Woman sets new marathon record of 3h 17m running with a buggy

At the Abingdon Marathon in England recently, 32 year old Jessica Bruce completed the 26.2 mile course in a time of 3 hours 17 minutes and 51 seconds while pushing her 7 month old baby boy in a buggy. This is a new marathon record for doing this, breaking the previous record of 3h 31m 45s which was set in British Columbia in 2012.

Her husband, David, also ran alongside them for the duration of the event. In a post race interview, Jessica said..."Daniel was absolutely brilliant. He slept until about 20 miles and was then just looking around. We had a nappy change and a puncture repair kit with us but we didn’t need it. We didn't stop."

The buggy ,which has a price tag around £600, has a special independent suspension to make sure it's a smooth rode for its passenger.

The race had about 700 runners in it and Jessica's chip time was 3h 17m 26s. To put that into perspective, that's an average pace of 7m 32s per mile for 26.2 miles!

195    715    03:17:51    BRUCE, Jessica    Headington RR    SW    03:17:26

Bord Gáis Energy Cork City Marathon and Marathon Relay 2009....Part 2 of 12 by Mick Dooley, Cork BHAA

(Mick Dooley of the Cork Business Houses Athletic Association wrote a 12 part series of articles for the Evening Echo last year. Needless to say, they are as valid this year as last year so I will be republishing them here (...with a few changes) on this website. They are written with the beginner in mind. Part 2 is based on 11 weeks to go, about the 16th of March).

Week 2... Bord Gais Energy Cork City Marathon.

The Marathon Event

Now that many of you have completed the Ballycotton 10, the main focus should now turn to the next main event of the Summer, the Champion Sports Cork City Marathon. If you are one of the lucky ones to have taken part in the 10 mile event, you are on the first step of your marathon training. If not, you should now experience a 10 mile run and continue to build it up slowly over the next 8 to 10 weeks. It is advisable not to increase your total weekly mileage by more 10% per week. Your long runs each week should however be increased by 10%. It is important that you keep a diary and log your training efforts each day.

If you are taking part in the marathon for the very first time, it is not advisable to set a finish time as a target. Your main objective for your first marathon should be to finish and enjoy the event as a whole. Regardless of your split times for your 10 mile or half marathon distance, you should not put the added pressure on yourself of setting a finish time. The main objective is to conquer the distance for the first time and then attempt personal bests in subsequent marathons.

Only 10% of all marathon runners break the 3 hour mark for the marathon, this is just below 7 minute miles which seems very achievable for many runners. However, the marathon must be treated with respect and a reasonable and achievable target should be set. It should be noted that the trained athletes body is designed to run comfortably for 90 to 100 minutes. After that time, the body needs some specific and fine tune training to overcome and complete the marathon distance. Much of this training should be long slow distance L.S.D. with the emphasis on the amount of time spent on your legs. This is why it is important we do long mileage. It is important that we also train ourselves to eat and drink while doing our long runs. This means eating small amounts on a regular basis and be able to take drink on board also. The best drink to take is water as that will be freely available in all marathons; it is unwise to take any new sports drinks on race day unless you have used them in training and like wise with fruit or food on race day. The burn up of carbohydrates will lead to a depletion of glycogen stores. A good source of food may be carbohydrate gel sachets washed down with water to avoid stomach cramps and ensure absorption.Note: all free time must be availed of when training for the marathon, lunch breaks or before or after shift work are fine for a 30 minute run on an easy day.

Bord Gais Energy Cork City Marathon Training Guide
Week 2 of the 12 week training plan (intended for the 16th of March)

Beginners

Week 2...Mon: 40mins easy, Tue: Rest, Wed: 50mins easy, Thurs: rest, Fri: 12x2mins fast, Sat: Rest/jog, Sun: 75mins easy

Improvers

Week 2...Mon: 45mins easy, Tue: Rest, Wed: 60mins easy, Thurs: 12x1 min fast, Fri: Rest, Sat: 60mins include 30mins fast, Sun: 100mins easy

Serious Runners

Week 2...Mon: 45mins easy, Tues: Hills 12x1mins, Wed: 60mins easy, Thurs: 4x5mins fast, Fri: rest, Sat: 45mins steady, Sun: 2 hours easy. Please note you should use a reasonable recovery time between your repetitions.

