Looking ahead to the Cork City Marathon 10k...

Course... As the map shows above, the 10k race starts on Patrick's Street in the centre of Cork City. It then proceeds onto the Grand Parade and out Washington Street. At about 2.5kms, there are two right hand turns to get onto the Mardyke. 

At 3.5kms, there is a potential bottleneck as the runners will run along the walkway by the walkway next to the river. This lasts for about 700m until the runners reach the North Mall.

After that, it's up into Blackpool with a few twists and turns and back out again onto the quays. At about 8.2kms, it's right over Brian Boru bridge and back down the opposite quay.

After 9kms, it's left onto North Main Street and back onto Patrick's Street and the finish line.

In summary... A flat enough 10k course although it has a lot of twists and turns. Potential bottleneck at 3.5kms. With an 8:45am start, it will be over before the day gets too warm.

Preview of the Cork City Marathon route

Preview... Now with the Cork City Marathon coming up next Sunday, have a look at these previews below to see what the various parts of the course are like.

This post is from 2022 when there were five relay stages. The course is the same so you should give you a good idea of what the full and half-marathon courses are like.

Previews.....
1) Marathon...HERE

2) Marathon Relay (2022)...
a) Part 1 of 5 can be seen HERE
b) Part 2 of 5 can be seen HERE
c) Part 3 of 5 can be seen HERE
d) Part 4 of 5 can be seen HERE
e) Part 5 of 5 can be seen HERE

If you are doing the half-marathon, then most of that route is covered in the description of the previous relay legs 4 and 5 above.

Notice: IMRA Slieve Luachra 11km trail race in NW Cork - Sun 2nd June 2024

One for the trail runners. IMRA are holding an 11-km trail race near Rockchapel in NW Cork on Sunday 2nd June 2024 at 11am. 

Details...

DESCRIPTION: 3 Counties Trail/S. Luachra
COUNTY: Cork
DATE: Sunday 2nd June, 2024
TIME: 11:00

CLIMB (M):300
DISTANCE (KM): 11.50
RACE MARKING: Route fully marked - Route fully marked
GPS ALLOWED: No
ENTRY CLOSES: Saturday 1st June 2024, 18:00

ENTRY COST: €7 for seniors, €5 for over 65s and under 18s
Parking location: Knockacummer Wind Farm, Rockchapel Co.Cork

Info & entries... https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/2461

Guest Post: Cork Marathon ...by Pat Walsh

 ** Cork Marathon **

Few tips and insights into the day itself and what to expect. 😂

-- How oft do my thoughts in their fancy take flight…. The Banks --

*Weather

Meterological professionals in the National Weather station in Glasnevin have been reduced to quivering wrecks when asked to forecast the weather for Cork on Marathon Day.

‘It will be mostly dry with some sunny spells but the possibility of an absolute downpour or a heatwave cannot be ruled out. Temperatures will be somewhere between 4 and 24 degrees. Winds will be light but gusting from the north, south, east or maybe the west. However we can categorically state it will not snow this year’

Thanks

My own opinion, is that since it has rained every day since last July here in Cork so we are due a scorcher. ☀️💥

*Clothing

No idea. Rain Jacket with a sun top underneath should suffice

Jaysus a cut off bin liner with Factor 50 and waterproof mascara would also help. 

* 10k

Second Year of this event. 

Starts at 8.45am just after the Marathon goes off.

Best summed up by a seasoned veteran and well respected Cork Runner when asked for his opinion of the 10k.

10k, I wouldn’t even tog out for 10k. I would do it in my ordinary clothes, a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. Imagine finishing that race and the pubs aren’t even open. You wouldn’t catch any cute Kerryman doing this one. That is all a gimic for the tourists and coffee brigade. Leave them off around a bit of Cork and up Patrick Street and they are thrilled with themselves. Get them out of the way before the real business starts. Afterwards in the café while they sip their Mocha Latte’s with a side order of Donkey’s Gudge and admire the medal they are all agog. 

Oh, Julian didn’t we do spiffingly well to finish that arduous event. The natives were so friendly. One little fellow said to me,  ‘Get up the road ya lasher ya..!’

Whoever thought up the idea of this cash cow for the organisers should have a statue of themselves up in Cork Airport next to Jack Charlton doing a spot of fishing.

*Half Marathon

Half decent, not too bad but not the real McCoy. Half a superpower isn’t much. Imagine Superman with no cape and he couldn’t fly…Still they don’t start until a bit later so they can suffer more in the heat of the day and that is to be respected. 

Decent route that takes in some iconic Cork landmarks. Great trick recently to include a lap of Pairc Ui Caoimh early on in this run. The Tipperary and Limerick gang are so mesmerised and dizzy after that, they are no more use for the rest of the run. Totally bamboozled by the time they hit Pana.

The route is fairly flat and it blends in with the full after 2 miles so the half-timers can wave at the cheering crowds and pretend they are doing the full route. Bluffers

* Marathon

-- It is not those who inflict the most, but those that can suffer the most will prevail... Terence McSwiney --

Anyone completing this run has serious pedigree bestowed for life. Forget the Major Marathons of the world, without this one you are incomplete. 

Christy Ring Bridge early on. Jack Lynch Tunnel around Mile 7 and Pairc Ui Caoimh soon after halfway. Pure inspiration boy. 

There was lad from Blackrock ran this a few years ago with the hurley and sliothar all the way. When asked afterwards was it hard to solo the ball around Cork he said ‘half the time the hurley knew what it was doing and where it was going and I didn’t even have to carry it.’

In a break with convention organisers are this year allowing full marathon competitors to wear earphones and carry their phones. That way the Dublin Runners who have previously complained that they have no idea what the crowds are saying to them can use Google translate.

