Running in Cork Newsletter - 15th March 2024

 

Summary of Newsletter...

Weekend Weather:

Weekend events:

Parkrun News: Clonakilty / Clonmel / Bere Island

Race News: Cobh 10-mile 75% full / Belfast 24h / Help wanted for Cobh

In Other News: Traffic chaos in Derry / Running from Cape Town to London

Countdown Timer

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

Running events Cork & Kerry until 7th Apr 2024 

Frank O'Meara interview

The Running in Cork Newsletter for the 15th of March 2024 is up on Substack... https://open.substack.com/pub/runningincork/p/running-in-cork-newsletter-15th-march?r=2k5drd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Running in Cork Newsletter - 8th Mar 2024

Summary of Newsletter...
Weekend Weather:
Weekend events:
Parkrun News: Dungarvan / Bere Island
Race News: Clonakilty RR raise €14,350 for charity / Cobh 10-mile 70% full / Mullingar sells out / Help wanted for Cobh
In Other News: New running group in Kilmacthomas / Athletics Ireland reach 50,000 members / Midleton Greenway opens
Countdown Timer
Some of the posts on the Running in Cork blog over the last week:
Running events Cork & Kerry for March 2024
Fastest ever Marathon debut by a woman
Sprint training for distance runners
Two-Mile World Record drops to just above 8-minutes

The Running in Cork Newsletter for the 8th of March 2024 is up on Substack... https://open.substack.com/pub/runningincork/p/running-in-cork-newsletter-8th-march?r=2k5drd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Running in Cork Newsletter - 1st Mar 2024

 

Summary of Newsletter...

Weekend Weather:

Weekend events:

Parkrun News:

Race News: Mullingar Half Marathon / Connemarathon / Cork BHAA MTU 5k / Banteer 5-mile / Kerry Way Ultra Accommodation / Help wanted for Cobh

In Other News: 2:27 marathon for Pat Hennessey in Japan / Midleton Greenway to open reminder

Countdown Timer

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

Running events in Cork & Kerry for March 2024

How much sleep do you need for a 268-mile Ultra?

Progression of Women's 10km record

The Running in Cork Newsletter for the 1st of March 2024 is up on Substack... https://open.substack.com/pub/runningincork/p/running-in-cork-newsletter-1st-march?r=2k5drd&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

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

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.

Running in Cork Newsletter - 9th February 2024

Running in Cork Newsletter - 9th February 2024

The big event last weekend was of course the John Treacy 10-mile in Dungarvan and it didn't disappoint. The weather was pretty much ideal and runners from Cork and Munster descended on the west Waterford town. This weekend is pretty quiet by comparison but there are loads of events over the next few weeks.

One of the additional features going out to paid subscribers today is a list of all the 10-mile races in Ireland over the next four months. It's surprising just how there are. The chip timing websites only list events that they are doing timing for while Athletics Ireland list only the ones with permits and even at that, there are mistakes and omissions. After doing a deep search, I came up with nineteen 10-mile events in just 4 months. There's plenty of choice out there.

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: This weekend, we have two contrasting days. On Saturday, the weather for Cork is dominated by a low pressure system off the south coast and the rain is never very far away. Expect to get showers. If you're thinking of doing a 5k parkrun then check for cancellations as some courses may be flooded with the recent rain. On Sunday, a ridge of high pressure is becoming established and it should be the best of the two days with some sunshine and dry conditions.

Looking further ahead, computer models show high pressure becoming dominant next week and it looks like we might be in for a dry spell of weather if it's correct.

Weekend events: On Saturday, IMRA have their Slí Chorcaí endurance event in West Cork and it's likely to be extra tough with the wet conditions. It just shows what a difference 24 hours can make. On Sunday, there is a half-marathon in the Gap of Dunloe, a 10k in UL Limerick and the Cork BHAA have a 5k in Little Island.

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:

Last weekend... Last week at parkrun in Ireland, there were...143 events & 15,434 walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers.

Tramore parkrun in Waterford cancelled... Due to a local duathlon, there will be no 5k parkrun on Sat 10th Feb.

Ballinlough Junior parkrun cancelled... Due to ongoing works by Uisce Eireann, the Nursery Drive junior parkrun in Ballinlough is cancelled. It originally looked like it might be for 6 weeks but it might be for a shorter time period now.

Major change to parkrun stats... One of the core tenets of the parkrun organisation is that the events are all about participation and they are not 5k races. It's all about taking part and finishing times are secondary.

