The next race on the Cork BHAA calendar is the Pfizers 6 mile road race near Ringaskiddy on
Wednesday the 11th of May 2016.
Given its proximity to Cork City and Carrigaline, it should attract a good bit of interest.
Directions.......It's very easy to find. From the South Ring Road in Cork City, follow all of the signs for Ringakiddy. As you get closer, you come to the small village of Shanbally.
Follow the signs for Rinaskiddy...straight through the roundabout...and 500m later, take a left...signposted 'Raffeen Creek Sports Club'. Follow the stewards directions on the night on where to park which will probably be next to the playing fields.
Entries, post race refreshments and prize giving will be at the Pfizers Clubhouse.
Entries......As with all Cork BHAA events, the race entry will be €5 for registered runners and €10 for non-registered. It's probably best to be there from say 7:00pm to 7:20pm so that you can enter in plenty of time.
From the organisers...
· The 6 mile course route is shown in the poster, and is a new course for 2016 due to road closures in the area.
· 34th anniversary of long running BHAA race
· The race will be starting in the opposite direction to previous years, and further back from the roundabout than usual.
· The first mile is will be very fast, with a descent of about 60 feet over about 800m into Ringaskiddy village.
· The second mile starts flat but then you have the first climb of the evening - a right turn onto a sharp hill of about 400m just opposite the entrance to Ringaskiddy port. After cresting the hill, the next half mile or so is downhill, past the national school, which is just beyond the 2 mile marker. Anyone who does the Army/Navy 5 mile will be familiar with this road, except you will run it in the opposite direction here.
· After the national school the third mile continues with a slight drag, turning left at the junction with the R613. From here you pass the entrance to Novartis. Just after the 3 mile marker there is a good downhill stretch, loosing 60ft over about 400m. Turn right at Coolmore cross.
· The next mile will be tough on tired legs as you climb gradually to the Grotto at the back of Shanbally and turn right around the back of Novartis and past the 4 mile marker.
· The fifth mile starts with a small drag of about 400m or so, and then its nearly all downhill as you continue down this narrow country road and turn left back onto the R613 and fast descent back down to just outside Ringaskiddy village.
· The last mile starts as you turn left onto the N25, with a gentle climb back up past Pfizer and a slight downhill to the finish just outside the Rafeen Creek Sports Club (formerly the Pfizer Sports Club).
· A challenging course, with plenty of climbs and descents
· Legendary post-race refreshments afterwards
Overall.......a longstanding race which is popular with a lot of runners. Parts of the course are challenging yet you should still post a reasonable time. The post race refreshments put on by the staff of Pfizers are second to none and there's a pretty good chance you will eat more calories than you burn off by running the race! ;o). Recommended.