For example if 2 runners are coming up the to the finish line, one doing the full and the other is doing the half.

“One of them is dead sound, Dowtcha Boy, the other is only doing the Mockeyah one”

Someone wearing the latest colourful Nike Vaporflys that cost 800euro

“Some pair of Rubber Dollies on that sham, I’d say they cost some spondulicks”

A poor lad that got a cramp and felt sick on the Straight Road at mile 23 and had to stop

“That put the kybosh on him, he’ll have a gawk and he could have Lapsy Pa as well”

Folks I jest. Maybe I have too much time on my hands at the moment. I’m delighted Cork is sold out this year. Great that the Second City of Ireland but the Real Capital is getting back to a solid footing. Well done to the organisers in promoting the event so well.

Note to Organisers:  it will be hot SO DON'T RUN OUT OF WATER this year.

Come out to take part, help the stewarding or simply to support. It is always a great day. 

It will be warm, so relax, forget the pb, just get around safely and enjoy it. The Cork crowd are pure daycent boy.

See you there. 

#pwr #peoplesrepublicofcork #dowtchaboy

Guest Post: Update ...by Pat Walsh

 ** Update **

I may not be writing too many posts about me actually running for a while. 
Recently I wrote.
‘I’ll slow down sometime but hopefully not too soon.’

How wrong could I be? I was tempting fate.
“Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition” Monty Python…😂

Slight medical issue this week. All resolved but a few weeks recovery needed and no running. I had my appendix removed and all is ok.

Put your fate in the hands of other runners. 
Names and location not mentioned for professional reasons and please don't mention any in comments.
Dr J, a runner, saw me and without hesitation despatched me to hospital.
The nurse that checked me in 'M' is training for the Cork half. We spent time chatting about this, while we got on with the serious business. Got to calibrate my Garmin 55 Heart rate against the professional equipment. Handy..!
The surgeon is also a runner who I have encountered on the road.
I was in safe hands all the way, no worries. We look after our own. Thanks to all. 🩺

Question about mind-set.
Are you a glass half-full or a glass half-empty person?

Personally I’m a full pint with a bit of froth over the edges.🍺
I bought a new pair of runners to admire while I recuperate and dream of glory days on the road again. I will be back.
Thanks to all in John Buckley Sports. Great running shop and supporter of Cork Running. 👟👟

Don’t worry folks, I will still write rubbish to entertain you.

Cork Marathon weekend coming up. No, I am not selling or transferring my number. I can still walk. I will still get up Pana one way or the other.

Keep in touch and keep running.

#pwr

Guest Post: KILMALLOCK FOUR-MILE ROAD RACE ...by John Walshe

KILMALLOCK FOUR-MILE ROAD RACE, Friday May 24th

Two days after the town of Kilmallock welcomed the riders on the first stage of this year's Rás Tailteann, the local athletic club staged its annual four-mile road race.

On an ideal evening for running, Declan Moore from the Bilboa club was certainly an impressive winner. His time of 19:31 gave him an advantage of over a minute on runner-up, Karl Lenihan of West Limerick (20:41), with Killian Lynch from the same club finishing third in 20:49.

Pamela Kirby, also Bilboa, was the winner of the women’s race in 24:41 from Sinead McDermott of Dooneen (27:28) with Louise Matthews, also Dooneen, third in 27:55.

Along with his prize, Declan Moore received the Jim Hogan Perpetual Cup in memory of the locally-born runner who famously won the 1966 European Marathon while representing Great Britain. The cup was presented by Mary Murphy, a sprightly 92-year-old sister of the late Jim.

Born in 1933, Jim Hogan changed his name from Cregan to Hogan after moving to England and ran for Ireland in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. There, he closely tracked eventual winner Abebe Bikila for more than 20 miles in the marathon before being forced to drop out in the closing stages due to severe dehydration.

In 1966, he went on to win the European Marathon title in a time of 2:20:04 – on this occasion wearing a British singlet, having declared for the UK citing indifferences and frustrations with the way in which Irish athletics was being run. A number years ago a book was published on his life titled ‘The Irishman who ran for England’.

Jim Hogan passed away at the age of 81 back in January 2015. Such was the esteem in which he was held that former world 10,000m record holder Dave Bedford travelled over for the funeral which took place in the little village of Athlacca.

In one of his earliest interviews, Bedford – who also served as Race Director of the London Marathon - was asked if he admired any particular athlete. He replied: “At one time I used to like Jim Hogan’s running, partly because he was a very controversial character – I like controversial characters – but also he had guts and said what he thought.”

Well done to Kilmallock Athletic Club for keeping the memory of this great athlete alive.

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 25th May 2024

Results of the 5k parkruns around the county on Saturday 25th May 2024. Approximately 788 runners and walkers took part in the 10 events in Co Cork.

Report... It was a mixed day for the 5k parkruns in Cork this week. The rain front arrived in West Cork which made things damp there while it was dry and windy further east.

Bere Island... There was some issue with mobile phones so some results may be missing.

Glengarriff... Well done to Catherine Hutt from the UK who completed her 100th 5k parkrun at the Glengarriff event.