After a major review, they have decided to remove stats like course records, the maximum number of first finishes and age related performance tables from their website.

Race News:

Running event at Mallow racecourse... The Grocers Run is a charity event usually held every year at Leopardstown race course in Dublin. This year, they're holding a 5k & 10k charity fun run at Mallow race course in Cork on Saturday 20th April at 11am.

IMRA Nagles Marathon change of date... IMRA are holding a trail marathon & half-marathon near Mallow in March. The original date was Saturday 23rd but they have brought the date forward now to Saturday 9th March 2024.

Youghal 10k in March gone... One of the chip timing websites had been listing a new 10k race in Youghal for March 2024. It has since been removed.

Ardmore to Mt Mellary trail race... I was updating the calendar yesterday and I noticed what I think is a new event from the IMRA. It's a 55km ultra trail race starting in Ardmore in Waterford and then going north along St Declan's Way to Mount Mellary on the southern slopes of the Knockmealdowns. There's a lot of history associated with this ancient road between Ardmore and Cashel.

Haulbowline to Pairc Ui Chaoimh Half... Down Syndrome Ireland have announced that they will be holding their Challenge 21 half-marathon this year on Sunday 16th of June. The run will start at Haulbowline park and finish at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, a distance of 21.1kms.

Naas 10-mile... This popular 10-miler in Co Kildare is coming up on Sun 3rd of March 2024 and it has an entry limit of 600 places. At the time of writing, there are only about 30 places left.

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:

Midleton Greenway to open... A local councillor has announced that the first section of the Midleton to Youghal Greenway will 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.

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 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

If you're doing your own thing for the marathon, you'd really want to start planning now. If you're doing the half then you have some time yet.

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 - 12 weeks

Cork Marathon - 2nd June 2024 - 16 weeks

Waterford Marathon - 23rd June 2024 - 19 weeks

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

Friday Jigsaw: Mick Dooley at the 2024 Dungarvan 10m
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/friday-jigsaw-mick-dooley-at-2024.html

NTA announce 2024 Grant Allocations...Feb 2024
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/nta-announce-2024-grant-allocationsfeb.html

North Cork AC to host the 2024 National Half-Marathon Championships - What difference is it likely to make?
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/north-cork-ac-to-host-2024-national.html

Notice: IMRA Beara Way Ultra - Fri 17th May 2024
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/notice-imra-beara-way-ultra-fri-17th.html

Guest Post: 2024 Dungarvan 10 mile ...by Pat Walsh
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/guest-post-2024-dungarvan-10-mile-by.html

Results & Photos of the John Tracey Dungarvan 10-mile road race - Sun 4th Feb 2024
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/results-photos-of-john-tracey-dungarvan.html

Results of the Run the Line 5k in Carrigaline - Sat 3rd Feb 2024
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/results-of-run-line-5k-in-carrigaline.html

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 3rd Feb 2024
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/results-of-5k-parkruns-in-cork-sat-3rd.html

Running in Cork Newsletter - 2nd February 2024
https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/running-in-cork-newsletter-2nd-february.html

Paid Subscribers & Additional Content: A list of all the 10-mile races in Ireland for the next four months is going out to the paid subscribers on Substack today.

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.

Running in Cork Newsletter - 2nd February 2024

Running in Cork Newsletter - 2nd February 2024

As we head into February, the evenings are gradually getting longer but the winter isn't over yet. There are signs in the weather computer models for a cold snap in mid-February so we'll have to wait to see what happens with that one. Another four weeks and we'll be into March and we can look forward to the clocks changing then at the end of the month.

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: If two words could be used to sum up the weather for the weekend then it would be 'mild' and 'overcast'. The Jet Stream is well to the north of Ireland at the moment and it's taking those severe Atlantic storms up towards Norway. 

There is a high pressure system to the south of Ireland near the Bay of Biscay which is keeping a mild westerly airflow over the country for the weekend. That south-westerly airflow is coming in from the Atlantic Ocean so there is no shortage of moisture to make plenty of clouds. There is a chance of misty weather on higher ground with some light rain possible from a weak front over Cork on Saturday. 

Sunday looks like the better of the two days at the weekend. It's going to stay mild with temperatures in the low teens for the next few days. It's very likely that all of the parkruns will probably go ahead.

