Results of the poll for the best Half-Marathon in Munster in 2019

Finally the last of the awards.

The Cork City Half-Marathon was voted the best half-marathon in Munster in 2019!

The Waterford Half-Marathon in December was in second place while the Run Killarney Half-Marathon in July was in third.

Thanks to the almost 800 people who took the time to vote.

Results of the poll for the best 10 mile race in Munster in 2019

Finally catching up with the last of the awards.

Congratulations to West Waterford AC, the organisers of the John Treacy 10 mile road race in Dungarvan on being voted the best 10 mile race in Munster in 2019!

The Mallow 10 mile was in second place while the Cork City 10 miler was in third.

Thanks to the almost 800 people who took the time to vote.

Man runs marathon in garden during COVID-19 lock down

 

With the COVID-19 lock down in England now in force, 36-year old James Page decided to run a marathon in his garden and helped raise over £3,000 for Children With Cancer UK.

James has been in training for the Marathon Des Sables Ultra in the Sahara but this had been postponed due to the COVID-19 scare.

Rather than let all of his training go to waste, James took it upon himself to run 873 laps of his garden to complete a full 26.2 mile marathon for charity.

In an interview, he said.... “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. In a weird way it was quite enjoyable. It was nice weather and the kids were out there watching me with my wife.”

“I wanted to go a bit quicker and get a personal best, but it’s hard to pick up speed as you’re running in such a small circle. I’m not the fastest runner, but I had to keep it at a nice comfortable speed otherwise it would be tricky at the corners.”

“You can really see the loops trodden into the grass,” he said. “My wife’s not really happy, but she knows it was for a good cause and it keeps me happy.”

The full marathon took 4 hours and 57 minutes and he switched direction every 20 minutes to protect his knees.

Government restrict all individual exercise to within 2kms of your own home for two weeks

In an effort to clamp down on the spread of the COVID-19 disease, the Government have announced that as of midnight on Friday the 27th of March, all individual exercise must be within 2kms of your own home.

This restriction lasts until the 12th of April 2020.

Tonight, the Government has received further recommendations on the actions that we need to take to protect our people. #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/2bmDzEt22q

— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) March 27, 2020

Note that the instruction is for BRIEF individual physical exercise. It's not for running up and down the road within 2kms of your house and clocking up a half-marathon!

Boherbue to Kiskeam race in NW Cork cancelled

As expected, the annual Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 mile road race has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis.

It is hoped that it will be held later in the year.

All parkruns cancelled worldwide until the end of April 2020

The parkrun organisation has announced that due to the COVID-19 epidemic, there will be no parkruns anywhere in the world until the end of April and it's very likely that it will go well beyond that.

*** UPDATE - 16.40 GMT Tuesday 24 March 2020 ***

Update from parkrun Global Chief Operating Officer, Tom Williams

Today’s update is to notify you that all parkrun events will now continue to be suspended until at least the end of April. This is in order to keep all parkrun countries following the same timeline for the moment, although we do expect suspensions to go beyond April.

Since deciding to close our events we have been working incredibly hard to action that decision, understand the implications of making it, and provide immediate support to parkrun communities around the world. And, with all events suspended, we are now able to begin work developing our strategy for supporting our communities during this difficult time and, one day, re-launching.

Going forward we will be publishing a global parkrun update every Tuesday (UK time).

We will get through this, together.

Dromina 10 mile & 10k race on the 19th of April 2020 cancelled due to COVID-19 crisis

As you might expect, this years Dromina 10 mile and 10k road race has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis.

Statement from the organisers...

Dromina10 are saddened to say that Dromina 10 mile & 10k is cancelled this year due to the current situation with Covid-19.

This was a tough decision but in light of the spread of Covid-19, the safety and well-being of our participants, spectators, volunteers & their families is of paramount importance to us so therefore felt it was the only appropriate option at this time.

We would like to thank most sincerely our sponsors, our committee and volunteers for all their hard work so far and their continued support in organising the race to date.

For those who entered online there are two options available to you.

If you are pre-registered, your default position is that your entry will automatically be carried over to our 2021 event with takes place on 18th April 2021.

Alternatively, if you would like a full refund, this can also be facilitated up to 30/4/2020. You can avail of this by emailing info@popupraces.ie before this date. If we do not hear from you, we will assume you are happy to carry your entry over to 2021

Thank you for your continued support and Dromina10 look forward to welcoming you to Dromina in 2021.

We wish that you, your families & loved ones stay safe at this time.

