Jump in numbers for the Waterford Half-Marathon but was the course short??? - 30th Nov 2024

The annual Waterford Half-Marathon organised by Waterford AC was held on Saturday 30th Nov 2024 on what turned out to be a windy, misty but mild morning. This is in marked contract to last year which was bitterly cold.

Numbers... There was a total of 2162 finishers this year, a jump of just over 22%. This makes it the 9th largest half-marathon in Ireland for 2024 and it's certainly the largest half in the south-east.

It's also worth noting that it is far bigger than the Viking Half-Marathon which takes place in late June every year. Not sure why?

Why the big jump this year? In 2023, the organisers didn't open the entries until the start of 3rd of October, just two months before race day on . A lot of people had been wondering if the race was going ahead at all and by the time the entries opened, many people had made other plans. Even by the end of November 2023, they were still taking entries.

The end result was a 6.7% drop in numbers from 2022.

For the 2024 race, thing couldn't have been more different. The club opened entries on the 6th of December 2023, just 3 days after the 2023 race. There was no doubt about the 2024 race going ahead and people had most  of 2024 to enter. It sold out on the 12th of November and the jump in numbers can be seen in the chart above. It was in fact the 4th highest ever in terms of numbers for this event.

Results...

Top 5 men & women
1 Ryan CREECH 1:06:59 2616 M MS Leevale A.C.
2 Stephen CASHIN 1:08:23 290 M MS Clonliffe Harriers A.C.
3 Tomas FITZPATRICK 1:10:58 2673 M M40 Tallaght A.C.
4 Dermot GORMAN 1:13:00 862 M M40 Carrick-on-Suir A.C.
5 David POWER 1:13:13 2150 M M40 Rathfarnham W.S.A.F. A.C.
1 Fiona KEHOE 1:23:29 1140 F F40 Kilmore A.C.
2 Emma FUREY 1:23:29 812 F FS St. L. O'Toole A.C.
3 Catherine MURPHY 1:23:44 1693 F F45 Eagle A.C.
4 Adele WALSH 1:24:00 2511 F F45 St. Senans A.C.
5 Sabina WILLIAMS 1:24:41 2577 F F40 Croghan A.C.

Full results HERE

Was the course short??? ... At least three different people told me that the course was short. One said that they got 12.95 miles on their GPS watch for the course rather than just over 13.1 miles. They felt that the course was about 320 metres too short.

It's worth noting that there was an out and back section on the course as well as some obstructions from evergreen trees in places which can play havoc with GPS. Still though, there is still a valid concern about how accurate the course was.

Waterford AC had this route map online for the 2024 race...

You'll notice that there is a reasonable out and back section. I pass this point while I was cycling from the race start to Dungarvan and I took this photo by chance...

The photo shows the start of the out and back section. Was the error here? Was it somewhere else?

It seems to have the only glitch on what was a good event.

Results & Photos of the National Novice Cross Country Championships in Waterford...Sun 17th Dec 2017

This years National Novice Cross Country Championships were held in Waterford on Sunday the 17th of December 2017.

In the Novice men's competition, there were full teams from 13 counties and 19 clubs. Leevale AC managed to take Bronze in the inter-club competition while the Cork team won Silver.

Novice Men Team Results
1. Dundrum South Dublin A.C. 2. North Belfast Harriers 3. Leevale A.C.

Cork team (6 to score)...20:02 4 Kevin O'Brien East Cork A.C., 20:07 5 Alan O'Brien Eagle A.C., 20:57 24 Conor McCauley Leevale A.C., 20:59 25 Rory O'Sullivan St. Finbarrs A.C., 21:13 32 Brian Kearney Leevale A.C., 21:16 Mitch Rees-Jones U.C.C. A.C. 26 21:16, 34 Donal Coakley Leevale A.C.

In the Novice Women's race, Sinead Keaveny of Midleton AC ran a great race to finish second to win Silver! It's no small feat to win a national medal for any club athlete.

Novice Women – 4000m
1. Nakita Burke (LetterKenny A.C.) 2. Sinead Kevany (Midleton A.C.) 3. Lauren Dermondy (Castlecomer A.C.)

Leevale AC finished second in the team event while the Cork team took Gold in the inter county competition.

There were 15 full club teams and 9 full county teams.

