Location...Newmarket is located in North-West Cork...
This race has a large catchment area covering N.Cork, N.Kerry and W.Limerick. Newmarket is a small town and is well signposted. If you are coming from the N72 Mallow to Killarey road then take the R576 for Kanturk and Newmarket. When you enter Kanturk, make sure you stay right at the first small roundabout in the town. Newmarket is just 5 miles further on.
Course......As you can see below, it's an out and back course and stays largely within the confines of the town. The course is reasonably flat so times should be fast. Please note that the start line is about 1 mile from the race HQ so allow plenty of time to get there.
Course Description...The race starts a few hundred metres away out the Kanturk road...
As you can see, it is a wide open and flat road. Ideal for a fast start. Then you run back towards the townand past Hi-Land...
...and downhill into a bit of a dip (Note that you pass the finish line here). On the other side, there is a slight pull before you turn right...
So, on you go very slightly uphill through the town...
Through the next crossroads...
...and from here it is slightly downhill until you take the right at the next Y-junction....
You then pass the local school and the 1 mile mark. From there, the road bends slightly and opens up into a long straight section....all pretty flat and fast....
The next junction is the turnoff for Ballydesmond and Kerry. This is the turnaround point...
...and from here you run back towards the town and the finish line at the other side of the town.
Overall...It's a pretty fast course. Any pulls that are there are very modest and anything lost on the way out should be recouped on the faster 2nd half. If you want a fast accurate 5 km course then this is a good one to do.