Regards........Mick Dooley, Cork BHAA 087-9790806 , Cork City Marathon

Results of the Cork City Marathon & Relay - Mon 2nd June 2008
The sun held off long enough today so that the Marathon was a small bit cooler than the event last year. The fog at the start was very welcome and even though it looked like it might get too sunny, the clouds rolled in again.......for a while anyway ;o)
So far, it looks as if they got about 1,300 finishers.

Congratulations to Roy Fahy on winning the event, it's great to have someone local winning the event again. I don't know about you but I'd prefer to see the Cork City Marathon remain as it is with modest entry fees for entries and the winners getting modest prizes. Contrast that with the Dublin Marathon where someone just flies in for the event, wins it and flies off again with cheque in hand. The vast majority of Marathon runners enter for personal reasons, not for prizes. It's something all race organisers could keep in mind, big prizes do not equal big entries.

Quick review...
Water stations.....I thought these were very good. Plenty of volunteers, I saw plenty of bottles of water, even bottles of Gatorade which was not advertised. I did however think that the bottles at the 2 and 3 mile mark were a complete waste. The road was covered with nearly full bottles where people had just taken a quick drink and got rid of the bottle. Surely, all of these bottles would have had more of an impact around the 15 mile mark where they were giving out cups of water instead? As for the Gatorade in the cup....I did'nt even try it. It's impossible to drink from a cup while you are running. I managed to pick up 2 bottles of Gatorade which I could drink from. The last one was at 22 miles which is really a bit too late. I could see plenty of discarded nearly full Gatorade bottles around 22 miles while I'm sure that there were plenty of people around the 13 mile mark who would have loved to get one.
Well, that was my experience of the water stations but then again, I finished in 60th position and probably had nearly first choice of a lot of what was on offer. What about those at the rear of the field? How did they get on?
Leave a comment and let us know.

Traffic...
It seemed to me anyway to be very good. The traffic on the Model Farm road was very light. Was it worse later?

Relay Event...
There seemed to be a mighty buzz as I went through each relay changeover point. Did you do the relay event? What did you think of it???

Overall...
I got the impression that it was a very successful event. So, what did everyone else think of the Marathon yesterday? Click on the comment button at the bottom of this post and leave your comment.

Results...
Anyway, on to the results. Excellent work by the way by the organisers in getting them up so fast. By the way, the results have now been updated to show your half way split!
The link for the Marathon results is HERE.
The link for the Relay event is HERE.
A summary of the Marathon results i.e. category winners is available HERE.

There is a report by the Irish Examiner HERE.

Photos...
As I find any photos, I'll put the links up here. If anyone has photos of the event and has no place to put them on the net, send me an e-mail and I can put them up. Full credits of course to the person who took the photos. My e-mail address is shown near the bottom of the right hand column.

There is a set of 64 photos available on this website...http://www.flickr.com/photos/docaoimh/sets/72157605386948410/

Over 150 photos are now up on the Eagle AC website.....http://www.eagleac.net/component/option,com_gallery2/Itemid,86/?g2_itemId=13485

Paudie Birmingham of Mallow AC has a gallery of 205 pictures up on his gallery. They can be found at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/padraicbirmingham/CorkMarathon2008

Because of memory constraints, he had to reduce the quality of the pictures so if anybody wants the original quality picture, they can just e-mail me with the web address or number of the picture they want and I’ll send your details on to Paudie.

ASI Photo now have photos up on their website. Just enter your surname or bib number.The link is http://asiphoto.net/recent_events+M5b7bae03553.html