1. Sportsworld A.C. 2. Leevale A.C. 3. Crusaders A.C.

Leevale AC team...16:30 10 Lisa Hegarty, 17:04 32 Andrea Bickerdike, 17:12 38 Jessica Bruton, 17:29 47 Rosaleen MacKeown.
Cork team (4 to score)...15:43 2 Sinéad Kevany Midleton A.C, 16:30 10 Lisa Hegarty, 16:55 25 Sorcha Kearney St. Finbarrs A.C., 16:59 30 Breda Gaffney Mallow A.C

Results...The full results can be seen on the Athletics Ireland website HERE.

Photos...(Updated Tues 19th Dec)
1) James Veale of West Waterford AC has a gallery HERE
2) Gearóid Ó Laoi has 300 pics HERE
3) Kieran Carlin has a gallery HERE

Sinead Kevany (#330) of Midleton AC after winning a Silver medal at the National Novice Cross Country Championships. Photo: Kieran Carlin

 

Notice...Dungarvan 10 mile road race in West Waterford - Sun 4th Feb 2018

The annual John Treacy Dungarvan 10 mile road race will be held on Sunday the 4th of February 2018 at 1:30pm and it sells out every year. Please note that entries opened at 9am on Wednesday the 1st of November 2017.

Update Mon 1st Nov @3pm......Online entries are now closed! In previous years, this race has taken a few weeks to sell out. This year, it just took a few hours.

Last week, the notice I put up on the Running in Cork Facebook page got over 17,000 views so I knew the demand would be really high. I didn't expect it to sell out in hours though.

Update Mon 1st Nov @11:36am : Entries for this are flying in which resulted in some website problems. The entry link is https://register.primoevents.com/ps/event/Dungarvan10Mile2018

With the demise of the Ballycotton 10 mile race in March, there is bound to be more interest in the Dungarvan race. If you want a good 10 mile race in the Spring of 2018, I would suggest that you enter as soon as possible before it closes.

The entry fee for 2018 is €25 and that includes a high quality Nike dry-fit top. There are no refunds on race entry fees. As in previous years, there will be no late entries except for elite entries, which will be taken up to Friday January 29th 2018.

This is one of the best road races in Munster and it attracts runners from all over the country. There is a limit of 2,750 entries and it will sell out.

Entries >> Entries via the race website... https://www.dungarvan10mile.org/

Here are some details from the organising club West Waterford AC...27th John Treacy Dungarvan 10 Mile Road Race

As and from November 1st, entries will open for the 27th Annual John Treacy Dungarvan 10 which will be held on Sunday February 4th 2018, with a start time of 1.30pm. West Waterford Athletic Club have announced details of the event which has established itself as a must run race on the Irish road running calendar with participants from all four corners of the country and beyond participating. The race has grown year on year and is a pre entry race which will close when 2,750 entries is reached. ( please note this race was full in a very short time last year ).

West Waterford Athletic Club is delighted with the support it receives from its sponsors for this event, we are fortunate to have the support of Top Oil, AIB Bank, Garveys Super-Valu, Tipperary Water, Flahavan's, Déise Design, along with many other local businesses and individuals who are all giving valuable support helping to make the day a great occasion for the town of Dungarvan. The race also incorporates the popular John Treacy Club Challenge Cup for men's and ladies teams which has proved to be hugely competitive. We will again be calling on all the athletic clubs of Ireland to take on the challenge in 2018 event. The John Treacy Dungarvan 10 brings together the ideal race combination of fun runners, joggers, club athletes and top class internationals who compete over a fast flat 10 mile course around the historic town of Dungarvan, we look forward to welcoming you to our town on February 4th 2018. Don't be disappointed as many were last year get your entry in as soon as entries open November 1st.

All race details can be found at www.dungarvan10mile.org

Preview.....A full preview of the course with photos and directions can be seen HERE 

Jill Hodgins from Cork wins Waterford Half-Marathon

Another result from last weekend. Jill Hodgins from Cork was the first woman home in the annual Waterford Half-Marathon.This adds to the list of wins for Jill in 2016 as she also won the Cork to Cobh 15 mile race in October and the Cork City 10 Miler in September.

31 Hodgins    Jill    1:20:54
45 Carthy    Jackie    1:22:25
60 Malone    Sylvia    1:23:58 Waterford A.C.

Despite the distance, a very large contingent of runners from Cork make the annual journey east for this half marathon.

