€280k Awarded in Sports Grant for Running & Athletic Projects in Cork

The Government announced a total of €56m in sports grants today with a huge number of clubs and sports around the country benefiting.


Minister Shane Ross said at the announcement: "This is a great day for Irish sport. When we originally invited applications under the scheme, we had just €30m to allocate and the record level of applications would have left a large number of good projects unsupported and many clubs disappointed. Happily, following the conclusion of budget discussions, I was delighted to secure the required additional resources to enable me to allocate €56m in total to local sports clubs and organisations throughout the country. The net result of this is that we are able to provide financial assistance towards over 1,700 different projects all over the country."

The full list of successful applicants for each county is HERE

€280,500 has been allocated to athletic clubs and running related projects in Cork.

These are as follows...

Cork - Leevale Athletic Club - Leevale AC - High Performance Centre - €105,000 (Used for roof repairs to their High Performance Centre and additional equipment)

Cork - Cork Education and Training Board - Carrignafoy Community College & Ballymore-Cobh Athletic Club - €84,500

Cork - Rathcormac Community Council - Rathcormac Walking/Jogging Track - €61,500

Cork - Youghal Athletic Club - Phase One Tower Park Development - €18,000

Cork - Togher Athletic Club - Non Personal Sports Equipment - €11,500

The amounts awarded this year are in contrast to a few years ago when hardly any Cork athletic clubs applied.

One thing to note here is that these are capital grants. Many if not most athletic and running clubs don't have their own grounds or premises and from what I understand, cannot apply for a capital grant as a result.

These are the sports that got more than €100k...

Notice...Togher 5k road race - Sun 31st Dec 2017

The annual Togher 5k is coming up over the Christmas period on Sunday the 31st of December at 1pm.

This is always a popular race and is one of the biggest in Cork over Christmas. As 5k courses go, this one is pretty fast and it's mostly around quiet housing estates.

Here is a promo video of the race from Togher AC...




Course Preview...Full details on the course with directions, maps, photos, preview, etc can be seen HERE

Entries...The online entry fee is €15 and includes a long sleeve dry fit top. You can enter online HERE

Entries on the day also cost €15. All proceeds from the event go towards Togher AC and Cork Mental Health Foundation.

From the organisers....Following on from the success of our event last year we are back this year with kind sponsorship from Ryans of Togher SuperValu. We are delighted to be running this event again in association with Cork Mental Health Foundation and Housing Association. All funds raised will go to support this great organisation and Togher AC.

More info on the Togher AC website... http://www.togherathletics.org/togher-ac-5k-road-race-31st-december-2017/

We look forward to welcoming you all during the festive period on December 31st :-)

The course has been properly measured by Jones Counter.

Cork runners Michelle Finn and Lizzie Lee selected for Irish Cross Country Team

Following on from their 3rd and 4th place finish at the Senior Cross Country Championships in Dublin last Sunday, Cork runners Michelle Finn (#98) and Lizzie Lee (#81) have been selected for the Irish Cross Country Team. The European Cross Country Championships will take place in the Slovak Republic in December.

Announcing the team, Athletics Ireland High Performance Director Paul McNamara said: "The European Cross Country championships are of critical importance to Irish endurance running. We have an outstanding tradition at ‘Euro Cross’ and we are certainly looking to build on that in the 2017 edition of the event. Athletes have been selected based on their preparedness to compete with the best in Europe and this team travels intent on adding to recent successes."

Team Selections
Senior Women
Shona Heaslip (An Riocht A.C.), Kerry O'Flaherty (Newcastle & District A.C.), Michelle Finn (Leevale A.C.), Lizzie Lee (Leevale A.C.), Fionnuala Ross (Armagh A.C), Fionnuala McCormack (Kilcoole A.C.)
Senior Men 
Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders A.C.), Kevin Dooney (Raheny Shamrock A.C.), Hugh Armstrong (Ballina A.C.), John Travers (Donore Harriers A.C.), Sean Tobin (Clonmel A.C.), Kevin Maunsell (Clonmel A.C.)

Under-20 Women
Laura Nicholson (Bandon A.C.), Stephanie Cotter (West Muskerry A.C.), Jodie McCann (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.), Fian Sweeney (Dublin City Harriers A.C.), Sophie Murphy (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.), Fiona Everard (Bandon A.C.)

Under-20 Men
Craig McMeechan (North Down A.C.), Brian Fay (Raheny Shamrock A.C.), Charlie O'Donovan (Leevale A.C.), Fearghal Curtin (Youghal A.C.), James Edgar (City of Lisburn A.C.), Darragh McElhinney (Bantry A.C.)