Comments..."Hi John. This was my second marathon ( both Cork) and as such have nothing to compare it with but I thought it was a great success. I mostly agree with your points about the water stops but i suppose they are trying to cater for the inexperienced relay runners i.e. the water at 2/3 mile mark is half way in some peoples entire race!! Same at 23 miles. I think the relay is great because the course would be a lot more lonely in lots of places without all the extra bodies and the extra support they bring with them. OK some of them seem to have no consideration whatsoever for the people slogging out the 26+ miles but the positives far outweigh the negatives I think. I find the course tough with all the drags (dont know how it compares to others). Tried a different approach this year by trying to hold back in the early stages(not easy) but still hit a very big wall with 1.5 miles to go(had to stop for about 90 secs). I went too fast last year and really struggled from 17 miles to finish (lots of stopping). Ended up beating last years time by a few mins but find it interesting that 2 totally different runs brought such similar results!!.......Cheers AJ"
"Hey John, I agree with all your comments on the race. It was well organised and the relays helped make the run more fun. Agree with the bottled water situation - would be much better to have them more spread out and more towards the middle/end of the race. Personally, I really dislike the gatorade taste and would have much preferred Club Energiser/Lucozade Sport but I guess Gatorade were the company putting up the bobs! Course wasn't as bad as I expected (I ran Newry last week and thought that was much tougher). Finally, thanks for the detailed previews of the individual relay stages during last week - They were most useful!........John C"
"John, thank you for the updates over the last weeks. I just completed my first marathon in 4 hrs 30 and I’m now looking for a good club to join in the Cork area. I'm in my 20's and would like to get into a club that has younger members. I was wondering if you or anyone reading the blog had any suggestions..........Anonymous"
"Well done on your first Marathon!! As for a club, have a look at the list on this website...http://www.corkathletics.org/Clubs.htm Have a look around first, see what it costs to join, go to some of the non-BHAA races that will be previewed on this blog here and see what the other clubs are up to. Talk to them and see which one suits your needs. Remember, you do not need to be a member of a club to run in the local races........John Desmond"
"Hi John, This was my first marathon and loved it. I did find the water situation strange, people were taking a two sips from 500ml bottles and chucking them away. I think next year they should use 250ml bottles as so much was wasted. I found from mile 17 on a sheer slog, I used Model Farm Road on training runs but nothing really compares to hitting it so late in a marathon. Any ideas on if they would consider changing the course so it's hit earlier? Keep up the great blog........Sean O'Mahony"
"Sean...I doubt if they will change the route. One priority that they have is to get all of the runners through the tunnel early so that they can open it for traffic again. And, no matter where the route goes around Cork, it's hard to avoid the hills. Well done on the Marathon by the way, sub 4hr is excellent......John Desmond"
"I thought it was a very well organised event - it catered for all abilities and distances. On the water front I had a race strategy and I knew where and when I'd need water or energy drinks. I thought it was a bit short sighted of people to take a few sips and then fling the bottle away - I only saw one other runner (a guy who came in at 3:29 and passed me at the Lough) fully re-load with bottles etc between the water stations. I had a few energy drinks in hedges at miles 16, 20 & 25 (the last one was only in case I had completely blown up! - in the end I didn't need it). I did this because I hadn't trained with gatorade. I use Nuun electrolyte tablets as well. I used the sponge at mile 13 until the end to keep myself cool with the cups of water. This all resulted in not hitting the wall and a PB by 25 mins (3:35 finish). That said, I ran closer to my potential in this marathon than the last one where I had a completely novice approach to hydration and the real race from miles 20 - 26.2! As was said earlier, the review of the route last week was excellent. Great job! - and a great run yourself............Richard"
"Hi John, let's put our hands together for everybody involved in bringing the marathon to cork. Special thanks to the BHAA, AAI, cork city council, all the sponsors, the Garda and the medics and the people of this beautiful City.
There are some things that need tweaking but that is up to us seasoned runners to suggest these changes. There was plenty of fluid stations and I guess that the organizers deem it necessary to have these in place considering it been a Summer marathon. I would like to get a cup of tea in the City hall after the race like we do with the BHAA races. Runners could relax after the race and have a chat etc. Finally, Thanks to you for your pre-race info and in particular to the local races. Roll on Grandons......Anonymous"
"Very true, have to agree 100% with you. Other than a few quibbles about water stations, the event was very well organised. And what about all those volunteers doing the stewarding and giving out the water at the many stations?? Some of them were probably there most of the day. Brilliant. A really great event for Cork City. It would be great to see bigger numbers attending next year. Just as a reminder, this LINK shows who were the sponsors behind the Cork City Marathon.......John Desmond"
"Hi,There's a thread going on the Cork marathon at:http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055301195. Really enjoyed it and PBed so delighted! Regards..........Mick "
Hi John, Just wondering do you think an official batch of photos will be published in Marathon-Photos.com This link is up on the results page but it doesn't seem to have the Cork Marathon as one of its chosen events. I thought the event was fantastic. Well done to all the organisers. I wish they would remove the County Hall though for next year. Just for one day!! Well done yourself with a great time. You will beat 3hrs next year.........Anonymous
"I don't think there will be any photos on that particular website but they should be up on another one soon, same as last year. I guess they need to set up their database of photos with the various bib numbers present in each shot.........John Desmond"
"Full photo set available now on asiphoto.net They are a bit steep though whether you want individual photos or a full set. 60 quid for the latter! ..........Mick"
"The professional photos are now out. Go to this link http://asiphoto.net/recent_events+M5b7bae03553.html . Thanks to Mick and the anonymous poster for the tip off..........John Desmond"

