Saturday 9th December 2017 Clonakilty Waterfront Half Marathon Ireland No 2

 Saturday 9th December 2017

Richard 02:01:02 Jackie 02:12:27

I had never heard of Clonakilty ,but wanted to get another run under our belts before Christmas and this came up . We have 27 to do so we needed to get stuck in . We  have been to Ireland a number of times but never to Clonakilty . The race which includes a 10k and full marathon  attracts over 2000 runners and is in its 8th year .
     Registration for the event was on the Thursday and Friday till 9pm and Saturday morning from 6.00am till 7.30 am . As our flight from Liverpool didn't get into Cork till 8pm and it was nearly an hour to Clonakilty we had no option but to register in the morning . We had hired a car and booked three nights in a hotel very close to the airport , so it was straight to the room and bed as we needed to be up at 5.30 am to make registration. We had eaten earlier about 5pm on the way to the airport .
    It was cold and dark at 5.30 am  , luckily being close to the airport the hotel did an early breakfast so we had time for a coffee and a pecan plat before leaving at 6.15. The journey was straight forward but difficult on unfamiliar roads in the dark , but just after 7 am we joined a small queue being shown where to park on a sports ground in Clonakilty . Registration and the start was a 5 minute walk away in a rather nice Hotel aptly named the Quality Hotel . Already there was plenty of people about and it was so good to get out of the cold and  into the comfort of a 4 star hotel, nice toilets and large comfy reception rooms .
   Registration was straight forward , and we went to check out the start area . It had a very international feel with flags and balloons and the sound system was being finalized. Loads of people were arriving now as it was an early start 9am but most were heading for the warmth of the hotel which soon filled up . There was a keen frost and we were keen to get going .

Nice Carpet

Cold Morning

  We left the hotel and went up the main street of the town before heading out along a flat road, following an inland waterway that headed for the coast . We were going well on a flatish course in perfect running conditions , dry with no breeze . 6 to 7 km in the road started to climb , round the first bend then climbing more and more , from the profile it looks a good 4km of climbing . Of course what goes up must come down and the descent took us to a beautiful Atlantic coast road before rejoining the original route and heading back to the hotel for the biggest medal ever and a welcome foil blanket and cup of tea .      
       

Richard 02:01:02  Jackie 02:12:27

International feel 

I know I promised not to mention Brexit , but you can't get away from it . It was all over the front pages of the Irish Newspapers and the taxi driver who took us too the greyhounds was happy to talk . He was disappointed we were leaving , their closest member and biggest market , he didn't feel he had  too much in common with Germany , a bit like your best friend and training partner leaving your gym , still in touch but never quiet the same .

On a final positive note

 Embrace World Peace Day ! “For in the Final analysis our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future, and we are all mortal.” -John F.Kennedy's speech on Peace at the American University, Washington DC, June 10th, 1963.

To finish the trip we visited Ballycotton a coastal village in County Cork and home to the famous Ballycotton 10 road race .

ONE of the most famous and popular road races in the country, the 40-year-old Ballycotton 10, will not be run again after organisers pulled the event in a shock announcement.

Ballycotton Running Promotions — who organise the 10-mile race traditionally staged in March and attracted over 3,000 runners annually — said they had taken the decision to end the race and the associated summer running series for a number of factors but stated that logistics and new traffic regulations would make it difficult to continue.

In a statement, they said: “It is with regret and no doubt a certain amount of sadness that we wish to announce that the Ballycotton 10, the Summer 5-Mile Series and other events organised by Ballycotton Running Promotions have come to an end.

“Whilst this will be received with shock and surprise by the running community at large, the decision to call a halt to our promotions is something that has occupied the thoughts of our committee for the past year or more.

“For anyone familiar with the geographical locations of our races, the problems logistically of organising the events are all too apparent. Parking has been one of our major worries. It may come as a surprise to many that, for the past two years due to weather conditions, the possibility of the Ballycotton 10 having to be cancelled was a live issue up to 24 hours before the race.

There is a lovely cliff walk from Ballycotton

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