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

***

Ballincollig Regional Park: 264 this week, 244 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Sean TWOHIG Male VM35-39 St Finbarrs AC 17:42

2 Alan O'SULLIVAN Male VM40-44 18:16

3 Daire REILLY Male VM35-39 18:32

5 Aoife COOKE Female VW35-39 19:25

9 Nollaigh O'NEILL Female VW50-54 20:20

11 Maeve BUCKLEY Female VW50-54 20:365

Ballincollig results... https://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/325/

Tramore Valley Park: 1731this week, 211 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Conrad WATT Male VM35-39 Magnolia RR 17:34

2 Eoghan CORMICAN Male SM30-34 18:30

3 Unknown

28 Syrah KENNA Female JW15-17 23:02

29 Mary HEGARTY Female VW45-49 23:05

33 Hannah MURPHY Female JW11-14 23:55

Tramore Valley Park results... https://www.parkrun.ie/tramorevalley/results/106/

Glen River: 72 this week, 70 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Stephen MORRIS Male VM50-54 Willowfield Harriers 19:30

2 Seamus LEDDY Male VM45-49 Abbey Runners Leeds 20:10

3 Dara CLARKE Male JM15-17 20:32

12 Alannah O'CALLAGHAN Female SW25-29 24:40

14 Mags HASSETT Female VW45-49 Douglas Meet and Train 25:05

16 Emer DELANEY Female JW11-14 25:09

Glen River results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glenriver/results/208/

Mallow Castle: 67 finishers this week, 54 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Ruairi MANNING Male SM20-24 17:32

2 Ken DEANE Male VM40-44 19:57

3 Dylan MAGORRIAN Male JM11-14 20:43

11 Sheila MAGORRIAN Female VW50-54 23:48

15 Muireann MURPHY Female JW11-14 24:52

16 Marie BUCKLEY Female VW40-44 24:53

Mallow results... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/135/

Youghal (Pobalscoil ne Tríonóide) : 50 this week, 46 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 James O MAHONY Male VM35-39 19:08

2 Gearoid COLEMAN Male SM30-34 19:14

3 Ger LYNCH Male VM40-44 20:31

6 Shannon SOTOK Female SW30-34 21:50

14 Claire MURPHY Female VW50-54 24:35

15 Saoirse KINSELLA Female JW11-14 25:11

Youghal results... https://www.parkrun.ie/pobalscoilnatrionoide/results/112/

Macroom Castle Demense: 34 this week, 33 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 David O'KEEFFE Male VM45-49 20:11

2 Rory MCELROY Male JM15-17 West Muskerry A.C. 20:56

3 Matt MURPHY Male SM18-19 21:12

4 Alice SMITH Female SW25-29 21:26

14 Caroline O DONNELL Female VW55-59 25:28

15 Carmel PURCELL Female VW45-49 West Muskerry A.C. 26:07

 

Macroom results... https://www.parkrun.ie/macroomcastledemesne/results/477/

Clonakilty: 25 this week, 37 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Daniel DOLLARD Male JM15-17 19:06

2 Donnacha RYAN Male JM11-14 21:19

3 Diarmuid Ó SÚILLEABHÁIN Male VM40-44 Leevale AC 21:26

8 Tania HELEN Female SW30-34 25:41

10 Kathleen O REGAN Female VW35-39 26:34

13 Aoife CONNOR Female SW30-34 29:12

Clonakilty results... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/results/432/

Glengarriff Woods: 55 this week, 78 last week.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Trevor MCGUIRK Male VM40-44 19:47

2 Michael MINEHANE Male VM45-49 Marathon Club Ireland 21:31

3 Cathal MINEHANE Male VM45-49 22:29

8 Breda MCELHINNEY Female VW55-59 25:27

12 Sheila CLAVIN Female VW45-49 West Limerick A.C. 26:43

14 Emma BURKE Female SW20-24 27:36

Glengarriff results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glengarriff/results/348/

Bere Island: 13 this week, 33 last week. 

First 3 men & women... 

1 Garry MORIARTY Male VM45-49 21:04

2 Jim MCDOWELL Male VM55-59 23:42

3 Roy JOHNSTON Male VM55-59 24:50

5 Stephanie MCDOWELL Female VW55-59 30:34

6 Patricia MC KEEVER Female VW35-39 31:13

7 Maebh MONAHAN Female VW45-49  Forget The Gym 31:23

Bere Island results... https://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/results/440/

Castlehaven (Rineen Woods): 35 finishers this week, 21 last week.

First 3 women & men...

1 Donal COLLINS Male VM45-49 Bweeng Trail Blazers 19:56

2 Doug HULL Male SM30-34 21:10

3 Mark GRAHAM Male SM30-34 Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets AC 21:13

12 Deirdre MCCARTHY Female VW40-44 Manchester Tri Club 26:51

14 Sharon LEVIS Female VW40-44 27:05

16 Sophie COLLINS Female JW11-14 Bweeng Trail Blazers 28:29

Castlehaven results... https://www.parkrun.ie/castlehaven/results/361/

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

Guest Post: Running and mental health ...by Pat Walsh

 ** Running and mental health **

Slightly off track this week but it is a post that needs writing.

I have long advocated the mental benefits that can be got from running. 

Last week I watched a wonderful program from comedian PJ Gallagher about his struggles. It can be watched on RTE player 'Changing my Mind'. It would recommend it to everyone honestly.

It opened my mind a bit.

He found solace, comfort, friendship among groups he joined. As well as the activities there was open chats about life struggles. He went open-water swimming, joined a motor-scooter / vespa club and charted his time with them. Powerful stuff.

Facts. Women are better than men to talk.

Suicide is a major killer of adult men.

I had read an article on last Saturday's Irish Times about recently formed running groups set up for aim of running, making friends and giving people a safe place to train and run. 

Sole Mates, Happy Feet, Pastry Pace. The actual names entice you to join them.

Very little mention of races and times just companionship, coffee and fun. Brilliant concept 👌 kudos to all concerned. This can and should grow.

For me down through the years the long slow run has always been a staple of my life. The chats that happen as the miles roll by have been fantastic and so beneficial to me personally. What's said on the road stays on the road. When you are suffering a bit with the run maybe it is easier to open up about other troubles.

So keep running, keep the company, don't be afraid to talk. 

