Location...Ballyclough is located to the north-west of Mallow in Co.Cork
The race HQ is located in the local community centre which is at main junction in the village...
Course.......The course is basically two laps of a loop to the west of Ballyclough...
Profile.....
Course description......The race starts about 200m east of the Community Centre. It starts on an uphill gradient....
At about 200m, you begin the loop. You'll pass this point again at 2.5kms for the start of the second loop and at 4.8kms when you'll be heading for the finish line...
From the junction, there is a gradual climb until you reach the highest point of the course at about 0.6kms.
After the bend, there is a very gradual drop and near the 1km mark, there is a long straight downhill section.....
At about 1.3kms, you come to a junction where you turn left. You are now joining a busier road so you need to watch out for traffic here. The road continues a gradual descent.
At 2.2kms, you come to a crossroads where you turn left for Ballyclough. This is the lowest part of the course and there is a climb back up to the village.
The ascent is pretty gradual with the steepest part just as you approach the church...
At 2.5kms, you're back at the junction. First time around, you start the second loop. Second time around at 4.8kms, you carry straight on and downhill to the finish line.
Overall.......Although there are hills on the course, the difference between the highest and lowest points on the course is no more than about 23 metres in elevation. Plenty of fast running on the long downhill sections.
