Cork City Marathon 2013: Fees set to rise on April 1st!

There are just over nine weeks to go to the start of the Cork City Marathon 2013. The current entry fees remain valid until the 31st of March. From the 1st of April you’ll have to cough up an extra €10 and an extra €20 from the 1st of May. So, don’t be an April fool. Unless you’ve got money to burn, log on and enter before Easter Monday. Athletics may be a minority sport, vying for column inches with Pigeon Racing and Darts, but for one glorious (I hope) Bank Holiday Monday in June, the tunnel is closed, traffic diverted and Athletes given free rein of the streets. The city doesn’t do that for Football, Hurling, Rugby, Soccer or any other sport that I can think of. This is indeed a privilege and one that perhaps shouldn’t be taken for granted. Whatever your plans for the day, Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Relay, Steward or Spectator, get out there and lend your support. Ah sure forget all about Cypress boy! Stay at home and prepare for a strong run on the Banks.

Cork City Marathon 2013 Entry Fees

The Cork City Marathon is also an ideal opportunity to raise much needed funds for local charities. For no other reason than it being first through the mail box, I’ll mention the Cork Simon Community. This organisation works tirelessly throughout the year giving assistance to homeless men and women. With the current extended cold spell, you’ll appreciate just how important it is to provide and a warm bed and sustenance to the city’s homeless population. If you’d like to help by taking part in a Run, Walk or Cycle, you can get a sponsorship card, t-shirt or running vest by contacting Nini on (021) 4929410 or nini@corksimon.ie

Cork Simon Community, St Nicholas House, Cove Street, Cork
Tel:
(021) 4321051  Email: fundraising@corksimon.ie

Holy week weather looks madder than a March hare!

Bitterly cold, with temperatures just 2 to 6°C in an easterly wind

According to the calendar, it’s holy week, the lead up to the Easter festivities. However, somebody’s forgotten to inform the weather man. According to Met Éireann, average daytime temperatures for the end of March should be around 10°C.  Not so for the coming week. Instead of south-westerly Atlantic winds, the prevailing wind direction for Holy Week is easterly and the source of the air mass being fed in across Ireland is Siberia.  Expected daytime temperatures will at best be only 2°C to 6°C with dew-point temperatures below zero. And with blustery easterly winds, the wind-chill temperature will in fact be well below zero.

Weather forecast for Cork region from Monday 25th March 2013

Thus, we can all look forward to a bitterly cold week. It shouldn’t be necessary to issue a weather advisory, but the reality is many people pay little or no attention to weather forecasts. If you’re planning to be out and about this week, especially at night, you’ll need to wrap up well. It’s not just the air temperature; it’s the wind chill factor, which can chill you to the bone in no time. Adopt the layered principle – two to three layers, plus a high visibility vest. And wear a woolly cap and gloves. You’ll lose an awful lot of body heat by exposing your noggin, and cold fingers can quickly lose their dexterity. Above all, be sensible and keep your core body temperature up in this type of weather. If core temperature falls by as little as half a degree the body starts decreasing blood supply to the extremities, i.e. the hands and feet. At one degree you’ll start to feel faint. Remember, if you get too warm, it’s very easy to shed a layer or two, but if you haven’t budgeted for the opposite scenario, you’ll start to slow down and the more you slow the colder you get.

High-visibility vests can also double up as very effective wind breakers. Around March/April, wind strength and direction can vary unpredictably. I always carry one of these vests either on me or folded in my hand, day and night. If I start to feel cold, I’ll put it on back to front to protect my core from the navel up to the neck. Not very pretty, but very effective! Finally, always keep a five Euro note (coins are heavy) in your pocket in case you have a mishap and need to catch a bus back to base. I recently twisted an ankle near CIT and had to limp back to the Mardyke on a bitter cold evening with no cash for the bus. Be prepared for the unexpected!

Getting to the Munster Masters 4 Mile Road Champs, Moyglass, Fethard, Sunday 24-Mar-2013, 1pm

Moyglass Sports & Leisure Centre (left) from Moyglass Village

Registration for this event will be at the Moyglass Sports & Leisure Centre (Google: 52.525621, -7.720664). There are parking facilities at the Centre and in the disused car park across the road. Parking is also available (one side of road only) between Moyglass village (Google: 52.524166, -7.717885) and Moyglass National School (Google: 52.527815, -7.708454).

