Elle O'Sullivan McCarthy completes 250km run from Dublin to Cork in 4-days...

Well done to Elle O'Sullivan McCarthy who completed her 4-day journey from the historic GPO in Dublin to Cork County Hall, a distance of some 250 kilometres. 

Results & Photos of the Charleville Half-Marathon - Sun 14th Sept 2025

Ava Crean, aged just 19 finishes first and gets €1150 in prize money

The 2025 edition of the Charleville Half-Marathon was held on Sunday 14th September 2025 on what was a wet morning.

Top 6 men & women...
1. 1518 David MC GLYNN 1. M Waterford A.C. 1:05:43 - €1150 
2. 1615 Liam ALDRIDGE 2. M 1:06:52 - €500
3. 1496 John TRAVERS 3. M Donore Harriers A.C. 1:07:12 - €425
4. 1610 Sean TOBIN 4. M Clonmel A.C. 1:08:19 - €350
5. 1810 Joshua BURGESS 5. M 1:09:06 - €300
6. 1842 Kane COLLINS 6. M Donore Harriers A.C. 1:09:45 - €250

1. 98 Ava CREAN 1. F Back 2 Boston 1:15:22 - €1150
2. 1218 Dee GRADY 2. F Ennis Track A.C. 1:16:54 - €500
3. 1328 Alex MURPHY 3. F U.C.D. A.C. 1:19:22 - €425
4. 1774 Mila GELDENHUYS 4. F Galway City Harriers A.C. 1:19:34 - €350
5. 491 Jennifer MARTIN 5. F 1:23:17 - €300  
6. 531 Catherine MURPHY 1. F45 1. F45 Eagle A.C. 1:23:21 - €250

Full results HERE

In case you're wondering, Back 2 Boston is a Limerick based organisation which aims to help individuals from disadvantaged areas by providing them with the opportunity to run a marathon and ultimately guide runners to qualify and hopefully participate in a future Boston Marathon. 

Photos... 

1) Richard Peyton has a gallery HERE

2) Sweaty Snaps has the following finish line photos...

a) Album 1 b) Album 2 c) Album 3 d) Album 4 

Numbers... If we look at the numbers, there were 1580 finishers this year which is up 1.3% on last year. The real story here is not the 1.3% but how it compares to 2024.

The chart above shows the finisher numbers since 2011. You can see the pre-pandemic numbers, the collapse afterwards which was typical of many races and then the recovery.

In 2024, the Charleville event doubled up as the Irish national half-marathon championships and it got a boost from that. 

The question for 2025 was if the numbers would hold up this year as the championships moved up to Tullamore? As the numbers show, they managed to hold onto the 1500 or so finishers.

International???... I also noticed that they are still using the title '2025 Charleville International Half Marathon'. Looking through the top finishers, there is still no evidence that it is any way an international race despite using this title after all these years.

It would probably best be described as a large regional Irish half-marathon. In 2024, it was the 13th largest on the island and it should make the top 15 again this year.

Photo sent on by Sinead Power...

Gwan Ye Gud Things!!....Some of the Eagle AC crew at the Charleville Half Marathon (L-R) Gearoid O'Flynn, Prionsias O'Keefe, Ian O'Brien, Jane Power & Sinead Power

Cork runner Fearghal Curtin sets new personal best time in Copenhagen Half-Marathon in 60:22 - 14th Sept 2025

Fearghal Curtin of Youghal AC set a new personal best time of 60m 22s in the Copenhagen Half-Marathon on Sunday 14th of September 2025.

Name #race number Position Pace / km Time
Fearghal Curtin #17 (Ireland) 8 02:52 01:00:22

Fearghal was ranked in the start line as 17th in a field with five of the elites having personal best times under the hour and he finished the race in 8th place in the Danish capital.

Michael Harty was also competing in the same race and finished with an impressive time of 66m 10s

Michael Harty #157 | East Cork (Ireland) 68 03:08 01:06:10

This was just outside the time of 65:34 which he set recently in Antrim and was a new Irish M40 record.

As far as I know, this is a new Irish Half-Marathon record. The previous record was 60:51 which was jointly held by Efrem Gidey in the 2024 Copenhagen Half-Marathon and by Hiko Tonosa in Seville in January of 2025.