There are links to the results, award winners and photos here... http://munsterrunning.blogspot.com/2016/12/waterfordresults-photos-of-waterford.html

Claire-Gibbons McCarthy wins Waterford Half-Marathon...Sat 9th Jan 2016

The rescheduled Waterford half-Marathon was held on Saturday the 9th of January and a large contingent of runners from Cork traveled to it. Clare-Gibbons McCarthy of Leevale AC won the women's race in a time of 1h 16m 45s. Mark Hanrahan of Leevale and John Meade of St.Finbarr's AC finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in the men's race.

1    Clohisey    Mick    1:04:25    4:55/M    Top Fin    Raheny Shamrock AC
2    Hanrahan    Mark   1:05:09    4:58/M    Top Fin    Leevale AC
3    Meade    John  1:11:19    5:27/M    Top Fin    St. Finbarr's A.C.
1    Gibbons-McCarthy    Claire 1:16:45    5:51/M    Top Fin    Leevale AC
2    O'Doherty    Siobhan  1:18:08    5:58/M    Top Fin    borrisokane
3    Curley    Pauline  1:20:32    6:09/M    Top Fin    Tullamore Harriers

Results and photos HERE

Some numbers from clubs traveling from Cork...
Wibbly Wobbly Wonders...21, Grange-Fermoy AC...15, Eagle AC...15, Watergrasshill AC...11, Midleton AC...10, Youghal AC...10, Ballintotis Fit4Life...10, St.Finbarr's AC...9, Galtee Runners...9.

Waterford Half-Marathon Cancelled...

For anyone who was going to do the Waterford Half-Marahton on Saturday, please note that it has been cancelled.

From the organisers...Event Postponed. Following consultation with An Garda Síochána and Waterford City Council and the upgrading of storm warnings throughout the country to status red it is with great regret that we must postpone tomorrows Waterford AC Half Marathon which was due to take place at 10am on Saturday December 5th.

The decision was made as a matter of health and safety. Although no parts of the course are currently flooded and despite the efforts of Waterford City Council today to clear flooding and repair damage caused by heavy rain yesterday, the potential for further flooding overnight is high.

Forecasts for the South East are not as severe as the rest of the country however with status red warnings in place in other counties we are conscious that we did not want people traveling in unsafe conditions tomorrow. The event is currently rescheduled to take place on the new date of Saturday,  9th January2016.

For participants that can make the new date your same number and chip will be valid.

For participants unable to make this date we will be offering refunds. You can apply for your refund through the following form http://www.totaltiming.ie/waterford-ac-half-2015-refund-request/. Please note refunds will not be processed until January.

With the postponement of an event this large there comes a large amount of administration and financial cost to Waterford AC. We also understand the inconvenience and potential costs incurred by people that had planned to take part and support our event. We hope you will understand and bear with us as we work through the arrangements.

Results of the Munster Novice Cross Country Championships, Waterford...Sun 25th Oct 2015

The 2015 Munster Novice Cross Country Championships were held on the outskirts of Waterford City on Sunday the 25th of October.

In the Men's Novice race, Leevale AC took the team title with Cork taking the County honours. In the Women's Novice race, Youghal AC took the title with Cork again taking the county title.

One thing that is very evident from the results is that the number of clubs with full teams was pretty low. There were just 8 men's teams and 7 women's teams.

Novice Men
PositionName Team Name County
1 Karl Fitzmaurice Ennis Track A.C. Clare
2 Patrick Chesser, Ennis Track A.C. Clare
3 Chris Mintern Leevale A.C. Cork

Club Team Points
Place Club Positions Points
1 Leevale A.C. 3, 6, 9, 19 ...37
2 Togher A.C. 5, 7, 17, 24... 53
3 Ennis Track A.C. 1, 2, 30, 31... 64
4 Dundrum A.C. 12, 29, 34, 47 ...122
5 Waterford A.C. 10, 32, 39, 43 ...124
6 West Waterford A.C. 23, 41, 42, 45 ...151
7 Carrick-on-Suir A.C. 22, 37, 54, 55 ...168
8 Youghal A.C. 14, 57, 58, 59 ...188

County Team Points
Place County Positions Points
1 Cork 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 17 ...51
2 Tipperary 12, 13, 21, 29, 34, 47 ...156
3 Waterford 10, 18, 23, 32, 41, 42 ...166

