Ballycotton 10 is no more...

Krusty_Clown

ger664 wrote: »

I think the T-Shirt was the selling point in this race. Top 100 across the line got one. Finisher 101 would see a bucket been turned upside down.

As a proud recipient of many Ballycotton t-shirts, it was never about the T-shirt. It was always about finishing in the top 100. If they handed out a commemorative lollipop stick for the first 100, the ambition would have been the same. Really sad to see it go, but feel fortunately to have run it every year that I was available. At one point, I believe it was rated in the top 10 road races in the world*. It was also sponsored by Nike for a stretch, if memory serves.

*Edit*: Not quite. Top 10 shorter European races.

Also, here's a one hour audio documentary on the 10 mile race, from Cry 104FM

Larry Brent

Very sad to read this news. When something has been around as long as you can remember, it's easy to presume it will be around forever. Although it was never possible to take this race for granted, as if you weren't on your toes early December, you weren't getting in! Very surprised also to see something so big just finish. Amazing that something so valuable (in not just a potential monetary sense) can just end. Probably testament to the integrity of the organisers - very difficult to imagine any person or entity that would take this on could preserve it for what it is. Without the local knowledge, involvement and love, it would probably go downhill.

I've some great memories of this race. The earliest being hearing the results read out on local Cork radio, long before I started running myself. Once I started running myself, many years later, I made sure to enter every year. The first year I made the mistake of hanging around the wrong side of the start line until about 1:28, thinking I could just nip into the front few rows like every other race. Learnt my lesson after I had to walk the long way around the back and then navigate through a couple of thousand runners the first few miles! Just under 65mins. Next year I thought I was in with a chance of the hour, but finished just over 61 and about 108th, just outside the t-shirts. The whole of the next year would be dedicated to getting under the hour and a t-shirt. Alas, terrible weather put paid to that - just under 62mins. Next year I'd do it. Great timing, just a few days before my wedding I could put everything into it and then enjoy a nice break. Possibly the last year without chip timing, I ran under the hour on my watch but got 60:01 officially - at least I had the bonus of my first t-shirt - still treasured. The next year I put it to bed, 59:46, delighted. And t-shirt no. 2. Next year dipped under 59 and the following year dipped under 58 for my best race ever and a few hours later had our 2nd child, great timing, he knew to wait on! That was a precarious one - I knew my very pregnant wife would be at mile 2/8 with our 1 year old and was wondering whether she'd be pulling me mid-race to go to the hospital!

After that I emigrated to Canada and didn't get a chance to get back to race it since. Always planning to, but alas it's not to be now. Had visions too of running it with my kids in years to come. With 7 mugs and 4 t-shirts, at least I have some nice mementos. John and your colleagues at Ballycotton Running Promotions, if you are reading this, thanks for showing us how to run a race. THE blueprint for road races. 
On a broader note, it's a bit worrying for racing purists to see such an event go, in conjunction with the rise of much more expensive, non race-oriented participation events. Having endured the road racing scene in North America for a number of years now, I look longingly at the results of races in Ireland, where there still are competitive races at club runner level. In comparison, these are few and far between in North America. I just watched the Springbank road races last weekend. A race that featured Bill Rogers, Frank Shorter, Ron Hill, Miruts Yifter, Abby Hoffman, Jerome Drayton, Francie Larrieu, Alberto Salazar, Neil Cusack etc. in the 70s and 80s had 2 fellows finish the HM in 67mins on this occasion (a rarity for it to be that fast in recent years) but then a 72,  next 78 (first woman) and then 83, 85... Lucky to get a handful of people under 20mins in a 5k, which will typically cost $50+ with no or terrible prizes for winners, no team races. I worry that it is slowly going the same way in Ireland. On most race days you will get a 5k, 10k and HM all at the same time diluting weak fields even more. Race measurement is only taken seriously by some race directors. Road closures are getting harder and harder to come by, the whole experience is pretty flat.

But not to finish on a moany note, back to the good memories. Ballycotton was nearly always my best performance of the year. Timing was ideal - after the Christmas excesses it was easy enough to buckle down for the 2 months or so to train. But once you got there, the actual competition was great, you had to be ready for it, but if you were, you were going to run well. I loved the routine. Head down from Dublin on the Saturday morning. Stopping off at the Masters swimming in Limerick on the way. Then on to The Bayview. Relax in the room before heading for dinner at the Garryvoe. Opt for the healthy white fish option with water, while my friend tore into the steak and scampi and a few glasses of red wine and still beat me easily the next day (a lesson there, perhaps?). Back to Ballycotton for a lemonade while watching last years race trying to see ourselves. Back to bed in the Bayview. Up for the breakfast. Walk to shop for the paper. Back to the room to kill time before the race with the paper. Warm up in the Bayview car park to try and get in with the elite starters rather than having to walk around the back (sorry!). Race the best race of the year. Afterwards on lucky years we'd stay an extra night. Always met great running company those weekends. The end of an era - it was the best!

Racing Flat.

footing

Larry Brent wrote: »

Very sad to read this news. When something has been around as long as you can remember, it's easy to presume it will be around forever. Although it was never possible to take this race for granted, as if you weren't on your toes early December, you weren't getting in! Very surprised also to see something so big just finish. Amazing that something so valuable (in not just a potential monetary sense) can just end. Probably testament to the integrity of the organisers - very difficult to imagine any person or entity that would take this on could preserve it for what it is. Without the local knowledge, involvement and love, it would probably go downhill.