Weekend events: On Saturday, there is the free 'Run the Line' 5k on the Carrigaline to Crosshaven Greenway at 8:30am and it will be a lot milder than the last event at the start of January. There are of course 10 parkruns to choose from in Co Cork at 9:30am.

The main event this weekend of course is the Dungarvan 10 mile on Sunday. It's looks like it's going to be overcast but mild so pretty much ideal. There will probably be a strong westerly breeze which may be a factor though in the first half. 

IMRA have a trail race up in Bansha Woods in Tipperary and there is a 5k fun run in Lismore if anyone is interested in that neck of the woods. Link HERE. The Bank Holiday Monday seems to be pretty quiet.

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:

Last weekend... Last week at parkrun in Ireland, there were...141 events & 14,353 walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers.

Ballinlough Junior parkrun cancelled... Due to ongoing works by Uisce Éireann, the Nursery Drive junior parkrun in Ballinlough is likely to be cancelled for the next 6 weeks. The organisers are looking at alternative venues.

Clon parkrun is 10-years old!... It's hard to believe but the Clonakilty 5k parkrun at the Showgrounds will be 10-years old on Saturday. The first parkrun there was held on the 1st of February 2014.

Race News:

Farran NS 5k fun run... The organisers of the Farran National School 5k fun run/walk have been in touch to say that their run this year in Farran Forest Park will go ahead on Thursday 6th June 2024. I think it was held last year early in September. Entry fee and times to be updated closer to the date.

Anne Valley 5-mile Challenge... This is a popular 5-miler in Co Waterford albeit a little hilly. They announced during the week that they will be hold their event on Saturday 13th April.

New date for Stone Mad-Half-Marathon in Blarney... Last week, I reported how the Stone Mad Half-Marathon in Blarney which was due to be held on Sunday the 3rd of March had been cancelled. I was updating the race calendar yesterday and I noticed that the new provisional date for it is Sunday 6th of October 2024 with an entry fee of €40.

IMRA Slí Chorcaí sells out... I had a post up about this IMRA 24km trail race from Kealkill to Drimoleague in West Cork. All 100 places have now sold out.

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

Great Island Cross Cup... Trevor Cummins sends on the following information: "Our inaugural All-Island, Cross-Country Running Event for Great Island Primary School Girls & Boys takes place at Cuskinny Court P24R623 on Wednesday, February 7th from 10:30am. Excitement is building fast, with less than a week to wait for hundreds of local primary school children who will get the opportunity to experience the great fun and unique challenge that is central to the sport of cross-country running. 

Kevin Murphy (BellaVista Hotel), John Paul Curtin (Garvey’s SuperValu, Cobh), Trevor Cummins (Meet Director) & pupils from schools participating in the upcoming Great Island Cross Cup

Each of the six primary schools on the island will battle it out at Cuskinny Court on Wednesday, February 7th, to become the very first winners of perpetual cups which are being generously sponsored by BellaVista Hotel (Girls) and Garveys SuperValu Cobh (Boys). Individual honours will also be up for grabs on the day, courtesy of Gold, Silver & Bronze medals kindly provided by Bardsley Developments. The race is on to see who will be crowned as Kings & Queens of The Cross."

In Other News:

Fitbit customers say devices unusable after update...  Fitbit users say a software update issued by the fitness-tracker firm in December 2023 has left their devices unusable... BBC News

English marathon runner carrying fridge get stopped by police... See story HERE 

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

If you're doing your own thing for the marathon, you'd really want to start planning now. If you're doing the half then you have some time yet.

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 - 13 weeks

Cork Marathon - 2nd June 2024 - 17 weeks

Waterford Marathon - 23rd June 2024 - 20 weeks

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

Friday Jigsaw: Glen River 5k parkrun - Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/friday-jigsaw-glen-river-5k-parkrun-jan.html

Guest Post: IRISH 10-MILE RANKINGS - End 2023 ...by John Walshe... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/guest-post-irish-10-mile-rankings-end.html

Notice: Ballintotis 4-mile road race - Thurs 18th April 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/02/notice-ballintotis-4-mile-road-race.html

Over 4000 runners take part in Raheny 5-mile last weekend... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/over-4000-runners-take-part-in-raheny-5.html

Video: A BLOODY LONG RUN - EPISODE 2 ...by Beau Miles... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/video-bloody-long-run-episode-2-by-beau.html

Tramore Valley Park 5k parkrun as Gaeilge - 3rd Feb 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/tramore-valley-park-5k-parkrun-as.html