Under-23 Women
Bethanie Murray (Dundrum South Dublin A.C.)

Under-23 Men
Tom O’Keeffe (Kilkenny City Harriers), Eoin Strutt (Raheny Shamrock A.C.)

Photo: Gearóid Ó Laoi

Shona Heaslip wins National Senior Cross Country Title & Leevale AC secure team win

The National Cross Country Championships were held in Abbotstown, Dublin on Sunday the 26th of November.

In the Senior women's race, Shona Heaslip of An Ríocht AC in Kerry broke away from a group of four in the last lap to take the national title.

Great photo from Gearóid Ó Laoi showing Shona Heaslip on her way to winning the 2017 National Senior Cross Country Championship title

In the women's team event, Michelle Finn's 3rd and Lizzie Lee's 4th place finishes helped Leevale AC secure the Gold. Claire McCarthy and Sinead O'Connor were the other scoring members of the team.

28:31 1 Shona  Heaslip An Riocht A.C. An Riocht A.C. (A)
28:38 2 Kerry O'Flaherty  Newcastle & District AC Newcastle & District AC
28:44 3 Michelle Finn Leevale A.C.  Leevale A.C. (A)
28:51 4 Lizzie Lee  Leevale A.C.  Leevale A.C. (A)
29:16 7 Laura  Crowe An Riocht A.C. An Riocht A.C. (A)
29:43 10 Claire McCarthy Leevale A.C. Leevale A.C. (A)
30:25 18 Sinead O'Connor Leevale A.C. Leevale A.C. (A)

Club Team Points Place Club Positions Points
1 Leevale A.C. (A) 3, 4, 10, 18...35 pts
2 Dundrum South Dublin A.C. (A) 9, 11, 12, 14...46 pts
3 An Riocht A.C. (A) 1, 7, 50, 54...112 pts

Photo from Leevale AC of their Gold medal team

The same four Leevale athletes of course also represented Cork in the inter-county competition to take Gold there as well.

Full results of the women's race

In the men's competition, Mark Hanrahan of Leevale AC finished 6th while the East Cork AC team finished in 7th place, just ahead of Leevale AC in 8th.

Full results of the men's race

Photos...
1) Kieran Carlin of Finn Valley AC has 529 photos HERE
2) Athletics Ireland have a small gallery HERE
3) Gearóid Ó Laoi has a few photos of the start of the women's race HERE

Video & Photos of the RNLI Reindeer Run in Fota...Sun 26th Nov 2017

The annual RNLI Reindeer Run was held this year on Sunday the 26th of November and there were 250 runners between both the 5k and 10k events.

Video of the event...



Photos...
1) Crosshaven RNLI have some photos HERE and HERE

Results & Photos of the Great Glenville 4 mile road race...Sun 26th Nov 2017

A record 265 runners took part in this years Great Glenville 4 mile road race on Sunday the 26th of November 2017. This race was organised by Watergrasshill AC in association with Glenville GAA.

1 O'Shea    Alan    Male    Bantry AC    19:39.77
2 Curran    Eric    Male    Leevale   20:23.84
3 Mansfield    David    Male    Clonliffe Harriers  20:43.07
1 Hegarty Lisa   Female   Leevale      23:46.01
2  O' Brien Claire  Female  Watergrasshill AC   25:51.00
3  Ennis Joan  Female  Grange Fermoy   F 50    26:24.58

Photos... (Updated Tues 10:20am)
1) There are 4 galleries on the Running in Cork Facebook page
...a) Pre-race & start
...b) Runners at about 3.8 miles
...c) Photos from Mick Dooley
...d) Prize giving photos
2) Glenville GAA club has a gallery HERE 

Full results below....

John & Ray Treacy Co-Chair Famous Manchester Race

The fourth Thursday of November is known as Thanksgiving Day across the United States of America and is also the date of the Manchester Road Race, one of the oldest races in the world.

The annual 4.748 mile race draws huge crowds and has been won on the past by Ireland's John Treacy. This year, both John and his brother Ray are co-chairing the event. There is an interesting interview and article on the Hartford Courant website HERE

There were 11282 finishers in 2017. 

Additional info...
1) CORK CONNECTION WITH FAMOUS RACE ...By John Walshe
2) Race website

Photos of the Joseph Murphy Fundraising 5k in Doneraile Park...Sat 25th Nov 2017

This 5k fundraiser was held in Doneraile Park on Saturday the 25th of November.

Photos HERE

Message from Joe & Anne Murphy... We would like to say a big thank you sincerely to Brian Ahern and Bweeng Trail Blazers and all the volunteers for without Brian there would be no run. Thanks to the runners and the walkers, and all the people who supported the run, with spot prizes.and their generosity. Thank you all again for everything.