Equally be a good listener. Sometimes that is all that is needed.

Running is great but your mental health and quality of life is more important. 

If running and life becomes stressful, step back from times and pace but keep up the miles with friends.

Please note I am not forgetting or not admiring those wonderful people who live hectic lives and 'their space' is to head off for a solo run somewhere nice to clear the head. You have it sorted too my friends.

Life is short, the road can be bumpy. Look after yourself and don't be afraid to join a group to do any form of recreation. There are people out there who will help, but you must take the first step.

'And there were people wandering the town who had no people to meet, who did not want to be alone and were not noticed.' .... John McGahern

#PWR Have a lovely weekend

Link... https://www.irishtimes.com/health/your-fitness/2024/05/19/forget-the-pub-dublins-twentysomethings-have-discovered-the-run-club/

Results of the Ardmore 5-mile road race - Fri 24th May 2024

27th ANNUAL ROUND TOWER HOTEL ARDMORE 5.

This years Ardmore 5-mile road race in Waterford was held on Friday 24th of May 2024 with 226 runners completing the course, a jump of 31% on last year.

It was actually the second highest ever for this particular race, just 12 shy of the 238 that took part way back in 2009.

As might be expected considering its location, there were plenty of runners from Cork in the results.

Men's Prize Winners
1 Sergio Ciobanu Clonliffe Harriers AC 25:06
2 Mark Walsh Leevale AC 25.18
3 Pat Fitzgerald Waterford A.C. 25.59
Over 40         Aidan Connell West Waterford AC          26.39
Over 45          Keith Kelly Youghal AC                             27.26
Over 50         Seamus Mc Sweeney Grange Fermoy AC          28.12
Over 60         Martin Tobin West  Waterford  AC            35.10
Junior           Cody Coughlan IND                                 32.36

Women's Prize Winners
1 Kealy Tideswell Clonmel AC 28.34
2 Sarah Mulcahy St.Catherine’s AC 31.37
3 Emma Leahy IND 32.17
Category Winner
Over 35 Angela Tobin West Waterford A.C 32.44
Over 40 Elaine Horgan Clonmel AC 33.12
Over 45 Eveleen Drohan West Waterford AC 32.53
Over  50 Diane Behan Waterford AC 33.50
Junior Grainne Moore West Waterford A.C.32.42

The full results can be found on the West Waterford AC website HERE

Photos...

1) DC Images has a gallery HERE

Cycling to a 5k parkrun : A Duathlon of Sorts - Clonakilty - 18th May 2024

Now that the days are getting longer, I'm trying to see what 5k parkruns on a Saturday morning can be reached by bicycle. It's a bit like 'parkrun tourism' but in this case, it's about cycling to an event rather than driving.

On the 11th of May, two of us cycled to the Mallow 5k parkrun... post HERE

On the 18th of May, we decided to give the Clonakilty 5k parkrun a try. I set off at 5:50am from my house, met up with my travelling companion Grellan McGrath in Ballincollig at 6:55am and then we were off.

The challenge of cycling from Cork City to Clonakilty is not so much the distance but selecting a safe route where the N71 road can be avoided as much as possible. Our route down was pretty direct but this also meant it was very hilly. 

After leaving a overcast and cloudy Cork City, the sun was trying to break though the clouds by the time we arrived at the Clonakilty Showgrounds at about 8:55am. The gates were closed with not a soul to be seen.

And so we waited. 9:00am, nobody about. 9:05am, no change. At this stage, it was a case of getting out the smartphone and checking Facebook... was it cancelled? No notice of a cancellation there. We checked the national parkrun website... no cancellation there. 9:10am... still no movement. Was it on or was it off? 

We were thinking then that maybe it was a 'West Cork thing' and they're a bit more relaxed about the time 😂

At 9:15am, someone finally arrived to unlock the gate, we were good to go! Lesson for the future, check beforehand to see if the event is cancelled. It's one thing driving there, a 2-3 hour cycle is another thing.

The course... The Clonakilty 5k parkrun course is simple enough and it's shown above. It's basically four laps of a 1.25km loop. There is a slight rise in the south-west corner of the course but other than that, it's essentially flat.

The photo below shows what the route surface looks like. It's a compact gravel surface which seemed to be fine for running on. 

To be honest, the course in the Showgrounds is not going to win any awards in terms of scenery or charm. It could be best described as 'functional' and it's a safe 5km loop for a parkrun on a Saturday morning.

The Clonakilty parkrun is a reasonably small event and the start line with most of the 37 participants on the 18th of May 2024 is shown above. I think it's safe to say that we were the only two that had cycled there.

After the parkrun, we had a chat with Jim Moloney (8th) pictured below on the left with Grellan McGrath (4th) on the right.

After the parkrun, we headed off to SuperValu for a coffee and pastry and then the start of the long journey home.

Instead of going back the same route, we first had a look at the 'new' Greenway to the Technology Park. This has been here for some time but it was my first time on it. It's quite short at just about 1km in length but it's also nice and wide in places. Hopefully it will be part of the new proposed Greenway from Cork City to Clonakilty although it might be quite a while before that project comes to fruition.

More information about the Clonakilty 5k parkrun can be found here... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/

Where to next??

Notice: Ardmore 5-mile road race - Fri 24th May 2024

West Waterford AC are holding their annual Ardmore 5-mile road race on Friday 24th of May 2024 at 7:30pm. Considering its location, it might be of interest to any runners in Cork City and east Cork.

From West Waterford AC... "Race number 2 in our series this year takes us to the fast course in the beautiful village of Ardmore. Join us in Ardmore for a great evening's running and thanks to our  sponsor, The Round Tower Hotel we will have prizegiving and refreshments after the race. 

