Lisa McCarthy to run 4 marathons under 4 hours for charity...

This message is from the Tramore Valley parkrun team... "Lisa McCarthy who is one of our run directors is aiming to complete 4 marathons this year and each of them in under 4 hours, starting with Tokyo on Sunday. She is financing all of these herself but she is fundraising for the Irish Cancer Society who provided vital support to her family when they lost their mother. 

The fundraising link is here and any support you give will be greatly appreciated. "

Lisa McCarthy - 4 under 4 in 2024 for the Irish Cancer Society

Fundraising for Irish Cancer Society by running 4 Marathons under 4 hours in 2024

In memory of Betty McCarthy

Donation link... https://www.justgiving.com/page/4under4in2024

Sub 3:20 time for RTE reporter Brian O'Connell in the 2024 Seville Marathon

In a previous post, I reported on the fast marathon time of 2h 12m posted by Ryan Creech at the 2024 Seville Marathon. 

Ryan wasn't the only Cork runner on the course as RTE reporter Brian O'Connell of Togher AC was also in the marathon event and just nipped under the 3h 20m barrier with a chip time of 3h 19m 29s.

Corcaigh Abú!

Book: Bend, Don't Break A Memoir of Endurance ...by Frank O'Meara

Frank O'Meara is a three time Irish Olympian with two Gold medals in the World Indoor Championships in the 3000m.

He has written a book titled Bend Don't Break, A Memoir of Endurance and it is published by O'Brien Press. You can find more information at this link if you're interested... https://obrien.ie/bend-dont-break#

Notice: IMRA Mushera-Boggeraghs 11km race - Sun 3rd Mar 2024

IMRA are holding an 10.8km trail and mountain race on Sunday 3rd March 2024 in the Boggeragh Mtns. While it's called the 'Mushera-Boggeraghs' event, it would probably better be described as a run/walk up to the summit of Musheramore mountain and back down again.

The total ascent is 500m so it's not too difficult but it's certainly a step up from the IMRA trail races in the various woods.

For those of you who don't know, Musheramore is the closest 600m/2000ft mountain to Cork City and is located to the NE of Macroom and SE of Millstreet. If you go to any high ground around Cork City, it's clearly visible away to the north west.

Entry link & info... https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/2425

Details...

DESCRIPTION: Mushera-Boggeraghs
COUNTY: Cork
DATE: Sunday 3rd March, 2024
TIME:11:00

CLIMB (M):500
DISTANCE (KM):10.8
RACE MARKING: Route fully marked - Route fully marked
GPS ALLOWED: Yes
LEAGUES: Fog in the Bog League 
MANDATORY KIT: Level B - Standard Waterproof jacket, Hat or buff, Gloves, Whistle, Charged mobile phone with emergency number stored, Foil blanket, bivvy bag or equivalent. All runners must bring the above items to the race.
ENTRY CLOSES: Saturday 2nd March 2024, 18:00
ENTRY COST: €7 for seniors, €5 for over 65s and under 18s
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Open Mountain Race

Registration ,Start , and Finish at the gates of Millstreet Country Park
GRIPPY Shoes are a must for this race.

Guest Post: Personal Best 20k time for Kate Veale in Spain ...by James Veale

PB FOR KATE VEALE IN SPAIN

After winning her 7th National Senior indoor title the previous week, it was onto Spain for Kate Veale for the National Spanish 20 k race walking championships which were held in the city of Zaragoza on Sunday 25th February 2024.

Conditions were ideal for racing with a full program of juvenile and senior races for what is one of worlds strongest race walking nations. Kate made the trip hoping to to give a big performance but came home with a mixed bag as despite a few days sickness coming into the race which was no help. She clocked a time of 1h 37m 35s for 12th place and a new personal best time by 17 seconds. 

Kate will now go on to race next in the British national 10k championships in two weeks time .

Results & Photos of the Kinsale 10-mile road race - Sun 25th Feb 2024

First place finish for Tim O'Donoghue of East Cork AC

Conditions were wet and windy for this years Kinsale 10-mile road race with 927 runners crossing the finish line. I would assume quite a number of runners may have given this race a skip because of the rain so the 17% increase in numbers this year is all the more impressive.

Top 5 men & women...

Bib Pos. Name Club AG Chip Time Gun Time  
1220 1 Tim O DONOGHUE East Cork A.C. M 0:52:05 0:52:05  
340 2 Evan FITZGERALD M 0:52:57 0:52:57  
138 3 Sergiu CIOBANU Clonliffe Harriers A.C. M40 0:53:38 0:53:39  
1171 4 Mark WALSH Leevale A.C. M 0:55:13 0:55:13  
587 5 Kristaps LIEPINS Watergrasshill A.C. M 0:56:42 0:56:43
1221 29 Aoife COOKE Eagle ac F 1:03:31 1:03:33  
753 31 Catherine MURPHY Eagle A.C. F45 1:03:33 1:03:38  
371 38 Breda GAFFNEY Mallow A.C. F50 1:04:56 1:04:59  
348 51 Aoibhin FLATLEY Swinford A.C. F 1:06:17 1:06:19

212 56 Niamh CRONIN St. Finbarrs A.C. F45 1:06:47 1:06:50

Full results HERE

Photos... (Update Mon 26th Feb 9pm)