Cork City Marathon 2008 - 4th Leg of Relay Stage (5.9 Miles)...
Just to put this leg into perspective, there are 5 stages in the Cork City Marathon Relay event...
Leg 1 = 5.2 miles, Leg 2 = 5.5 miles, Leg 3 = 3.2 miles, Leg 4 = 5.9 miles, Leg 5 = 6.4 Miles
This is the 4th stage of 5 and is 5.9 miles in lenght. Of the 5, it is probably the hardest leg even though it isn't the longest.
For Marathon runners, this stage starts just before the 14 mile mark at 13.9 on Victoria Road.
For Relay runners, the mile markers for this stage will be for the Marathon. Since you are starting so close to the 14 mile mark, you could consider the 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 mile mark as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 miles.
Course...Leg 4
Mile 15.
Just after the Relay changeover point on Victoria Road, you pass the 14 mile mark and the start of the 15th mile. Then left onto the quays, past Carey's Tools and left again onto Albert Street. Now the road really opens out as you go past the next 2 bends, past Brownlows and onto the South Link Road. From here, there is a slight climb up to the next junction. Then it flattens out and it's a straight run out to the 15 mile mark. An easy mile with a slight pull in the middle.
Mile 16.
Just as you pass the 15 mile mark, you'll see the overhead bridge that you must get up to. So, it's under the bridge and then take a left for a very steep short climb. Easily the steepest part of the course but it's only 50 metres or so long. Then left, over the bridge, through the next junction and a short steep downhill section to Turners Cross. Left at the junction here and onto the Curragh Road. Now, the road is pretty flat as you head for the Kinsale Road and pass the turn off for Ballyphehane.
Just after this is another water station. As well as offering plain water in cups, they will have Gatorade in cups. On to the junction by Woodies, right onto the Tramore Road and past the back of the Musgrave Park rugby ground to the 16 mile mark. A reasonably easy mile with just one nasty short climb.



Mile 17.

It starts with a slight downhill and then a long flat secton. Right at the next turn off and a slight pull uphill. Right at the next crossroads and through a housing estate. Left at the traffic lights and onto the main road which goes through the heart of Ballyphehane. A slight pull up to the next road junction with the Red bricked church on the right and then around a slight bend and the 17 mile mark comes into view. An easy enough mile with no real hills.
Mile 18.
After the 17 mile mark, past the next set of traffic lights and the road goes slightly downhill towards the Lough. Now, this is where things change from last year. If you did this stage in 2007, you would have carried on straight past the Lough and up Hartlands Avenue. There was a water station here last year and there will be one again this year but where exactly, I don't know. There will be cups of water and Gatorade available here.

So, back to the junction....you'll need to take a right and the new route will take you in a big loop around the Lough. At the end, you come back onto Hartlands Avenue and then turn right by the pub. Now, there is a slight uphill section from here until the next set of traffic lights and the 18 mile mark. A mile that is mostly flat with a modest pull towards the end. By the way, watch out for the swans!!



Mile 19.

From the 18 mile mark, the next half mile or so is downhill. It starts pretty gradual until the is a steep section at the end near the junction near Clashduv road. Almost immediately, the road climbs again past St.Finbarr's Cemetary. It's a fair climb and will certainly slow you down. Then it's right into Liam Lynch park and there is a short steep climb as you exit by Bishopstown Credit Union onto the Wilton Road. Right here and a gradual downhill section to the 19 mile mark. Not an easy mile, plenty of extra effort required.