Results & Photos of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun...Sat 25th Nov 2017

A total of 279 runners turned out for this weeks 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park which is coincidentally the exact same as the very first parkrun here back in June of 2016.

As can be seen from the chart above, the numbers are doing pretty well at the moment and are just shy of 300 most weeks.


1 Aidan Robert CAHILL    18:00    JM11-14    M1 Colchester & Tendring AC
2 Lance DOHERTY    18:33    VM40-44    M2
3 Denis BUCKLEY    18:41    JM15-17    M3
37 Brigita LUKSTE    22:42    VW35-39    F1
42 Marie O'SHEA    23:10    VW40-44    F2
49 Olga O'SULLIVAN    23:28    VW40-44    F3 Dell EMC Running Club


Full results

Photos...
1) The organisers have a small gallery HERE
2) Proinnsias O'Keeffe has a gallery HERE 

Events coming up on Sat 25th & Sun 26th Nov 2017

5k Parkrun...Sat 25th (9:30am)...€free...various locations...  
Cork...Macroom, Clonakilty, Bere Is, Glengarriff, Castlehaven & Ballincollig...
Waterford...Tramore  Limerick...University of Limerick & Newcastle West  Kerry...Killarney, Tralee & Listowel  Clare...Ennis, Kilrush & Clarisford  Tipperary...Templemore & Clonmel Kilkenny...Kilkenny Castle Wexford...New Ross & Johnstown


Cork...Sat 25th (12 noon)...Joseph Murphy Fundraiser 5k...€donation...Doneraile Park... info...

Cork...Sun 26th (10am)...Sean Hurley Memorial Fun 6km Run/Walk...€10...Ballinhassig...

Cork...Sun 26th (11:30am)...Great Glenville 4 mile race...€10...nr Watergrasshill... info...

Cork...Sun 26th (11am)...RNLI Reindeer Run 5k in Fota House & Gardens...€various... info...
Cork...Sun 26th (12 noon)...RNLI Reindeer Run 10k in Fota House & Gardens...€various... info...

Waterford...Sun 26th (12 noon)...Joe Curran Memorial 5 mile Turkey Trot... €8...

John Treacy winning his second World Cross Country Gold in 1979

This appeared on the RTE Sport Twitter feed last night...

Was John Treacy winning second successive cross-country gold in Limerick in '79 that's decade's finest moment?

Was John Treacy winning second successive cross-country gold in Limerick in '79 that's decade's finest moment? #IrelandsGreatest pic.twitter.com/JT9DyI9ffd

— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 23, 2017

Charity Run for the Cork Deaf Association at the CIT track on Fri 24th Nov 2017

From Kevin Donovan...I am doing a 32 lap run at CIT athletics track to recognize the 32 county running challenge that I did earlier in the year. I will be carrying a different flag on each lap to represent the county I ran earlier in the year. 

I will have deaf pupils from Bishopstown Community School and St Columba's Primary School, Douglas to run a few laps with me. There be a music through the speakers as well, so anyone who wants to watch is more than welcome.

Sponsorship cards will be around for anyone who wants to donate before, during or after the event.
The run will take place between 1pm and 3pm on Friday the 24th of November 2017. It is for Cork Deaf Association and Irish Deaf Society.

My links are as follows
http://www.facebook.com/kevin32county2017 for the day to day updates
www.idonate.ie/kevin32challenge for anyone who wishes to donate
www.32countyrunningchallenge2017.wordpress.com for the post of each race in the challenge

Wheelchair athlete Jerry Forde passes the 400 Marathon mark!!

Well done to Jerry Forde who recently passed the 400 marathon mark! Jerry did his first marathon back in 1992 and hit the 100 mark 14 years later in 2006. He passed the 200 mark in 2011, the 300 mark in 2014 and now the 400 mark in 2017.

I updated Jerry's website during the week and you can see the full list there... https://jerryforde.wordpress.com/

Update on the Great Glenville 4 mile road race coming up on Sun 26th Nov 2017

The Glenville 4 mile race near Watergrasshill is coming up on Sunday the 26th of November.

Here is an update from the organisers......


Pre Race Registration for The Great Glenville Run is now live.....
How does it work??
You click on the link below, enter all you details, BUT there is NO payment taken!!
You are only uploading your information so as to speed things up on race morning. You will collect your Race number at the Pre Registration table in Glenville National School where you will pay your entry fee of €10.

SO........if you upload your details, and cannot make it on the day, that is fine, there is no cost incurred.

We would encourage as many people as possible to Pre-Register for this event to aid with the smooth "running" of the event.

