Kerry...Results of the Feet First Killarney 5k - Sat 30th Nov 2013

1 Cathal O Donovan        St Finbars AC MS (15:30)
2 Philip Harty        West Waterford AC MS (15:39)
3 Ed Murphy     MS (16:14)
28 Sinead Brody        Galway City Harriers FS (19:12)
29 Siobhan Daly        an riocht FS (19:13)
46 Barbara Podraza    FS (20:25)

The full results can be seen HERE

Report on the 2013 Ballyhoura Series by Tom Blackburn

It was fantastic to run in Doneraile on the first night back in late May with 459 runners and joggers. It was so well run and a credit to the organising club Mallow AC on the night, the beautiful weather didn’t hurt either.

This was a hard event to follow with only one race in June, the Angelsborough 10k...a brand new race on the calendar. This event was also very well run and the organisers were very professnal in the way they ran
their event, it was a pity it wasn’t better supported. This is where club races seem to do better.

The town of Millstreet in NW Cork and the Willie Neenan 10k was our next event. This also was so well run and for a first time event, it was very well supported. Great credit due to the organisers Millstreet AC.

The next event was Dromcollogher 4 mile in West Limerick. This is a race with a long history and is run in conjunction with the local festival. This was also a beautiful evening...almost too hot to run, a problem we usually don’t have in Ireland.

Back to Cork next one for the Kilworth 5mile road race. The temperatures also soared here and this two circuit course of Kilworth hill was very exposed with not a tree for shade in sight. With another race in Cork the night before, numbers were down a little on last year.

Staying in Cork, the Donoughmore 7 was next up. This was a very well established event with juvenile races and the like going on at the same time. This event has to be so well managed or it could be such a nightmare otherwise. The evening was roasting here also, the following day was the hottest day of the summer.

The last race in July was at the other side of the border in Limerick with the 7k in Kilteely, with a change of route from last year to a new venue. The committee thought they might lose a few with two unlicenced events on the same night so it was great to get the crowd that they did.

August was as busy as July with runs every Friday, the Kilmeedy festival 5 mile was next up. This was another well organised event, which didn’t get a great amount of runners but this is where local running clubs could perhaps attract a better field.

The Galtee runners GR8KM was the next run. Now these guys were very professional and all hands on deck all season long handing out fliers at every race. I was surprised this race didn’t break the 300 mark as it is an event on the rise.

Barely a week later we were back in Pallasgreen, Co.Limerick for a 10k. I thought this was a lovely course butI suppose when you run well on the night it is always a lovely course. The crowd was small enough here also, for such an easy place to find and so close to Limerick City!

The following Saturday night, the Galbally 5 mile race was run. This race in contrast to all the rest had torrential rain from the moment the run started. With the Gathering weekend on, mass in the Church, a Concert in the Community centre, and a race on there were people and cars everywhere, with the light fading and heavy rain as the evening darkened, we were happy with the numbers for a first running of the event.

The last run in the Limerick series in Emly was the 13k. This was a bold decision and even with the early start the light was fading fast but luckily with the aid of a great committee and pretty quite roads everything went off well. The numbers were small but this is a unique distance over a great course.

There were only two races left in Cork and Doneraile park was the venue for another 5k event with the Steeple 5k. It was a beautiful Saturday morning in Doneraile although the numbers were much smaller than the first race, the morning was lovely and the views, were fabulous.

The last run of the series was the Charleville International Half marathon on the Sunday morning with record numbers turning out to run the flattest half Marathon in Ireland. This was a fitting race to the end of the Series, so well organised and run on another beautiful sunny day.

This year’s series wasn’t perfect by any means. It is still a work in progress as road race series go and we will improve the series in 2014. The numbers in the Limerick side of the series were low, and this could be down to the fact that a lot of them were first time events. Another point to remember here is that some of these races were run as community events, and didn’t have clubs involved. I believe this could boost numbers, in the years ahead, clubs will need to get involved with existing races or promote new events. The length of the series I think is also an issue, rather than separate county series, maybe two series, one run in early summer on consecutive weeks, and another series a couple of weeks later with the same theme.

The emergence of unlicenced races is also playing havoc with our races, It is very hard to travel ten or fifteen miles to a race if a local community has an event on next door to you. We all want to support local, everyone wants to make the few euro. But for your own sake make sure the race is insured, as a runner AAI will not cover you if the race is not permitted. As a race organiser if your race is not insured,”YOU” the organiser are liable for any injuries.