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 13th Sep 2025

Results of the 5k parkruns around the county on Saturday 13th September 2025. Approximately 1064  runners and walkers took part in the 11 events in Co Cork.

Tramore Valley Park... Well done to Paul Higgins who completed his 100th 5k parkrun! Paul did 39 at Tramore Valley Park, 39 at Ballincollig and the balance at 15 other locations.

Youghal (Pobalscoil ne Tríonóide)... Well done to Maria Robinson who completed her 100th parkrun and all of them were at the Youghal event.

If I missed anyone who passed a notable milestone like 100, 200, 250 or above parkruns then let me know.

***

Ballincollig Regional Park: 309 this week, 316 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Govinda O'SULLIVAN Male SM25-29 Eagle A.C. 16:59

2 David BUTLER Male VM35-39 St Finbarrs AC 18:59

3 Tj BROSNAN Male SM30-34 Togher AC 19:25

6 Karen HAYES Female SW20-24 19:40

18 Mari BURKE Female VW45-49 21:34

19 Patricia VICARIO Female VW45-49 21:45

Ballincollig results... https://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/392/

Tramore Valley Park: 240 this week, 175 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Thomas BROWNE Male SM18-19 17:16

2 Brian COLLINS Male SM25-29 18:39

3 Unknown  

10 Niamh CRONIN Female VW45-49 St Finbarrs AC 20:15

20 Isabelle CROWLEY Female JW11-14 21:18

32 Anna HAZELTON Female VW45-49 Meltham AC 22:33

Tramore Valley Park results... https://www.parkrun.ie/tramorevalley/results/170/

Glen River: 75 this week, 58 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Marcus BISHOP Male SM30-34 17:51

2 David CARRASCO COQUILLAT Male SM20-24 19:53

3 Niall HYLAND Male VM45-49 Frontrunners Cork 20:12

15 Mags HASSETT Female VW50-54 St Finbarrs AC 24:55

20 Ann Marie DONLON Female VW50-54 26:13

21 Catherine DEENIHAN Female VW55-59 UCC Staff Athletics Club 26:14

Glen River results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glenriver/results/276/

Midleton Greenway: 107 this week, 120 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Struan SIMPSON Male VM35-39 18:17

2 James 0 MAHONY Male VM35-39 18:25

3 Brendan MAGUIRE Male VM45-49 18:36

6 Emily OSHEA Female SW20-24 20:04

29 Emily HEALY Female JW11-14 24:42

33 Helen LEONARD Female VW50-54 Leevale AC 25:17

Midleton Greenway... https://www.parkrun.ie/midletongreenway/results/33/

Mallow Castle: 61 this week, 68 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Scott BYRON Male SM30-34 18:18

2 Tim KEANE Male SM30-34 19:26

3 Matthew COOKE Male JM15-17 19:27

13 Aileen BUCKLEY Female SW30-34 24:44

14 Susan BYRON Female VW55-59 25:04

15 Kate MCSWEENEY Female SW30-34 25:07

Mallow results... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/198/

Youghal (Pobalscoil ne Tríonóide) : 52 this week, 49 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Noel EARLY Male VM40-44 19:20

2 Derek SMYTH Male VM45-49 19:22

3 Robert RIORDAN Male SM18-19 19:35

6 Shannon SOTOK Female SW30-34 21:14

14 Saoirse KINSELLA Female JW11-14 22:55

15 Laura BEAUSANG Female JW11-14 23:14

Youghal results... https://www.parkrun.ie/pobalscoilnatrionoide/results/176/

Macroom Castle Demense: 51 this week, 46 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Conrad WATT Male VM35-39 Cork Track Club 19:08

3 David BRADLEY Male JM11-14 20:07

4 Conor LUCEY Male VM40-44 20:57

2 Martina KIELY Female VW40-44 St Finbarrs AC 19:29

16 Margaret LUCEY Female VW45-49 25:44

18 Sharon O'SULLIVAN Female SW25-29 26:04

Macroom results... https://www.parkrun.ie/macroomcastledemesne/results/543/

Clonakilty: 42 this week, 42 last week. 