Quicker registration / Less Errors / Quicker turnaround for results

https://runsignup.com/Race/IE/Cork/TheGreatGlenvilleRun2017

More info about the race in this previous post.

Athletics Ireland membership hits 60,000 but target in doubt

Athletics Ireland recently announced that the number of members in the association reached the 60,000 mark for the first time on Thursday the 16th of November 2017.

They also stated the following......"One of our main strategic priorities for 2016 - 2020 is to continue to grow our membership to 70,000 by 2020. By achieving 60,000 members we have already achieved the 2017 target set out in our strategic plan."

I was wondering if this claim was true so I examined it closer.

At the end of 2016, Athletics Ireland added an extra 179 members in the month of December. If the last month of 2017 is much the same and I add say 200 to the 60,000 figure then I come up with a projected membership figure of 60,200 for the end of December 2017.

Athletics Ireland claim that they are on target to reach 70,000 by 2020 but I calculate that they would need to be at 61,000 by the end of 2017 to achieve that.

You can see this in the chart above. The dark green graph showing the figure of 60,200 is in line with the growth of previous years. The 70,000 target graph in light green would require a much higher rate of growth.

Based on this, the current membership is about 800 behind what is in the plan and if that growth stays the same (800 x 4 years) then the membership figure at the end of 2020 is likely to be around 67,000, not 70,000.

However despite that, it's still a positive news story for Athletics Ireland as its membership grows. The more members it has, the more financially secure it is. It would be a different story if the membership was dropping. As long as they don't have spending plans based on having 70,000 members in three years time then it shouldn't matter too much.

However, if you dig into the stats it's not all rosy. All of that growth in membership is coming from Juveniles and from Masters i.e. those aged 35 and above. The number of senior members i.e. aged from 20 to 34 is in decline.

The chart above shows the status of Senior membership at the end of October 2017. With just two months to go, it's 731 behind the number at the end of 2016 and it's very unlikely that many senior members will be added by years end.

The important thing here is that the vast majority of the masters membership would be categorised as recreational runners. It's very likely that a large percentage of the senior membership are probably in the 28-34 age bracket and are also recreational runners. This implies that the number of senior athletes in the 20-27 age bracket must be really dropping.

This obviously has a big implication for the numbers involved in actual traditional athletic events like track and field. It's from this pool that athletes aged in their early to mid 20's that are likely to represent Ireland at the Olympics and major championships.

Notice...Joseph Murphy Fundraiser 5k in Doneraile Park - Sat 25th Nov 2017

This 5k in Doneraile Park in North Cork is coming up on Saturday the 25th of November 2017 at 12 noon. It will be on the usual 5k course which is accurately measured.

The event will be untimed as all proceeds go towards the costs of bringing Joseph home to Ireland for burial.

Funeral arrangements on Rip.ie


Details below....

Delhi Half-Marathon goes ahead despite smog levels at dangerous levels

More than 30,000 runners took part in the Delhi Half-Marathon last Sunday despite having to put up with air pollution so bad that it was in fact at eight times the World Health Organization’s safe maximum.

It was probably no suprise that many runners complained of a burning sensation in their eyes along with dry throats and running noses due to the high amount of particulates in the air.

The Indian Medical Association had asked the Delhi High Court to postpone the event, but were told organisers had taken proper precautions with the course being sprayed to keep dust levels down.

Delhi is ranked one of the world’s most polluted capitals.

An Alaskan Mile

Up to recently, the four-minute mile was never run outdoors in Alaska. In September of 2017, eight top milers gathered in Alaska to set that right. This is their story....

Breege Connolly runs European Championship qualifying time in Valencia Marathon

Irish Olympic Marathon runner Breege Connolly set a new personal best time of 2h 37m 26s in the Valencia Marathon on Sunday, a three second improvement on her previous best.

Breege finished 12th woman overall and the first masters athlete in Valencia, passing through the 10K mark in a time of 36.55. 

More importantly, she achieved the Qualifying Mark of sub 2:38 required for the the 2018 European Championships in Berlin.

With Ireland being able to field six athletes for the marathon, it's very likely that Breege has booked her ticket.

Results of the Valley Rovers Camogie Club 7k...Sun 19th Nov 2017

This 7k organised by Valley Rover Camogie Club in Brinny near Inishannon was organised on Sunday the 19th of November. It turned out to be a really busy day for races in Cork.

Results of the Valley Rovers Camogie Club 7k
1 David Craig 24:53
2 Liam Lyons 25:37
3 John O'Mahony 26:15
1 Jean Humphries 31:19
2 Helen O'Sullivan 31:27
3 Pauline Callan 31:36

Full results below...

