The Park Run in Macroom is one year old...

One year ago on the 18th of May 2013, the very first 5k Park Run in Cork was held in Macroom. The graph below show the numbers that have attended each week...

Initially, it started off with about an average of about 65 per week....took a dip during the bad winter storms....but then came back in the spring of 2014. Currently, it's about 55 per week on average. That's a slight drop on this time last year but is still relatively strong. It could just as easily have fizzled away to nothing after the initial enthusiasm but it didn't. When you consider that it is based on volunteers organising it every Saturday morning then the number are pretty impressive.

First Clonakilty Park Run gets off to a good start

The inaugural Clonakilty 5 km Park Run was held on Saturday morning (1st Feb 2014) in wet and windy conditions. Despite the weather, an impressive 82 people still took part. Just for reference, 64 people took part in the first Park Run in Macroom last May.

The photo shows the surface of the new path which has been laid at the Showgrounds in Clonakilty.

1 Denis KELLEHER    19:02 M
2 Garrett LORDAN    19:12 M Clonakilty Roadrunners AC
3 Unknown                                   
10 Rachel O'CALLAGHAN    22:24 F
14 Sinead CAULFIELD    22:47 F
16 Margaret O' BRIEN    23:06 F Clonakilty Roadrunners AC

The full results can be seen HERE

Park Runs to start in Clonakilty on the 1st of February 2014

For the last three years, I have been covering news about Park Runs on the site. Back in August 2011, I had an initial post which explained what Park Runs were and asked if they could come to Ireland? They eventually arrived in Dublin after which I asked in January 2013 if there was a potential for them to come to Cork? In May, I had a post about the new weekly 5k Park Run which had just started in started in Macroom.

The latest news now is that a new Park Run is starting in Clonakilty in West Cork. As with all Park Runs, the distance is 5 kms, it's on at 9:30am every Saturday morning, entry is free and you should pre-register online before you take part. 

The weekly runs will be at the Showgrounds which is on the N71 main road that runs south around the town.

Last November, the Macroom Park Run had been running for six months and I had a post which looked back at the numbers. On average, it was getting about 40-50 participants every week.

To get some idea of how well the Clonakilty event might do, it might be handy to have a look at some stats. It's probably likely that for Park Runs, most of those taking part are likely to live reasonably nearby.

The town of Macroom has a population of about 3,900. Other population centres in the general vicinity are Millstreet (pop of 1k5, 13 miles), Ballincollig (pop 17k, 19 miles) and Cork City (pop 100k+, 22 miles). As can be seen, the population in the general Macroom area is relatively small while there is a large of potential pool of participants to the east but they are about 20 miles away.

Clonakilty by comparison has a population of about 4,800. Population centres in the vicinity are...Bandon (pop 6k6, 13 miles), Dunmanway (pop 2k4, 13 miles) and Skibbereen (pop 2k, 18 miles). Cork City with it's large population is 28 miles away.

Going on the above stats, if the organisers in Clonakilty can get the same participation levels as Macroom then the numbers should be good. Going on a very simple ratio basis of comparing the two towns then the average should be about 55 per week.

The one caveat is whether the Macroom numbers are in fact largely boosted every week by people traveling out from Ballincollig and the city? In that case, the Clonakilty numbers may well be smaller. Only time will tell.

The next question is will there be a third Park Run in Cork???

Interview with Sonia O'Sullivan on ParkRun Australia

Since starting in the UK in 2004, the Park Run series have spread around the world. In Australia, there are now 52 Park Runs and the series there even has it's own podcast.

In the most recent edition, they caught up with Sonia O'Sullivan who has been taking part in the various Park Runs in the UK, Ireland and Australia since 2005. She talks about how she used them as part of her training back in the early days and even the Macroom event gets a mention ;o)

Sonia can be heard from 12:10 to 22:25

Review of the Macroom Park Run numbers

Park Runs started off in the UK in 2004 and have since become very popular. The concept is simple enough....a timed 5k course in a local park and people take part for free every week.