Online entry only again and the fee is €10.  The entry fee on the night will be €15

Number collection is at Ardmore GAA club grounds (by kind permission).

Prizes are as follows: First 3 Male and Female, 1 Junior Male and Female, 1st Over 40 45,50,60 Male, 1st Over 35, 40,45, 50 Female

27th Annual Round Tower Hotel - Ardmore 5 Miles, Friday 24th May 2024 @ 7.30pm"

Online entry link... https://eventmaster.ie/event/e0qrirKF8x

Results & Photos of the Cork BHAA John Buckley Sports 5k - 21st May 2024

2024 winner Darragh Mulcahy

There was a huge turnout for this year's Cork BHAA John Buckley Sports 5k in Cork City with 1016 runners taking part, up almost 14% on the number for last year. This was also a record number for this race.

Top 3 men & women...
1 Darragh Mulcahy M-1 00:14:46 Pfizer M-B-1
2 Jeremiah Sheehan M-2 00:14:51 Dept of Ed M-A-1
3 Shane Collins M-3 00:14:59 Apple M-A-2

45 Holly Carroll 00:16:38 Temp Reg
61 Sinead O'Connor 0/35F F-1 00:16:58 Dept of Ed F-A-1
85 Michelle Kenny 0/40F F-2 00:17:31 Dept of Ed F-A-1

Full results HERE

Photos...

1) Mick Dooley has some photos on the Cork BHAA Facebook page... Pre-Race ... Post race 

2) Graham Meikle has some finish line photos... Album 1 ... Album 2 ... Album 3 

(L-R) Sharon Rynne 2nd F35 & Sinead O'Connor 1st registered woman

The first woman home was Holly Carroll pictured above with John Buckley

Lost & Found... Graham Meikle lost his credit card during the Cork BHAA 5 k down the Marina. Could have been anywhere along the course, start, finish or clubhouse. It’s a brown AIB VISA.... FOUND!

20% Discount...... John Buckley Sports are giving a 20% discount to all finishers in the race. Just hang on to your race number and present it in the shop to avail of the 20% discount. It will apply to any purchases in their shop which is across from the Opera House in the heart of Cork City. 

Note that the discount is not restricted to just one item. When you are using it, you can buy several products at the one time and get 20% off the lot. There is also no expiry date on the race number discount so you can use it anytime.

John Buckley Sports shop is located across the river from the Opera House.

Notice: Cork BHAA John Buckley Sports 5k road race - Tues 21st May 2024

The annual John Buckley Sports 5k road race is one of the most popular races in Cork City and always attracts a large crowd. Organised in conjunction with the Cork BHAA, this race is suitable for all types of runner...from the serious to the more casual runner. The entry fee is only €5 for Cork BHAA registered runners or €10 for non-reg runners.

You can pre-enter this race by going to https://johnbuckleysports.com/

You can also enter on the night but it really helps if you pre-enter so that they can have everything ready. Please note that the race HQ is at the LEE ROWING CLUB near the Pairc Ui Chaoimh stadium.

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 18th May 2024

Results of the 5k parkruns around the county on Saturday 18th May 2024. Approximately 827 runners and walkers took part in the 10 events in Co Cork.

Report... It was a cool dry morning for the ten 5k parkruns in Cork this weekend. It looks as if the numbers are up for most parkruns this week after last weeks dip which was most likely due to the Darkness into Light event. 

Castlehaven... Well done to Trevor Moore who completed his 100th 5k parkrun in Castlehaven in West Cork today! Trevor has done most of his parkruns (69) at the Glen River event and his first 5k parkrun was at Glen River on the 15th of June 2019.

Glengarriff... Well done to David Bull who completed his 250th 5k parkrun in Glengarriff on Saturday!

He is the very first Glengarriff parkrunner to reach 250 and each of those has been done in Glengarriff. 

Breeda McCarthy also hit the 100-mark in Glengarriff.

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

***

Ballincollig Regional Park: 244 this week, 220 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Govinda O'SULLIVAN Male SM25-29 Eagle A.C. 17:46

2 Liam KEARNEY Male VM40-44 18:17

3 Killian BURKE Male SM25-29 19:24

25 Suzanne CASEY Female SW30-34 22:26

27 Mary SWEENEY Female VW60-64 St Finbarrs AC 22:37

37 Lia FENNESSY RYAN Female SW20-24 23:17

Ballincollig results... https://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/324/

Tramore Valley Park: 211this week, 176 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Conrad WATT Male VM35-39 Magnolia RR 16:42

2 Briain MADDEN Male SM30-34 Togher AC 18:12

3 Toby BENHAM Male SM30-34 Crusaders A C Dublin 18:17

31 Pamela BARRY Female VW45-49 Aghada Running Club 21:31

39 Cherie TURNER Female VW50-54 St Finbarrs AC 22:28

50 Deirdre WALLACE Female VW35-39 23:25

Tramore Valley Park results... https://www.parkrun.ie/tramorevalley/results/105/

Glen River: 70 this week, 86 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Brendan MAGUIRE Male VM40-44 19:55

2 Richard BOURKE Male VM45-49 St Finbarrs AC 20:54

3 John KELLY Male VM45-49 21:10

12 Shannon POLSON Female SW20-24 24:51

13 Emer DELANEY Female JW11-14 25:06

16 Amy WALSH Female SW20-24 Portlaoise AC 26:03

Glen River results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glenriver/results/207/

Mallow Castle: 54 finishers this week, 50 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Ruairi MANNING Male SM20-24 17:51

