Preview of the Cork City 5k race in Blackrock...
This 5k course is used as part of the FIT Magazine 5k & 10k races in Cork City...
Part of the course for the 10k race is shown below. The 10 k starts and finishes on the Centre Park Road. The first 3 km marks are shown below..
For the 5k race, the course uses roughly the same km marks. It starts near the 1km mark used for the 10k race...runs 2kms to a point just beyond Blackrock Castle....turns around and then returns 3kms to the finish line on the Centre Park Road.
The section between the start and the 1km mark and the section between 3kms and the finish line are dead flat.
At about 1.2kms, there is a climb which is about 300m long.....then levels off....and drops downhill at about 1.7kms. Obviously on the return leg, there is now a climb at about 2.3kms and a drop at 2.8kms.
Here are some photos from the 5k course....
The start area is at roughly this point on the Marina. As you can see, it's a straight flat section of road with a view of the River Lee off to the left...
After about 600m, the trees thin out as you approach the end of the Marina with the shipping terminal in Tivoli just across the water...
At the end of the Marina, you pass the 1 km mark and then proceed up the hill by the Pier Head Inn. This is the first hill of two on the course and lasts about 400m. It starts reasonably steep but soon eases off. Coming so soon in the race, you shouldn't lose much time on it.
At the top of the hill, the road stays level for a short while then begins to go gently downhill. and drops again around 1.7 kms...
There is a very slight pull on the other side up to the gates of Blackrock Castle at 1.8 kms...
Back down a slight drop and then you turn off the road and in though a car park at about 2 kms. The turn around point will be in this general area...
There is a very short pull just at the sharp corner before Blackrock Castle...
At about 2.3kms, you have the second real climb on the course. Initially, it's steep but soon eases off...
The is the view from near the highest point of the course. It shows the River Lee leaving the city with the tree lined Marina on the left...
After a fast downhill at about 2.8kms, you are back onto the Marina...
From here, it's flat all of the way to the finish line.
The last corner at the end of the Marina as you turn left onto the Centre Park Road and the finish line...
Overall.......One hill that you have to go up and down on the way out and on the way back. Otherwise mostly dead flat. The Marina section is dead flat and roughly 3 of the 5kms is on this section. Despite the short hill, it should be probably a reasonably fast course.