(Open Google Maps, copy and paste above numbers into the search box and hit enter)

From Cork City to The Hawthorns (Point E) is 105km (01h:15m). Take the M8 as far as Cashel. At junction 8 (Point A), take the R692 exit to ​Cashel/​Clonmel. Take 3rd exit at the roundabout onto R692. Take the 1st exit at the next roundabout and stay on R692.

Drive 7.6km to Point B and turn left here (Signpost Moyglass)

Drive 1.6km to Point C and turn left here.

Drive 3.2km to Point D and turn left onto The Hawthorns.

BARRS do well at the Munster Senior & Novice Roads

Red vests to the fore! Photo by Gearoid O'Laoi

A small group of hardy club members competed at the Munster Senior & Novice Road Championships braving the elements on a bitterly cold, wet and windy day in North Cork. The combined Novice and Senior races were run over a four Mile course in and around Newtownshandrum. 

In the Women’s race, club members Denise Twohig and Karina Teahan had top ten finishes in an overall field of 48 runners. Karina was also a scoring member on the Kerry team as they took the Senior title with a marginal victory over Cork.

Denise Twohig and Gill Cotter were scoring members on the Cork team as they edged out Kerry for the Novice title. With just three Women available on the day, the ladies were out of contention in the Novice race.

In the Men’s race, Alex O’Shea was first home for the BARRS finishing 15th in an overall field of 67 runners. James Philip King was a scoring member on the Cork team as they overcame Clare and Limerick to take the Senior title.

Alex O’Shea was a scoring member on the Cork team that overcame Limerick and Clare to take the Novice title. Club members Alex O’Shea, Philip James King, Martin O’Reilly and Declan Murphy were scoring members on the BARRS team as they finished runners-up to West Limerick in the Novice.

Glenn Dollard, Denis Gould and David Butler also put in strong performances in support of the team. Well done to all those who participated on the day.

Munster Masters 4 Mile Road Championships, Moyglass, Fethard, Co. Tipperary, Sunday 24-Mar-2013, 1pm

The Munster Masters 4 Mile Road Championships take place on Sunday, 24-Mar-2013 at 1pm in Moyglass, Co. Tipperary. The Masters categories are Men O/35 & O/50 and Women O/35 & O/45. Please note that this is an AAI event, so participants will be required to wear the club singlet. Athletes representing Cork will receive a county singlet on the day.

Women County O/35: 12 Athletes, 4 to score
Women County O/50: 12 Athletes, 3 to score
Women Club O/35: 12 Athletes, 3 to score
Women Club O/50: 12 Athletes, 3 to score

Men County O/35: 15 Athletes, 6 to score
Men County O/50: 15 Athletes, 4 to score
Men Club O/35: 12: Athletes, 4 to score
Men Club O/50: 12: Athletes, 3 to score

Doubtless, many of you will have fond memories of the club’s last visit to Moyglass for the Munster Masters XC 2009, a veritable mud fest on a bitterly cold November’s day. Moyglass is somewhat off the beaten track, about 7 Miles due east of Cashel, and a perfect opportunity to put those Satnavs to the test.

Google Maps Coordinates: 52.524198, -7.717831

(Open Google Maps, copy and paste the numbers into the search box and hit enter)

Participating athletes must be registered (paid-up) club members for 2013. Please text or email your entries to the competition secretary [compsec@stfinbarrsac.com] as soon as possible.

Ballycotton 10 Sunday, 3rd March, 2013

There were some fantastic performances by Barr’s athletes again in Ballycotton yesterday. Scanning through the provisional results there are a lot of Barr’s members in the Top 100 and some fantastic times posted by people.

Allen Whitaker was 3rd M40. Cathal O Connell was 1st M45 (21st overall). Tony Archer was 1st M50 and Eamonn McEvoy was 2nd M55.

In the ladies Claire McCarthy was third lady home in a great performance, Margo Dinan was 2nd F45 (with a pb!) and Mary Sweeney was 1st F50.

Great performances. If I missed anyone apologies as this was from scanning the provisional results and I will update this to correct any errors or omissions when the proper results are out with the list of category winners.

Well done to all who ran so well on a nice day for running (despite the wind coming back!).