2 Anthony HARTY Male SM20-24 Dooneen AC 19:23

3 John KELLY Male VM50-54 Mallow AC 20:39

13 Clodagh BENNETT Female VW45-49 25:00

14 Muireann MURPHY Female JW11-14 25:07

17 Aileen O'CONNOR Female SW30-34 2018 Operation Transformation 25:52

Mallow results... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/134/

Youghal (Pobalscoil ne Tríonóide) : 46 this week, 40 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Noel EARLY Male VM40-44 St Catherines AC 19:10

2 Eoin COYNE Male VM35-39 21:10

3 Shane KEARNEY Male VM40-44 St Catherines AC 21:13 

4 Shannon SOTOK Female SW30-34 21:44

8 Claire MURPHY Female VW50-54 24:17

11 Sorcha KILGANNON Female SW18-19 24:31

Youghal results... https://www.parkrun.ie/pobalscoilnatrionoide/results/111/

Macroom Castle Demense: 33 this week, 19 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Jude MURPHY Male JM15-17 20:19

2 Rory MCELROY Male JM15-17 West Muskerry A.C. 20:21

3 Matt MURPHY Male SM18-19 22:02

9 Sarah CUDDIHY Female SW18-19 24:51

11 Claire CURTIN Female VW35-39 West Muskerry A.C. 24:52

13 Caroline O DONNELL Female VW55-59 25:47

Macroom results... https://www.parkrun.ie/macroomcastledemesne/results/476/

Clonakilty: 37 this week, 31 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Andrew CROSS Male VM45-49 18:10

2 Connor WALSH Male SM25-29 19:51

3 Diarmuid Ó SÚILLEABHÁIN Male VM40-44 Leevale AC 21:43

13 Sophia KINGSTON Female SW25-29 26:07

14 Helen O'LEARY Female VW65-69 26:41

15 Grainne MULCAHY Female SW20-24 27:01

Clonakilty results... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/results/431/

Glengarriff Woods: 76 this week, 69 last week.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Ryan O SULLIVAN Male SM20-24 18:36

2 Darren KELLY Male VM35-39 18:38

3 Trevor MCGUIRK Male VM40-44 19:39

7 Mary FITZSIMONS Female VW60-64 Tralee parkrunners on Tour - TpoT 22:55

10 Maria HURLEY Female VW60-64 Bantry Athletic Club 24:13

13 Fleur HINDLEY Female VW55-59 24:24

Glengarriff results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glengarriff/results/347/

Bere Island: 33 this week, 35 last week. 

First 3 men & women... 

1 Graham LONG Male SM30-34 Rejoov Runners 18:38

3 James LONG Male VM35-39 Cork Triathlon Club 21:43

4 Colin LONG Male SM30-34 23:03

2 Michelagh MURPHY Female SW20-24 21:06

8 Edel MURPHY Female VW55-59 27:24

10 Carol HURLEY Female VW50-54 Beara AC 28:33

Bere Island results... https://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/results/439/

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

First 3 women & men...

1 Ciarán BOUSE Male VM45-49 Eagle A.C. 20:27

2 Florence FITZGERALD Male SM30-34 21:38

3 Trevor MOORE Male VM45-49 Togher AC 23:53

4 Emma O' SULLIVAN Female SW30-34 24:23

5 Oonagh MC CARTHY Female SW30-34 25:20

9 Elaine MOORE Female VW45-49 Togher AC 29:53

Castlehaven results... https://www.parkrun.ie/castlehaven/results/360/

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

Results of the Buttevant 4-mile road race - Fri 17th May 2024

The annual Buttevant 4-mile road race was held this year on Friday 17th May 2024. There were 273 finishers in the race which is up 6.6% on last year.

As can be seen from the chart above, there's a gradual recovery in numbers towards the pre-2020 levels.

Top 3 men & women...
4410 1 Gavin SWEENEY Togher A.C. M40 20:32  
4355 2 Danny MULLINS Bantry A.C. M 21:04  
4367 3 Karl LENIHAN West Limerick A.C. M40 21:08  
4396 12 Michelle KENNY Leevale A.C. F40 24:13  
4334 34 Fiona MC CARTHY Leevale A.C. F40 26:37  
4322 46 Ellen HANLEY Grange/Fermoy A.C. F40 27:34

Full results... https://www.popupraces.ie/race/buttevant-rc-4mile-road-race-2024/

Results & Photos of the Cheetah Run 5k in Fota Wildlife Park - Thurs 16th May 2024

This years Cheetah Run 5k run in Fota Wildlife Park was held on Thursday 16th May 2024. A total of 730 runners crossed the finish line making it one of the biggest races on the Cork running calendar.

Top 3 men & women...
1 Sergiu CIOBANU Clonliffe Harriers A.C. M M40 866 15:35
2 Mark WALSH Leevale A.C. M MS 852 15:50
3 Dermot GORMAN Carrick-on-Suir A.C. M M40 160 15:55
15 Kealey TIDESWELL Clonmel A.C. F F40 225 17:38
18 Michelle KENNY Leevale A.C. F F40 593 18:10
25 Noémie LEDUC Grange/Fermoy A.C. F FS 369 18:31

Full results HERE

Photos...

1) Joe Murphy has some pre-race photos HERE and post race photos HERE

2) Mick Dooley has some pre-race photos HERE and some post-race photos HERE

3) Derek Costello has a number of galleries. 

a) Start b) 3k mark Pt1 c) 3k mark Pt2 d) 3k mark Pt3 e) 3k mark Pt4 f) 3k mark Pt5

First 3-men - (L-R) Mark Walsh 2nd, Sergiu Ciobanu 1st & Dermot Gorman 3rd

First 3-women (L-R) Noémie Leduc 3rd, Kealey Tideswell 1st & Michelle Kenny 2nd

Top 10-mile races in Ireland for the Spring of 2024

For the last few months, I have been keeping an eye on the results of the 10-mile races in Ireland. You'll often see results posted on social media but it's not so obvious how big the races are and how they all  compare to each other.

