Guest Post: Time to talk up our Cork Marathon ...by Pat Walsh

Time to talk up our Cork Marathon. #GoLong

Time to show the world what a gem of a place to live in and how honoured anyone should be to run this unique race with our heritage and humour. #WeAreCork 

Starting in Pana  (Patrick St to the non-Cork) this route will take you to the many sporting wonders of this magnificent City.

Handy first mile around town before you turn right onto Christy Ring Bridge (the Greatest hurler of them all) and head out to Blackpool (mile 2) and back.

You pass Murphy’s Brewery twice and we think it is important to know a good stout is brewed in Cork and it does mix with our sporting culture. If you stop to buy anything in Blackpool (home to Glen Rovers) please check your change as so many All-Ireland medals out there you could find them in the till as they use them for currency. 😃

Down the quays then behind the Railway station where many teams have brought home honours to the City in all codes and where we start our Victory Parades.🚂

Onto the Lower road (mile 3) and across the river you get a glimpse of "The Park" (mile 4). Also home for many boat clubs and we all know Cork has the best Rowing Crews in Ireland. 

Mile 5 and 6 are down the Tivoli dual carriageway and dead flat as you will need a break after all that excitement. Nothing much happened here except for a finish of the 1998 Tour de France Cycle race when they were all on drugs.. lol..!! 🚴‍

Mile 7 takes you through the Jack Lynch Tunnel under the River Lee. You should be honoured to run through this tunnel. Named after a man with 6 All-Ireland medals who was a Taoiseach of this Country in his spare time. You don’t run under the Liffey or the Shannon but we don’t mind in Cork as it can bestow magical super-powers.#Superman #WonderWoman 

Mind the hill up out of the Tunnel and take it handy, also a little pull up the ramp at Mahon Point Shopping Centre. (No shopping allowed Ladies).

Mile 9 and 10 are flat by the CSO and into Mahon.

On mile 11 you pass the home of Cork Ladies Camogie team on Castle Road. 28 titles speaks for itself. #Rebellettes

Then with a view of Blackrock Castle where we check out the stars (the ones in the Sky) you turn right onto the Mahon Walkway. Flat again to mile 13 with only the foot bridge over the motorway to be negotiated.

Onto the Old Railway line, mile 14. In Cork we had this old Line to Passage converted for pedestrian and bike use with Years before the rest of the Country discovered GREENWAYS. We don’t boast. 

Mile 15 onto the Marina and be careful if you join in with the Half Mara crew here. You will be passing Pairc Ui Caoimh, Home of Cork Hurling, and all non-Cork people are expected to bend the knee and bow the head when passing. Setanta (O'Halpin) played here. Imagine being from Waterford or Tipperary after the year they have had. 🙁

Mile 16 up the Centre Park Road and back into town. This area once had its own Horse Racecourse (where the Marquee is now) and in the 50’s was the industrial hub of Cork.,

Mile 17 takes you from the Idle Hour Pub on the Quay, pass the Idle Tower (Elysian) and out the Link road away from the City.

Mile 18 takes you into Turners Cross, where after you turn left you pass the home of Cork City Soccer and then onto Musgrave Park. This is the sometime home of Munster rugby 🏈🏉🏉 and hosts many an underage Rugby International.

Mile 19 and 20 takes you through Ballyphehane and the Lough and it has a few ups and downs so be careful. Many the evening Michael Collins played pitch and toss here when he wasn’t busy negotiating on behalf of the Country.

Mile 21 and first bit of 22 has a few little pulls so be careful here as well. Last of the climbs so keep the powder dry.

From 22 on you are sorted. Nice little downhill to the Straight Road,  Mile 23. Once the home of a Motor racing track, don’t worry it is 60 years or more since we saw them there. 70,000 attended the 1938 GP race. Bishop Buckley threw many the score of bowls along this road. Mighty Man

Mile 24 passing the famed County Hall and you are nearly back into town and home.

Onto the Mardyke passing the UCC Arena where the Russians set World Records in the Hammer event in 1984 at the Cork City Sports (I was there). We saw our Sonia and Marcus O’Sullivan here and knew of their greatness long before we launched them on the world stage. 🏃‍

You then pass the Cricket Ground on the left (Yes we have one of them as well. Any Corkman can bowl a “Maiden over”)

Mile 25 brings you to newly renovated Mardyke walk and a chance to draw breath before the last mile.

#Go-on-ya-good-thing

Onto the North Mall, turn right up the North Main St, left to Washington Street and onto Pana to the finish. 

On this mile YOU are the sporting hero we most admire. 

Give it Holly, Give it socks, "You are the Man (or woman)"

Smile for the crowd, #PureDaycent gang that we are.

“When my heart was as light as the wild winds that blow 
Down the Mardyke through each elm tree, 
Where I sported and play'd 'neath each green leafy shade 
On the banks of my own lovely Lee. “

 #pwr #keeponrunning