Regards,
Dromina10 Committee

Cork City Council pedestrianise Marina due to COVID-19 crisis

Cork City Council have just announced that they are going to pedestrianise the Marina for 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm.

They say this is to help patient access to the the COVID-19 test centre at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

It will also help walkers and runners maintain the proper 2-metre social distance from each other when they are using the Marina.

Key IOC member says 2020 Olympics will be postponed for one year

International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound of Canada said in an interview on Monday that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games are going to be postponed until probably 2021.

“On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided. The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know. It will come in stages. We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense.”

Man in French lockdown runs full marathon on his balcony

Thanks to the lock down due to the COVID-19 virus, many people in France are unable to get out and run. However, one runner in the city of Toulouse managed to complete a full marathon on his balcony!

Elisha Nochomovitz ran a total of 42.2 kms (26.2) miles on his 7 metre long balcony in a time of 6 hours and 48 minutes! As for why, he said he did it to thank healthcare workers around the globe for their hard work.

In an interview, he said... “It was about launching a bit of a crazy challenge and bringing a bit of humour, to de-dramatise the confinement situation. If everyone thinks the same way and does the same thing, we will all find ourselves outside and that won’t help anything, and the message that we need to stay confined at home will have had no impact. I needed to assure myself that I could still run 42.2km.”

He also stated that while onlookers outside stared in confusion, his neighbours were very understanding.

Interview in French...

Guest Post: GLENBOWER 10-MILE AND 10KM RACES ...by John Walshe

In a previous guest article, John Walshe looked back at the Glenbower Half-Marathon in Killeagh in East Cork back in 1978. In this follow up post, John looks at the 10-mile and 10km races which came after it.

GLENBOWER 10-MILE AND 10KM RACES... by John Walshe

Following the interest in the Glenbower Half-Marathon of 1978, yes, as mentioned in the comments, a 10-mile race did take place in Killeagh for three years beginning in 1983. That first race took place on a Thursday evening (June 2nd) and had a total of 116 finishers (results shown below).

The following year of 1984 saw a move to the warm Sunday of May 13th, actually the same day as that year’s London Marathon. Along with the after-race refreshments, the participants got the opportunity of seeing Charlie Spedding winning London in a time of 2:09:57 from the portable television kindly provided in the hall. That win qualified Spedding for the Olympic Games the following August where of course he took the bronze medal behind Carlos Lopes and John Treacy, his time there just one second slower (2:09:58) than London.

Back to Glenbower, and that year of 1984 saw a women’s race taking place at the same time as the men, attracting a fine turnout of 50. (Results of both races are shown below). In 1985, exactly 100 finished the 10-mile race on Sunday May 19th. Although no results are currently available, it is recalled that the first two runners were inadvertently taken on a shorter route by the lead car, leading to some confusion at the finish!

From 1986 to 1994, just one race over 10km took place for both men and women. Usually held on a Thursday or Sunday evening in late April or May, numbers taking part varied from 50 to 80 and so brought the curtain down on an enjoyable decade or so of racing around the Killeagh countryside.

(A full list of John Walshe's guest posts can be found HERE)

Glenbower 10-Mile results - 1983

Sports Ministry in France imposes a limit of 2kms on runs during COVID-19 crisis

On Thursday, the Sports Ministry in France announced that anyone walking or running outdoors for exercise should limit the distance to 2kms or less. This is due to an attempt by the French authorities to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Citizens in France have been told to stay home as much as possible, only going out for essential errands outlined on the mandatory form that anyone leaving their house must carry on them.

In a statement, the Sports Ministry said that walkers and runners would need to limit their movements and stay around their own area. ...

"1km or 2km max.. You're not supposed to distance yourself from your house,".

 "The rule is for everyone to be confined. Remember that you are not supposed to leave except for urgent matters such as grocery shopping or health reasons. A short run is possible, but not a 10k!"

French authorities have also urged people to only leave their homes once a day, saying they should choose between going for a run or going to get groceries that day.

Cork City Marathon Postponed until Sun 6th September 2020

It was announced a few days ago that the 2020 Cork City Marathon has been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The organisers have now confirmed the new date as Sunday the 6th of September 2020.

Press Release : Thursday 19th March 2020 - The Cork City Marathon organisers have confirmed the new date for the 2020 Cork City Marathon.  The Cork City Marathon will now take place on 6th September 2020.

In light of the country’s move to the delay stage of Covid-19 management and in the interest of public health, the Cork City Marathon, which was due to take place on May 31st, has been postponed until 6th September 2020.

