Cork040

Preview of the Ballycotton 5 mile road race...

The Ballycotton 5 mile road race is the 4th race of 4 in the Ballycotton Summer Series. It is usually held on the 4th Thursday of August and it starts at 7:30pm.

Location...Ballycotton is a fishing village in East Cork. As you can see on the map below, the easiest way to get there from Cork City is via Midleton and Cloyne (R629). If you are coming from the east then turn south at Castlemartyr and go via Ladysbridge (R632).

In more detail...

As you approach the village, follow the stewards instructions for parking. Registration is at the local national school.

The distance from the parking area to the registration is about 800 metres (10 min walk). From the registration area to the start line is about 200 metres. So if you consider parking.....walking to the registration.....the queue to enter.....walk back to the car......walk back to the start........and the 7:30pm start, you can see how easy it is to get caught out. Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time.

School

Course map...

Course..........The first three miles of this race are pretty easy as they are mostly slightly downhill or flat. The tough work comes in the last 2 miles. First of all, there is a short but steep hill just before the 3 mile mark which will almost certainly slow you down. At the top of the hill, you turn the corner and the 3 mile mark will be just there.

After that, it's mainly flat with some small bit of uphill and downhill running. The next hard section is after the 4 mile mark where you re-join the main road going back into Ballycotton. For any of you who have done the Ballycotton 10 road race, this is the famous hill around the 8.5 mile in that race. It's not that steep but it's about 400 metres long and gradually reduces in intensity. Once it flattens out, you'll have a nice run into the finish in the village.

Overall...Even though it has two hills, this is probably the fastest of the four races in the Ballycotton Summer Series. Probably one of the best 5 mile road races in Cork.

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Preview of the Churchtown South 5 mile road race..

This is the 3rd race of 4 in the Ballycotton Summer Series and is always held on the 4th Thursday of July at 8pm.

Location...The village of Churchtown South is located about 4 miles to the west of Ballycotton in East Cork.

Directions...From Cork, take the usual route to Ballycotton (R629...shown above in Orange). When you get to the crossroads in the centre of Cloyne...

.......the main road (R629) takes a 90 degree left. You need to take the turn off which is straight ahead past the old round tower. Just stay on this road. At one stage, you will come to what appears like a fork but you will see that the main road is to the left. Keep on the main route and  you will end up in Churchtown South. Once you get there, follow the stewards instructions regarding parking.

Entries...The event centre for this race is the small community hall which is located next to the road junction as shown above.

Course map...

Course...It is essentially two laps of a 2.5 mile course.

The race starts about 200m from the Community Hall on a narrow road...

The first mile is largely flat with some downhill running. The second mile is pretty flat. From the 2 mile mark, you have the only real hill on the course...

It really isn't that much of a hill in that it's gradual and the total ascent is about 10 metres at most over about 600 metres. Once you reach the church, it's flat and soon, you run past the start line again and repeat the loop. Second time around when you reach the point shown in the photo above, you'll have about 800m to go.

This is the view of the last 100m once you pass the church. The finish line is at the road junction ahead..

Overall.......When you run the course, you would think that it should be a fast course as there seems to be very few hills. However, while there are no obvious steep hills like Ballyandreen or Shanagarry, the fact you have to run that one hill twice seems to have same net effect. For my money, it is as tough a course as either of the first two in the series.

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Preview of the Shanagarry 5 mile road race...

The Shanagarry 5 mile road race is the second race of four in the Ballycotton Summer Series and is held on the fourth Thursday of June every year.

Shanagarry is on the R629 road from Midleton to Ballycotton in East Cork.

Directions... If you are coming from Cork, take the N25 East and from the roundabout on the Midleton bypass, take the 3rd exit and follow the main R629 Midleton to Ballycotton road. Shanagarry is located on the main road between Cloyne and Ballycotton. If you are coming from Waterford, take a left at Castlemartyr for Ladysbridge and Garryvoe and follow the road on towards Shanagarry. 

Parking...Follow the stewards instructions on the night.

Entries... Race HQ is usually at the GAA grounds in the centre of the village.

Course...The race starts just outside the petrol station/garage at the main road junction on the Ballycotton road. It then drops slightly into the hollow by the GAA entrance, up past the road junction where the finish will be, past the church, down again into another slight hollow and up a bit of a pull until the road flattens out as you head towards the 1 mile mark. A pretty fast mile with no major drags.

The second mile is pretty flat. You run down to Garryvoe next to the beach, around a sharp bend and head inland again. A flat fast mile.

The third mile is not so easy. It is basically a long gentle uphill section until you turn off left onto a quiet country road and the 3 mile mark. You can expect to lose some time on the long climb.

The fourth mile starts easy. The first half mile is along a flat road with a great view to the left over the East Cork countryside....

At the next road junction, you take a very sharp left and then the road drops rapidly. It's almost too steep to really run on comfortably. Then it flattens out for a short section and then, you hit the hill! Not as bad as the 'Beast of Ballyandreen' but a nasty one all the same. After the initial shock, the gradient reduces as you hit the 4 mile mark. A tough mile.

For the start of the fifth and final mile, there is still a gradual climb for about 300 metres after the 4 mile mark. Then it flattens out as you negotiate a series of bends with matures trees on either side of the road providing plenty of cover. The last half mile is very fast as it is slightly downhill all the way to the finish.

Overall.......A reasonably tough course but you should still expect a reasonable time. Nice quiet roads. Easy access from Cork Cork.

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Preview of the Ballycotton 10 mile road race. The course is basically shaped like a spoon...3 miles out...then a 4 mile loop....and then 3 miles back.

The race starts about 800 metres from the Race HQ, right inside in the heart of the village itself.

The start line is shown in the image above and as you can see, the road is quite narrow. As you would expect, the start is congested and it can take a while for the field to open up a bit.

Packed start....Photo : John Hennessey

 The first 300 metres or so is slightly uphill but you won't notice it with the crowd.

After that, it's slightly downhill as you run through the village.....then past the National school and the road then flattens out as you run past the old church.

After this it is pretty flat until you pass the 1 mile mark. Then, you start the downhill section and you'll see the race route ahead...

As you can see, you are looking down on the route ahead and you can see where the race crosses the marsh before climbing slightly up to the 2 mile mark. The first 2 miles are largely downhill and fast. When you are returning here and they are the last 2 miles, they won't be so easy.

After this, it's largely flat and you will reach Mullanes Cross at the 3m mark. This also doubles up as the 7 mile mark and you will find plenty of water here....usually in plastic cups. You turn right here and continue on what are largely flat roads. There is a slight pull before the 4 mile mark but it's nothing really serious. As you finish the loop, you're back to the 7 mile mark and then retracing your steps back towards the finish. It's flat as far as the 8 mile mark and then it's slightly downhill to the low point next to the marsh and you can see the lighthouse and finish way off to the left..

As you get closer, you can see the hill ahead....

Now, this is where it starts getting interesting! There is no getting away from the fact that the Ballycotton 10 has a tough finish. It's a reasonably long climb and you are going to lose time on it. If you don't care about what time you will do, then that's fine but if you have a specific target, you will need to have a cushion built up before the 8.5 mile mark. After this, it flattens out after the 9 mile mark and then you head in towards the village and pass the old church....

In past the National school and then you start the last little hill....a lot easier than the previous one but it can have an impact on tired legs...

At the top, you pass the church entrance and the 400 metres to go mark. After this, it's flat and then slightly downhill to the finish.

Overall, a reasonable course. Just remember to have a cushion for the hills at the end if you are trying to beat a target time. If you want to have a look at the route in closer detail, it's up on the MapMyRun website.