescue in 1936 by the Mary Stanford lifeboat, “that or Divine Rapture,” he laughs.

Divine Rapture could have done with the Mary Stanford lifeboat, it was such an ill-fated venture. For two weeks the village welcomed Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp and the Hollywood elite, before it emerged that there was no money behind the project and they promptly packed up. Thankfully the race has seen more success.

Dáire concurs; “it gives Ballycotton something to be proud of, and the people something big and important to be part of. We might be one of the smallest villages in Cork, but we run the biggest race, and a personal one at that.”

John “Mr Ballycotton” Walshe is a familiar face on the athletics scene in Cork and indeed around the country. An obliging and humble character, he is the main cog in the slick machine that is the Ballycotton 10. Whether it’s putting up signs, painting the mile markers onto the road, no stone is left unturned by the race organiser. He knows what makes a good race and ensures that he and his team put on the best day possible for the runners, travelling and local alike.

John Walshe (second left) and Brian Healy (far right) visiting marathon stalwart Ron Hill’s 5km following his Ballycotton visit.

A visible presence since the race’s first outing, today’s race would be unrecognisable to the 31 men who ran in 1978, while much remains the same, down to the work of John and his team.
“The ten mile route hasn’t changed and it still offers the same challenge as it did to those 31 pioneering runners all those years ago. The race organisation, now a massive operation, remains a truly voluntary effort and we still provide the same basic value for money service – a true race on an accurate course with full results for all” he says.

A look at the Glengarriff 5k parkrun...

The Glengarriff parkrun began at the start of 2016 and attracted a lot of runners from the local area. As the novelty died away, the numbers have fallen to about 30 or so per week other than some peaks due to Operation Transformation and the Summer tourist season.

One of the problems with Glengarriff is that the village has a population of only about 1,000 people. As only a percentage of these would have any interest in a 5k parkrun, the local pool of runners is quite small.

The larger catchment area would include the towns of Bantry (pop 3,000) and Kenmare (pop 2,000) but this would require a round trip of about an hour for most runners.

It's not all about numbers of course but in general, the more runners that take part, the bigger the pool from which to get volunteers. The current event director has now stepped down and the future of the parkrun is in some doubt unless someone else takes on the role.

You can see the statement from Glengarriff parkrun below...
 

€100k grant announced for Clonakilty Greenway

Last week, some €21 million in funding was announced under the Government Town and Village Renewal Scheme. From the grants announced for Cork, one was for €100,000 for the new proposed Greenway in Clonakilty.

The new Greenway will connect the town of Clonakilty with the Business and Technology Park which is just off the N71 road to Bandon. Approximately 800 people currently work in the Park which is situated about 3kms from Clonakilty.

The new Greenway will be suitable for walkers, runners and cyclists and it is hoped that it will offer employees.an alternative way to commute in fine weather. It will of course be great for local runners as it's not safe to run on the hard shoulder of the N71 at present and this provides a safer option.

The route should also incorporate Gullane Lake where a community forest is currently being planted. Several native Irish species such as oak, birch, alder, hazel and cherry trees will be planted and will probably take some time to mature. In the long term however, this should be a valuable asset to this West Cork town.

Links...
1) Southern Star...Greenway for Clon gets the Green light

Less than 50 places left for the Rebel Run in Cork City

Update Wed 11th Oct : NOW CLOSED

There seems to be a lot of interest in this years Rebel Run 10k & 5k in Cork City which is coming up on Sunday the 22nd of October 2017. When I put up the race notice at the end of September, I noticed that there was a surge of visitors to the website and the associated Facebook page to look for info the event.

As of yesterday (9th Oct), there are now fewer than 50 places left. If you are interested then sign up asap.  More info in this previous post.

Irish results from the 2017 Chicago Marathon

The annual Chicago Marathon was held on the 8th of October 2017 and there was no shortage of Irish runners there.

The Irish results are listed below (Cork & Munster runners in Bold)

The Ballycotton 10 Mugs...and the elusive 1983 one!

One of the unique features of the Ballycotton 10 mile road race was the mug which was given out at the end to all finishers. While some of the newer runners might have preferred say a dry fit top, the Ballycotton 10 mug has a long history and many people now have a collection of them.

I have my own collection of them as well from down through the years. I'd guess that since the news of the demise of the Ballycotton '10', people will probably be a bit more careful with theirs.

Jerry Forde's Ballycotton Collection

I was out in Jerry Forde's house a few months back and I took a photo of his collection. As you can see, he has a fair few Ballycotton '10' mugs and Summer Series plaques from years past.

Over the years, the designs have changed. Some were more like cups rather than mugs. Different years, different designs with different sponsors.