First 3 men & women...

1 Kevin O'BYRNE Male VM35-39 20:02 

2 Henry HUGHES Male VM35-39 Thames Valley Harriers 20:39

3 Unknown

7 Sandra WALSH Female VW55-59 23:33

10 Marie PIGOTT Female VW35-39 24:16

19 Eileen QUIRKE Female VW45-49 28:02

Clonakilty results... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/results/497/

Glengarriff Woods: 62 this week, 36 last week.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Ray SMITH Male VM60-64 Kenmare Athletics Club 20:50

2 Cashel HEFFERNAN Male JM11-14 22:06

3 Stephen O'SULLIVAN Male VM55-59 22:41

6 Pippa O SULLIVAN Female JW11-14 23:49

9 Meave QUINLAN Female VW40-44 23:58

11 Denise HEFFERNAN Female JW10 24:35

Glengarriff results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glengarriff/results/417/

Bere Island: 48 this week, 45 last week. 

First 3 men & women...

1 Michelagh MURPHY Female SW20-24 20:53

4 Mary COTTER Female VW60-64 Tracton AC 25:56 

6 Leahanne SULLIVAN Female SW25-29 26:57

2 Stephen BARKER Male VM65-69 21:59

3 Mike O'GRADY Male VM55-59 Horsham Joggers 25:09

5 Edward STEL Male VM55-59 26:24

Bere Island results... https://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/results/509/

Castlehaven (Rineen Woods): 17 finishers this week, 27 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Dermot O'LYNN Male VM40-44 24:47

2 Matthew SELLARS Male JM15-17 27:04

3 Sasha LARIE Male VM35-39 28:21

4 Anne Marie MINIHANE Female VW55-59 28:49

6 Frances LYNCH Female VW60-64 Sanctuary Runners 30:34

7 Celine BUCKLEY Female VW50-54 Castlehaven GAA 31:58

Castlehaven results... https://www.parkrun.ie/castlehaven/results/429/

For more information about the weekly 5k parkruns in Co Cork, go to this page HERE.

Guest Post: A Journey... by Pat Walsh

 * A Journey *

A Journey of 10 years starts with a simple post. 10 years ago this weekend I put my first post on my page. It was this picture of some of my Ballycotton 10 running mugs in an effort to gain credibility as a writer about running. A start, one foot in front of the other.

I’m still struggling to get that credibility in my own head, as I regularly read the articles, posts, pages by other more experienced runners. People with honours and international recognition, runners that have achieved fast times, runners with degrees in literature who are far more eloquent and better wordsmiths than myself.

All you get here is ramblings and dubious quotes. From TS Eliot to T Swift, from Heaney to Eminem I have quoted, paraphrased, made curious analogies and generally murdered them all. But it has been fun doing it in an effort to encourage you all. And we are still moving and dare I say running.

One thing I have come to realise is that very few people talk to the ordinary runners of the world. The top elite are over represented in articles about how to do well on the international stage but very few write about the struggle to run a 5k in 30mins. We are all runners.

What the future holds for me I don’t know. 10 years ago I was running marathons, now I have a 5k limit on my runs. I’m being positive, I’m still active. I use these posts sometimes to analyse my own mental state and how I’m feeling. During Covid times they were vital to my mental sanity.

'Don't worry about the future
Or worry, but know that worrying
Is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing Bubble gum'…… Baz

Thanks to everyone who as ever contacted, liked, put in a funny comment, encouraged me or was just part of the page. I very rarely receive negative comments or messages thankfully and in the cesspit that can be social media I’m very grateful to everyone for that. I suppose if you try to be positive, funny, light hearted and encouraging, then it is hard to pick faults with that. Anyway I really don’t take myself too seriously so I wouldn’t expect anyone else to either.

I would also like to thank anyone who has ever approached me at a race or other event to say kind words about my posts. It is much valued and appreciated, as I sometimes wonder about what I write. Don’t ever be shy about saying hello, it is our social outlet.

I leave with my a quote from WB Yeats and my favourite poem, Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven:

But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
Have a lovely weekend. Maybe next week I will write some brilliant analytical insight into the mindset of top athletes, or, maybe I won’t…….!