Results & Photos of the Munster Masters Cross Country...Sun 19th Nov 2017

The Munster Masters Cross Country was held near Riverstick on Sunday the 19th of November. Gearóid O Laoi has about 1300 high quality photos of the men's and women's race HERE

The results are up on the Munster Athletics website.

Men ... Women 

Results of the Cloyne Commons 4k race...Sun 19th Nov 2017

On what was a busy Sunday morning, 247 runners turned out for this 4k in Cloyne in East Cork.

The winner of the men's race was Frank O'Brien, son of Liam O'Brien of East Cork AC who was a top Irish runner back in the 80's when he represented Ireland in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics in the Steeplechase.

Following in his father's footsteps, this was Franks first win on the roads. Frank also won the South Munster Schools and Munster Schools Intermediate Boys steeplechase this year before finishing fourth in the All-Ireland Schools.

1 0:13:11 O'BRIEN, Frank Midleton AC MJ 05:18.1
2 0:13:18 SHEEHAN, Nigel Youghal AC M 05:21.0   
3 0:13:19 MCKEOWN, Kieran Watergrasshill AC M40    05:21.4
19    0:15:23 O'BRIEN, Claire    Watergrasshill AC    F    06:11.2
29    0:16:19 WALSH, Niamh    East Cork AC    F    06:33.8
36    0:16:53 LEAHY, Eileen    Midleton AC    F    06:47.4

Full results below...

Photos...
1) Cloyne Community Council have a gallery HERE

Results of the Cork BHAA 6km road race in Little Island...Sun 19th Nov 2017

213 runners turned out for this Cork BHAA 6km road race in Little Island on Sun 19th Nov 2017, down 24% on last year which is a fair drop. 

1 John Collins M1 00:19:30 DMP M-A-1
2 John Shine 00:19:37 Temp Reg
3 Ian Tivey M2 00:19:56 DMP M-A-1
41 Laura Rooney 0/40I F1 00:24:45 Merck Millipore F-A-1
48 Linda O Connor 0/40I F2 00:25:01 Musgrave
75 Sheila Buckley 0/35H F3 00:26:36 Midleton Town Council

Full results

Claire McCarthy wins International Masters Cross Country Race in Derry

The British & Irish Masters Cross Country was held on Saturday the 18th of November and this year, it was in Co.Derry. In the women's race, Claire McCarthy from Cork was first home and led the Irish F40 team to a Silver medal.

1    4005    Claire McCarthy    F40    Ireland    22:36
17    4007    Sinead Kevany    F40    Ireland    23:33
21    4008    Karen Costello    F40    Ireland    23:40

Sinead Kevany of Midleton AC was also part of the team.

Full results HERE

Photos...
1) Kieran Carlin of Finn Valley AC in Donegal has an album of 600+ photos HERE

 

Results of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun...Sat 18th Nov 2017

A total of 267 runners turned out for this weeks 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park on Saturday the 18th of November. Considering there was a 5k run in Cork Airport in the early hours of Saturday morning and there are plenty of races on Sunday, it remarkable how resilient the numbers are. I would have thought that there would have been a significant drop in numbers but that doesn't seem to be the case.

1 Aidan MULLINS    17:23    SM30-34    M1    Bantry Athletic Club
2 Eoin O KEEFFE    17:32    SM30-34    M2    St Finbarrs AC   
3 Lance DOHERTY    18:32    VM40-44    M3
27 Rachel O'CALLAGHAN    22:03    VW40-44    F1
43 Zoe CONWAY    23:08    JW11-14    F2    Belgooly AC
44 Marie O'SHEA    23:10    VW40-44    F3

Full results

Photos...
1) The organisers have a gallery HERE

Races coming up on Sunday 19th Nov 2017

Plenty here to choose from on Sunday 19th November 2017...

Cork...Sun 19th (9:30am)...Cloyne Commons 4k..€5...

Cork...Sun 19th (11am)...Cork BHAA 6k...€5 reg/€10 non-reg...Little Island...

Cork...Sun 19th (12 noon)...Valley Rovers Camogie Club 7k...€10...Brinny GAA Grounds near Inishannon... info...

Results of the FitLive 5k at Cork Airport...Sat 18th Nov 2017

This commercial 5k at Cork Airport was organised by the Irish Independent Newspaper and was held in the early hours of Sat 18th Nov 2017.

The full results are up on the MyRunResults website.

Just a quick stat. 52% of the field were over 30 minutes as opposed to say 12% in the John Buckley 5k in the city during the summer. A lot of people in the airport race were probably not the usual regulars on the local race circuit.

