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