One of the more unusual years was that of 1983. The photo below shows the mug belonging to Danny McCarthy of Midleton AC.

It looks normal enough except for the fact that the mugs weren't properly fired that year and the writing disappeared with the first wash! It's likely that this is one of the few that managed to survive intact. Does anyone else have another one?

Club transfers...Sept 2017

Athletics Ireland recently released a list which shows the transfers between clubs and it can be seen HERE.

This is done twice a year after a 6 month window. Note that the list shows juveniles as well as adults so the number of people changing clubs is pretty small.

Results of the Rosscarbery 5k - Sat 7th Oct 2017

A total of 122 runners turned out for this years Rosscarbery 5k road race on Saturday the 7th of October 2017.

1 Eric Curran Leevale AC M 15:31
2 Padraig Sheehan Clonakilty Road Runners M 17:37
3 Ciaran Bouse Eagle AC M 17:41
1 Carmel Crowley Bandon AC F40 19:16
2 Anna O'Neill Doheny AC F40 20:07
3 Ronnie Barry Bandon AC F40 20:13

The full results are HERE

Photos...
1) Danielle McCarthy has a gallery HERE
2) Dan O'Connell has a gallery HERE 

Results & photos of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun...Sat 7th Oct 2017

Almost 300 people turned out for this weeks 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park.  As can be seen from the chart above, this was above average and might have been a follow on from the VHI promotion last week.

1 John GOGGIN    18:04    VM35-39    M1
2 Bryan CROWLEY    18:22    VM40-44    M2    Watergrasshill AC
3 Brian MURPHY    18:31    VM35-39    M3
5 Emma MURPHY    18:47    SW30-34    F1
17 Claire O' BRIEN    21:00    SW30-34    F2    Watergrasshill AC
30 Margaret JONES    22:09    VW45-49    F3    Midleton AC
Results... http://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/weeklyresults/?runSeqNumber=69

Photos...
1) Joe Murphy of Eagle AC has a gallery HERE
2) The organisers have a gallery HERE 

End of the road for the Ballycotton 10 and the Summer Series

Ballycotton Running Promotions have announced that the Ballycotton 10 mile road race and the Ballycotton Summer Series is coming to an end.

This will no doubt come as a shock to many in the local running community as these races were hugely popular with many runners.

The full statement is below...

STATEMENT FROM BALLYCOTTON RUNNING PROMOTIONS
(Issued at 17.00 on 05/10/2017)

It is with regret and no doubt a certain amount of sadness that we wish to announce that the Ballycotton ‘10’, the Summer 5-Mile Series and other events organised by Ballycotton Running Promotions have come to an end.

Whilst this will be received with shock and surprise by the running community at large, the decision to call a halt to our promotions is something that has occupied the thoughts of our committee for the past year or more.

Seven months ago we celebrated the 40th running of the Ballycotton ‘10’ and the symbolic date of Sunday March 12th – the exact date of the original race – may have given an indication of our intentions from this time of last year.

At a special and well-attended meeting in Ballycotton last night and after a long discussion the decision was unanimously agreed that our races should come to an end forthwith - on our own terms and before circumstances outside our control dictated so.

For anyone familiar with the geographical locations of our races, the problems logistically of organising the events are all too apparent. Parking has been one of our major worries. It may come as a surprise to many that, for the past two years due to weather conditions, the possibility of the Ballycotton ‘10’ having to be cancelled was a live issue up to 24 hours before the race.

With new proposed traffic regulations on the way, the staging of an event with up to 3,000 runners in a village with just one road in and out would prove insurmountable. These problems, to a lesser extent, are also evident in the summer races where we are again at the mercy of the weather as regards parking and facilities.

Unlike other such races which are organised by athletic clubs and the like who have a huge supply of members to call on, we are just a small promoting group. But for the assistance we have received from outside bodies over the years it would have been impossible to put on five major events each year.   

Due to busy lifestyles nowadays, help is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. Unfortunately, the age profile of the voluntary committee members and those willing to give of their time is a lot higher than it was when we started out. Also, some participants today are more demanding than in the past and it goes without saying that social media now plays a major role in those demands.

Since our first race, we have had a simple 100% ethos and aim which was manifested in all our races – to provide a well-organised, value for money event for runners of all abilities. Even though we are slow to sing our own praises, we can proudly say we have played a defining role in the popularity and promotion of running events so evident today.  

Road racing in general is now certainly in a far better place than it was back in 1977 when 34 runners took part in our first five-mile race, just one of four road races in total held in the Cork region that summer.