With that in mind, I collected the data and here are the top ten 10-mile races in Ireland for the Spring of 2024.

As can be seen from the chart, the John Treacy Dungarvan 10-mile road race was the largest 10-miler in Ireland for the Spring of 2024 and by some margin. Before I did this exercise, I knew that the Dungarvan race was one of the biggest but I was a bit surprised to see just how far it was ahead of the rest.

The Trim 10-mile was in second place and what's surprising here was that it was actually held on the same day as Dungarvan! I suspect if they picked another date then their numbers would have been even bigger.

As can be seen from the chart, Bundoran and Derry are in 3rd and 4th places with the remaining six tailing off from about the 1000 mark.

10-mile races in Cork... If we were to go back 15 years or so, the scene for the Spring 10-milers in Munster was somewhat different. Ballycotton was king with Dungarvan second, Mallow third and the Kilnaboy 10 in Co Clare fourth.

A lot has changed since then and one of the biggest changes was when the Ballycotton 10-mile was run for the last time in 2017. With the demise of Ballycotton, the Dungarvan race has now moved into it's place as the premier Spring 10-miler in Ireland.

The chart above shows the numbers for the Spring 10-milers in Cork since 2017.

As previously mentioned, 2017 was the last outing for Ballycotton and both the Mallow and Cobh 10-milers grew substantially the next year in 2018.

In 2019, Mallow hit its zenith with roughly 1500 finishers while Cobh eased back with the Kinsale 10-mile starting up in February of that year.

When looking at the numbers, it's worth noting that both the Clondulane and Duhallow 10-milers were also in the mix pre-2020.

When the races restarted in 2022 after the pandemic, the numbers for Mallow had really taken a dip and dropped by about a third. Compared to 2019, Cobh managed to hold it's own while Kinsale eased back.

If we look at 2023 and 2024, it's a story of Mallow staying about the same and both Kinsale and Cobh growing.

If we go back a decade then Mallow was certainly the second largest Spring 10-miler in Cork after Ballycotton and by some margin. In 2024, it's now a three way race for the top Spring 10-miler in Cork.

Caveat... Note that this post is about the top 10-milers In Ireland for the Spring of 2024 i.e. February, March & April. There will be more 10-milers coming up in the Autumn and it'll be interesting to see what the chart looks like by the end of the year.

Cycling to a 5k parkrun : A Duathlon of Sorts - Mallow Castle - 11th May 2024

It's been a while since I had a post about one of these. Some runners are 'parkrun tourists' who drive by car to complete various 5k parkruns around the country. My duathlon concept is parkrun tourism with a twist... i.e. cycle to the parkrun, run the 5k and then cycle home.

It's probably fair to say that a lot of runners are involved in other physical activities like walking, swimming and cycling and I'm sure there are quite a few cyclists do some running as well. There are plenty of people who do Triathlons (swim, cycle & run) and some do Duathlons (cycle & run).

With this in mind, I set off by bicycle to do the Mallow Castle 5k parkrun last Saturday morning in the fog with a visibility of about 200m.

After leaving my house at 6:20am and meeting someone else, we left Cork City at about 6:50am and headed up the Old Mallow Road. The cycle up took about two hours from Cork City and was 47kms from my door. We arrived in Mallow to be greeted by blue skies and sunshine. 

At 8:50am, the parkrun team were setting things so we did a walking recce of part of the course, back to do a short warm up and then the start of the parkrun at 9:30am.

The 5k route starts at Mallow Castle and then runs downhill for just over 200m to the parkland next to the River Blackwater. The 5k course is shown below and the downhill section is shown in orange.

The route then heads east and participants need to complete the looped section twice. After the second lap, the runners return to the finish line which is where the 5k started.

The 200m hill needless to say comes at the end of the parkrun but it's not too bad. As 5k parkrun courses go, this one seems to be pretty fast.

The paths in the parkland are concrete and they weave their way in amongst the trees next to the river. In the Summer & Autumn months, the route is shaded by the many trees in the park and it's a really nice course. I presume in the Winter and Spring, the course probably feels a bit different as the trees are bare.

Despite the fact that the parkrun is in the middle of Mallow, the only sounds that you can hear are the birds singing and the patter of runners feet.

All parkruns courses are slightly different and have their own 'feel', Some courses are pretty much 'functional' i.e. you can do a 5k run safely but it doesn't mean it's a particularly nice course. The Mallow Castle parkrun for me seems to one of the better parkruns out there. Location is good, it's quiet and the course feels pleasant. It's certainly one that I would like to do again rather than just ticking it off the list.

On the 11th of May, there was a field of 50 runners and walkers and the results can be found here... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/133/

Post run refreshments... After the parkrun, we went for coffee and cakes at Food Capers in the centre of Mallow before the trip home. I'm sure there are other establishments that this one seems to be a nice spot.

Distances... In the end, I ended up doing 104kms in terms of cycling. If anyone would like to do it then Mallow Castle is 37kms from the Opera House in Cork City which makes it a 74km round trip.

Where to next???

Guest Post: Short post about nothing in particular ...by Pat Walsh

 ** Short post about nothing in particular **

‘Time you enjoyed wasting, is not wasted time’

Valencia or Valentia I wasn’t listening.
Raincoat or sun lotion I wasn’t sure.
Pack and take a chance, it will be fine….. 

Left Ireland for the sun but the sun found Ireland instead.. 
It is the Feast this weekend of ‘Our Lady of the Forsaken’ the Patron Saint of Valencia. 
Was this a subliminal message to me..?
I think I must have prayed to her a few times during hard races 😃

Few slow miles running on hols is always a great way to see a city. Tough going in the morning though....
Still it helps clear the Tapas and Sangria before I resume battle again. Some beautiful parks and trails so it is great to see so many running.
Good to live, travel, run, feel alive.
Discover, explore and new experiences.
I’ll slow down sometime but hopefully not too soon.

