Ballycotton 10

greenplain

Does anyone know when the forms to register for Ballycotton comes out and how can i get my hands on one of them?. I have missed it the past two years and i really want to do it.

trihard

Everything is on their website ballycootonrunningpromotions and the forms are available on Dec 1st!

Orobhsa

Dec 1st I think.

http://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2008/10/its-that-time-of-year-again.html

flo8s967qjh0nd

Yeah all the information is on the website:

www.ballycottonrunning.com

I've done it a few years now and it is an amazing race, always seems to be blessed with perfect running weather and the atmosphere is electric. Well worth a run out.

ClashCityRocker

Good thing this was bumped, I'd forgotten all about it. Think the entries filled up in two and a half days or something ridiculous last year, so need to act sharpish on Monday

Stupid_Private

ClashCityRocker wrote: »

Good thing this was bumped, I'd forgotten all about it. Think the entries filled up in two and a half days or something ridiculous last year, so need to act sharpish on Monday

Seriously? I'm never organised like that... there's no way I'll remember to get this posted in time! Although it does say that they'll accept all club athletes by the 16th - could be my saving grace

Woddle

entry forms are up now on the site

Orobhsa

I know it's not a great site but I must be going blind or is it a false start?

hunnymonster

[FONT=&quot]http://www.ballycottonrunning.com/Ballycotton%20%2710%27%202009%20Form.pdf[/FONT]

MCOS

Hi,

Have I missed the boat on this already? Also, €15 by cheque only? Would they take a postal order?

Thanks

Woddle

I hope they take postal order as that's what I sent, I'm sure they do. I would think get it off today and you'll be grand

Orobhsa

I believe they hit 2500 by Thursday last year so it could well be too late unless you are an AAI club member.

Orobhsa

Info on last year.

http://corkrunning.blogspot.com/2007/12/entries-for-2008-ballycotton-10-reach.html

MCOS

Cant see that in work.. balls! I'll post off a entry today anyway. I want to do a decent run before doing my first Tri and would much rather this than the Connemara half

Stupid_Private

Question... why is this race so popular? There are races everywhere, every other week.... what's special about this one?

eliwallach

This is my first attempt at (entering) this race - I was super organised and had my application in the post on Tuesday morning. From what's been posted above it looks like I may be in with a shout for the first 2500 applications.
Don't know why it such a "special" one but my Cork comrades tell me there's nothing like it.
Some serious runners from all over the country enter and bandy times of sub 60min about with gay abandon.
I'll be delighted with sub 85 and am in training already with a couple of other 10 milers lined up.
PS seemingly the "serious" runners do not appreciate anyone with aspirations not sub 65min turning up within 20 yards of the start line.....;)

hunnymonster

That is one thing to watch in Ballycotton. It's quite a tight start and not chipped so you need to seed yourself correctly. I started way too far back the time I did it.

I'm not sure why the race is so popular. My hypothesis is that it was a good race back when there were few good races. This in turn led to good athletes entering which led to more good athletes entering and so a legend was born. The location is great and the organisation is super. What more could you want. For anyone interested, we might be going for a wee swim to ballycotton Island (or paddle for the less hard core) afterwards.

Woddle

hunnymonster wrote: »

That is one thing to watch in Ballycotton. It's quite a tight start and not chipped .

.

I'm nearly sure it's chipped this year, I thought it was on the application form

hunnymonster

woddle, you wasted time reading the application form? tut tut, entering bally cotton is a cross training exercise where you (a) pracitse your fast click to download the form (b) relive leaving cert nightmares where you have 1 minute to finish the english paper and only half the essay written and (c) sprint to the post office to get the form in the post.... Ok, maymbe I'm just making excuses for not having read the form. Would be great if it is chipped.

RICHIE-RICH

I've done Ballycotton 6 or 7 times, and it is a special race.
Its hard to explain, but there is something unique about it.
Possibilities: the fact that the races starts in a cul de sac town, and you have to get there early, and there is a big buzz around the place. Its on closed roads unlike most other races in the calendar. You get a mug. There is a good atmosphere afterwards in the local pubs. The field is huge for a non-marathon race (usually around 2500 runners). The crowd around the course is very supportive and vocal - normally at the bigger junctions (near Ballymaloe). It is a challenging course, and one that demands some respect. The last two miles are the hardest and the best of the course.

I dunno - people travel from all around for it. I am lucky in that it is only a 20 minute drive for me, but I have met people from UK, USA, and all over Ireland.

Stupid_Private

RICHIE-RICH wrote: »

You get a mug.

SOLD!!!

I look forward to finding out first hand in March what the deal is

Fast_Mover

Sent in my application yesterday..fingers crossed I'll be one of the successful 2,500.
It's my first Ballycotton even though I only live a few miles away!
Gota get training..12weeks and counting!:eek:

MCOS

hunnymonster wrote: »

For anyone interested, we might be going for a wee swim to ballycotton Island (or paddle for the less hard core) afterwards.

If I get into the race, I'm up for this! Just need to get a wetsuit and try it out firs:)

BTW how long is the swim?

hunnymonster

Last time I was there was actually this weekend 3 years ago. I was in a boat supporting a swimmer and it was very cold. We had agreed he would see how far he got in 20 minutes and make a call if we would continue around the island or turn back. I guess he was 1/3 of the way around so we turned back. It was actually the first time I had to deal with a hypothermic swimmer. I'm an old pro now after a summer with channel swimmers. Anyway, that was a long way of saying I would guess it is about 3 km out and around the island. Will have to check the tides and water temperatures closer the time. I know a couple of people who have swum it this year and I'll try and get Mr HM to do a reccie to check for currents and or rocks.