Results & Photos of the IMRA Ballyhoura Moonlight Trail Races - Fri 26th Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-photos-of-imra-ballyhoura.html

Guest Post: Clonakilty Parkrun Celebrates 10 Years ...by Niamh Ryan... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/guest-post-clonakilty-parkrun.html

Notice: Cork BHAA MTU 5k - Sun 3rd March 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/notice-cork-bhaa-mtu-5k-sun-3rd-march.html

Guest Post: KATE VEALE WINS AI INDOOR GAMES 3k IN FASTEST TIME IN THE WORLD FOR 2024 ...by James Veale... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/guest-post-kate-veale-wins-ai-indoor.html

Results of the Clonakilty 5-mile - Sun 28th Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-of-clonakilty-5-mile-sun-28th.html

Guest Post: Still crazy after all these years... Pat Walsh... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/guest-post-still-crazy-after-all-these.html

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 27th Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-of-5k-parkruns-in-cork-sat-27th.html

Running in Cork Newsletter - 26th January 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/running-in-cork-newsletter-26th-january.html

Paid Subscribers & Additional Content: A list of all the running events in Cork for the next 4-weeks is going out to the paid subscribers on Substack today.

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.

Running in Cork Newsletter - 26th January 2024

Running in Cork Newsletter - 26th January 2024

Finally, there's a bit of a stretch in the evenings and it's no longer dark at 5pm. The first race notices for the evening races have begun to appear which is a sure sign that we're heading into Spring. We could still get a cold snap but the sun is getting higher in the sky every day.

 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: The Jet Stream has weakened during the week causing it to meander further north and allowing a high pressure system to form to the south of Ireland. Saturday looks as if it will be overcast, mild and dry. The risk of rain on Sunday is a bit higher as a weak weather front crosses the country. All of the 5k parkruns will probably go ahead. 

The long term forecast is for high pressure to become dominant next week but the winds will likely be weak and from the west. The likely scenario is overcast but mild and dry. If it lasts until the following weekend, it would be ideal for the Dungarvan 10-mile.

Weekend events: It seems to be one of the quieter weekends for running events. There is a new 5-mile in Clonakilty, the Kerins O'Rahillys GAA 5k & 10k in Tralee in Kerry and the Newcastle 5k in Tipperary.

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:

Last weekend... Last week at parkrun in Ireland, there were 127 events with 12,478 walkers, joggers, runners and volunteers.

Haulbowline Island... This new 2km parkrun for 4-14 year olds was cancelled last Sunday due to high winds from the storm but it should be ok for next Sunday. They are now officially called the 'Haulbowline Island junior parkrun' and they have a Facebook page HERE 

Race News:

Stone Mad Half-Marathon Cancelled... This half-marathon in Blarney was scheduled to be held on Sunday the 3rd of March 2024 but it was now been cancelled. Here is a statement from the organisers... "Blarney GAA & Camogie Club regrets to inform you that the 2024 Stone Mad Half Marathon road race, originally scheduled for Sunday, March 3rd, will not proceed as planned. Regrettably, Athletics Ireland could not grant a race permit for this date due to an already granted permit for another race in close proximity to Blarney. In the upcoming weeks, the organising committee will meet to explore options for rescheduling the event and progress refunds for all registered athletes.  We appreciate your patience during this time and extend our gratitude to all participants, sponsors, volunteers, and members for their hard work and support in organising the race this far."

National 10k Championship... This year's Dunboyne 10k in Co Meath is on Sunday March 24th at 12 noon and it's the 2024 National 10k Championship. Race entry is €25 (plus booking fee) for Athletics Ireland registered participants, €27 otherwise. T-shirt is an optional extra. Entries HERE... 

Waterford Half-Marathon opens 12 months early... The annual Waterford Half-Marathon was held back on Saturday 2nd December 2023 with a total of 1,767 runners crossing the finish line. As half marathons in Munster go, this is a big one. The numbers however were down 7% on the previous year and I suspect this was due in large part to the late opening date... see post HERE

Many runners were wondering if it was going ahead and entries finally opened at the start of October, just two months in advance. At that stage, a lot of runners will have made other plans and entered other events. I'm not sure if the late entry was for logistical reasons or were the organisers too complacent but they're doing the complete opposite this year and they opened up entries 12-months in advance! The 2024 Waterford Half-Marathon with its famous bobble hat is scheduled for Sat 30th Nov 2024 at 9:30am.

