Notice...Three Counties Challenge (Tipperary-Waterford-Kilkenny)...Apri-July 2015

The Outfield Sports 3 Counties Challenge is a popular race series which runs from April to July every year. Following the success of last year, the organisers Carrick-on-Suir AC have kept the same format with the same 5 races covering the three counties of Waterford, Tipperary and Kilkenny.

Location of race series.....within easy driving distance of Waterford, Dungarvan, Clonmel, Cashel, Thurles and Kilkenny.

Course previews....Faugheen 5k...Portlaw 5m...Deadmans 5m Carrick-on-Suir...Rathgormack 5m...Piltown 10k

Here is some additional info from Carrick-on-Suir AC.......
All systems go for 3 Counties 2015

Carrick on Suir A.C.’s 3 Counties Challenge has firmly established itself in the South East running calendar since its inception in 2007, with the series growing from a single race with 100 runners to last year’s record  5 race series with over  a thousand participants. The 9th running of the series  again starts with a 5KM race building up to a 10KM in the last race making it an ideal race series for anyone new to running, while also satisfying more experienced runners .

This year’s Series will start on Friday 24th April with the 3rd running of the Faugheen 5Km Road race, kindly sponsored by Bobby Fitzgerald Accountants. This flat course will be held on the famous Faugheen 50 Motor bike circuit in the pretty Tipperary village, and has been the scene of many PB’s ovr the last 2 years -already a runner’s favourite in the South East. Please note earlier start time of 7:00 p.m. for this race only.

This will be followed closely by the O’Neill Pharmacy Tom Jordan Memorial Portlaw 5 Mile Road race on Friday 8th May @ the normal Start time of 7:30 p.m... This race, organised with the Portlaw Red Cross, is another fast course and last year’s new Route, which got rave reviews after the race, will be used again this year. A great race and all proceeds go to the Red Cross.

The third race in the series will see us return to County Tipperary and the ever popular “Deadman’s” 5 Mile Road race on Friday 5th June @ 7:30 p.m. Now in its 10th year, this race starts outside the beautiful Ormond Castle in the centre of Carrick on Suir, taking in a scenic 5 mile run around the Deadman’s Boreean (hence the name!)  And finishes on a lovely straight stretch passing the tree lined town park.

The penultimate race in the series see’s us visit County Waterford again, and the picturesque village of Rathgormack for the Auto Power Rathgormack 5 Mile on July 10th. This challenging, undulating course is an ever popular addition to the series, thanks mainly to the beautiful scenery of the Comeragh Mountains and the superb home cooking in the Hiking Centre after the race.

Finally, the series will end in County Kilkenny with the Morris Oil Piltown 10Km road race on Friday 31st July @ 7:30pm. Another scenic trek, the race starts in the grounds of the Kildalton Agricultural College, winding its way down by the Lake and tree lined avenue before a circuit of the flat roads around Piltown and ending at the Piltown GAA Club. Another firm favourite in the series, 2015 will be the eight running of this race.

The club is delighted to welcome back local specialist running store Outfield Sports of Carrick on Suir as the series sponsor for the 9th year (now promoting its new website, hence the outfieldsports.ie 3 Counties Challenge), and is delighted that New Balance, the US based Running Brand, are also involved as title sponsors. We are very grateful to our sponsors for their continued support and it is great to see the same names supporting our series year after year. As usual, the message from the club is for all of the series runners to return the support to these businesses who have been good enough to help us, despite the harsh economic climate.

The Prize fund for the series will be in excess of €6,000, with prizes in all the usual age categories. There will also be a Team Prize at each race as well as spot prizes all the way down the field. And there will be an overall men’s and women’s series prize of €150 and a perpetual trophy (4 out of 5 Races to count) . And a great new addition to the series will be a prize of a ladies and men’s pair of New Balance running shoes worth €130 to be raffled off at each race amongst the non-prize winning participants, courtesy of our series sponsor Outfield Sports. Finally, any one running 4 out of 5 Races will receive a voucher for €25 to go towards New Balance running shoes at Outfield Sports.

All entries are on the night @ €10 per race, and you can save money by signing up for the series for €40 on the First Night –That’s 5 Races for the price of 4! There will be up to date information on the club website at www.carrickroadrunners.ie and on our club Facebook page.

 As usual the race series is ideal for new runners to progress from 5km to 10 km through the summer, is well stewarded, with accurately measured courses, good grub after the race and the famous Carrick AC welcome to all our runners. Looking forward to meeting all our friends (New & Old) this summer in the sunny South East!