#pwr

Jack Daniels - RIP

Jack Daniels was a well known sports scientist and running coach in the United States and the author of many popular books on the subject.

On the 12th of September 2025, he passed away aged 92.

A look at the numbers for the Cork BHAA summer road races - 2025

The Cork BHAA hold some of the most popular road races in Cork and they recently had their last summer evening road race for 2025. I had a look at the numbers to see if there are any trends.

The following 10 races were held in both 2024 and 2025...  John Buckley Sports 5k, PwC 5k, Gas Networks Ireland 5k, Musgrave 5k, Stryker 4m, Sterling 5k, Apple Employees 5k, Pfizers 6m, DePuy Synthes 4m, ThermoFisher 4m.

If we were to examine one race on its own then it might be skewed by say a wet evening one year and a dry evening the following year. By looking at a pool of races, factors like the weather tend to cancel out and we can see what the real trend might be like.

As the graphic above shows, the numbers were up for five of the Cork BHAA evening races in 2025 and were down for five compared to 2024.

The average number of finishers for the ten races above was 560 which is impressive in itself and that was up just 1.5% on 2024.

Post Pandemic... If we look at back at the summer races for the 2022 to 2025, there are 7 races which were held every year. For example, the Apple race didn't start until 2024.

After the pandemic, there was a big drop in race numbers and there was strong growth afterwards.

You can see from the chart above, the average number for the selected 7 races moves upwards and then beginning to flatten out in 2025.

The growth went from 22% in 2024 to 4% in 2025.

And the future?... If we use the chart as a guide then it certainly suggests that the Cork BHAA numbers will level off in 2026 and there will be no growth .

The club races in Cork have followed in a similar fashion and I've noticed this year that some of the road races in north Cork have shown no growth or have even dropped.

As I've outlined in a previous post, there does seem to be general increase in the entry fees for club races and it remains to be seen if this is going to become a factor in the race numbers going forward.

At the end of the year, I'll have a look at the BHAA numbers for the year as a whole.

Medal mistake at the 2025 Great North Run

The Great North Run in Newcastle in the NE of England is billed as the largest half-marathon in the world and it was held last Sunday 7th of September with approximately 66,000 participants crossing the finish line.

The finishers medal is shown above which is supposed to be an aerial view of Newcastle, Gateshead, South Shields and the River Tyne. The only problem is that it was a map of the neighbouring city of Sunderland!

In a statement, the organisers said: "To answer the rumours that this was the route reveal for next year… sorry to disappoint, it's a mistake. Lots of people looked very closely at the designs and none of us picked it up. We had Newcastle United stars on the start line and the Stadium of Light on the medal. The Great North Run is truly a celebration of the region, even more so than we had planned."

Some photos of the Very Pink Run in Cork - Sun 7th Sept 2025

The Very Pink Run charity run was held at MTU in Cork on Sunday 7th September 2025 with a 5k and 10k on offer. I'm not sure that the numbers were but it certainly seemed to be in the thousands.

There were no times for this event as the proceeds went to Breast Cancer Ireland.

From their website... "Of the entry fee – how much goes to Breast Cancer Ireland?

The event costs associated with this event are covered through the generosity of our many sponsors, so entry fee income and sponsorship funds raised, go to support our ongoing research and awareness efforts."

I took about 260 photos around 1pm...

Links...

Album 1 of 4
Album 2 of 4
Album 3 of 4
Album 4 of 4

Results of the Glengarriff 5-mile - Sat 6th Sep 2025

The Glengarriff 5-mile road race was held on a wet Saturday 6th of September 2025.

Cork runner John Meade wins 2025 Dingle Half-Marathon

(L-R) Race director Ken Dunne presenting the winners trophy to John Meade

The 2025 edition of the Dingle Marathon was held on Saturday 6th of September on what turned out to be a windy day with a lot of showers, in marked contrast to the sunshine in 2024.

There were 739 finishers in the 42.2 km full marathon while an impressive 1816 runners completed this 21.1km half-marathon course which took in the iconic Slea Head.

John Meade of St Finbarr's AC was the first man home in the half-marathon with a time of 1h 13m 45s.