The Ballyhoura series is well and truly over for 2013, I would like to thank everyone on behalf of Ballyhoura Active and myself, to everyone who took part in our series over the summer. It was a long series, from the 31st of May to the 22nd of September. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the clubs and community groups who ran races this year. It was a pleasure to work with you during the year, and I hope to be working with you in the new year. Also a big thank you to John Desmond for all his work over the year. His professionalism and for his very interesting blog which added that something special to the series. 

Tom Blackburn...Ballyhoura Series Co-Ordinator

Clare...Results of the Lissycasey 5k race - Sun 24th Nov 2013

Organised by Fergus AC

1 16:34    DAVID BREW,     St Johns    M
2 16:39    FINBAR O GRADY,     Kilmurry Ibrickane North Clare    M
3 16:43    MARTIN GLYNN,     Ennis Track    O/40
1 19:05    CLAIRE MADIGAN,     St Johns    F
2 19:14    SIOBHANN LENNON,     Ennis Track    F40
3 19:53    ZELMA POWER ,     Ennis Track    F 

The full results can be seen HERE

Photos...
1) There are a number of photos by James Sexton HERE

Kerry...Results of the Killorglin 5k & 10k fun run - Sat 23rd Nov 2013

These 5k and 10k fun runs were held in Killorglin, Co.Kerry on Saturday the 23rdof Nov. There were 75 in the 5k and 109 in the 10k.

5KM
1 Anthony Mannix             M 16:34
2 Don Culloty             M 19:29
3 Darren Maye             M  21:11
7 Rosemary Browne             F 22:22
8 Aine Cullory             F 22:54
10 Chloe Hawker             F 23:26

10KM
1 Tommy O'Brien             M 36:17
2 Billy O'Brien             M 36:18
3 Martin Dineen             M 37:59
30 Kathleen Ladden             F 45:50
31 Jessica McCarthy             F 46:25
33 Mary O'Shea             F 46:40

The full results can be seen HERE

Kerry...Results of the Run the Gauntlet Half-Marathon - Sun 17th Nov 2013

This Half-Marathon was held at the Gap of Dunloe in Kerry on Sunday the 17th of Nov 2013. The numbers were down again slightly this year. 2011 = 110, 2012 = 103, 2013 = 93.

The full results can be seen HERE

Clare...Results of the Eddie Murphy Memorial Marathon - Sun 17th Nov 2013

The Eddie Murphy Memorial Marathon was held in Sixmilebridge, Co.Clare on Sunday, the 17th of Nov 2013. There were a total of 140 finishers across the four races.

13.1 Mile Half-Marathon = 43
1 Paul    Fitzgerald    male    1:18:52
2 Shane    Scully    male    1:19:00
3 John    Hannon    male    1:20:40
12 Helen    O Hanlon    female    1:38:00
18 Carol     Arthur    female    1:53:20
22 Jane    reeves    female    1:55:08

26.2 mile Marathon = 58
1 Shane James    Whitty    male    2:55:48
2 Thomas    Klimas    male    2:57:39
4 Stu    Wilkie    male    3:17:45
3 Ruthann    Sheahan    female    3:10:00
11 Maria    Byrne    female    3:39:11
16 Marie    Chapman    female    3:47:17

30 Mile Ultra = 24
1 Mike Curley    Cunningham    male    3:19:29
2 Thomas    Bubendorfer    male    3:40:54
3 John    Kissane    male    3:48:14
5 Deirdre    Finn    female    4:03:34
12 Joanne    Fearon    female    4:19:59
13 Caroline    McLoughlin    female    4:28:50

52 Mile Ultra = 15
1 Padraig    Mullins    male    6:46:54
2 Don    Hannon    male    7:17:34
4 Billly    Holden    male    7:50:30
3 Col    Conway    female    7:38:12
6 Gillian    Cordner    female    8:18:51
7 Donna    McLoughlin    female    8:46:59

The results can be seen HERE

Kerry...Results of the Killarney Feet First 5k - Sat 16th Nov 2013

1 Donal Coffey        Leevale      MS     16:11
2 James Collins              MJ     16:37
3 Robert Purcell        Gneeveguilla      M45     16:48
17 Siobhan Daly        Riocht      FS     19:14
20 Shelia Buckley        Midleton      FS     19:20
32 Helen Gilroy        Midleton      F45     19:57
The full results can be seen HERE

Waterford...Results of the Brickey 5k road race - Sun 10th Nov 2013

1 SHEEHAN Colm M  Leevale 15:25
2 SHEIL Niall M  St. Killian's 15:47
3 ZAKIS Raivis M  West Waterford Athletic Club 16:46
10 O'DWYER Martina F  Carrick-on-Suir Athletic Club 18:03
14 MCCANN Angela F  Clonmel Athletic Club 18:38
17 WALSH Corinna F  West Waterford Athletic Club 19:02 

The full results can be seen HERE

Photos...
1) West Waterford AC have galleries HERE and HERE

Colm Sheehan Leevale AC comes into win the 20th Annual R and S Roofing Brickey 5k last Sunday, hosted by West Waterford athletic club. This was race number 1 in the  Michael Roche carpets series.