Adrienne Rodgers, Race Director and Director of Services at Cork City Council, said “The priority for us right now is to do everything we can do to keep you and your families safe.  The Cork City Marathon has been rescheduled until 6th September 2020 and we look forward to welcoming you then for another great Cork City Marathon.”

Mags Connelly, Safety and Ops Director at Davis Events, said “The last few weeks have been challenging for everyone. We take participant safety extremely seriously and know that with the current strain on emergency resources, we wouldn’t be able to provide the world-class response teams needed for our marathon in May. The good news for Cork City is that this event will go ahead on 6th September.”

Participants who have already entered will be automatically deferred to the rescheduled date.

Register or find out more information at www.corkcitymarathon.ie. For helpful training tips or to share your Cork City Marathon journey follow them on Facebook and Instagram\corkcitymarathon or on Twitter @TheCorkMarathon #MoreThanAMarathon 

-ENDS-

VIDEO: The Race for Brands to Match Nike's Vaporfly

A few weeks back at the end of February 2020, the Wall Street Journal released this video titled 'The Race for Brands to Match Nike's Vaporfly'. While the Olympics in 2020 are now in doubt, the race between the shoe manufacturers is likely to continue.

Guest Post: WHEN A HALF-MARATHON TOOK PLACE AT KILLEAGH... by John Walshe

In this guest post, John Walshe of Ballycotton tells the story of a half-marathon that took place in East Cork way back in 1979, just before the running boom took off.

WHEN A HALF-MARATHON TOOK PLACE AT KILLEAGH (John Walshe)

The course for the recent Killeagh four-mile road race brought back memories when that circuit was covered three times in what was one of the first half-marathons to take place in Cork.

It was nearly 41 years ago - on Sunday night May 6th, 1979 - when this race was just one of the many events held on the day of the famous Glenbower May Sunday Festival. It was organised by two local athletes, Peter Lee and Willie O’Mahony, both members of the Youghal club at the time.

Willie O’Mahony’s contribution to the sport of athletics in the East Cork region has been immense, both as a competitor, administration (treasurer of the East Cork Board/Division since 1971) and event organiser. Peter Lee – who used to live beside the start line of the current four-miler – was one of the few from the Cork area to run the inaugural Dublin Marathon in 1980, which he completed in 3:02:53 before going on to run 2:53:29 the following year.

The Glenbower Half-Marathon, as it was called, was somewhat of a step into the unknown as road racing in 1979 was just getting established. The running boom that would follow from that Dublin Marathon was still almost two years away. As an example, the Cork to Cobh 15-mile race which took place a week before Killeagh had just 41 finishers – all men.

The half-marathon started at 6.45pm and took in the three laps of today’s course and it had been measured by the calibrated bicycle method, one of the first races in the country outside of Ballycotton to be so measured. Prizes were on offer for the first four finishers, first two teams of three and the first three novices confined to Cork. There was also a signed time certificate presented to each finisher.

Entry fee was probably in the region of 30 pence - it’s worth noting that the entry for the Dublin Open Marathon later that summer was advertised as 50p - and while half-marathons nowadays attract numbers in the thousands (with corresponding astronomical entry fees), the result of that Glenbower Half-Marathon of 1979 lists just 14 finishers.

There were one or two non-finishers on the three-lap course, these included a man for whom such a decision to drop-out nowadays would be unthinkable. However, it should be noted that 16-year-old Denis McCarthy (then of the Youghal club) had already taken part in the Cork County U17 3000m track championship earlier in the day, finishing fifth in 9:57.5 behind Finbarr McGrath (Leevale) and future international Richard O’Flynn (Bandon).

After the first of the three laps on that May Sunday evening, four runners had broken away. There were Liam O’Brien and Paul Mulholland from Midleton and the Leevale pair of Jerry Murphy and the late Dick Hodgins, winner of the National Marathon four years before. On the second time round, Hodgins had been dropped and with about a half-mile to go O’Brien finally edged ahead of Murphy but the margin on the line was just two seconds, 70:34 to 70:36. Mulholland finished strongly to take third in 71:03, over three minutes clear of Hodgins.

In the team race, Leevale suffered a rare defeat as Midleton came out on top by three points, the team consisting of O’Brien (first), Mulholland (third) and Albert De Cogan (fifth). For the first two, the race was more a means to an end as it served two contrasting purposes. To Liam O’Brien, it was probably no more than what would be referred to nowadays as a tempo-run as he was preparing for the track season. A couple of months later he would win the second of his eight national steeplechase titles, his time of 8:52.6 a big improvement on the 9:07.5 he had recorded the year before.