Transfers for the Waterofrd Half-Marathon

The Waterford Half-Marathon is coming up on Saturday the 2nd of December and it sold out a few weeks back. However, they will allow transfers up until the 28th of November.

Someone contacted me looking for a transfer. If anyone isn't going then let me know and I'll pass on your details. Mail johndesmond247 AT gmail DOT com

Update : Sat 18th Nov @6:17pm
1) The original person has got an entry now.
2) Two more on offer however. Send me a mail to get the details....Gone

A few people have offered their entries and I have passed there on to people looking. If anyone wants to transfer their entry, let me know.

Note...."Transfers after the 15th will result in the race pack going to the original participant so if you are transferring your number between the 16th and 28th you will need to arrange to pass the race pack on also. "

Transfer Link

Results & Photos of the Run in the Dark 5k & 10k in Cork City...Wed 15th Nov 2017

Almost 1700 runners took part in the annual Run in the Dark race in Cork City on Wed 15th Nov 2017. It way pretty amazing to see what was a river of people running through the narrow streets of Cork City. The compact course also led to problems with lapping and congestion for the faster runners but it's hard to close roads in the heart of a busy city.

10KM RESULTS   
1    All Ages    Pat O' CONNOR (10863)    00:37:42
2    All Ages    Trevor CUMMINS (11117)    00:38:35
3    All Ages    John O' MAHONY (9223)    00:39:05
1    All Ages    Sabine KRIEBEL (11009)    00:42:25
2    All Ages    Kealey TIDESWELL (10810)    00:43:41
3    All Ages    Mary KELLEHER (9580)    00:43:28

10k results HERE

5KM RESULTS
1    All Ages    Pablo GARCÝA PAREDES (11031)    00:17:38
2    All Ages    John HEAPHY (10701)    00:18:09
3    All Ages    John MORRIN (10024)    00:18:14
1    All Ages    Katie HICKSON (10903)    00:19:20
2    All Ages    Louise LONG (11011)    00:19:33
3    All Ages    Niamh WALSH (9723)    00:20:13

5k results HERE

Photos...
1) There are a small number of photos on the Running in Cork Facebook page HERE
2) The Evening Echo has an article and video HERE 

New Duhallow AC 10 mile road race in Banteer in March of 2018

With the demise of the Ballycotton 10 mile road race, the question now arises if any other event will take its place? With that in mind, Duhallow AC are going to hold their own 10 mile road race in Banteer on the first Sunday in March of 2018.

Located about 10 miles west of Mallow, it's just off the N72 road to Killarney so access shouldn't be an issue.

It's likely that there will be several medium distance races in the Spring of 2018 to choose from and I'd guess a lot will depend on location or what people are looking for. Some will be flat and fast, others will be hilly.

With that in mind, I had a look at the new Banteer 10 mile course to see what it might be like. Please note that this is provisional!

The first two miles are in a loop near Banteer and are pretty flat. There have been plenty of short races on this loop in the past so a lot of people will be familiar with it.

From about 2 miles to 3 miles, there is a climb on the road heading south towards Nad. It turns off left then over Fr.Murphy's Bridge and climbs again onto the edge of the forestry on the lower slopes of Mount Hillary.

From 4 to 6 miles, the road is level and elevated which should give a nice view out over the valley of the Blackwater River.

After mile 6, you take a sharp left, head north away from Mount Hillary and down towards the river. This results in a steep enough drop.

If you look at the map again, you'll see that the course is near the meandering Blackwater River for the last 3 miles. i.e. If the river isn't flowing in a straight line then it suggests that the gradient is shallow. i.e. It's going to be flat enough for the last 3 miles which means a fast finish.

So overall? The hills come early which is good. It's more a case of just one hill rather than a succession of them. I suspect though that it will be a race you'd just have to do to really find out how fast it really is. Looks promising though!

Notice...RNLI Reindeer Run in Fota House & Gardens... Sun 26th Nov 2017

This one might be of interest to anyone with young families or want to take part in a fun event while helping out the RNLI. There is a 5km & 10km Reindeer Run on the grounds of Fota House on Sunday the 26th of November 2017.

Entries......
Sun 26th Nov ...
Race times
1K Santa Saunter starts at 10.30am
10K race starts at 11am
5K race starts at 12 noon

To enter, click HERE

Additional Info...This is the approx route for the event in Fota.

While the route isn't the exact same of the Rebel Run4Fun 5k which was held there before, much of it is the same. You can see some photos of that route HERE which should give you a good idea of what it's like.