Novice Women
PositionName Team Name Team Scoring County
1 Aoife Cooke Youghal A.C. Cork
2 Cushla Hehir Ennis Track A.C. Clare
3 Ruth Millerick Youghal A.C. Cork

Club Team Points Points
Place Club Positions
1 Youghal A.C. 1, 3, 7, 18...29
2 Clonmel A.C. 8, 20, 24, 27 ...79
3 Star of the Laune A.C. 10, 16, 21, 40... 87
4 Waterford A.C. 13, 22, 35, 36... 106
5 An Riocht A.C. 9, 26, 34, 39 ...108
6 West Waterford A.C. 12, 29, 31, 38  ...110
7 Farranfore Maine Valley A.C. 4, 30, 49, 50 ...133

County Team Points Points
Place County Positions
1 Cork 1, 3, 6, 7 ...17
2 Kerry 4, 9, 10, 14 ...37
3 Waterford 12, 13, 22, 29 ... 76
4 Tipperary 8, 20, 24, 27  ...79

The full results can be seen HERE

REMEMBERING A CHAMPION’S FAREWELL (Guest article by John Walshe)

John Treacy from Waterford is one of the few Irish athletes to win an Olympic medal after finishing second in the Marathon at the Los Angeles Games in 1984. In 1995, a special 5 mile race was held in Waterford City to mark the end of his career.

John Walshe has written an article about that special occasion 20 years ago.
 

REMEMBERING A CHAMPION’S FAREWELL (John Walshe)

Twenty years ago, on Sunday October 15th, 1995, a special and rather unique five-mile road race took place around the streets of Waterford city.

It was to be the final competitive appearance of arguably Ireland’s greatest-ever male distance runner, John Treacy. It brought the curtain down on what had been a roller-coaster international career which had begun for the boy from Villierstown 21 years before when, as a 16-year-old, he finished third in the junior race at the 1974 World Cross-Country Championships in Italy.

Another world junior bronze followed the year after in Morocco and then, in 1978, he took the senior world crown at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow. A second world title was added 12 months later in front of an ecstatic home crowd in the mud of Limerick Racecourse.

After collapsing in the qualifying round of the 10,000m due to the heat and humidity of Moscow at the 1980 Olympics, Treacy returned a few days later to take seventh in the 5000m final. Later that year he set an Irish 10,000m record of 27:48.7 in Brussels.

He added the Irish 5000m record with a time of 13:16.81 in 1984 and then – after finishing ninth in the 10,000m at the Los Angeles Olympics – on an unforgettable Sunday evening he attained his greatest honour when taking the silver medal behind Carlos Lopes of Portugal in the marathon.

Treacy’s international career continued for another 10 years and included two third-place finishes in the Boston Marathon – his 1988 time of 2:09:15 is still the fastest by an Irishman – along with marathon victories in Los Angeles (1992) and Dublin (1993). He also won the Great North Run Half-Marathon in a time of 61:00 (1988) and ran 46:25 for 10 miles at the Great South Run in Portsmouth (1993).

And so on to that fine October Sunday afternoon of two decades ago. The event was put together by Frank Quinn, who had been manager to cyclist Sean Kelly and who had organised a similar farewell for Kelly in his home town of Carrick-on-Suir the previous December.

Invitations were sent to Carol Lopes and Charlie Spedding, Treacy’s fellow Olympic medallists, and both were delighted to attend. It was the first time that all three had been together since they stood on the victory podium on that glorious night in Los Angeles.

Photo by Dan Linehan. It shows Coghlan, Cram, Dick Hooper, Richard Mulligan and of course Treacy (wearing No 1 on the long-sleeve T-shirt given to every runner) setting the pace in the early stages.

Joining them was a galaxy of stars including Michael Carruth, Ireland’s 1992 Olympic boxing champion, indoor mile record holder and world champion Eamonn Coghlan, world, European and Commonwealth champion Steve Cram, along with Dick Hooper and Jerry Kiernan who had also represented Ireland in the Olympic marathon. Sean Kelly, like Treacy, a Freeman of Waterford City, was also in attendance and even ran the race, covering the five miles in a creditable 34:39.