Jerry Murphy was no doubt using the 13 miles as a ‘bleed-out’ for the carbohydrate-loading diet prevalent at the time. The following Sunday, on his 29th birthday, he would win the Munster Marathon in a time of 2:28:47 ahead of Leevale clubmate Liam Horgan (2:31:44) and Michael Joyce of St Finbarr’s (2:39:16).

In honour of Peter Lee and Willie O’Mahony who were ahead of their time in the promotion of what was probably Cork’s first half-marathon, and to remember those inaugural runners, these were the 14 finishers on that May Sunday evening over four decades ago:

Add caption

Results...
1 Liam O’Brien (Midleton) 70:34
2 Jerry Murphy (Leevale) 70:36
3 Paul Mulholland (Midleton) 71:03
4 Dick Hodgins (Leevale) 74:14
5 Albert De Coagan (Midleton) 76:15
6 Willie Cronin (Leevale) 76:35
7 John Walshe (Midleton) 78:35
8 Donal Burke (St Finbarr’s) 83:13
9 Tim Mulcahy (Midleton) 84:33
10 Pat Arnott (Youghal) 84:35
11 Peter Lee (Youghal) 89:24
12 Jerry Mohally (St Finbarr’s) 90:36
13 Willie O’Mahony (Youghal) 91:47
14 Tom Houlihan (Midleton) 101:00.

A list of John Walshe's guest articles on the site can be found HERE

Ballintotis 4 mile road race in April cancelled

As you might expect, the Ballintotis 4 mile road race has been cancelled.

Ballintotis 4 Mile Race Cancelled

Due to the ongoing uncertainty with the Covid 19 Virus and keeping in mind the health and safety of everybody, this year's Ballintotis 4 Mile Road Race scheduled for Thursday April 16th has been CANCELLED

Those who have availed of pre entry on line, will soon be contacted by Primo Events to arrange a refund.

We thank all our participants for their wonderful support over the past ten years and look forward to hopefully seeing you all back in Ballintotis in April 2021.

In the meantime, take care and look out for one another during these troubled times - here's hoping we are all back running in the not too distant future.

Best Regards
Ballintotis Race Committee

Over 6,000 runners take part in Bath Half-Marathon despite COVID-19 health crisis

The Bath half marathon in England went ahead on Sunday despite the health scare over the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). A total of 6,200 took part - about half the usual number.

In a statement, the race director Andrew Taylor said he had not received any advice from public health officials not to go ahead.


The organisers also said that the risk of infection from outdoor events remained low and there was “no epidemiological or medical evidence” to suggest it should be restricted.

“Even if we were to cancel at this late stage on the eve of the event, we anticipate that thousands of runners would still turn up to run the route, and we feel we would owe a duty of care to those runners, given that our resources are ready and waiting to support them.”


Local MP Wera Hobhouse condemned the decision to go ahead. She had called for the event to be cancelled saying protecting "the most vulnerable in our city from a further spread of the infection must be the priority".

2020 London Marathon & Manchester Marathon postponed

It has just been announced that the 2020 London Marathon has been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis. It was due to be held on Sunday the 26th of April and it has been rescheduled to the 4th of October.

Event director Hugh Brasher said..."The world is in an unprecedented situation, grappling with a global pandemic of Covid-19, and public health is everyone's priority."


The Manchester Marathon, scheduled for Sunday, 5 April, has also been postponed, with organisers hoping to hold the race on an alternative date in the autumn.

Important health message passed on by local runner Doctor Ronan Boland

Message passed on by local runner Doctor Ronan Boland... "Message from consultant respiratory paediatrician at CUH. I hope you all stay safe during this difficult time . 

The children will get through this no problem . Paediatric hospitals are empty in Italy at present after 3 weeks of school closure as the usual viruses stopped circulating .  

Remember with Corona, children are vectors  not victims .  In most epidemics young children are the transmitters . 

Therefore  for school closure to be effective it’s really important that the kids aren’t mixing with other kids while out of school . They will give it to each other silently pass it on to our loved ones. 

What we do now will contribute to how this develops in Cork . Avoid situations that the children will interact. 

If the community respond to this it will shut it down more than anything we do in hospital . From my experiences in the hospital this last week I would say that corona virus is closer to all of us than we realise  and the degrees of separation for all of us is getting narrower.

This message should be shared as widely as possible with parents in Cork it will help. This message needs to go viral to stop the virus ."