‘So you can get on with your search, baby
And I can get on with mine
Maybe someday we will find
That it wasn't really wasted time’

#pwr

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 11th May 2024

Results of the 5k parkruns around the county on Saturday 11th May 2024. Approximately 747 runners and walkers took part in the 10 events in Co Cork.

Report... It was a nice dry morning for the ten 5k parkruns in Cork this weekend. The numbers seem to be down a bit for all ten events for whatever reason?

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

***

Ballincollig Regional Park: 315 this week, 306 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Andrew HYLAND Male SM20-24 Raheny Shamrock AC 17:12

2 Alan O'SULLIVAN Male VM40-44 18:26

3 Eoghan LOONEY Male JM11-14 18:36

7 Nollaigh O'NEILL Female VW50-54 19:44

19 Aoife COOKE Female VW35-39 22:21

20 Mairead PEREZ Female VW50-54 Eagle A.C. 22:24

Ballincollig results... https://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/323/

Tramore Valley Park: 176 this week, 217 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Fearghal DESMOND Male SM20-24 Leevale AC 17:06

2 Conrad WATT Male VM35-39 Magnolia RR 17:31

3 Brendan MAGUIRE Male VM40-44 18:23

9 Siobhan HOARE Female VW45-49 Togher AC 19:37

21 Michelle KENNY Female VW40-44 Leevale AC 21:14

23 Tersa DOHERTY Female VW35-39 21:42

Tramore Valley Park results... https://www.parkrun.ie/tramorevalley/results/104/

Glen River: 86 this week, 74 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Seamus LEDDY Male VM45-49 Abbey Runners Leeds 20:05

2 Colin MORRISON Male VM50-54 20:30

3 John KELLY Male VM45-49 21:18

20 Emer DELANEY Female JW11-14 25:12

26 Catherine DEENIHAN Female VW55-59 UCC Staff Athletics Club 26:20

28 Danielle Ó FLYNN Female VW40-44 26:36

Glen River results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glenriver/results/206/

Mallow Castle: 50 finishers this week, 57 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Ruairi MANNING Male SM20-24 17:05

2 Frank CORRIGAN Male VM50-54 20:01

3 Unknown    

7 Norleen KENNY Female VW40-44 St Finbarrs AC 21:57

12 Alice HYNES Female SW20-24 23:08

15 Andressa LENIN BRAVO Female SW30-34 23:52

Mallow results... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/133/

Youghal (Pobalscoil ne Tríonóide) : 40 this week, 63 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Andrew DE KLERK Male VM45-49 Ballintotis Fit4Life 18:38

2 James 0 MAHONY Male VM35-39 19:08

3 Chris O'CONNELL Male VM45-49 St Catherines AC 19:56

5 Shannon SOTOK Female SW30-34 22:13

8 Martha MORRISON Female VW45-49 23:43

10 Saoirse KINSELLA Female JW11-14 23:54

Youghal results... https://www.parkrun.ie/pobalscoilnatrionoide/results/110/

Macroom Castle Demense: 19 this week, 40 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Martina KIELY Female VW40-44 St Finbarrs AC 19:13

6 Mairead MURPHY Female VW45-49 West Muskerry A.C. 27:11

7 Carmel PURCELL Female VW45-49 West Muskerry A.C. 27:28

2 Padraig SHEAHAN Male VM55-59 Millstreet Athletic Club 21:03 

3 Tom CUDDIHY Male VM50-54 22:52

4 Michael MCELROY Male JM11-14 West Muskerry A.C. 23:26

Macroom results... https://www.parkrun.ie/macroomcastledemesne/results/475/

Clonakilty: 31 this week, 51 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Daniel DOLLARD Male JM15-17 19:03

2 Padraig COURTNEY Male VM40-44 20:35

3 Niall O'CONNOR Male VM45-49 Ranelagh Harriers 20:41

4 Emer COURTNEY Female VW40-44 21:44

14 Sophia KINGSTON Female SW25-29 24:58

18 Kathleen O REGAN Female VW35-39 26:19

Clonakilty results... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/results/430/

Glengarriff Woods: 69 this week, 85 last week.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Ryan MURPHY Male SM20-24 18:55

2 Bobby TANGNEY Male VM40-44 Kenmare Athletics Club 18:59

3 Unknown

15 Niamh CASEY Female VW35-39 24:34

20 Marian MINEHANE Female VW40-44 26:40

23 Shauna BUTTIMER Female SW30-34 27:12

Glengarriff results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glengarriff/results/346/

Bere Island: 35 this week, 72 last week. 

First 3 men & women... 

1 Colin GLEESON Male VM70-74 Beara AC 24:14

3 Conor STONE Male SM25-29 26:12

4 Michael BUCKLEY Male VM55-59 26:38

2 Jen TROY Female SW25-29 26:11

5 Rachel COYLE Female SW25-29 26:43

7 Aisling MCCORMICK Female JW10 27:05

Bere Island results... https://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/results/438/

Castlehaven (Rineen Woods): 21 finishers this week, 29 last week.

First 3 women & men...

1 Ciarán BOUSE Male VM45-49 Eagle A.C. 20:25

2 James LAVERY Male SM30-34 21:54

3 Unknown

7 Mairead COLLINS Female VW35-39 24:48

10 Mary COTTER Female VW60-64 Tracton AC 28:59

15 Frances LYNCH Female VW60-64 Sanctuary Runners 31:33

Castlehaven results... https://www.parkrun.ie/castlehaven/results/359/

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