Although Lopes (looking distinctly overweight) and Spedding didn’t compete, they, along with Cram, Coughlan and many local dignitaries paid glowing tributes to Treacy on the steps of Waterford City Hall. Also, before the main event got underway, hundreds of schoolchildren took part in a one mile lap of honour. Then, with the formalities over, the action began with over 300 runners setting off on a route comprising of one small and one large lap around the city.

Of course there could only be one winner, and shortly after four miles with the leading group reduced to Treacy, Cram, Kiernan and Richard Mulligan, the local hero moved marginally ahead and crossed the line first to a tumultuous reception in a time of 25:50. Mulligan and Kiernan were credited with similar times in second and third with former world mile record holder Cram a second behind in fourth.

The following day’s Cork Examiner gave Treacy’s farewell race extensive coverage and included a classic picture, taken by Dan Linehan. It shows Coghlan, Cram, Dick Hooper, Richard Mulligan and of course Treacy (wearing No 1 on the long-sleeve T-shirt given to every runner) setting the pace in the early stages.

Also prominent is a man no stranger to the athletics scene in the Cork area and beyond, Martin Drake from Youghal, now Chairman of the East Cork Divisional Board.

As can be seen in the picture, Martin is smiling at some remark passed by the ‘Chairman of the Boards’. But, like that iconic photograph of hurling legends Christy Ring and Mick Mackey from the 1957 Munster Semi-Final, the question must be asked - what DID Eamonn Coghlan say to Martin Drake on that autumn Sunday 20 years ago?

The results of the race can be seen HERE

Notice...Dungarvan 10 mile road race - Sun 31st Jan 2016

Now as we head towards the end of 2015, it's time to look ahead to the Spring of 2016 and what lies ahead. This is the traditional season for 10 mile road races in Munster and the four big ones are Ballycotton, Dungarvan, Mallow and Cobh.

The first one up is the John Treacy Dungarvan 10 mile road race on Sunday the 31st of January 2016. This is one of the best road races in Munster and it attracts runners from all over the country. Please note there is an entry limit of 2,500 this year and it will almost certainly close well before race day. The entry fee is €25 and that includes a Nike dry-fit running top. It really is an excellent top and better than most you'd get in any race.

If you are interested in doing this race then I would strongly urge you to enter as soon as possible. While it doesn't sell out as fast as the Ballycotton 10 race, it does sell out earlier every year. Decide if you're doing it and enter.

Here are some details from the organising club West Waterford AC...Entries are now open for the 25th Annual John Treacy Dungarvan 10 which will be held on Sunday January 31st 2016. West Waterford Athletic Club have announced details of the event which has established itself as a must run race on the Irish road running calendar with participants from all four corners of the country and beyond participating. The race has grown year on year and is a pre entry race which will close when 2,500 entries is reached. (please note this race was full in a very short time last year).

West Waterford Athletic Club is delighted with the support it receives from its sponsor for this event. We are fortunate to have the support of the local authorities, Glaxosmithkline, Tipperary Water, Flahavan’s, Déise Design, Go Dungarvan smarter travel, Nike,Ger Wyley Sports  along with many other local businesses and individuals who are all giving valuable support helping to make the day a great occasion for the town of Dungarvan. The race also incorporates the popular John Treacy Club Challenge Cup for men’s and ladies teams which has proved to be hugely competitive. We will again be calling on all the athletic clubs of Ireland to take on the challenge in the 2016 event.

The John Treacy Dungrvan 10 brings together the ideal race combination of fun runners, joggers, club athletes and top class internationals who compete over a fast flat 10 mile course around the historic town of Dungarvan ,we look forward to welcoming you to our town on January 31st 2016. Don't be disappointed as many were last year get your entry in soon.

All race details can be found at www.dungarvan10mile.org

You can also enter here... https://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=26569452

The full race flyer with entry form can be found HERE

Preview.....A full preview of the course with photos and directions can be seen HERE 

Martin Fagan & Lizzie Lee win Waterford Half-Marathon..Sat 6th Dec 2014

One of the biggest races in Munster over the weekend was of course the Half-Marathon in Waterford. Over the years, the local club Waterford AC have built this up and it has gone from a few hundred a few years ago to just over 1500 last Saturday.

The mens race was won by the somewhat controversial figure of Martin Fagan who served a 2 year ban for taking the performance enhancing drug EPO. He was over 4 minutes ahead of the rest of the field at the finish and won in an impressive time of 1:04:16. This was also a new course record and was over 2 minutes ahead of the old record of 1:06:37.