Half- Marathon - Top 3 men & women...
 1 John MEADE 1:13:45 3076 M M45 St. Finbarrs A.C.
2 Shane FITZGERALD 1:14:31 4020 M MS
3 Matthew MCCULLAGH 1:14:49 3004 M MS
1 Lisa MADDEN 1:24:58 2932 F FS Sportsworld A.C.
2 Susan GLENNON 1:25:30 2562 F FS Mullingar Harriers A.C.
3 Gillian CLYNE 1:26:56 2193 F F40

Marathon - Top 3 men & women...
1 Terence SHANLEY 2:34:43 765 M MS Clane A.C.
2 Evan DINGLE 2:38:42 986 M MS
3 Matt DOHERTY 2:39:39 987 M MS
1 Tatyana STEIS 3:17:42 1310 F F50
2 Laura ROONEY 3:21:51 740 F F45 Watergrasshill A.C.
3 Esmé NANDORFY-FISCHLIN 3:22:32 1205 F FS

Full results of both events HERE

Results of the 5k parkruns in Cork - Sat 6th Sep 2025

Results of the 5k parkruns around the county on Saturday 6th September 2025. Approximately 982   runners and walkers took part in the 11 events in Co Cork.

After all the rain the previous Saturday, there was a jump in numbers this week for the parkruns in Co Cork.

Ballincollig... Thomas Murphy completed his 100th 5k parkrun of which 48 were in Cork and 52 were in Edinburgh.  Well done to Noël Healy who completed his 250th 5k parkrun of which 247 were in Ballincollig.

Midleton... Jennifer Martin of Leevale AC set a new female course record this weekend at the Midleton 5k parkrun with a time of 17m 56s.

Also at the Midleton event, Donie O'Connell completed his 100th parkrun!

Well done also to Lorraine McMahon from Dublin who completed her 100th parkrun.

Glen River... Mary Hoare (F80) completed her 200th 5k parkrun at the Glen River event in Cork City this weekend.

Tralee... A shout out to Kerry Constant who hit the 400 mark! Kerry is a familiar face at many of the races in Cork and he has completed parkruns all over the country.

Kerry did his first parkrun in July of 2013 and has completed parkruns as far away as the Netherlands and Denmark.

Bere Island... The home of the big numbers! Well done to Breeda O'Sullivan who completed her 250th 5k parkrun at the event this weekend.

If I missed anyone who passed a notable milestone like 100, 200, 250 or above parkruns then let me know.

***

Ballincollig Regional Park: 152 this week, 271 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Catherine MURPHY Female VW45-49 18:50

62 Rosemary FENTON Female JW11-14 24:44

66 Amy DALY Female SW30-34 Donoughmore AC 24:56

2 Alan O'SULLIVAN Male VM40-44 Eagle A.C. 18:55

3 Joseph MCGEE Male SM20-24 19:15

4 David CARRASCO COQUILLAT Male SM20-24 19:27

Ballincollig results... https://www.parkrun.ie/ballincollig/results/391/

Tramore Valley Park: 175 this week, 152 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Tommy DERVAN Male JM15-17 18:50

2 Trevor O LEARY Male VM45-49 19:28

3 John MULVIHILL Male VM45-49 19:40

14 Emma WANG CASEY Female JW11-14 21:39

29 Laura MAYE Female VW35-39 23:04

32 Kate WALSH Female JW15-17 Togher AC 23:28

Tramore Valley Park results... https://www.parkrun.ie/tramorevalley/results/169/

Glen River: 58 this week, 47 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Marcus BISHOP Male SM30-34 17:34

2 Glen HOARE Male VM45-49 21:10

4 Antonin KIEFFER Male VM45-49 22:28

3 Nollaigh O'NEILL Female VW50-54 21:19

9 Denise TWOHIG Female VW50-54 St Finbarr's AC 23:59

13 Anne WOLFE Female VW50-54 St Finbarr's AC 24:29

Glen River results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glenriver/results/275/

Midleton Greenway: 81 this week, 133 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Jennifer MARTIN Female VW35-39 17:56

