Location....The race takes place in Carrigtwohill which is about 10 miles / 16kms east of Cork City. From the Jack Lynch Tunnel, it's only takes a few minutes to drive.
The Race HQ is in the local community centre. This is located at the eastern end of the town and very close to Exit 4 on the N25.
There is limited parking at the Community Centre so follow any instructions on the night.
Note that the start line is about 800m from the Community Centre so use this as part of your warm up.
Course.....The 4 mile course takes in a loop to the north of the town...
Course Profile.....As 4 mile routes go, it's reasonably fast. The only really hilly section is the 800m section between 0.9 and 1.4 miles.
Course description.....The race starts on a wide section of road at the western end of the town...
The section through the centre of Carrigtwohill is very fast as the field begins to thin out. At about the half mile mark, you turn off left onto a narrow road...
This takes you past the church and north towards the railway station...
As you reach the one mile mark, the road climbs as you have to cross the bridge over the railway line...
On the other side, it flattens out but you soon start a gradual climb until you turn off left at about the 1.4 mile mark.
Another view of the turn left...
At this stage, you have most of the hardest sections of the course done as you reach the highest part of the course. As you can see, you have a view to the south of Carrigtwohill...
To the north of Carrigtwohill, the area is quite hilly, The course goes to the foot of those hills rather than going up the hills themselves so it would be wrong to think that it is a hilly course.
At about 1.6 miles, the course begins to drop away again....
All along this section, the road is pretty quite as you head west. There are a few small pulls but it is largely flat and fast.
At about 2.7 miles, you come to the junction where you turn off left and head south...
This is a long straight section with plenty of fast running...
The only 'hill' on this section is where you have to get over the railway again.
At 3.2 miles, you exit onto what used to be the old main Cork-Midleton road...
From here, it's up to the roundabout and then down to the finish line....
Note that the finish line is about 1km from the community centre.
Overall.......A reasonably fast 4 mile course so you can expect a good time.
