The National Half Marathon Championship 2013 will be incorporated in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Dublin Half Marathon taking place on the 5th August, 2013 in Dublin City Centre. Up to 8,000 athletes are expected to run the 13.1 mile (21km) route around the streets of Dublin with bands located at every mile to keep both runners and spectators entertained. Starting at St Stephen’s Green, the route takes in some of Dublin’s most iconic landmarks and finishes up on Earlsfort Terrace.

The National Half Marathon Championship is open to all athletes registered with Athletics Ireland. This popular event sees 60 Irish teams enter, with over 500 individuals taking place. Team results are based on aggregate times. Last year’s Individual winners were Paul Pollock (Annadale Striders A.C) and Maria McCambridge (Letterkenny A.C). In the team events, Clonliffe Harriers A.C. took the honors in the male event and Donore Harriers A.C. won the ladies event.

The race starts at 8.30am on Bank Holiday Monday the 5th of August. Medals and cash prizes will be awarded at a post race ceremony. There will be no entry on Race Day. All participants receive a Brooks Technical T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Athletes must be registered online for the 2013 event. Entry fees are as follows:

• €25.00 per individual until 1st July 2013
• €49.00 from 2nd July – 28th July 2013

Register Here

The third John Buckley Sports Graded T&F Meeting of 2013 is on Friday, June 7^th at 7.30pm at the CIT track. The league incorporates elements of the Cork County Junior & Senior T&F Championships 2013 with county medals on offer. This evening’s menu includes a 1500m test for middle distance runners. These are graded meetings open to people of all levels of ability from any club. Entry is €5.00 covering all events.

The Cork City Marathon Route 2013

I’ve always regarded the CCM as a tough gig. The course is physically and psychologically tough, especially in the second half.  Then there’s the time of year – a mid-summer Marathon with the strong likelihood of high temperatures and worst of all the high humidity that’s characteristic of this part of the island. Not to mention the fact that it’s a wrong way around Marathon. Yes, after a mile circuit of the city centre, the course changes direction from anti-clockwise to clockwise. Anyone who’s run Dublin will appreciate the difference.  I’m not sure I wouldn’t prefer a trip out to the Ballincollig roundabout and a full traversal of the Straight Road to running around Mahon in circles and going nowhere fast. And don’t mention that seafront section and the subterranean railway line. Perhaps a few decades of the Rosary might suffice until one makes it back to the Marina and civilisation. Anyway, I imagine if it were not for traffic considerations and time constraints on the Lee Tunnel, we’d all be turning left and not right at the North Gate Bridge. What I never considered was the possibility that the course might incorporate some bonus mileage as appears to be the case. No matter how hard I tried – and I did try hard – I couldn’t squeeze this Marathon Route into the standard 26.2 miles.

Cork City Marathon 2013 – Route Map

Just a few short weeks ago, we were all running around in multiple layers of clothing, battling wind, rain and biting cold. We waited for the easterly wind to abate, but it just swung around to the northwest and every long run throughout April and May was real test of endurance. I waited for better weather to head out to the Farm, but favourable conditions never materialised and I didn’t see any point in going head to head with the wind. And so, for the first time ever, I eschewed the Farm completely. Time will tell whether this was a wise policy or not.

For hundreds, if not thousands of runners this will be a week of high anxiety as the training winds down. The anxiety will reach fever pitch on Sunday, when they have to take the day off. People will be sitting at home berating themselves like Oskar Schindler, “I could’ve done more, I should’ve done more, a mile here, a mile there”, all to no avail of course. They’ll all have done their best and when Monday comes around they’ll be on line to reap the rewards of their efforts.

As for me, I’m tempted to grab a bicycle and measure that course for myself. The only thing is – I don’t want to end up a banner headline on the Evening Echo; “BARRS man arrested cycling through Lee Tunnel – in a contra flow direction”. Not to worry, when I explain my motives, I’m sure the Gardaí will exercise discretion in my favour. I’d be shattered if they didn’t!

The annual John Buckley Sports 5K Road Race takes place on Tuesday, May 28^th at 8pm. This is a flat, fast course around the Marina and usually attracts a huge field of entries. The race is run under BHAA rules. As per usual, registration and post race refreshments will be in the Lee Rowing club.  Entries will be taken on the night up to 7.30pm – €5.00 for BHAA Registered members (€8.00 for Non-Registered).

This year’s race will feature Chip Timing and all finishers will receive a 20% discount voucher for the John Buckley Sports shop. If you want to avoid queuing on the night, you can pre-register online at,

http://precisiontiming.primo-solutions.co.uk/ps/event/JohnBuckleySports5k

If any club members are available to help out, please contact John Buckley Sports at 021-4508830.

The Munster Senior & Masters T&F Championships 2013 take place on Sunday, June 2^nd at the CIT Track from 9.30am. Unfortunately, that’s the day before the Cork City Marathon. For those not involved in the Marathon, here’s a perfect opportunity to engage in T&F competition on home turf. For those running in the Marathon relays, especially the Seniors, a double day at the races should present no difficulty at all. Indeed, a good workout on the Sunday would be ideal preparation for the Relays.

Programme of Events

This is a AAI event, so participants will be required to wear the club singlet. No entries or changes of entries on the day of competition. Participating athletes must be AAI registered club members for 2013. Please text or email your entries to 0860226895 or compsec@stfinbarrsac.com no later than Friday, May 24^th.