In Other News:

Photographer Kiernan Minihane... Many of you will know Kieran from all of the race photos he has taken over the years. During the week, the Echo had an article about about how Kieran helped save his sister's life during a medical emergency! ..."A Cork paramedic who helped to save his sister’s life is encouraging people to learn how to do CPR. "... See article HERE

Ginger runner to attempt run across Sahara Desert... BBC News 

Training Programmes: The Cork Marathon is 18-weeks from next Sunday and I'll be starting programmes next week. If you're interest in signing up then have a look at this post... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2023/11/training-programme-for-2024-cork-city.html

Half-Marathon programmes also available... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/training-programme-for-2024-cork-city.html

If you're doing your own thing for the marathon, you'd really want to start planning now. If you're doing the half then you have some time yet.

Countdown Timer...

Limerick Marathon - 5th May 2024 - 14 weeks

Cork Marathon - 2nd June 2024 - 18 weeks

Waterford Marathon - 23rd June 2024 - 21 weeks

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

Friday Jigsaw: Cork BHAA IFF 5k in Little Island - Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/friday-jigsaw-cork-bhaa-iff-5k-in.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

Training programme for the 2024 Cork City Marathon... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2023/11/training-programme-for-2024-cork-city.html

Results & Photos of the IMRA Glengarra Woods 7.3km trail race - Sun 21st Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-photos-of-imra-glengarra-woods.html

Notice: Bandon AC 5k road race - Thurs 25th Apr 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/notice-bandon-ac-5k-road-race-thurs.html

Irish Guide Dogs have Dublin Marathon places on offer... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/irish-guide-dogs-have-dublin-marathon.html

Kanturk & Tralee runner John Robinson featured on the parkrun Ireland website... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/kanturk-tralee-runner-john-robinson.html

Notice: IMRA Slí Chorcaí Trail Half-Marathon & Ultra - Sat 10th Feb 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/notice-imra-sli-chorcai-trail-half.html

Sports First Aid Training Course in Cork City - 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/sports-first-aid-training-course-in.html

Results & Photos of the Cork BHAA IFF 5k in Little Island - Sun 21st Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-photos-of-cork-bhaa-iff-5k-in.html

Results of the Cloyne Commons 4k - Sun 21st Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-of-cloyne-commons-4k-sun-21st.html

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 20th Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-of-5k-parkruns-in-cork-sat-20th.html

Guest Post: January ...by Pat Walsh... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/guest-post-january-by-pat-walsh.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.

Running in Cork Newsletter - 19th January 2024

Running in Cork Newsletter - 19th January 2024

The inaugural newsletter last week got a good response so we'll keep the ball rolling. If anyone has any snippets of news then leave them in the comments and I'll use them next week.

Weekend Weather: The Jet Stream over the Atlantic has strengthened and is pushing the high pressure system out of the way. The result is that the temperatures will rise on Friday night getting rid of any ice or frost that has been on the ground for days. The downside is that it's going to be wet for Saturday and Sunday and it's a case of making the best of it. All of the 5k parkruns should be ok.

Weekend events:

Cloyne Commons 4k... The third race in the popular Cloyne Commons 4k Winter Series takes place on Sunday morning at 9:30am. It should be noted that the entry fee for this one is only €5! Info HERE

Cork BHAA... The BHAA have their first road race of the year with a 5k in Little Island. As always, it's €5 for registered runners and €10 for non-reg. If you're going then don't forget the new earlier time of 10am for BHAA races in 2024.

IMRA trail race in Tipp... For trail running aficionados, there is a 8km trail race in Glengarra Woods just off the old Mitchelstown to Cahir road. Entry fee for IMRA members is €7. Info HERE

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

Parkrun News:

Walkers at parkrun... The parkrun organisation is trying to attract more walkers to the 5k parkun events. At every event, there is a tail walker so anyone taking turning up can't finish last. A 5km walk is fantastic exercise and you might consider mentioning it to someone and bring them along. The best thing about parkrun is that if it's raining this week then there's always next week. See the parkrun article HERE 

Good numbers at new junior 2k in Haulbowline... The inaugural 2k junior parkrun for 4-14 year olds at Haulbowline Park got off to a flying start last Sunday 14th January 2024 with 122 participants taking part. It's looking good for the future of that new event.