1) Joe Murphy has loads of photos...

a) Pre-race b) Mile 1 c) Mile 1 pt2 d) Mile 1 pt3 e) Mile 1 pt4 

f) Finish pt1 g) Finish pt2 h) Finish pt3 i) Finish pt4 j) Finish pt5 

k) Finish pt6 l) Finish pt7 m) Finish pt8 n) Finish pt9 

2) Mick Dooley braved the elements to take the following photos...

a) Start b) Post race photos c) Top finishers 

3) Siobhan Russell has a few photos HERE

4) Derek Costello has another big batch of photos...

a) Mile 3 pt1 b) Mile 3 pt2 c) Mile 3 pt3 d) Mile 3 pt4 

e) Mile 7 pt1 f) Mile 7 pt2 g) Mile 7 pt3 h) Mile 7 pt4

5) Graham Meikle has some finish line photos...

a) Album 1 of 4 b) Album 2 of 4 c) Album 3 of 4 d) Album 4 of 4 

First place finish for Aoife Cooke of Eagle AC

10-things I think about running in the rain

... and they're off

Cork runner Alex O'Shea finishes first in Lapland 230km Ultra race - 24th Feb 2024

Cork runner Alex O'Shea is no stranger to ultra running events and during the week, he was taking part in a 5-day Ultra event in the Lapland area in the far north of Sweden. The 230km event took place in temperatures well below freezing in a landscape described as snowfields & Artic tundra.

On Saturday (24-02-2024), Alex completed the 5th and final leg to take first place and completed the 230km course in 32h 31m.

Top 10 finishers...

Name Gender Bib Overall Time Overall Position Gender Position
Alex O’Shea Male 32:31:00 1 1
George Bath Male 34:38:00 2 2
Juan Fernandez Catalina Male 35:56:00 3 3
Jonathan Harman Male 36:19:00 4 4
Bert Gossey Male 38:26:00 5 5
Tarryn Gordon-Bennett Female 39:09:00 6 1
Andre Erasmus Male 39:14:00 7 6
Daryl Green Male 39:37:00 8 7
Jules Bardwell Male 42:13:00 9 8
Nick Denoon-Stevens Male 42:25:00 10 9

Full results HERE

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 24th Feb 2024

Results of the 5k parkruns around the county on Saturday 24th February 2024. Approximately 1029  runners and walkers took part in the 10 events in Co Cork.

Report... It was a lovely Spring morning for this weeks 5k parkruns in Co Cork with blue skies and sunshine. Even though it was 6 deg C in the shade, it felt a few degrees warmer in the morning sunshine.

There was a big jump in numbers this week with over 1000 runners and walkers making the most of the weather.

Pobalscoil na Tríonóide parkrun... The Pobalscoil na Tríonóide parkrun in Youghal celebrated its 100th event today! The  oranisers report... "A record 142 finishers at Pobalscoil Na Trionoide for Event #100, eclipsing the 135 ways back in January 2022 when Park Run was in its infancy in Youghal. 1,214 finishers have completed close on 30,000km around the 4-loop course, cheered on by the 69 volunteers over a two-year period. The average finishing time being 29:17."

Macroom... Well done to Shay O'Donovan who completed his 250th 5k parkrun in Macroom this morning!

Out of the 250 event, Shay completed 201 at Macroom.

If I missed anyone who passed a notable milestone like 100, 200, 250 or above parkruns then let me know.

***

Ballincollig Regional Park: 287 this week, 189 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Alan O'SULLIVAN Male VM40-44 18:40

2 Eoghan CORMICAN Male SM30-34 18:52

4 Loic GAREL Male VM40-44 St Finbarrs AC 19:29

3 Nollaigh O'NEILL Female VW50-54 19:13

19 Aoife COOKE Female VW35-39 21:06

21 Clodagh CREEDON Female VW40-44 St Finbarrs AC 21:35

Ballincollig results... https://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/314/

Tramore Valley Park: 241 this week, 142 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Rory O' SULLIVAN Male VM45-49 St Finbarrs AC 18:32

2 Brendan MAGUIRE Male VM40-44 19:07

3 Paul CLEARY Male VM45-49 19:17

11 Edel MARTYN Female VW45-49 21:00

15 Clare MADDEN Female VW40-44 Togher AC 21:33

36 Cherie TURNER Female VW50-54 St Finbarrs AC 22:53 

Tramore Valley Park results... https://www.parkrun.ie/tramorevalley/results/94/

Glen River: 81 this week, 57 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Seamus LEDDY Male VM45-49 Abbey Runners Leeds 21:07

2 Neil MURPHY Male VM40-44 St Finbarrs AC 21:22

3 Michael MURPHY Male VM65-69 St Finbarrs AC 21:34

14 Aoife O'NEILL Female VW35-39 25:34

18 Karen O SULLIVAN Female SW25-29 26:42

23 Ciara YOUNG Female SW25-29 27:28

Glen River results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glenriver/results/196/

Mallow Castle: 79 finishers this week, 44 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 John COSGRAVE Male SM25-29 20:09