Since that August evening four decades ago, 40 Ballycotton ‘10’ races, 156 Summer 5-Mile races, 60 Shanagarry ‘5K’ (summer and winter) events along with over 80 smaller local races from our early days have taken place. 

Each of those road races had a definite start and finish line. Now, the finish line has finally been reached for Ballycotton Running Promotions and its events. It has been a long and winding road, a road filled with many memories and stories, and a road that has enriched the lives of thousands from far and near.

We conclude by expressing a deep-felt sense of gratitude to all those who have journeyed with us along that road, in whatever capacity, over the forty years of Ballycotton races.

Ballycotton Running Promotions

Athletics Ireland release club membership stats for the end of Sept 2017

Athletics Ireland have just released the membership stats as of the end of September 2017. As we approach the end of the year, club membership tends to slow down a lot as people just generally wait until January and join for a complete year.

In terms of adult membership in clubs in Cork, Mallow AC are still on top with 226 members. As the chart shows below, some clubs are up year on year, some are steady and some are down.

The chart below shows the medium sized clubs with between 40 and 100 adult members...

One of the big changes in recent years is that more clubs have popped up, especially in more rural areas. Some of these will attract people that would have never joined a club otherwise.


The next one shows the smaller clubs with between 10 and 40 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.

Rebel Run Early Bird Entries extended until Midnight Sun 8th October

I put up a post at the end of Sept about the upcoming Rebel Run 10k & 5k in Cork City and it got a lot of hits and views. It seems as if there is a fair bit of interest in it.

Cork Sports Partnership have now extended the closing date for cheaper early bird entries until Sun 8th Oct. The Early Bird Prices are ...- 10k price: €15, - 5k price: €10 ....and that includes a dry fit top.

The Rebel Run 10k & 5k will be held in Bishopstown, Cork City on Sunday the 22nd of October at 9:30am.

For more info, see this previous post.

Notice...Rosscarbery Steam Engine 5k in West Cork - Sat 7th Oct 2017

 

From the organisers....‘Rosscarbery Steam Engine’ 5km Fun Run on October 7th supporting two Local Charities Lisheens House and Owenahincha Bay Water Safety Association

Now in it’s seventh year, the Annual Rosscarbery Steam Engine 5km Fun Run will take place on Saturday October 7th at 5pm. This race has been growing in popularity every year and in 2016 was voted the Second Best 5K in Cork! This year the organisers are hoping to make it the best in Cork!
The run is named in honour of the one-time Irish and USA Champion 400-metres champion runner T.J. O’Mahony aka The Steam Engine and is a 5km (3.1 miles in total) double circuit of the scenic lagoon in Rosscarbery.

Togher AC Couch to 5k programme for beginners...Starts Tues 24th Oct 2017

This might be of interest to any beginners out there. Togher AC are holding a 9 week Couch to 5k programme in Cork City and it starts on Tuesday the 24th of October 2017.

As you can see from the flyer above, it cost €30 and they train 3 times a week. The main evening will be on Tuesdays. If interested, contact Claire Dunne by email... clairecdunne AT gmail DOT com

Photos of the Cork BHAA Cork to Cobh 15 mile race...Sun 1st Oct 2017

A total of 745 runners turned out for this years Cork BHAA Cork to Cobh 15 mile road race. As can be seen from the chart above, this is pretty much in line with the average of about 750 for the last 10 years.

1 Colin Merritt 0/45B M1 01:23:13 Army
2 Mark Smith M2 01:25:10
3 Michael Corbett 0/40A M3 01:25:18 Musgrave
9 Clare McCarthy 0/40I F1 01:30:09 APEX
69 Sinead Paley 0/45J F2 01:43:10 Bumbleance
80 Ellen Hanley 0/40I F3 01:44:46 Avondhu MF

The full results can be seen HERE

Claire McCarthy...first woman home

Photos...(Updated Mon 2nd Oct 11:42pm)
1) There will be 3 albums up on the Running in Cork Facebook page
...a) Album 1 of 3...approx 150 pics.
...b) Album 2 of 3...approx 150 pics
...c) Album 3 of 3...approx 150 pics
2) Andy O'Rourke Photography has 4 albums with roughly 40 pics in each one.
...Album 1 ... Album 2 ... Album 3 ... Album 4 ...
3) Michael Buckley has a gallery HERE
4) Susan Parker Laste has a gallery HERE 
5) Anthony Power has a small gallery HERE

Ardfield 5k race on Sun 1st Oct 2017 CANCELLED

Please note that the Ardfield 5k on Sun 1st Oct 2017 has been cancelled due to poor visibility and localised flooding on the course.

If you know of anyone intending to travel, please let them know.