From the RNLI...Derval backs RNLI Reindeer Run for fitness, fun and raising funds for a good cause

Cork athlete, broadcaster and self-confessed foodie, Derval O’Rourke, says the RNLI’s Reindeer Run is the perfect opportunity to get fit, have fun and raise funds for a good cause. Derval is the charity’s Ambassador for the popular annual family event, now in its sixth year and being held in Cork’s Fota Park on Sunday 26 November.

The three time Olympian and four time European medalist, launched the Reindeer Run at Crosshaven lifeboat station and was joined by Maeve Leonard and Vincent Fleming, volunteer lifeboat crew from Crosshaven RNLI, along with Alex Fegan (11) and Maggie O’Brien (12), who plan on running in the event at the end of the month.

Speaking at the launch Derval said, ‘It is a privilege to be back as the Ambassador for the Reindeer Run.  It is fantastic fundraising event for a charity close to my heart. My husband is heavily involved in sailing and I find it incredibly reassuring that the RNLI provides such a great service.’

‘This event is open to all ages and levels of fitness. If you are a beginner, my advice is to give it a go as it is a family friendly and fun event and it is a great opportunity to put your training in action. I will also be running the 5km on the day and hope to see lots of people there.’

Well known  journalist, broadcaster and sailor, Tom MacSweeney will be reprising his role as MC on the day, encouraging all finishers across the line.

Registration for the three events is now open online at rnli.org/reindeerrun and costs €20 for the 5K and €22 for the 10K. Children’s tickets start from €12.50 and a family ticket (two adults and two children) is €55. All participants in the 1K, 5K and 10K will receive an RNLI Reindeer Run t-shirt, a pair of antlers and a sticker for their car showing their support.

Derval’s website has helpful fitness and diet tips which are perfect for those taking part in the Reindeer Run.  They can be found at www.derval.ie.

Last year, RNLI lifeboats in Cork launched 173 times, bringing 209 people to safety. Across Ireland, there were 1,136 lifeboat launches and 1,649 people were rescued.
Ends

RNLI media contacts...For more information please contact Niamh Stephenson RNLI Public Relations Manager Tel: 087 1254 124 / 01 8900 460 email Niamh_Stephenson@rnli.org or Nuala McAloon RNLI Press Officer Tel: 087 6483547 email: Nuala_McAloon@rnli.org

RNLI online...For more information on the RNLI please visit RNLI.org  News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre RNLI.org/press

Key facts about the RNLI...The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the Ireland and the UK. The RNLI operates 235 lifeboat stations around Ireland and the UK with 45 operational lifeboat stations in Ireland. The RNLI is independent of the Coast Guard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 140,000 lives.

Charity number in the Republic of Ireland 2000 3326 and registered in England and Wales (209603) and Scotland (SCO37736)

Reminder...Run in the Dark 5k & 10k is coming up on Wed 15th Nov 2017

Just a reminder that the Run in the Dark is coming up in Cork City on Wed 15th Nov 2017 with a 9pm start. There is a choice of a 5k or 10k to choose from.

From what I understand, the event was almost sold out as of yesterday so you might still get in if you're interested.

See this previous post for info.

Vacany for Retail Shop Manager at the Edge Sports in Cork City

If anyone is looking for a change of job, the Edge Sports Store in Cork City is looking for a retail shop manager.

Full details HERE

Tramore Valley Park to Open in 2018!!

At last some good news about the Tramore Valley Park! Cork City Council announced at the end of last week that it will open before the start of the Summer of 2018.

The City Council have now budgeted €50,000 towards the operation of the park which will allow it to open to the public. The whole project of developing the old dump into a grassland park has cost in the region of €40 million to date.

So what does it mean??....Once it opens, there are unlikely to be any races held there, nor are we likely to see a resumption of the 5k parkrun. The problem of limited parking on site will remain a problem with the Black Ash Park & Ride located on the opposite side of the busy South Link Road.

The only options in the short term might be events like cross country for schools where the participants are bused in. I guess small races where the pre-entries are limited to say 200 runners might be an option but open events like a parkrun where it's impossible to know in advance how many people are going to turn up will remain a problem.

But one step at a time. At least the park will be open. If the parkrun did ever resume then the Ballincollig 5k parkrun should take off some of the pressure but the uncertainty of numbers would still be there. If that problem can be solved then the parkrun is an option again.

In terms of training, it will allow runners in the South side of Cork City someplace to train away from traffic. The loop in the park is about 1.5 miles in length and there will be access points from Half-Moon Lane on the South Douglas Road and from the new path that runs alongside the South Ring Road towards Douglas Shopping Centre.