2 Donal FALLON Male VM40-44 Mt. Hillary AC 20:23

4 John BROWNE Male VM40-44 20:43

3 Katarzyna GELGER Female VW40-44 20:31

13 Marina SEYMOUR Female VW45-49 22:11

22 Alice HYNES Female SW20-24 24:07

Mallow results... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/123/

Youghal (Pobalscoil ne Tríonóide) : 141 this week, 47 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Unknown  

2 Noel EARLY Male VM40-44 St Catherines AC 19:07

3 Thomas O NEILL Male VM35-39 19:31

10 Susan DINEEN Female VW40-44 22:06

19 Shannon SOTOK Female SW30-34 23:20

20 Saoirse KINSELLA Female JW11-14 23:32

Youghal results... https://www.parkrun.ie/pobalscoilnatrionoide/results/100/

Macroom Castle Demense: 53 this week, 36 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Conor LUCEY Male VM35-39 18:22

2 Matt MURPHY Male SM18-19 22:10

3 Rory MCELROY Male JM15-17 West Muskerry A.C. 22:50

7 Claire CURTIN Female VW35-39m West Muskerry A.C. 23:59

10 Noreen STEWART Female VW40-44 24:59

12 Carmel PURCELL Female VW45-49 West Muskerry A.C. 26:10

Macroom results... https://www.parkrun.ie/macroomcastledemesne/results/465/

Clonakilty: 31 this week, 21 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Barry CRONIN Male VM45-49 21:09

2 Mejdi NCIRI Male VM35-39 21:54

3 Declan RICE Male VM40-44 22:39

5 Eileen MCCARTHY Female VW55-59 Galway City Harriers 24:16

7 Sandra WALSH Female VW50-54 24:51

9 Sophia KINGSTON Female SW25-29 26:49

Clonakilty results... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/results/421/

Glengarriff Woods: 65 this week, cancelled last week.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Trevor MCGUIRK Male VM40-44 19:49

2 Darragh COPPINGER Male JM15-17 21:28

3 Danny MANNING Male VM45-49 22:19

6 Hilje LABUSCHAGNE Female VW35-39 24:41

12 Fleur HINDLEY Female VW55-59 25:56

15 Shauna BUTTIMER Female SW30-34 26:40

Glengarriff results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glengarriff/results/336/

Bere Island: 31 this week, 23 last week. 

First 3 men & women... 

1 Michelagh MURPHY Female SW20-24 22:20

3 Breeda O SULLIVAN Female VW55-59 Beara AC 24:47

4 Farah B Female VW60-64 25:50

2 Breandan MURPHY Male SM20-24 24:13

6 Unknown  

8 Ned MURPHY Male VM60-64 27:34

Bere Island results... https://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/results/428/

Castlehaven (Rineen Woods): 20 finishers this week, 21 last week.

First 3 women & men...

1 Ciarán BOUSE Male VM45-49 Eagle A.C. 20:50

2 Florence FITZGERALD Male SM30-34 21:50

3 Padraig COURTNEY Male VM40-44 25:14

6 Sharon POULTER Female VW40-44 28:57

7 Frances LYNCH Female VW60-64 Sanctuary Runners 29:18

10 Rachel COYLE Female SW25-29 31:07

Castlehaven results... https://www.parkrun.ie/castlehaven/results/349/

For more information about the weekly 5k parkruns in Co Cork, go to this page HERE.

Guest Post: The Greatest Post never written ...by Pat Walsh

 ** The Greatest Post never written **

The plan was simple. 

The collective wisdom of the best sporting coaches of the last 50 years. 

The melodic inspiration of Sia and the Lyrics of her songs that help us move. 

The evocative descriptions of nature from the great Patrick Kavanagh that mean so much as we run the roads.

Marry them all together and I will get something special.

Crank up the laptop and get writing, this is the one.

Sports Journalist of the Year beckons. A guest spot of the RTE panel for the Olympics awaits, push over a bit there Rob and Sonia…

And then....‘Happy Hour -Two Cocktails for the price of one’ was all I could hear.

I woke from my slumber on a sun-bed in Lanzarote.

A vision in a dream was all it was. 

‘Could I revive within me her symphony and song’

Alas, The great post was never written but the aperol spritz wasn’t too bad in fairness as a consolation. 

I could claim I’m on a warm weather training camp in preparation for some major sporting occasion but my Mother told me don’t tell lies. Sun, sand, sea, some jogging, some scoops, some relaxation.

I do promise to get back to some proper posts next week.

Have a lovely weekend and I will do my best to enjoy myself.

#pwr #KublaKhan #KeepOnRunning

Running in Cork Newsletter - 23rd Feb 2024

Summary of Newsletter...
Weekend Weather:
Weekend events:
Parkrun News:
Race News: Banteer 5-mile / Cork BHAA MTU 5k / Kerry Way Ultra Accommodation / Belfast Marathon sells out / Naas 10-mile sells out / Help wanted for Cobh
In Other News: John Brady RIP / Midleton Greenway to open reminder / Half-Marathons in Ireland
Training Programmes:
Countdown Timer
Some of the posts on the Running in Cork blog over the last week:
Tralee 10-mile numbers
All Ireland Half-Marathon Calendar

Running in Cork Newsletter on Substack - 23rd Feb 2024... https://runningincork.substack.com/p/running-in-cork-newsletter-23rd-february

Friday Jigsaw: Carrigaline 5m - Feb 2024

For this weeks online jigsaw, we have a photo of John Meade and Hannah Steeds, the winners of the 2024 Carrigaline 5-mile road race.