I've some great memories of this race. The earliest being hearing the results read out on local Cork radio, long before I started running myself. Once I started running myself, many years later, I made sure to enter every year. The first year I made the mistake of hanging around the wrong side of the start line until about 1:28, thinking I could just nip into the front few rows like every other race. Learnt my lesson after I had to walk the long way around the back and then navigate through a couple of thousand runners the first few miles! Just under 65mins. Next year I thought I was in with a chance of the hour, but finished just over 61 and about 108th, just outside the t-shirts. The whole of the next year would be dedicated to getting under the hour and a t-shirt. Alas, terrible weather put paid to that - just under 62mins. Next year I'd do it. Great timing, just a few days before my wedding I could put everything into it and then enjoy a nice break. Possibly the last year without chip timing, I ran under the hour on my watch but got 60:01 officially - at least I had the bonus of my first t-shirt - still treasured. The next year I put it to bed, 59:46, delighted. And t-shirt no. 2. Next year dipped under 59 and the following year dipped under 58 for my best race ever and a few hours later had our 2nd child, great timing, he knew to wait on! That was a precarious one - I knew my very pregnant wife would be at mile 2/8 with our 1 year old and was wondering whether she'd be pulling me mid-race to go to the hospital!

After that I emigrated to Canada and didn't get a chance to get back to race it since. Always planning to, but alas it's not to be now. Had visions too of running it with my kids in years to come. With 7 mugs and 4 t-shirts, at least I have some nice mementos. John and your colleagues at Ballycotton Running Promotions, if you are reading this, thanks for showing us how to run a race. THE blueprint for road races.
On a broader note, it's a bit worrying for racing purists to see such an event go, in conjunction with the rise of much more expensive, non race-oriented participation events. Having endured the road racing scene in North America for a number of years now, I look longingly at the results of races in Ireland, where there still are competitive races at club runner level. In comparison, these are few and far between in North America. I just watched the Springbank road races last weekend. A race that featured Bill Rogers, Frank Shorter, Ron Hill, Miruts Yifter, Abby Hoffman, Jerome Drayton, Francie Larrieu, Alberto Salazar, Neil Cusack etc. in the 70s and 80s had 2 fellows finish the HM in 67mins on this occasion (a rarity for it to be that fast in recent years) but then a 72, next 78 (first woman) and then 83, 85... Lucky to get a handful of people under 20mins in a 5k, which will typically cost $50+ with no or terrible prizes for winners, no team races. I worry that it is slowly going the same way in Ireland. On most race days you will get a 5k, 10k and HM all at the same time diluting weak fields even more. Race measurement is only taken seriously by some race directors. Road closures are getting harder and harder to come by, the whole experience is pretty flat.

But not to finish on a moany note, back to the good memories. Ballycotton was nearly always my best performance of the year. Timing was ideal - after the Christmas excesses it was easy enough to buckle down for the 2 months or so to train. But once you got there, the actual competition was great, you had to be ready for it, but if you were, you were going to run well. I loved the routine. Head down from Dublin on the Saturday morning. Stopping off at the Masters swimming in Limerick on the way. Then on to The Bayview. Relax in the room before heading for dinner at the Garryvoe. Opt for the healthy white fish option with water, while my friend tore into the steak and scampi and a few glasses of red wine and still beat me easily the next day (a lesson there, perhaps?). Back to Ballycotton for a lemonade while watching last years race trying to see ourselves. Back to bed in the Bayview. Up for the breakfast. Walk to shop for the paper. Back to the room to kill time before the race with the paper. Warm up in the Bayview car park to try and get in with the elite starters rather than having to walk around the back (sorry!). Race the best race of the year. Afterwards on lucky years we'd stay an extra night. Always met great running company those weekends. The end of an era - it was the best!

Racing Flat.

Lovely tribute. Irish Runner please copy!

Birdie Num Num

Larry Brent wrote: »

Larry I think we've had a pint in The Blackbird.

Murph_D

Whatever about the talk of social media and lack of new blood, the first reason given by the organisers was this:

With new proposed traffic regulations on the way, the staging of an event with up to 3,000 runners in a village with just one road in and out would prove insurmountable.

Does anyone know what these regulations are? Presumably they will apply nationwide and might therefore affect many other races.

Itziger

Jeez, that's some post Larry. All of it heartfelt, the good and the bad. Funny isn't it how sports are constantly looking to get more numbers involved yet with road racing we've seen a resultant downturn. Onwards and upwards.

TFBubendorfer

<mod>Please remain on topic. This thread is about the end of the Ballycotton race only</mod>

aburke

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/sonia-o-sullivan-ballycotton-10-a-lost-treasure-in-road-racing-1.3260753
Subscription may be required.

Chivito550

aburke wrote: »

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/sonia-o-sullivan-ballycotton-10-a-lost-treasure-in-road-racing-1.3260753
Subscription may be required.

Sonia is spot on about the Melbourne Marathon. It's absolutely sh1te. I went out to watch it one year and it was really underwhelming. From memory it starts around 7am, and there's nobody out on the course supporting. It doesn't enter the CBD at all, except Flinders Street. You could be 200m away from where the runners are and have no idea the event is even on. I think the supposed reason for not bringing them through the city is the tram tracks but seems like a cop out to me. The marathon also doesn't take in any of the north side, where all the charming inner suburbs are. You'll struggle to find a marathon less embraced by a city, which is shocking given how much the city loves its sport. The main selling point seems to be finishing in the MCG to be honest.

Then you have spectators in the MCG wanting to get up close to cheer on their loved ones, and the asshole security guys keep ushering everyone back into the stands, which are miles away, given it's a cricket oval pitch.

Awful.