Mile 20.

From the 19 mile mark, slightly downhill to Dennehy's Cross and left by the church onto Model Farm Road. Now, there is a gradual uphill section for about 600 metres. Nothing steep but enough to make you work that bit harder. After the 2nd set of traffic lights, the road fall rapidly and then flattens out as you approach the final Relay changeover point. The 20 mile mark is about 300 metres beyond it.

So, that's the 4th leg. It was 5.9 miles in lenght and it probably is the hardest leg. If you would like to examine this leg in more detail, I have put it up on the MapMyRun website. Just use the MAP view and the +/- buttons to zoon in and out.

Tomorrow, I'll lokk at the last section, the 5th leg.

Cork City Marathon 2008 - 3rd Leg of Relay Stage (3.2 Miles)...
Just to put this leg into perspective, there are 5 stages in the Cork City Marathon Relay event...
Leg 1 = 5.2 miles, Leg 2 = 5.5 miles, Leg 3 = 3.2 miles, Leg 4 = 5.9 miles, Leg 5 = 6.4 Miles
This is the 3rd stage of 5 and is 3.2 miles in lenght. Of the 5, it is by far the easiest leg.
For Marathon runners, this stage starts just before the 11 mile mark at 10.7 miles on Ringmahon Road.
For Relay runners, the mile markers for this stage will be for the Marathon. Since you are starting at 10.7 miles, the 11, 12 & 13 mile markers will be 0.3, 1.3, 2.3 miles.

Course...Leg 3
Mile 12.
Just after the Relay changeover point on Ringmahon Road, you turn right and you'll see the 11 mile mark. You continue on a flat road for about 600 metres until you approach Blackrock Castle which has recently been converted into an observatory. Just before the castle, there is a short steep section just as you round the corner. Then past the castle and then a slight downhill section for about 100 metres. Now the real hill starts, steep enough at first but it soon becomes more gradual. Total lenght of the uphill section.....about 300 metres. Soon the road begins to drop away again as you run downhill to the road juction by the Pier Head pub, right accross the open square and on towards the start of the Marina and the 12 mile mark. Overall, a hilly mile with 2 climbs.

Mile 13.
This mile runs the whole lenght of the Marina right alongside the River Lee and must be one of the nicest miles in the whole race. Dead flat, a view of the river with a canopy of trees overhead. If the day is sunny, the shade makes a welcome relief. Towards the end, as you pass the 'Pairc Ui Chaoimh' GAA stadium on the left, you can look accross the river and see where the 5 mile mark was. As you approach the 13 mile mark, there should be another water station here. A flat and easy mile.
Mile 14.
Round the corner and soon you should see the Half Marathon point. For anyone doing the Marathon, this is an important point as it should tell you if you are on target for your Marathon time. Carry on through the tunnel of trees, around the next bend and then a long straight section along Centre Park Road. At the end of this road, it's right at the roundabout to be greeted by the mass of runners eagerly waiting at the 3rd Relay changeover point. For Marathon runners, the 14 mile mark is just ahead. Another flat and easy mile.

So, that's the 3rd leg. It was 3.2 miles in lenght and it was the easiest leg by far. If you would like to examine this leg in more detail, I have put it up on the MapMyRun website. Just use the MAP view and the +/- buttons to zoon in and out.

Tomorrow, it's time to start looking at one of the more serious sections, the 4th leg.

Comments...
"As usual, a fantastic post. John your blog has become a reference for a lot of runners in Cork. Thanks for all the efforts..........Yannick"

Cork City Marathon 2008 - 2nd Leg of Relay Stage (5.5 Miles)...
Just to put this leg into perspective, there are 5 stages in the Cork City Marathon Relay event...
Leg 1 = 5.2 miles, Leg 2 = 5.5 miles, Leg 3 = 3.2 miles, Leg 4 = 5.9 miles, Leg 5 = 6.4 Miles
So. this is the 2nd stage of 5 and is 5.5 miles in lenght. Of the 5, it is probably the 3rd easiest leg or 3rd hardest whichever way you want to look at it!