Limerick...Results of the Shanagolden 5 mile road race - Sat 9th Nov 2013

1    Michael    Carmody    SM     00:25:54
2    Niall    O'Callaghan    SM     00:26:40
3    Dermott    Kearns    M40     00:28:06
5    Orla    Drumm    SF     00:28:53
14    Veronica    Colleran    F45     00:31:25
15    Ann    MacPhail    F40     00:31:54

The full results can be seen HERE

Dungarvan 10 entries now closed

Entries to the 2014 Dungarvan 10 mile road race have now closed with the 2,000 available places being filled in just under 6 weeks. The only entries left are for elite athletes....(elite entries will be taken by post only after the closing date up to January 17th. The following times apply to elite entry: Men sub 55 minutes. Ladies sub 60 minutes. These times will have to be in the 3 years prior to race day. (Proof of these times may be required).

Just to show the growth in numbers and entries for this race, it's worth having a look at the last two years.

For the Dungarvan 10 race in January 2012, there was an entry limit of 1,500 places. Entries opened on 28th of October and closed on the 28th of December...i.e. two months or just under 9 weeks....an entry rate of about 160 per week.

For the Dungarvan 10 race in January 2013, the entry limit had increased to 1,750 places. Entries opened earlier on the 1st of October 2012 and closed on the 3rd of December....i.e. About the same length of time but with an extra 250 places filled....an entry rate of about 190 per week.

This time, there has been a major change in the level of demand. The entries for the 2014 race opened on the 1st of October with a limit of 2,000 places. All entries went in about five and a half weeks which is roughly a demand of about 360 per week, about double what it was in previous years.

It wasn't that long ago that the organising club West Waterford AC were taking entries to the race on the day and were hoping to grow the event to 1,000 entries. How things have changed.

Kerry...Results of the Feet First 5k, Killarney - Sat 9th Nov 2013

1 Mark O Sullivan        Bandon AC MS  (15:50)     16:02
2 Ed Murphy MS (16:17)     16:17
3 Cian Murphy        Iveragh MS (16:21)     16:21
23 Siobhan Daly        An Riocht  FS (19:34)     19:34
37 Elaine O Keeffe     FS (20:44)     20:45
40 Maria Sheehan     FS (20:54)     20:58

The full results can be seen HERE

Less than 300 entries left for Dungarvan 10 race...

"Go Dungarvans" Johnny Brunnock...associate sponsors of the John Treacy Dungarvan 10 mile road race on January 26th 2014. Also pictured are John Treacy and Paschal Proctor, West Waterford athlete club vice chairman with the Go Electric car which will lead out the race leaders come race day.

There are now less than 300 places left. If you are interested in entering one of the best 10 mile road races in the country then do so asap.

More details in this earlier post.

Results of the Clare AAI Senior Cross Country Championships...Sun 3rd Nov 2013

Clare A.A.I Senior Cross Country at Cooraclare on 3/11/2013
Senior Ladies
1    Sharon Rynne            Kilmurry Ibrickane North Clare
2    Cushla Brid Hehir        Ennis Track (White Team)
3    Becky Coughlan        Ennis Track (White Team)
Teams
1    Ennis Track (White Team)        2,3,5,12    22pts
2    Ennis Track (Red Team)        4,6,7,8        25pts
3    Kilmurry Ibrickane North Clare    1,10,14,15    40pts

Senior Men
1    Michael Shannon        St Johns
2    Kenneth Rodgers        St Johns
3    Rory Chesser            Ennis Track
Teams
1    St Johns            1,2,4,6,9,17        39pts
2    Ennis Track            3,5,10,12,13,15    58pts
3    B.M.O.H            7,11,14,18,20,25    95pts
Senior B Teams
1    Kilmurry Ibrickane North Clare        16,21,22,29    88pts
2    West Clare Sports and Fitness Club        32,33,34,35    134pts

The full results can be seen HERE

Photos HERE