In the womens race, Lizzie Lee of Leevale AC was in flying form just 5 months after the birth of her first child. Not only did she record a new personal best time of 1:14:30 but she also broke the old course record by a huge 3m 33s.

Links to results and photos on the Running in Munster site.

Tony Mangan's world Tour ends this month with a 1600km run around Ireland

Tony Mangan is an Ultra-Marathon runner from Dublin who has spent the last four years running 50,000kms around the world. After starting the journey at the Dublin City Marathon in October of 2010, he is currently running 1600kms around Ireland and will finish his journey at the Dublin City Marathon on the 27th of October 2014.

This is his schedule for the rest of the month. If you want to join Tony for a few miles or for further information, e-mail siobhanclifford42 AT gmail DOT com

(Subject to change)
Monday 6th ... Ballydesmond to Tralee.
Tuesday 7th ... Tralee to Killarney Via Killorglin.
Wednesday 8th ... Killarney to Kenmare.
Thursday 9th ... Kenmare to Bantry
Friday 10th ... Bantry to Mizen Head
Saturday 11th ... Mizen Head to Ballydehob
Sunday 12th Ballydehob to Clonakility.
Monday 13th Clonakilty to Cork
Tues 14th...Rest
Wed 15th...Cork to Castlemartyr
Thurs 16th...Castlemartyr to Dungarvan
Fri 17th...Dungarvan to Waterford
Sat 18th...Waterford to Kilkenny
Sun 19th...Rest
Mon 20th...Kilkenny to New Ross
Tues 21st...New Ross to Wexford
Wed 22nd...Wexford to Gorey
Thurs 23rd...Gorey to Rathdrum via Arklow
Fri 24th...Wicklow to Bray
Sat 25th...Bray via Dun Laoghaire / Blackrock to Dublin City Marathon start
Sun 26th...Rest
Mon 27th...Dublin City Marathon

Tony has his own website here... http://www.theworldjog.com/blog/

Preview of the Dungarvan 10 mile race...Sun 26th Jan 2014

The big race next weekend is of course the John Treacy Dungarvan 10 mile road race on Sunday. Hopefully the weather will be a little bit dryer this year ;o)

Full preview of the course here... http://munsterraceroutes.blogspot.ie/2013/03/waterford009.html

David McCarthy finishes 9th in indoor mile in Idaho

David McCarthy from Waterford was in action again over the weekend in a mile race in the NCAA Indoor Championships in Nampa, Idaho. Looking at the stats, it seems to have been a relatively slow race with McCarthy in second place for most of it but losing out in the last lap to finish in 9th place.

In the first heat the previous day, McCarthy ran 4:06.66 to finish in 2nd place and qualify for the final.

David McCarthy wins 3k race in New York in 7:57

Back in late January, I had a post about David McCarthy from Waterford winning a mile race in Boston in an impressive time of 3:55.75

Last Sunday (19th Feb 2012), David was in action at the Armory Indoor track in New York for the Big East meet. He won the 3,000 metre race in a time of 7:57.50

The video clip below is a bit shaky but still ok to watch...(David is in the Black and White singlet)

 Not only did David McCarthy break the 8 minute barrier but he also set a new 3,000 metre record for this particular Big East meet. The previous record was held by Mark Carroll of Leevale AC (8:01.56)

3000m Run
Meet Record: 8:01.56, Mark Carroll, Providence (1995)
Armory Collegiate Record: 7:49.98, Richard Kiplagat, Iona (2006)

Finals
  1  1132 David McCarthy      SR Providence             7:57.50M 10  
  2   924 Andrew Springer     SO Georgetown             7:59.55M  8  
  3  1282 Mathew Mildenhall   SO Villanova              8:04.45   6  
  4  1136 Shane Quinn         FR Providence             8:05.22   5  
  5  1292 Ryan Sheridan       SR Villanova              8:05.79   4 

Closing date for cheap entries to the Dungarvan 10 is next Friday...

Just a reminder that the closing date for entries to the Dungarvan 10 mile road race (Sun 29th Jan 2012) in next Friday, the 16th of December. Up to Friday, it costs €15 to enter. After that, it's €20.

This race has grown in popularity in the last few years. Not so long ago, this race would get several hundred entries and the organisers were aiming to hit the 1,000 mark in future years. Now, they have a limit of 1,500 entries and it's full every year.