This one is for the jigsaw aficionados as it has 450 pieces. You can find it HERE

Cork runner Ryan Creech runs 2h 12m marathon in Seville - Feb 2024

At the Seville marathon in Spain on Sunday 18th Feb 2024, Cork runner Ryan Creech managed to finish the 42.2km course in an impressive time of 2h 12m 28s.

That time is an improvement of 35-seconds on the time of 2:13:03 that he set at the same event in 2023. 

Ryan's time keeps him in 11th spot on the all time Irish performance list...

1 2:09:49 Stephen Scullion London 4 Oct 2020
2 2:09:56 John Treacy Los Angeles CA 12 Aug 1984
3 2:10:09 Kevin Seaward Sevilla 23 Feb 2020
4 2:10:25 Paul Pollock Valencia 1 Dec 2019
5 2:10:54 Mark Carroll New York NY 3 Nov 2002
6 2:11:30 John Woods Wexford 24 Apr 1988
7 2:12:19 Dick Hooper Wexford 24 Apr 1988
8 2:12:20 Jerry Kiernan Los Angeles CA 12 Aug 1984
9 2:12:21 Louis Kenny Huntsville TX 13 Dec 1980
10 2:12:26 Hugh Armstrong Sevilla 23 Feb 2020
11 2:12:28 Ryan Creech Sevilla 18 Feb 2024
12 2:13:06 Danny McDaid Limerick 11 Apr 1976
13 2:13:19 Mick Clohisey Dublin 27 Oct 2019
14 2:13:25 Roy Dooney Duluth MN 20 Jun 1992
15 2:13:55 Kingston Mills Berlin 28 Sep 1986
15 2:13:55 Mark Kenneally Amsterdam 16 Oct 2011
17 2:13:59 Tommy Hughes Marrakech 12 Jan 1992
18 2:14:06 Martin Fagan Dubai 18 Jan 2008
19 2:14:42 John Griffin London 21 Apr 1991
20 2:14:43 Ryan Forsyth Dublin 29 Oct 2023

Notice: IMRA Nagle Trail Half-Marathon & Marathon - Sat 9th Mar 2024

IMRA are organising two long distance trail races on the Nagle Mountains in Co Cork on Saturday 9th March 2024.

Half-Marathon:

COUNTY: Cork
DATE: Saturday 9th March, 2024
TIME: 11:00

CLIMB (M): 750
DISTANCE (KM):21.00
RACE MARKING: Route fully marked - Route fully marked
GPS ALLOWED: Yes
LEAGUES: Munster Half-Marathon League 
MANDATORY KIT: Level B - Standard, Waterproof jacket, Hat or buff, Gloves, Whistle, Charged mobile phone with emergency number stored, Foil blanket, bivvy bag or equivalent
All runners must bring the above items to the race. The actual kit to be carried during the race will be finalised on the day, depending on conditions etc., and clearly advised at Registration. You should also have the means to carry all the kit in case required. Failure to have the required items may lead to you being denied entry to the race, or disqualification. Random checks may be carried out.
ENTRY CLOSES: Saturday 2nd March 2024, 23:59
ENTRY COST :€20 (Annual membership of IMRA required)
ENTRY LIMIT: 100

GETTING THERE: Killavullen GAA Club, Killavullen, Co. Cork

Entries & info... https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/2429

Marathon: 

DESCRIPTION: Nagles Marathon

COUNTY: Cork

DATE: Saturday 9th March, 2024

TIME: 09:00

CLIMB (M): 1330

DISTANCE (KM): 42.10

RACE MARKING: Only major junctions marked - Only major junctions marked

GPS ALLOWED: Yes

MANDATORY KIT: Level C - Advanced. Waterproof jacket with integrated hood and taped seams, Hat or buff, Gloves, Whistle, Charged mobile phone with emergency number stored, Foil blanket, bivvy bag or equivalent, Waterproof full leg cover

Means to carry a minimum of 500 mL water, Emergency food, Map of route/area, Compass

All runners must bring the above items to the race. The actual kit to be carried during the race will be finalised on the day, depending on conditions etc., and clearly advised at Registration. You should also have the means to carry all the kit in case required. Failure to have the required items may lead to you being denied entry to the race, or disqualification. Random checks may be carried out.

ENTRY CLOSES:Saturday 2nd March 2024, 23:59

ENTRY COST: €30

ENTRY LIMIT: 100

GETTING THERE: Killavullen GAA Club, Killavullen, Co. Cork

Entries & info... https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/2428

Training programme for the 2024 Cork City Half-Marathon

The Cork City Marathon is coming up on Sunday 2nd June 2024. I have a standard 14-week training programme starting on the 26th of February which costs €105. 

If anyone feels that they need more time to prepare then there are longer options shown above.

The weekly programme is tailored for each individual and requires weekly feedback by email. It's suitable for anyone looking to do their first marathon or for someone who wants to improve their times.