Cork 250 Club... I put up a post just over a week ago about the number of people in Cork who have completed as least 250 parkruns as of the end of Q4 2023. Post HERE 

In the meantime, Ursula Cooney joined the club last Saturday when she completed her 250th 5k parkrun at the Macroom event. Thanks to everyone who sent on all of the other names and I'll include those in the next edition.

Some Race News:

Event calendar updated... I updated the event calendar on Thursday and Friday of this week and a lot of events have appeared over the last two weeks. No matter where you are, there are loads of running events to choose from. Looking at the prices of 5k, 4m & 10k races, €15 to €25 seems to be the norm now everywhere. The Cork BHAA with their €5/€10 entry fees really stand out. See the updated calendar HERE 

Cork Marathon increase fees... I noticed the Cork City Marathon have increased their entry fees since my last update. It looks as if the 'early bird' rates have closed.

Youghal Half-Marathon... Youghal AC have plans to hold a new Half-Marathon & 10k race in East Cork on Sunday 11th August 2024. No more details at this time. As far as I know, the new Greenway won't be open by then so I presume the event is on public roads.

Bandon 5k... Bandon AC have plans for a brand new 5k road race on Thursday 25th of April. There used to be a 5-mile race in Bandon on New Year's Day and 5k races later but it's been a good few years since there was a race in the town. The original plan was to hold it on Sunday 28th but it has now been changed to an evening race on the 25th.

Ballyroan 10 mile Cancelled... This popular 10-mile road race in Co Laois should have been held on Sunday 21st of January but it had to be cancelled due to permit issues. The organisers write.. "Due to issues regarding race permits and higher grade races taking priority, unfortunately our Ballyroan 10 mile & 5k Fun Run will not take place this year. We hope to be back bigger and better in 2025"

Wexford Half-Marathon Early Bird... The Wexford Half Marathon & 10k will be held on April 21st. Early bird entry fees end in a few days if anyone is thinking of doing it.

New race in Bantry... It looks as if Bantry AC are organising a race called the 'Flying 5' which is a new one. It looks like it's a 5-miler and the provisional date is Sunday 14th April.

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

Friday Jigsaw: Where's Derek???... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/friday-jigsaw-wheres-derek.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

Waterford to Rosslare Greenway in doubt - Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/waterford-to-rosslare-greenway-in-doubt.html

Video: A BLOODY LONG RUN - EPISODE 1 ...by Beau Miles... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/video-bloody-long-run-episode-1-by-beau.html

Results & Photos of the IMRA Corrin Hill 9.2km trail race - Sun 14th Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-photos-of-imra-corrin-hill-92km.html

Charity Post: Run for SERVE in 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/charity-post-run-for-serve-in-2024.html

Haulbowline 2k Junior parkrun is off to a flying start... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/haulbowline-2k-junior-parkrun-is-off-to.html

Cork runners take titles at Tom Walsh Memorial 10k in Limerick - Sun 14th Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/cork-runners-take-titles-at-tom-walsh.html

Guest Post: Kate Veale wins Jorge Costa 5k Race Walk in Portugal ...by James Veale... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/guest-post-kate-veale-wins-jorge-costa.html

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 13th Jan 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-of-5k-parkruns-in-cork-sat-13th.html

Running in Cork Newsletter - 12th January 2024... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/running-in-cork-newsletter-12th-january.html

And finally...

If anyone wants to see previous editions of the Newsletter, see this page HERE 

Running in Cork Newsletter - 12th January 2024

Running in Cork Newsletter - 12th January 2024

It's time to try something new! I was putting snippets of news into a monthly 'News Bites' post but this soon moved down the page out of view. This new weekly Newsletter post will replace this and I plan to post this every Friday.

If anyone has any snippets of news then leave them in the comments and I'll use them next week.

Weekend Weather: A high pressure system out in the Atlantic is going to control the weather in Ireland this weekend with a northerly breeze keeping the temperatures well down in single figures of about 2-6 degrees. There is plenty of cloud over Cork overnight so that should reduce the risk of ice and frost. All of the 5k parkruns will probably go ahead but check before you travel.

Weekend events:

Skibbereen 5k... Skibbereen Rowing Club are a 5k fun run on Sunday 14th January at 11am. Entry fee €10.

IMRA Corrrin Hill Trail Race... IMRA are holding a 9.2km trail race on Corrin Hill near Fermoy on Sunday 14th. Info HERE 

Tom Walsh 10k in Limerick... This one is on Sunday 14th Jan but has now sold out.