Racing Flat

Stupid_Private wrote: »

Question... why is this race so popular? There are races everywhere, every other week.... what's special about this one?

Tradition. Some great names and great times run in the past. And they let you know about it. You get a booklet with a list of starters a few weeks before the race with your number. On this they have all the records and history. One year there was 200+ people under the hour! It's a fairly loaded race, with a course record of 47.00, good going considering it's testing enough. Not many races where you could run 55mins and still be lucky to be in the top 20. It also tells you about the first year when there were only about 30 running it, and how it has grown every year. Good organisation celebrating this tradition helps I think.

Also, the fact that it is where it is. An awful lot of people arrive the night before and the Garryvoe Hotel is full of runners having dinner and then a drink in the Ballycotton pubs after. In short it's like going to a marathon abroad with a load of people you know, except because it's not a marathon, it's a bit more relaxed. Many people stay the night of the race also and the pubs are mobbed.

Finally, the course itself is fairly fabled, a nice fast first 2 miles then a 6 mile loop on quiet country roads, with a fair amount of supporters, then 2 miles back. The 'hill' on the way back is renowned, but I've never found this that bad. Miles 4 and 5 are the toughest for me, always seems to be aginst the wind and up a slight drag. In the last mile, you keep thinking you are coming to the finish, but that's just because of the crowds at different points. It's the type of race where you'll do about 3 sprint finishes.

hunnymonster wrote: »

It's quite a tight start and not chipped

A tight start it certainly is, but get there early and you should be alright. But it is chipped this year.

RICHIE-RICH wrote: »

You get a mug.

The mug is unbreakable. I've got 4 now. Another 4 years and I've a wedding present for someone very lucky. The first 100 home get a T-shirt, so there's something special about this, you have to earn it. Would have needed about 60.30 the last few years to get one I think. You also get a banana and a Snickers handed to you at the end. You are likely to get interviewed for local radio. And they film the race. So that evening the race is on in the pubs. Also, the following year, on the night before, they show the race of the year before in the pubs, over and over. Unmissable.

Orobhsa

Hope everyone who was planning on doing this got their entry away. They hit 2500 yesterday.

MCOS

How do they inform you if your entry is unsuccessful?

RICHIE-RICH

You will get your entry returned.
If you see your cheque getting cashed then you are in.

If you got your entry posted on Monday or Tuesday, then you are almost guaranteed an entry.

MCOS

Anyone get their entry returned yet? Is it too soon to tell if you get in or not?

hunnymonster

MCOS, calm, calm..... to poor postman in Ballycotton is still recovering :-) It will be a couple of weeks before anything happens.

Orobhsa

My cheque was cashed last week so should be in (fingers crossed!). Nothing official yet. Last year they put up a list on the web site around Christmas of those who got in.

RICHIE-RICH

My cheque was also cashed last week, so I expect that I am in.
They will not cash your cheque if you are not entered.

MCOS

hunnymonster wrote: »

MCOS, calm, calm..... to poor postman in Ballycotton is still recovering :-) It will be a couple of weeks before anything happens.

Calming.. I'll let the good people of Cork update things in their own time...

eliwallach

Afraid my cheque hasn't been cashed yet.
Is the writing on the wall for me.
Boo hoo.
Incidentally I posted the application on the morning of Tues 2nd from Cork city.

Wally Runs

Whooohooo! All three cheques cashed. The whole family (who run at least) are in. I have been looking forward to this for some time. Now, where are my runners?

eliwallach

I'm in.
Cheque finally cashed on the 19th, just to coincide with a painful leg injury picked up in the Newmarket to Kanturk 5 mile yesterday.......

MCOS

Ok silly question time. I never use a cheque book so I paid by postal order for Ballcotton. I have the reciept, how do I check if it was cashed? Details on the reciept, is it just a case of ringing the PO? Mad to know if I got in because I missed it last year

MCOS

Hmmm found it... cheque not cashed yet

TFBubendorfer

eliwallach wrote: »

I'm in.
Cheque finally cashed on the 19th

Me too! After an increasingly anxious wait it looks like I'm in again! Whoopee!

MCOS

Can anyone recommend a good alternative to this as it looks like I missed the boat. Preferably around the Munster area in the next 2-3 months?

Thanks

Orobhsa

Both 10 miles.

Mallow next Sunday 11 Jan
http://www.mallowac.ie/10%20mile/10%20Mile.htm

Dungarvan Feb 1
http://www.westwaterfordathletics.org/

Hope to do these as well as Ballycotton myself.

There's also a 10 mile in Clare in April. Can't remeber date or venue right now.

buck65

That would be the Sonny Murphy in Kilnaboy Co. Clare
About 15 mins from Ennis near Corofin on the way to Ballyvaughan.
This race is through the Burren - needless to say great scenery - hope to run this myself.

Woddle

Did anybody get their postal order or cheque back to basically tell you you didn't get in. I have no idea whether I'm in or out yet and I lost my receipt for the postal order.

hunnymonster

Woddle, mine went off 2 days late and my cheque was cashed on the 27th December. no need to panic yet.

trotter_inc

Entry list is now up on the site:

http://www.ballycottonrunning.com/Entries%202009.pdf

MCOS

Woddle

Im in number 1030

showry

looks like I've to wait another week

hunnymonster

I'm there.

blind_hurler

I'm there and the thoughts of the final hill into Ballycotton village is filling me with dread already!! (hope I get that far )

Stark

The final hill isn't bad at all really.

Will be there as well.