For Marathon runners, this stage starts just after the 5 mile mark at 5.2 miles between the skew bridge and Silversprings hotel on the Lower Glanmire road.
For Relay runners, the mile markers for this stage will be for the Marathon. Since you are starting at 5.2 miles, the 6, 7 & 8 mile markers will be 0.8, 1.8, 2.8 miles and so on.
Course...Leg 2
Mile 6.
It starts just before the skew bridge with a slight pull over the bridge, down the other side and then join the new Relay runners. Past the Silversprings Hotel and you head East towards the tunnel on the right hand side of the road. About half way along the road between the Hotel and the Dunketle roundabout, you'll come to the 6 mile mark. Another pretty easy and flat mile.
Near the 6 mile mark, there should be a water station with bottles of water. If you are doing the Marathon, you need to be thinking about taking on water at this stage. If you are a Relay runner and you need water at this stage, you must be in a bad state!
Mile 7.
Carry on to the roundabout, through it and now there is a gradual climb up the slip road before it flattens out and then falls towards the tunnel entrance. The 7 mile mark is here. A reasonable mile although you will have encountered your first real pull and effort.
Overall, the first 7 miles of the Marathon are pretty flat and easy. Things get 'interesting' from here on.
Mile 8.
Round the corner and down into the Jack Lynch tunnel under the River Lee. Now is not a good time to start thinking about the few hundred metric tons of water above your head and start looking for leaks ;o) .

Down you go into the bowels of the Earth for about half a mile with runners shouting and screaming and listening to the echo as they go. It's a really strange experience! However, soon after about half a mile, you hit the low point and then you have to start the long pull back out again. As you emerge back into the daylight, the road continues upwards and slowly the incline becomes more gradual until you reach the 8 mile mark. A tough enough mile, half a mile of downhill running, half a mile of uphill runnning and a mile you won't forget.
Mile 9.
The first half mile along the South Ring Road is flat and easy. Then you take the right up the steep slip road for Mahon Point. This is the steepest section so far in the race. Then it flattens out and falls slowly towards the entrance to Mahon Point and the 9 mile mark. So, a reasonable mile with a steep climb in the middle.
Mile 10.
Starts with a long half a mile climb all the ways to the CSO office. Nothing serious but uphill all the same. Then right around the corner by the CSO office and on to the Skehard Road. Along this section, you come to the next water station which is supposed to be cups of water only. Then the road falls slowly downhill and take the next right into a housing estate and the 10 mile mark. A reasonable mile with a moderate pull initially.
Mile 11.
Out of the estate, then left, a flat section and then left again on to Ringmahon Road. This section is dead flat and soon you'll see the mass of runners eagerly waiting at the 2nd Relay changeover point at about 10.7 miles (..or 5.5 miles for Relay runners doing only the 2nd leg). For Marathon runners and Relay runners just starting, it's right at the next junction and head towards Blackrock Castle. The 11 mile mark is about 500 metres after the Relay changeover point. A flat and easy mile.

So, that's the 2nd leg. It was 5.5 miles in lenght and there were plenty of sections where you had to put in a bit of extra effort.

If you would like to examine this leg in more detail, I have put it up on the MapMyRun website. Just use the MAP view and the +/- buttons to zoon in and out.

Tomorrow, I'll look at the 3rd leg.

Cork City Marathon 2008 - 1st Leg of Relay Stage (5.2 Miles)...

Just to put this leg into perspective, there are 5 stages in the Cork City Marathon Relay event...

Leg 1 = 5.2 miles, Leg 2 = 5.5 miles, Leg 3 = 3.2 miles, Leg 4 = 5.9 miles, Leg 5 = 6.4 Miles

So. this is the 1st stage of 5 and is 5.2 miles in lenght. Of the 5, it is probably the 2nd easiest leg. The Relay runners will start at 9AM on Patricks Street along with all of the Marathon runners.

Course...Leg 1

Mile 1.

It starts on Patricks Street, turns into the Grand Parade, then the South Mall, into Parnell Place and then left along the Quay's. Just as you pass Patricks Bridge, you see the 1 mile mark, a very flat and easy first mile.

Mile 2.

You stay on the quays until Shandon Bridge, cross the river and turn right onto Popes Quay. Past the church, John Buckley Sports and then left onto Leitrim Street and Murphys Brewery. The road should have barricades in the middle here as you'll be returning back down on the other side shortly. If perhaps you're not running so fast, you might even see some of the faster runners returning. Soon, just where you turn off for the Watercourse road, you'll see the 2 mile mark, another flat and easy mile.