4 Anne O'DONOVAN Female VW35-39 19:15

13 Patricia VICARIO Female VW45-49 21:21

2 Brendan MAGUIRE Male VM45-49 18:25

3 Shane COFFEY Male VM35-39 18:38

5 John O'DONOVAN Male VM35-39 19:15

Midleton Greenway... https://www.parkrun.ie/midletongreenway/results/32/

Mallow Castle: 68 this week, 69 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Matthew COOKE Male JM15-17 19:28

2 Daniel BUCKLEY Male SM30-34 20:19

3 Vinny GRIMES Male SM30-34 20:29

13 Elaine O'CALLAGHAN Female VW40-44 23:43

18 Aileen BUCKLEY Female SW30-34 24:24

19 Kate MCSWEENEY Female SW30-34 24:49

Mallow results... https://www.parkrun.ie/mallowcastle/results/197/

Youghal (Pobalscoil ne Tríonóide) : 49 this week, 28 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Alastair MASTERTON Male VM35-39 Parc Bryn Bach Running Club 18:34

2 Dylan BYRNE Male SM20-24 20:12

3 Evan COOPER Male JM11-14 20:38

5 Shannon SOTOK Female SW30-34 21:25

10 Anna PAWLIK Female VW40-44 Youghal AC 23:27

12 Josephine O SULLIVAN Female VW45-49 24:05

Youghal results... https://www.parkrun.ie/pobalscoilnatrionoide/results/175/

Macroom Castle Demense: 46 this week, 46 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Matt HOULIHAN Male JM15-17 20:16

2 Tony OSULLIVAN Male VM40-44 West Muskerry A.C. 20:56

3 Robert FITZGERALD Male JM15-17 21:01

17 McGuinness MARINA Female VW50-54 2018 Operation Transformation 25:39

19 Margaret LUCEY Female VW45-49 25:57

21 Danielle SEXTON Female JW11-14 West Muskerry A.C. 27:22

Macroom results... https://www.parkrun.ie/macroomcastledemesne/results/542/

Clonakilty: 42 this week, 28 last week. 

First 3 men & women...

1 Graham BOURNE Male VM50-54 Kilkenny City Harriers 18:38

2 Kevin O'BYRNE Male VM35-39 19:50

3 Olan MURPHY Male SM20-24 19:56

19 Laura WHITE Female SW25-29 26:38

24 Bethany CRADICK Female SW30-34 28:23

27 Mary RYAN Female VW65-69 30:37

Clonakilty results... https://www.parkrun.ie/clonakilty/results/496/

Glengarriff Woods: 36 this week, 49 last week.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Cormac WHOOLEY Male SM30-34 22:33

4 Seamus O MAHONY Male VM45-49 26:00

5 Jorge SANTOS Male VM50-54 27:03

2 Pippa O SULLIVAN Female JW11-14 23:36

3 Ann HORAN Female VW40-44 25:02

8 Majella O' MAHONY Female VW35-39 27:25

Glengarriff results... https://www.parkrun.ie/glengarriff/results/416/

Bere Island: 45 this week, 61 last week. 

First 3 men & women...

1 Kieran O DONOGHUE Male SM25-29 20:35

3 Tc SOMERS Male VM40-44 20:51

4 James O'SULLIVAN Male VM50-54 22:48

2 Michelagh MURPHY Female SW20-24 20:39

5 Breeda O SULLIVAN Female VW55-59 Beara AC 23:48

7 Joanna PATTERSON Female VW40-44 Dub Runners of Belfast 25:14

Bere Island results... https://www.parkrun.ie/bereisland/results/508/

Castlehaven (Rineen Woods): 27 finishers this week, 25 last week.

First 3 men & women...

1 Brian MCCARTHY Male VM40-44 21:52

2 Niall O'CONNOR Male VM50-54 West Cork Triathlon Club (WCTC) 22:17

3 Dan COLLINS Male VM40-44 Lucan Harriers 22:48

5 Deirdre MCCARTHY Female VW40-44 Manchester Tri Club 25:56

13 Frances LYNCH Female VW60-64 Sanctuary Runners 31:13

16 Scherren LONG Female VW35-39 32:17

Castlehaven results... https://www.parkrun.ie/castlehaven/results/428/

For more information about the weekly 5k parkruns in Co Cork, go to this page HERE.