COVID-19 crisis and local running events

As the COVID-19 crisis moves from a containment to delay phase, the Government have announced today (12th March 2020) a ban on all indoor gatherings of over 100 people and outdoor events of over 500 people.

In this context, it's highly likely that many running events will be cancelled in the immediate future.

While the immediate ban lasts until until the 29th of March, I find it hard to imagine that events for the next 2-3 months won't be impacted. 

Athletics Ireland released this about their events..."Athletics Ireland is therefore instructing all affiliates to suspend competitions and events with immediate effect". They are also recommending all club training sessions be cancelled at this time.

Irish Mountain Running Association - All IMRA events are cancelled until after the 30th of March.

GAA suspend all matches and training.

Parkruns - All parkruns in Ireland are cancelled until at least the end of March.

Updates.... (Updated 16th March)

Cork - Wild Atlantic Run 10k on Sun 15th March cancelled
Cork - Glanmire LGFC 7k on Sun 15th March cancelled
Cork - Cloyne Commons 4k on Sun 22nd March cancelled
Cork - Mallow 10 mile on Sun 22nd March cancelled 
Cork - Cork BHAA 10k on Sun 29th Mar 2020 cancelled
Cork - Youghal AC 5k on Thurs 2nd Apr 2020 cancelled 
Cork - Cobh 10 mile on Sun 5th Apr 2020 cancelled
Cork - Locha Lua Half-Marathon on Sat 11th Apr 2020 cancelled
Cork - Karen Fenton Memorial 5k on Sun 19th Apr 2020 postponed until Sun 27th Sept
Cork - Bartlemy 6k on Sun 19th Apr 2020 cancelled
Cork - Cork BHAA Stryker 4 mile on Wed 22nd Apr 2020 postponed until the 18th of August
Cork - Great Railway Run 25k & 10k on Sun 26th Apr 2020 postponed until Sun 15th November
Cork - Cork City Marathon on Sun 31st May 2020 postponed until September

Kerry - Tralee Half-Marathon & 10k (14th March) cancelled.
Kerry - Ballybunion Half-Marathon (11th April) rescheduled to the 27th of June.

Limerick - Limerick Marathon - Was going to be held on Sunday the 3rd of May, now rescheduled to Sunday the 4th of October 2020.

International...
Hamburg marathon cancelled
Manchester Marathon cancelled
London Marathon cancelled
Paris Marathon cancelled

Goodbye Mallow Town 5k parkrun, Hello Mallow Castle 5k parkrun

The very first 5k parkrun in Mallow Town Park was held on Saturday the 2nd of February 2019 and attracted a field of 228 runners. The numbers for all of them up until the 7th of March 2020 are shown below...

A total of 55 events were held in Mallow Town Park and the highest number was on the very first day. The average number of runners per week was 75 and a total of 1,143 registered runners took part over the 55 events.

As can be seen from the chart above, it was held most Saturdays until recently which is surprising because the park is notorious for being under water as the River Blackwater floods.

Even when it wasn't flooded, the park could be pretty muddy in wet weather.

A few weeks back, the course had to be changed but parts of the alternative course were also prone to flooding.

While the Mallow Town parkrun has now come to an end, it will be replaced by the Mallow Castle 5k parkrun. The start and finish point will be near Mallow Castle and the course is on a lot of new paths which will hopefully be less prone to flooding.

This was the website for the Mallow Town parkrun... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowtown/

As the Mallow Castle parkrun is considered to be a new event, it has its own website... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/

The first one will be on Saturday the 14th of March 2020.

If you have your 'home' parkrun set to Mallow Town then you will have to log into your parkrun account and change it to Mallow Castle.

Notice: Mallow 10 mile road race cancelled - Sun 22nd March 2020

Please note that the Mallow 10 mile road race has been cancelled.

Mallow Athletic Club regret to announce that the 2020 Coop Superstores Mallow 10 mile road race scheduled for Sunday 22nd March will not go ahead at this time.

We have been monitoring recent events and in the interests of safeguarding the health of event participants, spectators, volunteers and our own club members we have decided on this course of action.

We are due to meet in the coming week to discuss options for re-scheduling the event as well as how the refund process will work. Please note a full refund will be offered to all participants.

We ask for you to bear with us at this time and we would like to thank all participants along with our sponsors, volunteers and members for all the hard work and support in organising the race to date.