Near the 2 mile mark, there will be a water station. The question is should you drink this early in a Marathon? If you are doing the 1st leg of the relay, you are going to be finished after 3 more miles anyway so what's the point. If you are doing the Marathon, drink too much now and you'll only end up having to take a 'pit stop' later on. Personally, I'd be inclined to give it a skip.

Mile 3.

So, on to the Watercourse Road, left at the next junction followed by an immediate right onto Great William O'Brien Street. Carry on until you need to do a sharp turn just after the church. There was a great band here last year playing African drum music which really added to the occasion. So, past the church again, onto the Watercourse Road and head back towards the City Centre. Left at the next junction, onto Leitrim Street and soon, you'll see the 3 mile mark, very close to the 2 mile mark on the other side of the road. Overall, a pretty flat mile.

Mile 4.

Back down to the quays as you see some of the slower runners on the other side head towards the 2 mile mark. Then left onto Patricks Quay and then onto Horgans Quay as you follow the River Lee through the City. Where the quay is open on the right for ships, you'll soon come to the 4 mile mark. A very flat and easy mile.

Somewhere around the 4 mile mark, you should see another water station. At this stage, it's still a bit early to be taking on too much water but you should have been running long enough at this stage that you will be starting to sweat and losing liquids. Drink or not drink...your call. Personally, I'd be inclined to hold off until the 6 mile mark and get a bottle there.

Mile 5.

Back to the 5th mile. Continue along Horgans Quay until the end. Then left and then right onto the Lower Glanmire Road. Here as you run alongside the river, you'll see the Marina and Pairc Ui Chaoimh on the other side. Just before the skew bridge, you'll see the 5 mile mark. Another flat and easy mile.

So, if you are doing the 1st leg of the relay, you only have about 300 metres to go at this stage. First of all, there is a slight climb up to the skew bridge and a slight fall after it and very soon, you see the mass of Relay runners eagerly looking for the approach of their running partners. If you are doing the full Marathon, this will be the first of 4 Relay changeovers stages that you'll run through and you'll see why the Relay event generates so much excitement!

That's it, all of 5.2 miles and a pretty flat and easy leg. The only hill really was just over the skew bridge after the 5 mile mark. Now, only 21 miles to go....!!

If you would like to examine this leg in more detail, I have put it up on the MapMyRun website. Just use the MAP view and the +/- buttons to zoon in and out.

Tomorrow, I'll look at the 2nd leg.

Advice on what to do with 1 week to go to the Marathon...

On UK Runners World, they give the following advice for the last week...
"During the last week of your taper, things can get ugly. Two weeks ago, you ran 20 miles in a single run, but now you shouldn't even be totalling that distance in the whole week before the race. And as your mileage plummets, your worries can skyrocket. But take comfort that thousands of other marathon runners preparing to race this coming weekend are going through exactly the same thing. And take refuge in your final mission: to ensure that your body is sufficiently fuelled, hydrated, refreshed and recovered for the task.

Training Checklist...

Beginning on Monday, do no runs longer than four miles. And when you do head out, remember that these jaunts are more for your head than your body, because training has little effect this week. Almost all running should be at one and a half to two minutes per mile slower than marathon goal pace - except a Tuesday two-miler at marathon goal pace, sandwiched by one-mile jogs. Again, if you want, throw in some quick 100-metre strides after one or two of your easy runs. This helps fight off the sluggish feeling that can occur during your taper.

Three days before the race, run just two to three miles easy.

Two days before the race, don't run at all.

On the day before the race, jog two to four miles to take the edge off your pent-up energy so you'll sleep better that night.

Nutritional Needs...