If interested, send an email to johndesmondrunning AT gmail DOT com

If anyone is interested in training for any other race then you can find details on the coaching page... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/p/coaching.html

Video: A BLOODY LONG RUN - EPISODE 3 ...by Beau Miles

The one and only Beau Miles is as much a storyteller as a runner. In the final episode, he completes the  220km run through the mountains between two old gold mining towns in the heart of Victoria, Australia.

 

Guest Post: Gold for Kate Veale in National Indoor Championships... by James Veale

123.IE NATIONAL SENIOR INDOORS - GOLD FOR KATE VEALE - 18th Feb 2024

At the 123.ie national senior indoor championships last weekend at the Abbottstown arena in Dublin, Kate Veale made it 7 from 7 on the bounce in the 3,000 metres walk when took her 7th national indoors senior title.

Women 3,000m Walk
1 Kate VEALE   West Waterford A.C. 12:27.82         
2 Aisling LANE Mullingar Harriers A.C. 14:21.57       
3 Ciara WILSON BOWEN Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 14:39.53

Her time of 12m 27.82s was a 13 second PB indoors and now moves her to 2nd in the all-time Irish list behind Gillian O Sullivan with Olive Loughnane now 3rd after being overtaken by Kate. That time also ranks her 4th in the world indoor fastest times of 2024. 

We wish Kate the very best this weekend as she travels to Spain for the national Spanish championship in Zaragoza on Sunday. 

Results of the IMRA Rahan Woods 9km Trail Race - Sun 18th Feb 2024

This IMRA 9.2km trail race was held in Rahan Woods to the east of Mallow and attracted a field of 133 runners. 

Top 3 men & women...

1 Barry Twohig 893 M45 34:52 St. Finbar's AC Cork
2 Barry Hartnett 580 M40 36:12 Tipperary
3 Nick Hogan 838 M40 37:46 Cork
1 Kealey Tideswell 435 F40 40:23 Clonmel AC Tipperary
2 Carol Finn 899 F35 40:57 Cork
3 Sarah Whelan 294 F40 47:07 Clonmel AC Tipperary

Full results HERE

Results of the North Cork AC 5k in Doneraile Park - Sun 18th Feb 2024

This 5k in Doneraile Park on Sun 18th Feb 2024 had 172 participants.

Top 3 men & women... 

Place Athletes Name Club Time Category Bib
1 Donal Coakley Leevale AC     16:45 SM 564
2 Kieran Mc Keown Grange/Fermoy AC     17:08 SM 717
3 Stephen Crowley Grange/Fermoy AC     17:19 SM 802
10 Michaela Flynn North Cork AC     20:05 SF 664
24 Ada O Flaherty     22:26 SF 747
27 Edel Buckley Bweeng Trail Blazers AC     22:37 SF 486

Full results HERE

Results of the Cloyne Commons 4k - Sun 18th Feb 2024

First 3 women in the Cloyne Commons 4k (L-R)... Rebecca McEvoy 1st, Vicki Spiteri 2nd & Katie Hennessy 3rd

The fourth race in the Cloyne Commons 4k Series was held on Sunday 18th Feb 2024 on what was a busy day with multiple events taking place.

Top 3 men & women...

1 1970 John Spelman East Cork AC M 12:51
2 1468 Trevor Cummins Ballymore Cobh M40 13:06
3 1478 Donal Giltinan East Cork AC M40 13:10

9 1847 Rebecca McEvoy St Finbarr's AC F 14:36
14 1581 Vicki Spiteri Midleton AC F35 15:39
20 1774 Katie Hennessy Midleton AC FJ 16:06

Photos...

1) Sharon Murray has several galleries... 

a) Pre-race b) Race start c) Finish Pt1 d) Finish Pt2 e) Finish Pt3

Full results below...

 Place Race Number Name Club Category Time
1 1970 John Spelman East Cork AC M 12:51
2 1468 Trevor Cummins Ballymore Cobh M40 13:06
3 1478 Donal Giltinan East Cork AC M40 13:10
4 1401 Cian Kelly St Finbarr's AC M 13:32
5 1769 Michael Furlong East Cork AC M 13:33
6 1476 Eoin Downing Ballymore Cobh M 13:52
7 1860 Seamus McSweeney St Nicholas AC M50 13:59
8 1489 Oliver Smiddy East Cork AC M45 14:22
9 1847 Rebecca McEvoy St Finbarr's AC F 14:36
10 1788 Paul Hunt Cobh Tri Club M 14:59

Results & Photos of the Carrigaline 5-mile road race - Sun 18th Feb 2024

First place finish for John Meade in the 2024 Carrigaline 5-mile road race

The annual Carrigaline 5-mile road race was held on Sunday 18th February 2024 with a total of 300 runners crossing the finish line.

Top 3 men & women...

1 John MEADE 26:50 906 M M40 St. Finbarrs A.C.
2 Adam DOYLE 27:25 847 M  M35 Eagle A.C.
3 Sean TWOHIG 27:34 5087 M M35 St. Finbarrs A.C.
1 Hannah STEEDS 28:48 1000 F FS Leevale A.C.
2 Breda GAFFNEY 31:12 856 F F50 Mallow A.C.
3 Lisa CROWLEY 33:16 497 F F50 Watergrasshill A.C.