In May of this year, a new Park Run started in Macroom which was the first one in Cork. As outlined in this earlier post, there was a question mark about whether a weekly 5k event in an area with a low population density would keep going after the initial interest had worn off.

The event last Saturday was the 26th week and it is now going for six months. As can be seen from the graph below, the numbers have declined slightly of late but they are still getting around 50 people per week.

By the way, that peak at the end of August was due to Sonia O'Sullivan making an appearance.

Obviously as it's a free event, there is a large voluntary effort required to keep it going week after week regardless of the weather. The next challenge that they will probably face is trying to keep the numbers up over the wet and cold winter months.

There was talk a few months ago about other Park Runs starting up in Co.Cork but there has been no news of late. Anyone got any info???

Results of the Macroom Castle 5k Park Run...Sat 27th July 2013

A total of 78 people took part in this 5k run. The results can be seen HERE

Results of the Macroom Castle 5k Park Run...Sat 20th July 2013

A total of 49 people took part in this 5k run. The results can be seen HERE

Results of the Macroom Castle 5k Park Run...Sat 22nd June 2013

1    John MATTHEWS    19:32    VM40-44    M 26.2 RRC
2    Dave LINNANE    20:32    SM25-29     M
3    Donal TWOMEY    20:51  VM40-44 M West Muskerry A.C.   
16    Edel O'LEARY    24:52    SW25-29    F
19    Karen OLEARY    25:16    SW30-34    F 
20    Mary LUCEY    25:19    SW30-34    F

The full results can be seen HERE

Results of the Macroom Castle 5k Park Run...Sat 15th June 2013

1    John DUNPHY    19:19    VM40-44    72.82 %    M
2    Conor MCMAHON    20:30    VM45-49    69.67 %    M
3    Tom CUDDIHY    20:46    VM40-44    66.69 %    M
10    Rachel O'CALLAGHAN    22:25    VW35-39    F    
21    Riona CASEY    25:13    SW30-34    F
24    Claire KINGSTON    25:33    SW30-34    F 


The full results can be found HERE

Results of the Macroom 5k Park Run...Sat 1st & 8th June 2013

These are the results from the last two 5k park runs in Macroom...

Sat 1st June 2013...
1    Steve DARBY    18:11    VM45-49   M   Barnsley AC
2    Mark MCMAHON    18:31    VM40-44   M
3    Conor O CALLAGHAN    19:03    SM30-34   M
6    Hannah OLDROYD    19:42    SW25-29   F  Airedale Dodgers
16    Lora MURPHY    24:39    VW35-39   F
17    Karen OLEARY    24:47    SW30-34    F

The full results are HERE

**************
Sat 8th June 2013...
1    Niall TWOMEY    19:42    SM30-34     M     St Finbarrs AC
2    Unknown                                   
3    Tony DINEEN    20:33    SM20-24     M
7    Rachel O'CALLAGHAN    22:20    VW35-39     F
13    Grainne MULCAHY    23:58    JW14     F 
16    Riona CASEY    25:53    SW30-34   F    3 

The full results are HERE

Parkruns...Big in the UK...What about here in Ireland?

Parkruns.........what are they??? Basically, they are free 5 km races which take place in parks all over the UK at 9am on Saturday mornings. Each race is timed and takes place on a variety of surfaces...from urban parks, country parks and seaside promenades to nature reserves, woodland and open fields.

The first event started in 2004, the second one in 2007 and by 2010, it had grown to almost 30 events. By mid 2011, it has grown to approx 80 events so it is obviously growing rapidly at present.

A novel feature is that no numbers are issued. Runners are identified by a barcode which they wear and are then scanned at the finish line.

To find out more about these races, you can find plenty of info on the series website at http://www.parkrun.org.uk/home

Would something like this work in Ireland?

You could certainly imagine that it would be successful in someplace like the Phoenix Park in Dublin considering the high number of runners in the capital.

What about elsewhere in the country? In Cork? Limerick? Galway?