“Emphasise carbohydrates more than usual in the last three days before the race,” says Tichenal. About 60 to 70 per cent of your calories should come from carbohydrate sources. Pasta, potatoes, rice, cereals and fruit are healthy choices, but even fizzy drinks and sweets do the job. It all turns into muscle glycogen. Wash all those carbs down with fluids so your energy and water levels are high on race morning. Alcoholic beverages don't count towards your fluid totals, however, and you'll need to make up for their diuretic effect by drinking extra fluids. You know you're adequately hydrated if your urine is clear or pale yellow in colour. Don't restrict the salt in your diet. Low salt intake combined with excessive hydration can lead to hyponatraemia, a rare but dangerous condition that can afflict marathon runners. Drinking energy drinks and snacking on salted pretzels will keep your sodium levels up. Don't look at the scales. Because of your fully stocked fluid and fuel stores, you're likely to gain a couple of pounds. But it's worth the weight. Having your body's energy reserves at full capacity will do more for your race than weighing a little less - and you'll lose those pounds by the finish line anyway.

Don't do anything tiring. Let the kids take the bins out. Let the dog walk himself. Don't try anything new. No new foods, drinks or sports. Don't cross-train, hike or bike.

Remember: during this final week, you can't under-do. You can only overdo.

Reminder for entries to the 2008 Cork City Marathon and Relay...

Next Monday, the 28th of April is the closing date for the cheap entries for the Cork City Marathon and Relay If you are going to enter the Marathon, then the entry fee is €60. If it is the relay event, then the cost is €90. These prices are valid if you post in your entry. If you enter online, the cost is 10% extra.

After next Monday, the entry fee for each event will be €10 extra and the final closing date is Friday, the 9th of May. You can find an entry form at this LINK. Just print it out. If you want to enter online, go HERE.

Additional information can be found on the Cork City Marathon Website.

At this stage, if you have not entered already, you really should be getting your entries in. After all, you're either doing it or you're not. Post it this week.

Connemarathon 2008......6th April
Good luck to everyone travelling up to Galway this weekend for this event. For anyone who is not aware of it, it is basically 3 races rolled into one.
First off are the runners doing the Ultra-Marathon, a distance of 39.3 miles!! They start off first and have to run 13.1 miles before they join up with those who are starting the Marathon (26.2 miles).
13.1 miles later, they join up with the several thousand runners who will be doing the Half Marathon. All said and done, a huge event.

Videos...
Here are 5 video clips about the Connemara event. These are really good and well worth looking at. Total viewing time is about 25 minutes.

Please Note...You will need a fast Internet connection like Broadband to watch these.

1st video. Time = 3m 44s. 2005 event. This clip shows the start of the Ultra-Marathon. What an amazing achievement....39 miles....one and a half Marathons.



2nd video. Time = 5m 14s. 2005 event. This shows the start of the normal Marathon, only 26.2 miles!



3rd video. Time = 6m 50s. 2005 event. This clip shows the Half-Marathon and the finish for all of the entrants for all 3 races.



4th video. Time = 3m 03s. 2005 event. This shows the awards ceremory after the race.



5th video. Time = 6m 03s. This clip is a report on the 2007 event. Very well made.

Entries for the 2008 Cork City Marathon & Relay....

Now that Ballycotton is out of the way, it might be time to start think about entering this years Cork City Marathon. You can enter up until the 9th of May. However, the entry fee gets more expensive, the later you leave it.

Monday, the 31st of March is the cut-off point for the cheapest entries. Hence this post here with 2 weeks notice.

The Entry Fees...

Before the 31st of March.....Marathon (Individual) = €50, Relay Event = €80 per team

Between the 1st of April and the 28th of April....Marathon = €60, Relay = €90

Between the 29th of April and the 9th of May....Marathon = €70, Relay = €100.

(Note that these fees are valid only if you post in your application. If you enter online, it will cost 10% extra...so, sod that ;o)

Full individual Marathon...

If you going to be doing the full 26.2 miles on your own, you should be well into your training programme at this stage. If you have your mind made up to do it, it makes sense to enter now rather than later.

Relay Event...

With this event, a team of 2,3,4 OR 5 can run different sections of the Marathon passing over to their team mate at designated changeover points. Each stage will be about 4 to 6 miles in lenght and there will be 5 sections. For example with a team of 3, Runner 1 can do sections 1&2, Runner 2 can do sections 3&4 and the 3rd runner completes the final section.

So, you have 2 weeks to get a team together and send in your entry at the cheap rate.

The application form for the Cork City Marathon & Relay can be found at this LINK.

You can find more information about the event on the Cork City Marathon Website.