Guest Post: Much ado about nothing ...by Pat Walsh

 * Much ado about nothing *

Nothing much here, only a personal diary entry. I was about to name the column ‘alive and kicking’ but while I am definitely alive I would be afraid to kick anything in case I get injured, such has been my misfortune this year. I’m ok and it was a test of mental resilience to keep going with setback, followed by backward step, followed by hurdle, discombobulation followed by pitfall. Jay*us it was difficult.

I’m now running 5k again, very slowly I may add, but at least I’m moving. This was August, tail end of Summer where the mojo is back and looking to get going for Autumn and take on something.

But where did Autumn go or in the climate change / season bending world we live in have things gone mad. I enter my local supermarket last week to be assaulted by a MOUNTAIN of sweet boxes all lined up at the door. It was even hard to go around them. Did I miss something? Is Christmas around the corner and have I woken from a deep slumber. In a world where we are fighting health issues and obesity, surely we deserve better than this. Maybe our shop owners think we need to squirrel away and hoard stuff for winter in case of a storm or some catastrophic event. No electricity, no water, roads impassable but it is Ok as I have 15 boxes of Roses in the back of a cupboard. Ffs.

So, after a check of the calendar, I find it is actually September, and we runners should welcome one of the best months of the year to run. It is cooler and no worries of overheating and dehydration. Still bright enough for an early morning or an evening run. For most holidays are over and routine tends to settle in again for most families with school and work. Make your run part of the set routine. And please don’t forget the strength and stretching work. Lesson learned for 2025 for me.

There are plenty of races still on and loads of charity events / challenges that may have some cycling or walking and not always competitive. Something for everyone if you want it. Best of luck to those heading for Marathons as September is the month of the ‘Long Runs’. I actually used to love them and I do miss them. I think some of the long training runs were as memorable as the actual marathon itself. Driving to my 5k parkrun I do envy those I see on the training plan. You are lucky, just know it.

You can still make a mark on the year by moving now or even upping your training after a relaxed Summer. Life is what you make of it. We all hear sad stories of health issues and worse, so be the best you and don’t have regrets when you eventually get around on 25th December to opening the Tin of Sweets you bought in August. Pick an event if you haven’t any goal sorted and just go for it.

‘Pause awhile, And let my counsel sway you.’ Shakespeare, Much ado about nothing.

Have a lovely weekend and make sure to move.

#pwr

A quick look at the Bushy Park parkrun - Aug 2025

I just came across this photo of the Bushy Park 5k parkrun in London which was taken last Saturday the 30th of August 2025.

What stood out for me was the sheer number of finishers... 1812! ...and that's not even a record!

That was made possible with the help of 73 volunteers and of course, it's completely free!

Looking through the results, there's about 1500 finishers most weeks. That's some level of dedication and effort from volunteers every week for a free event.

Results of the Cloughduv 5k - Thurs 4th Sept 2025

First 3 men (L-R)... Niall O’Callaghan 2nd (West Limerick), Anthony Mannix 1st (Cork Track Club) & Padraig O’Donnell 3rd (West Limerick)

The 2025 edition of the Cloughduv 5k was held on Thurs 4th September with 346 taking part, up 8.5% on the figure for 2024.

Top 3 men & women...

1 Anthony Mannix 327 15:52.1
2 Niall O Callaghan 315 16:03.7
3 Padraig O Donnell 309 16:42.2
12 Jean Lucy 362 18:44.0 1st Female
18 Niamh Cronin 330 19:37.4 2nd Female
21 Rebecca Harrington 311 20:23.4 3rd Female

Full results below...

1 Anthony Mannix 327 15:52.1
2 Niall O'Callaghan 315 16:03.7
3 Padraig O'Donnell 309 16:42.2
4 Ray Hinds 10 16:50.3
5 Cian Sheehy 244 17:07.9
6 Elton Heffernan 53 17:46.7
7 Jason O'Mahony (Eagle) 301 17:52.0
8 Mark Kelly (St Finbarrs) 321 18:12.7
9 Cathal Turner 198 18:28.2
10 Tiernan O'Donoghue 331 18:31.2