Kind regards

Clive Aherne

Club chairperson

Notice: Ballintotis 4 mile road race - Thurs 16th Apr 2020

You know Summer is on the way when we start talking about evening races! The first 4-mile evening race of 2020 in Cork is coming up on  Thursday the 16th of April at 8pm.

Update: Mon 9th March - Online entries are now open... https://register.primoevents.com/ps/event/Ballintotis4Mile2020

Info from the organisers... This year's Ballintotis 4 Mile Road Race will take place on Thursday April 16th with an 8pm start. After last year's record entry of 1,240 for the 10th Anniversary Race, another very large crowd is expected for this year's event. Online entry opens on Monday March 9th and all those who avail of this option will automatically be entered into a draw for an overnight stay for two people at the splendid Garryvoe Hotel.
So save the date in the running diary and enjoy another great sporting and social occasion in Ballintotis.  Again this year there will be  a free running buff for all finishers and a comprehensive overall and category prize list.  This year there is a minimum age limit of 16 years on the race.

Race enquiries to 086-8778182

https://www.ballintotis.com/

* * * 

Results of the Crosshaven 10k & 5k road race - Sun 8th March 2020

Some of the large contingent of runners from the Wibbly Wobbly Wonders are the Crosshaven 10k & 5k. Photo: Joe Murphy

In the 10k event, there were 303 finishers.

10k...
1 Michael Bruton (#349) 31:43
2 Brian KEARNEY (#494) 33:33
3 Jonathan MURPHY (#493) 33:45
1 Trish Hegarty (#54) 40:46 
2 Neasa Liathßin (#12)  45:59
3 Orla NOLAN (#34) 48:59

10k results

In the 5k event, there were 228 finishers.

5k...
1 Martin Curtin (#653) 17:08
2 Joe Kelleher (#625)  17:14
3 Aedan Bermingham (#711) 18:13
1 Jennifer Goggin Walsh (#525) 18:41
2 Rosaleen Mackeown (#696) 19:54
3 Linda O Connor (#517) 20:14

5k results

Photos...
1) Joe Murphy has two galleries... Album 1 and Album 2
2) Siobhan Russell has a gallery HERE

Results of the Duhallow 10 mile road race in Duhallow - Sun 8th March 2020

Linda Grogan & Hiko Tonosa... winners of the 2020 Duhallow 10 mile road race in Newmarket

A total of 397 runners took part in this years Duhallow 10 mile road race in Newmarket in NW Cork. In terms of the weather, it really was a mixed bag going from warm sunshine to rain and hailstones in the space of 10 minutes.

Top 10 men...
1    Hiko TONOSA    00:50:28    00:50:28 479  MS  Dundrum South Dublin A.C.
2    Cillian O'LEARY    00:51:56    00:51:56    1 MS    Raheny Shamrock A.C.
3    Tom LUPTON    00:54:34    00:54:35    387    M    40    Portlaoise A.C.
4    Donal Coakley    00:54:37    00:54:37    847 MS    Leevale A.C.
5    Kieran MCHEUWN    00:54:43    00:54:43    2 M45    Watergrasshill A.C.
6    K Collins    00:54:49    00:54:50    839 MS   
7    Raivis ZAKIS    00:54:53    00:54:53    272  M40    West Waterford A.C.
8    Kristaps LIEPINS    00:57:01    00:57:02    832 MS    Watergrasshill A.C.
9    Paul FITZGERALD    00:57:38    00:57:39    337  M40    Limerick A.C.
10    David GREENE    00:58:23    00:58:24    99 M40    Grange Fermoy A.C.
Top 10 women...
23    Linda GROGAN    01:02:17    01:02:19    100 F35    Dundrum A.C.
46    Niamh Cronin    01:05:43    01:05:46    845 F40    St Finbarrs A.C.
48    Sandra MANNING    01:05:54    01:05:57    149   F35    Eagle A.C.
52    Sharon CAHILL    01:06:28    01:06:35    299    F   F55    An Riocht A.C.
59    Lisa CROWLEY    01:07:56    01:08:03    830 F45 Watergrasshill A.C.
62    Leona BROWNE    01:08:10    01:08:14    290 F35 Watergrasshill A.C.
72    Aoife O'LEARY    01:09:34    01:09:37    225 F35    Sportsworld RC
83    Dolores DUFFY    01:11:05    01:11:12    72 F50    Watergrasshill A.C.
86    Siobhan HOLLAND    01:11:16    01:11:22    114 F40    Eagle A.C.
88    Elaine HORGAN    01:11:42    01:11:47    366  F40    Clonmel A.C.