Full results HERE

Hannah Steeds of Leevale AC was the first women home

Photos ...

1) There are 232 photos up on the Running in Cork Facebook page.

a) Album 1 of 3 b) Album 2 of 3 c) Album 3 of 3

2) Mick Dooley has some start line photos HERE and some finish line photos HERE

3) As per usual, Joe Murphy has loads of photos...

a) Pre race b) Start c) Race 1 of 4 d) Race 2 of 4 e) Race 3 of 4  f) Race 4 of 4

4) MyRunResults have some finish line photos HERE

Notice: Carrigaline 5 mile road race - Sun 18th Feb 2024

Eagle AC are organising their annual 5 mile road race in Carrigaline on Sunday, the 18th of February 2024 at 11am.

Update 17th Feb 2024: The organisers have announced that they will be taking entries on the morning before the race.

The entry link is here... https://eventmaster.ie/event/3bZmIx4tZW

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 17th Feb 2024

Results of the 5k parkruns around the county on Saturday 17th February 2024. Approximately 580  runners and walkers took part in the 9 events in Co Cork.

Report... It looks as if the rain arrived early in Cork on Saturday and it was a damp affair for most of the 5k parkruns in the county. Looking at the numbers, they are well down on last week.

Glengarriff... This event had to be cancelled due to flooding on the course.

If I missed anyone who passed a notable milestone like 100, 200, 250 or above parkruns then let me know.

***

Ballincollig Regional Park: 189 this week, 363 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Barry MEADE Male VM40-44 18:03

2 Unknown

3 Diarmuid O'SULLIVAN Male SM20-24 19:38

5 Niamh CRONIN Female VW45-49 St Finbarrs AC 20:06

31 Deborah O Female VW45-49 24:10

42 Liz O'DONOVAN Female VW40-44 Cambridge and Coleridge AC 25:07

Ballincollig results... https://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/313/

Tramore Valley Park: 142 this week, 204 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Conrad WATT Male VM35-39 Magnolia RR 17:05

2 Kevin SMITH Male VM50-54 Swindon Harriers 18:29

3 Jason CROWLEY Male VM40-44 St Finbarrs AC 19:01

10 Daniela WRIGHT Female VW45-49 21:08

23 Louise O'RIORDAN Female SW30-34 Crusaders Athletic Club 22:52

25 Orla CROSBIE Female VW55-59 St Finbarrs AC 22:55

Tramore Valley Park results... https://www.parkrun.ie/tramorevalley/results/93/

Glen River: 57 this week, 76 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Ken INCE Male VM40-44 Eagle A.C. 17:59

2 Niall O'CONNOR Male VM45-49 Ranelagh Harriers 21:01

3 Richard BOURKE Male VM45-49 St Finbarrs AC 21:19

4 Siobhan HOLLAND Female VW45-49 Eagle A.C. 21:50

15 Susan BUCKLEY Female SW30-34 24:26

18 Mags HASSETT Female VW45-49 Douglas Meet and Train 24:55

Glen River results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glenriver/results/195/

Mallow Castle: 44 finishers this week, 95 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Cormac WHOOLEY Male SM30-34 20:30

2 Barry MORRISSEY Male SM30-34 20:52

3 Billy LENIHAN Male VM55-59 21:52

8 Máire MCKENNA Female VW45-49 23:28

10 Michele COE-O'BRIEN Female VW60-64 24:09

22 Mary MURPHY Female VW60-64 Mallow AC 26:42

Mallow results... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/122/

Youghal (Pobalscoil ne Tríonóide) : 47 this week, 72 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 James 0 MAHONY Male VM35-39 18:48

2 John MALONE Male VM50-54 19:21

3 Maurice WALSH Male VM40-44 19:41

10 Éadaoin COLEMAN Female VW40-44 22:05

17 Sarah GREGSON Female VW40-44 Warrington Hockey Club 23:40

19 Claire MURPHY Female VW50-54 25:07

Youghal results... https://www.parkrun.ie/pobalscoilnatrionoide/results/99/

Macroom Castle Demense: 36 this week, 46 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Danny MANNING Male VM45-49 21:25

2 Matt MURPHY Male SM18-19 21:37

3 Kieran TWOMEY Male VM55-59 21:55

4 Jennifer RING Female VW40-44 22:59

8 Claire CURTIN Female VW35-39 West Muskerry A.C. 24:37

11 Jenny O SHEA Female VW35-39 26:12

Macroom results... https://www.parkrun.ie/macroomcastledemesne/results/464/

Clonakilty: 21 this week, 37 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Mícheál Ó SÉ Male VM40-44 19:12

2 David HICKEY Male VM40-44 21:08

3 Declan RICE Male VM40-44 23:08

5 Sandra WALSH Female VW50-54 25:17

6 Kathleen O REGAN Female VW35-39 26:13

11 Niamh RYAN Female VW40-44 29:37

Clonakilty results... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/results/420/

Glengarriff Woods: 92 this week, 79 last week.

Top 3 men & women... CANCELLED

Glengarriff results... 

Bere Island: 26 this week, 24 last week. 

First 3 men & women... 