Before, you could almost forget about this race until the new year and then enter in January. Not anymore. As of last weekend, they had 550 entries which is well up on the number at this point last year. Considering that leaves less than 1000 place and entries will start to come in fast and furious now, it makes sense to get in early at the cheap rate.

Why do it?.........There are several reasons.....
1) If you didn't manage to get into Ballycotton then this is a real alternative. For €15, you get a well organised race with chip timing and a dry-fit running top. Post race, there are loads of refreshments, showers, etc. Parking is easy and it's only 1 hour from Cork City. In many ways, it's a lot easier to get to and a lot less hassle than Ballycotton on race day.
2) As there is a 5 week gap between Dungarvan and Ballycotton, many people will do both.
3) It is also the 1st race of 4 in the John Buckley Sports Munster Ten-Mile Spring Classics Series (Dungarvan/Ballycotton/Mallow/Kilnaboy).

Note from the organisers.....
JOHN TREACY DUNGARVAN 10 MILE ROAD RACE...Sunday January 29th 1pm

EARLY BIRD ENTRY CLOSES THIS FRIDAY DECEMBER 16TH.

The speed at which the entries are pouring in has escalated over the past week and as the event is a pre-entry race only we urge participants to get their entry in A.S.A.P.

Our early bird entry fee of €15 will close on this Friday 16th December at midnight and the final chance to enter will close on January 16th with no entries taken on race day!

You can enter on line with Active Europe ( a small charge applies) or download an entry form from the race website www.dungarvan10mile.org  and post to the address on the form.

Races this weekend...26th & 27th Feb 2011

There are no races in Cork this weekend but there are in neighbouring counties.

On Sat 26th, Gneeveguilla AC are holding a 5k race in Killarney, Co.Kerry. This is the 1st of 4 races in their 5k series which have proved to be very popular with runners in the Kingdom. The entry fee is only €5 and it starts at 11am.

On Sun 27th, there are 2 races to choose from. In Castleconnell to the NE of Limerick, there is a 10 km road race at 2pm. In West Waterford, there is a 10 km road race in Dungarvan. The entry fee is €8 and it starts at 11am.

More details on all of these race on the Running in Munster website.

Looking ahead to the weather for next weekend...Sat 11th Dec

The big events coming up next weekend are the Marathon & Half-Marathon in Clonakilty in West Cork and the Half-Marathon in Waterford. It's pretty obvious from talking to people that a fair number of runners from Cork will be doing one of these races.

The big question now of course is what will the weather be like for next Saturday and will all of the events go ahead?

The current forecast is that a high pressure system will establish itself near Ireland and will in effect block some of the cold polar winds that we have been getting for the last week to 10 days. It is predicted that a thaw will set in on Thurs and on Friday with temperatures up around 6 to 9 deg C. The weather for Saturday looks pretty good.....no rain....light winds and it may well be bright. The issue however is not the weather, it's really about the condition of the roads. Will there be snow / slush / ice / black ice on the roads?

Waterford.........The Waterford Half-Marathon route basically starts in the Waterford City, runs to Tramore on the coast and back again. This is a photo from RTE News of Tramore on Tuesday afternoon, the 7th of Dec.

Obviously if that gets compacted and freezes, it will take a while to thaw out. Parts of the route are on the hard shoulder of the main road and I presume that won't have been treated by the council?

The organisers Waterford AC have issued the following statement...
"Waterford AC are continuing to monitor the weather and road situation like everyone else in the country. We will make a final decision on Thursday at noon whether the run will go ahead or not on Saturday. We want the run to go ahead but safety is paramount and we will consult with the Guards whether they think it will be safe to proceed with race. Please bear with us. "

Clonakilty......the situation in Clonakilty is more promising in that it is probably an issue of whether there is ice on the roads or not. Met Eireann are forecasting the following for Friday night...."Frost will be confined mainly to southern and southeastern parts on Friday night ". With the race starting at 9am, there will be no time for the roads to thaw if there is ice.

Obviously it is a very difficult situation for the organisers of both events. Do they cancel or don't they? Hopefully the milder temperatures on Thursday and Friday will sort things out.
Keep checking for updates to make sure that these races are going ahead. There is no point wasting a long trip only to find that the race has been cancelled.