Full results

Photos...
1) There are several albums up on the Running in Cork Facebook page
...a) Pre-race and start
...b) Finish (Up to 1:14:45)
...c) Finish (1:14:45 to 1:29:15)
...d) Finish (1:29:15 and over)

2) TMC Photography has a gallery HERE

Wibbly Wobbly Wonders on tour...

Contingent from Shandrum in N Cork

Short trip up the road for members of Kanturk Road Runners

Big turnout from Watergrasshill AC

Members of Leevale AC at the start of the race

12-Week Programme for the 2020 Cork City Marathon Relay starts 9th March

The 2020 Cork City Marathon is coming up on Sunday the 31st of May. I'll be running an 12-week training programme for the Relay which will start on the 9th of March. Details below...

Please note that this is tailored for each individual person, it's not some sort of generic one-size fits all plan. The plan adapts according to the progress being made.

For it to be of value...

a) You'll have to answer questions initially so that a suitable programme can drawn up. This will be based on your current training and experience and how much time you have available. It's a plan designed to suit your life and work schedule as opposed to the other way around.

b) You'll also have to provide feedback every two weeks and the plan will be based on this.

c) You really do have to follow the plan. There is no point dipping in and out of it or be off running 5k races every weekend when you're supposed to be doing a long run. The plan can be adapted to accommodate the occasional race but they must be occasional.

The cost for the 12-weeks is €59.

If interested, email: johndesmondrunning AT gmail DOT com

The plan is also suitable for anyone wishing to improve their fitness or times for the Summer season of races. In that case, the 12-week programme can start whenever it suits each individual person.

Results & Photos of the Ballincollig 5k parkrun - Sat 7th March 2020

After a three week absence, the 5k parkrun in Ballincollig Regional Park made a welcome return on Saturday the 7th of March with 360 taking part. That number is well down on what it was a few weeks back but there are a lot of races coming up on Sunday.

1 John BEECHER Male SM25-29 18:14
2 Garrett CASEY Male VM45-49 St Finbarrs AC 18:39
3 Rory DUGGAN Male VM35-39 19:06
11 Sorcha KEARNEY Female VW45-49 St Finbarrs AC 20:17
36 Karen SCULLY Female VW40-44 22:03
56 Emma GAYER Female SW30-34 23:11

Full results

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

Results of the Carrigaline Run the Line 5k - Sat 7th March 2020

This free timed 5k is held on the Carrigaline to Crosshaven walkway and is held on the first Saturday of every month. The March 2020 event attracted a field of 34 runners.

Results & Photos of the Glen River 5k parkrun - Sat 7th March 2020

The numbers took a bit of a dip for this weeks 5k parkrun in the Glen in Cork City with 84 taking part. No doubt the fact that the Ballincollig parkrun is up and running again had a large part in this.

1 Finbarr ODWYER Male VM45-49 Leevale AC 17:54
2 Paul DUGGAN Male VM50-54 St Finbarrs AC 18:12
3 Aidan NOONE Male SM25-29 18:18
4 Orla BYRNE Female SW25-29 St Finbarrs AC 18:52
12 Siobhan WALSH Female VW35-39 Carraig na bhFear AC 23:44
29 Anita LOCKE Female VW35-39 St Finbarrs AC 25:44

Full results

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

Running events this weekend in Cork - Sat 7th & Sun 8th March 2020

There are plenty of events to choose from this weekend in Cork and Munster with multiple 5k parkruns on Saturday as well as three 10-milers and a 5k & 10k in Crosshaven on Sunday.

In terms of the weather forecast, it should be overcast but for the various 5k parkruns on Saturday in Cork and Munster. Please note that the Ballincollig parkrun is going ahead this week after being cancelled for the last two weeks due to flooding.

For Sunday, the forecast is for sunshine and showers for the various races. The further west you go the higher the chance of showers so it may well be dry in places like Crosshaven and Dunhill, Waterford where as there might be a shower or two in Newmarket.

For all races on Sunday, there will be a strong westerly breeze. This may well be a factor in say the first half of the Crosshaven 10k and Newmarket 10k.

Here are the weekend events...