The second John Buckley Sports Graded T&F Meeting of 2013 is on Monday, May 20^th at 7.30pm at the CIT track. The graded league will also incorporate the Cork County Junior & Senior T&F Championships 2013 with county medals on offer. This evening’s menu includes a 3000m (7½ laps of the track) test for middle distance runners, while the relay should see quartets of runners post some very impressive mile times. These are graded meetings open to people of all levels of ability from any club. Entry is €5.00 covering all events.

Just to remind everyone that the 6pm training session on Wednesday May 15^th is replaced by the first of the John Buckley Sports Graded T&F Meetings of 2013, starting at 7.30pm. These meetings are the brain child of club coach Fergus O’Donovan, who came up with the original idea in 2010. Since then the graded meetings have grown in popularity year on year no doubt helped by generous sponsorship from John Buckley Sports. Club members are encouraged to attend the graded meeting as a substitute for the regular training session.

A series of eight meetings is planned for Athletes male and female over 17 years on the day of the competition; the Shot, Discus, Hammer and 56lb Weights are limited to athletes over 18. Track events will, if necessary, be divided into separate races on the basis of performance, which could involve mixed races. The graded league will also incorporate the Cork County Junior & Senior T&F Championships 2013 with county medals on offer. These meetings are open to athletes of all levels of ability. Feel free to enter as many events as you like. Each graded meeting features a middle distance race of some description or another, so there’s sure to be something of interest for everyone. What about the relays? They always make for great fun and excitement.

Can’t find a babysitter? Bring the kids along too. There’s lots of available seating in the stand offering a great view of the track. Entry is normally  €5.00 per meeting. However, as these meetings also incorporate Cork County T&F Championship events, entry is free for club members on the opening night.

“Inevitably one wonders: just how would they fare in international competition and contribute fully to Irish athletics? But because of the unfortunate split in Irish athletics — surely no country can afford this, least of all one of our size — such competition is denied them. And not until this ridiculous situation has ended can we get an answer”.

In a previous post, “Nostalgia: A Famed Cork Athletic Club (Examiner 1960)”, reference is made to the split in Irish Athletics, a situation which denied many athletes an opportunity to compete at international level. While the club’s old guard will no doubt be very familiar with the subject, some background history may be of interest to our younger (and newer) members.

The split in Irish Athletics

The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) was founded after the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. The National Athletic & Cycling Association of Ireland (NACAI) was set up in 1923 with full membership of the IAAF. Consequently, Ireland sent a separate team to the 1924 Paris Olympics. The same year, a number of Northern Ireland clubs resigned from the NACAI and formed the Northern Ireland Amateur Athletic, Cycling & Cross Country Association (NIAAA).

At its 1933 Congress in Stockholm, the IAAF amended its constitution to define members by political boundaries. The 32 county NACAI decided not to accept the Ruling and was suspended from the IAAF in 1935. Consequently, (some might say fortunately) Ireland did not compete at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

In 1937, a number of clubs around the Dublin area split from the NACAI and set up the Amateur Athletic Union of Eire (AAUE) recognising the IAAF boundary ruling. Thus, the AAUE was granted full membership of the IAAF and the NACAI suspension made permanent. The breakaway AAUE represented Ireland at the 1948 London and 1952 Helsinki Olympics.

However, the vast majority of 26 county clubs stuck with the NACAI. Attempts at a resolution of the dispute, now involving three separate entities, proved unsuccessful. This befuddled state of affairs persisted until 1967 when the NACAI and AAUE dissolved to form Bord Luthchleas na hÉireann (BLE). However, a section of the NACAI refused to dissolve. In 1987, BLE signed an agreement with the rump NACAI. With improved North-South relations, all athletes wishing to represent Ireland at International level could now do so. As of 1999, the BLE and NACAI dissolved completely to form Athletics Ireland (AI) with provision for Northern Ireland representation on the Council. St Finbarr’s A.C. is an affiliated member of Athletics Ireland and paid-up members are registered with AI on an annual basis. Le voilà!

You will all no doubt be aware of the dreadful turn of events which overtook the Boston Marathon of 2013. What should have been a joyous and memorable occasion for athletes of many colours and creeds was marred by the heinous acts of as yet unknown perpetrators who visited their worst on those in pursuit of their best.

Several of this club’s members were entrants in Boston and I’m glad to report that all are safe and well albeit certainly traumatised by the events of the day. There can be no ambiguity or equivocation on occasions such as these. The taking of innocent civilian life can never be justified under any circumstances. Such actions leave only a legacy of shattered dreams and broken lives. We at St. Finbarr’s A.C. offer our heartfelt condolences for the dead and injured, and for their grieving families and friends.

Eight-year-old Martin Richard killed in Boston bombings

And the King will answer and say to them,
 ‘Assuredly, I say to you,
inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren,
you did it to Me.

Please note that the Mardyke Track is unavailable for training on Friday 12-Apr-2013. For one week only, the regular 6pm Friday session will be held at the UCC Farm, a.k.a. Curraheen Park. Please click on the Training tag above for directions. In the event of adverse conditions at the Farm, there’s no shortage of concrete pathways to keep everybody on track.

Green acres is the place for me. Farm livin’ is the life for me. Land spreadin’ out so far and wide. Keep the Mardyke, just give me that countryside.