1 Michelagh MURPHY Female SW20-24 22:41

2 Breeda O SULLIVAN Female VW55-59 Beara AC 24:37

4 Laoise Ann O SULLIVAN Female JW11-14 26:30

3 Breandan MURPHY Male SM20-24 25:09

7 Unknown

9 Barry O'DRISCOLL Male VM50-54 Finch Coasters 28:38

Bere Island results... https://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/results/427/

Castlehaven (Rineen Woods): 21 finishers this week, 16 last week.

First 3 women & men...

1 Florence FITZGERALD Male SM30-34 21:05

2 Thomas OWENS Male VM45-49 Moynalty AC 21:27

4 John O'MAHONY Male SM25-29 25:43

3 Sharon LEVIS Female VW40-44 25:41

11 Sharon POULTER Female VW40-44 28:40

15 Frances LYNCH Female VW60-64 Sanctuary Runners 31:35

Castlehaven results... https://www.parkrun.ie/castlehaven/results/348/

For more information about the weekly 5k parkruns in Co Cork, go to this page HERE.

Guest Post: Running, Racing, Participating ...by Pat Walsh

 ** Running, Racing, Participating **

Recently I attended my first parkrun in over 4 years and followed that with my first BHAA 5k in about the same length of time.

Why did that happen that I fell away?

Covid in 2020 changed a lot of things for us all and I just got out of the habit of going along. My fault and my fault alone as I just never mustered the drive or enthusiasm to get going again. I had been taking part in the big 10mile races and half-marathons but totally neglected my local – on my doorstep – runs.

2024 I resolved to fix this. The parkrun was lovely. Such a good atmosphere. Nice people, no pressure, no one really cared about times. I had lovely company CO’B. You can be anonymous if you want to. There was buggies and dogs and walkers and smiles and encouragement. There was no prizes, no fuss. I can be certain this applies to all parkruns in the country. Oh yes and it is FREE to enter. The organisation is superb.

The BHAA 5K in Little Island last Sunday was equally enjoyable. The day was good, the welcome was friendly, the runners were in great mood.

“Good to see you, best of luck.
Take it handy, it is early in the Year yet.
Lovely morning in February for the shorts and t-shirt.”

The race itself was ok. Game face on with a smile and just do the best you can. Thanks AG for the company.

Afterwards

“Fair play, well done.
Great to be finished.
Looking forward to the next one.
Are you going for a cuppa?”

No one mentioned times. These are pressures we put on ourselves when in fact no one else really cares. Fellow runners will support you whether good or bad so why then do so many people not run due to worries and anxieties. 

I attended these races, I didn’t kill myself racing. I enjoyed myself and the occasion. I lived in the moment, in the day. In fact each race was a PB for the day I ran, as that particular day will never occur again. There will be other runs and races but each day is unique and special.

We love the City and Big Town races with thousands of people that cost a fortune. There is fun and enjoyment locally in low key races that cost very little or you can run free. 

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated”

#pwr

Running in Cork Newsletter - 16th February 2024

Running in Cork Newsletter - 16th February 2024

Looking through the results of the last week, the one that really stood out for me was the IMRA Slí Chorcaí events. If we were to go back 10 years ago, the IMRA events were to be honest pretty boring. Run up the side of a mountain and run back down again. Some are still in that format and some still like those but they have limited appeal. In the last decade, IMRA have introduced a much wider range of events.

These include more trail runs in woods which makes it more attractive to people wishing to try them out to see what they're like. They introduced trail runs at night and I remember well doing a half-marathon in the Ballyhouras passing farmhouses at 2 o'clock in the morning. The recent Slí Chorcaí event was another example of a novel event with the participants starting in Ballyvourney and ending up near Drimoleague in West Cork. There are plenty of events like this in the UK that get big numbers and I'm sure with these type of events in West Cork could get even greater numbers if more people found out about them.

I also added quite a few events to the race calendar yesterday as more and more 2024 events are starting to appear. There are a noticeable albeit small number of road races that have opted out of getting a Athletics Ireland permit and avoiding their €2 'one-day licence'.

If anyone would like to get the Running in Cork Newsletter delivered by email every week then I have also put it up on the Substack platform where you can subscribe for free... https://runningincork.substack.com/

If you want to support the blog and getting additional content then you might consider becoming a paid subscriber.

Weekend Weather: For the second weekend in a row, we have two contrasting days again. On Saturday, a weather front will cross the country resulting quite a bit of rain. The question is what time will it arrive and different computer models give slightly different results. The rain is coming in from the west and it's likely that the parkrun on Bere Island will be a wet affair while the one in Youghal might be dry. Again, it depends on the time the rain arrives and the further east the parkrun is, the better. Other than the parkruns, there are a few events up the country with rain probably hitting the 5-mile in Lisdoonvarna while the other events in Leinster will probably be dry.

For Sunday, the rain should have passed and we should have a ridge of high pressure keeping things dry. Other than some surface water on the roads, it should be dry for the day.

Weekend events: Other than the parkruns on Saturday, there is a 5-miler in Lisdoonvarna and a big Operation Transformation 5k in the Phoenix Park. Locally, the main running events are on the Sunday. The main one in Cork is the Carrigaline 5-mile organised by Eagle AC at 11am. In Cloyne, there is 4k at 9:30am. In north Cork, there is an IMRA trail race in Rahan Woods near Mallow while there is also a 5k run in Doneraile Park.