Sat 7th (9:30am)... 5k parkruns - Various locations - Free
Cork - Ballincollig, Glen River, Mallow, Macroom, Clonakilty, Rineen Woods, Glengarriff Woods, Bear Is /// Limerick - University of Limerick, Newcastle West, Mungret /// Kerry - Killarney, Tralee, Listowel, Inch /// Clare - Ennis, Kilrush, Clarisford /// Tipperary - Clonmel, Templemore, Knockanacree /// Waterford - Waterford City, Tramore /// Kilkenny - Kilkenny Castle /// Carlow - Carlow town, Tullow /// Wexford - New Ross, Gorey, Johnstown ///

Cork... Sat 7th (8:30am)... Run the Line 5k ... €free ...free timed 5k on the Carrigaline-Crosshaven walkway... info...

Sun 8th (9:30am)... 2k Junior parkruns - Various locations - Free - For 4 to 14 yr olds
Cork - Cobh, Ballincollig /// Limerick - Shelbourne Park /// Kerry - Tralee /// Wexford - Heritage Park /// Tipperary - Burgess, Nenagh ///

Tipperary... Sun 8th (11am)... Kilsheelan 10 mile road race ...€22.10... nr Clonmel... in association with Clonmel AC...info ...

Cork... Sun 8th (11:30am)... Crosshaven 10k & 5k race... 5k €15 / 10k €20... Flat fast course info... SOLD OUT!

Waterford... Sun 8th (12 noon)... Dunhill / Fenor 10 mile... €15... in aid of CMRF Crumlin...
Cork... Sun 8th (12 noon)... St. Val's Ladies Football Club 5k fun run/walk... €10... Kilmurry...

Cork... Sun 8th (1:30pm)... Duhallow 10 mile road race... €33... Newmarket... info...

Notice: Cork BHAA Stryker 4 mile race in Carrigtwohill - Wed 22nd April 2020

This 4 mile race in Carrigtwohill in East Cork is coming up on Wednesday the 22nd of April at 7:30pm. As with all Cork BHAA events, the entry fee is €5 for registered runners and €10 for non-registered.

Located just a few minutes drive from the Jack Lynch tunnel, this one is very close to Cork City and is easy to get to.

The race HQ is the local community centre and the race route takes in a loop to the north of Carrigtwohill. Note that the start line is a few hundred metres away so allow plenty of time to get there.

As BHAA races go, this one is noted for having some pretty good prizes and of course, there are loads on offer with the various categories and teams.

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

Notice: Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 mile road race in NW Cork - Mon 13th Apr 2020

This years Boherbue to Kiskeam 4 mile road race in NW Cork is coming up on Easter Monday, the 13th of April 2020.

Note that there is a long sleeved dry fit top for all runners.

This 4 mile road race starts in Boherbue and finishes in the village of Kiskeam. As you can see from the map below, it's a central location for a lot of people in N.Cork, W.Limerick & E.Kerry...

The race is being organised by Gneeveguilla AC, one of the largest athletic clubs in Kerry. The entry fee is €20 on the day and there is a large array of prizes on offer. These are usually in the form of vouchers for a local co-op and are pretty generous.

There will be the usual refreshments of tea. coffee. sandwiches, etc afterwards as well.

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

Paris Half-Marathon cancelled due to Coronavirus scare

 

Due to the ongoing spread of the Covid-19 virus which is better known as the Coronavirus, the 2020 Paris Half-Marathon had to be cancelled last Sunday (1st March). Some 44,000 runners had been expected to take part.

Notice of the cancellation was only given the previous day as new rules by the French Government to cancel “gatherings of more than 5000 people”.

In a statement on the race website, organisers wrote, “As part of its fight against the spread of the Coronavirus, the French government has taken the decision today to cancel all events that bring several thousand people together. As a result, the Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris, which should have taken place tomorrow Sunday March 1st, will unfortunately not be held.

“The preparation needed for such an event by the participants who set out to take part should not be lost, however. This is why the organisers and the Paris City Council have jointly decided to postpone the 2020 edition of the Harmonie Mutuelle Semi de Paris to a later date.

“As soon as circumstances permit, the organising teams of Amaury Sport Organisation and the services of the Paris City Council will mobilise to suggest a possible replacement date to the 44,000 people entered for the event.”

It seems very likely that other large races may suffer the same fate as the Covid-19 outbreak is likely to last until the end of 2020 at least. It seems highly likely that the Olympics will be impacted.

Notice: Duhallow 10 mile road race in Newmarket - Sun 8th March 2020

Duhallow AC will be holding their annual 10 mile road race in Newmarket in North-West Cork on  Sunday the 8th of March 2020.

Update: Mon 2nd March - Please note that online entries are now closed but runners can still enter on the day for €35. All of the dry fit tops are gone however.

Online Entry Link... https://register.primoevents.com/ps/event/Duhallow10Mile2020