Bridge Over the South Ring Road.....It was also announced recently that some County Councilors approved the decision to send plans to the full Council for approval. This bridge which is shown in an artists impression below is likely to cost a substantial amount of money and it will probably be a good few years before it is completed. It would eventually link the Grange-Frankfield area to the Tramore Valley Park which would allow a lot of options for training and access.

It is shown in the map above as two yellow lines to show where it would be located.

Results & Photos of the Cork BHAA HSE 5k road race...Sun 12th Nov 2017

The annual Cork BHAA HSE 5k road race was held on Sunday the 12th of November with 228 runners taking part. As can be seen from the chart above, it's up somewhat on the two previous years. Perhaps the central venue in Mahon and the sunny weather made a difference?

Pos Name Cat Prize Time Company Team
1 Mark Hanrahan M1 00:14:51 John Buckley Sports
2 David Fox 00:16:06 Temp Reg
3 Matthew Murnane 00:16:14 Temp Reg
6 Laura Crowe F1 00:16:37 CIT F-B-1
15 Carol Finn F2 00:18:17 Carol Finn Physical Therapy
32 Jennifer Goggin Walsh 0/35H F3 00:19:20 Novartis

Full results HERE

Photos...(Updated Mon 13th Nov 9:15am)
1) There are 3 galleries on the Running in Cork Facebook page
...a) Start of the race
...b) Halfway mark
...c) Finish Line

Results of the Eyeries 5 mile road race...Sat 11th Nov 2017

175 runners and walkers turned out for this years Eyeries 5 mile road race on what turned out to be mild but wet day.

This race was organised by Beara AC, a new club based on the Beara Peninsula.

L-R...Paul O'Callaghan 4th, Nigel O'Sullivan 3rd & Shane Harrington 2nd

1    Alan    O'SHEA    M    Bantry AC    26:37
2    Shane    HARRINGTON    M    East Cork AC    28:54
3    Nigel    SHEEHAN    M    Youghal AC    29:41
12    Maura    O'REGAN    F35    Eagle AC    34:21
22    Rachel    O'SHEA    FS    West Muskerry AC    36:17
25    Alice    COPPINGER    F35    Bantry AC    36:38

Maura Regan of Eagle AC...1st woman

Full results below...

Results & Photos of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun...Sat 11th Nov 2017

There was a good turn out of 287 runners for this weeks 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park on Sat 11th Oct 2017. As the chart shows, this is above the long term average of 253 per week.

1    Unknown                                   
2    Cathal KELLY    18:17    VM45-49    77.58 %    M    2        First Timer!    1   
3    Lance DOHERTY    18:31    VM40-44    74.26 %    M    3
13    Clare MC SWEENEY    21:09    SW30-34    69.98 %    F    1
25    Grainne EGAN    22:34    JW15-17    68.69 %    F    2    Leevale AC
29    Emer O'LEARY    22:59    VW35-39    65.05 %    F    3

Full results HERE

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

To end the post on a sad note...

There was a minutes silence before the run today as a mark of respect for the son of Joe and Anne Murphy who tragically passed away during the week. Joe and Anne have been part of the Cork running scene for many years and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

Events on Sat 11th & Sun 12th Nov 2017

There is no shortage of runs this weekend with events on both Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, we have the usual 5k parkruns as well as the annual Eyeries 5 mile road race in a stunning spot on the Beara Peninsula.

On Sunday, there are two races closer to Cork City.

5k Parkrun...Sat 11th (9:30am)...€free...various locations...  
Cork...Macroom, Clonakilty, Bere Is, Glengarriff, Castlehaven & Ballincollig...
Waterford...Tramore  Limerick...University of Limerick & Newcastle West  Kerry...Killarney, Tralee & Listowel  Clare...Ennis, Kilrush & Clarisford  Tipperary...Templemore & Clonmel


Cork...Sat 11th (2:30pm)...Eyeries 5 mile road race, West Cork...€10 online / €12 on the day... info...

Cork...Sun 12th (11am)...Thomas Kent Memorial 10k...€CLOSED... Castlelyons...
Cork...Sun 12th (11am)...Cork BHAA HSE 5k...€5 reg/€10 non-reg...Mahon...

Notice...Great Glenville 4 mile race - Sun 26th Nov 2017

The annual Glenville 4 mile road race is coming up on Sunday the 26th of November 2017 and it should be of particular interest considering its proximity to Cork City.

In terms of getting there, the village of Glenville is only 5 miles or 8 kms from Watergrasshill and the M8 motorway.

The race starts at 11:30am and the race HQ is the Glenville Primary School. The village is pretty small so the race HQ, start and finish point are all close by.

Pre-entry info

Preview.......You'll find directions, maps and a course profile HERE