There is a selection of events on offer elsewhere as well. As always, see the event calendar... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html

Parkrun News:

Clashduv Junior parkrun cancelled: The 2km Junior parkrun at Clashduv which was due to be held on Sunday 18th of February has had to be cancelled due to a lack of volunteers. This is I believe due to the fast that some of the regulars are missing due to the mid-term break. It's just a reminder that all parkruns need a large pool of volunteers that be called on rather than having to depend on the same few people week after week.

Parkrun stats: In last weeks Newsletter, I mentioned how the parkrun organisation had removed some of the stats from their website. This has caused a bit of a storm in the UK and the Guardian had a article on how a right-wing think thank was trying to get the parkrun organisation defunded. See HERE

Tramore Valley Park: The Irish Guide Dogs will be at Tramore Valley parkrun on Saturday 17th Feb 2024. The organisers write.. "If you have a green T-shirt you might like to wear it to show support for the charity"

New parkruns in the pipeline: For those of you way beyond the borders of the real capital, there are two new 5k parkruns starting soon. One is in Bettytown in Co Meath and the other one is in Tubbercurry, Co Sligo.

Last weekend: Last week at parkrun in Ireland, there were...139 events & 15,147 walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers.

Race News:

Kinsale 10m: The organisers of the Kinsale 10-mile road race have announced that their race which is on the 25th of February has now sold out.

Belfast Marathon: The 2024 Belfast City Marathon is coming up on Sunday 5th May and the organisers are reporting that there are only 150 places left for the marathon.

Achill Half nearly full: The Achill Half-Marathon & 10k will be held this year on Saturday 6th July 2024. Despite the fact that it's still five months away, the organisers have said that all of the entries are nearly gone.

Calendar update... I added a number of events to the calendar over the last few days. There's plenty to choose from if you're willing to travel. See https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/p/calendar.html

In Other News:

New Galway Trailrunning Group: In terms of trail races nationally in Ireland, the majority are in Munster and Leinster. One obvious omission every year is the lack of events in Connaught which is surprising considering all the mountains in Connemara. A new trail running group has now been established in Galway and that should help establish the sport more in this region.

Kenyan marathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum dies in road accident: BBC News

Six simple tips for healthier joints from the experts: The Guardian

Midleton Greenway to open reminder: The first section of the Midleton to Youghal Greenway is supposed to open on Thursday 7th of March 2024. The section is question goes from Midleton to Mogeely and is about 8kms in length which is pretty significant.

Half-Marathons in Ireland: I was hoping to send out a list of some of the upcoming half-marathons in Ireland to the Newsletter subscribers this week but I ran out of time. At the moment, I can see that there are 80 on the island and there will be no doubt be a few more popping up in the second half of the year.

Training Programmes: I'll have training programmes for the Cork Half-Marathon starting soon. Options are 16-weeks from the 12th of February and 14-weeks from the 26th of February. More info ...

https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/training-programme-for-2024-cork-city.html

Couch to 5k... I'll be introducing an easy online Couch to 5k programme soon for anyone who wants to start off and get running for the Summer.

Training Programmes: I'll have a 14-week one to one training programme for the Cork Half-Marathon starting on the 26th of February. More info ...

https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/training-programme-for-2024-cork-city.html

Couch to 5k... I'll be introducing an easy online Couch to 5k programme soon for anyone who wants to start off and get running for the Summer.

Countdown Timer...

Limerick Marathon - 5th May 2024 - 11 weeks

Cork Marathon - 2nd June 2024 - 15 weeks

Waterford Marathon - 23rd June 2024 - 18 weeks

Some of the posts on the Running in Cork blog over the last week:

Friday Jigsaw: Dungarvan 10m 2024 Group... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/friday-jigsaw-dungarvan-10m-2024-group.html

Guest Post: Report on the Great Island Cross Cup... by Trevor Cummins... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/guest-post-report-on-great-island-cross.html

Notice: IMRA Rahan Woods 9km trail race nr Mallow -- Sun 18th Feb 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/notice-imra-rahan-woods-9km-trail-race.html

Results & Photos of the IMRA Slí Chorcaí Ultra Trail Race - Sat 10th Feb 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/results-photos-of-imra-sli-chorcai.html

Notice: Banteer 5 mile road race - Sun 10th March 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/notice-banteer-5-mile-road-race-sun.html

Notice: Carrigaline 5 mile road race - Sun 18th Feb 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/notice-carrigaline-5-mile-road-race-sun.html

Results of the Cork BHAA Janssen 5k - Sun 11th Feb 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/results-of-cork-bhaa-janssen-5k-sun.html

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 10th Feb 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/results-of-5k-parkruns-in-cork-sat-10th.html

Guest Post: February ...by Pat Walsh... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/guest-post-february-by-pat-walsh.html

Running in Cork Newsletter - 9th February 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/running-in-cork-newsletter-9th-february.html

And finally...

If anyone wants to get the Running in Cork Newsletter by email, you can subscribe for free on Substack... https://runningincork.substack.com/

If you want to support the blog and get additional content then you might consider becoming a paid subscriber.