Trail  race near Dungarvan... West Waterford AC are holding a 5-mile trail race at Colligan Woods near Dungarvan on Sunday 14th. For this one, there are no watches and you must predict your time in advance. Info HERE 

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

Parkrun News:

New 5k parkrun in Waterford... There used to be a 5k parkun in Waterford City but it was cancelled a lot of times due to no fault of the organisers. A new 5k parkrun has now been established at the SETU Arena West Campus at Carriganore which is a lot better. The inaugural event was held last weekend and got 295 which is a big number for Waterford. Considering it's located on the edge of Waterford City, this one should be a big success. 👍

New junior 2k in Haulbowline... The inaugural event was supposed to be on the 6th of January but like so many other parkruns that weekend, it had to be cancelled due to ice on the course. The plan now is to go ahead on Sunday 14th Jan. This should be of interest to parents in the Carrigaline, Ringaskiddy, Monkstown & Passage West catchment area who want an event for their 4-14 year olds.

Some Race News:

Stook 10m... For anyone interested in a 10-mile race in Kilkenny, the organisers of the Stook 10-mile have just announced a new date for their event. It will now be on the 3rd of March. The original date was for later in the month.

New Killarney 5m... When I was updating the calendar recently, I came across a new 5-mile road race in Killarney. It's called the Streets of Killarney 5-mile and it's coming up on Friday evening 29th of March. The entry fee is €25. There used to be a popular 5k series in Killarney a few years ago so we'll have to see if this one catches on.

Rosscarbery Surf n Turf changes date... The Rosscarbery Surf Turf n Tar Half-Marathon & 10k have now changed the date of their event to Saturday 27th April. This new date is just a day before the Bandon 5k which isn't great timing. There are few enough running events in West Cork without having both on the same weekend.

Dungarvan 10m Elites... While entries for the upcoming John Treacy Dungarvan 10-mile road race sold out a few week ago, West Waterford AC have now announced that they will be taking elite entries. They write "Elite entries will be accepted up to Friday 26 th  January 2024. The standards set down are Men 55 minutes and Ladies 60 Minutes. These times must have been posted within the last 2 years. Proof of these qualifying times may be required. For Elite entry, please contact James Veale at info AT westwaterfordathletics DOT org 

Connemara 100-mile to restrict entries... Due to increasing popularity of the Connemara 100-mile, they are now restricting it to 25-participants. The organisers write "There is a major change to the Connemara 100 entry system for 2024.

Due to the popularity of the event we are regularly seeing up to 50 people on the starting line and as each participant is required to have a crew vehicle with them at all times, the roads are becoming increasingly congested. We have decided for 2024 to strictly limit the number of participants to just 25. The fairest way we can make the selection is in two ways. 20 places will be available on a random selection from the waiting list. And 5 additional places will be kept aside for the people on the waiting list who have run the event most. The waiting list system for the 2024 event will be open until January 29th and the field will be announced on February 1st. If we receive any withdrawals the next waiting list selection will be given a place. Because of this limit, we have also decided, in order to keep the event viable, to increase the entry fee to €150." 

Trivia... The sister of Karl Marx was a runner apparently! 😂

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

Cork 250 parkrun Club - Q4 2023 - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/cork-250-parkrun-club-q4-2023.html

Training programme for the 2024 Cork City Half-Marathon - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/training-programme-for-2024-cork-city.html

2023 sees an increase in the number of visitors to the blog - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/2023-sees-increase-in-number-of.html

Haulbowline Junior parkrun to start Sun 14th Jan 2024 - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2023/12/haulbowline-junior-parkrun-to-start-sun.html

Results of the Cork BHAA ESB 5k cross country - Sun 7th Jan 2024 - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-of-cork-bhaa-esb-5k-cross.html

Notice: IMRA Corrin Hill 9.2km Trail Race - Sun 14th Jan 2024 - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/notice-imra-corrin-hill-92km-trail-race.html

Results of the Run the Line 5k in Carrigaline - Sat 6th Jan 2024 - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-of-run-line-5k-in-carrigaline.html

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 6th Jan 2024 - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/results-of-5k-parkruns-in-cork-sat-6th.html

Guest Post: What does the New Year hold for you ...by Pat Walsh - https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2024/01/guest-post-what-does-new-year-hold-for.html

And finally...

If anyone wants to see previous editions of the News Bites, see this page... https://corkrunning.blogspot.com/p/athletics-news.html