Best 10k race in Ireland

thirtysomething

What in your opinion is the best 10k road race in Ireland?

I would also be grateful if you could write in why you think so, where it is and when it is on.

Thanks

Kissy Lips

thirtysomething wrote: »

What in your opinion is the best 10k road race in Ireland?

I would also be grateful if you could write in why you think so, where it is and when it is on.

Thanks

- The Pearl Izumi
- Firhouse
- September 2nd weekend
- Good course and great atmosphere.

aburke

Fields of Athenry 10km - now rescheduled for Sunday 24th January.
Accurate Jones Counter measured course.
Fairly flat and fast.
Top notch race souvenier - Woolly Hat!
Great atmosphere.
I think its the best, but I am biased :-)

jinka

Dunshaughlin 10k. June.
Held on a Saturday evening, brilliant traffic free(as possible!!) course. Decent prizes including money and perpetual team/master trophy. Road and distance marked every km. Long history and race video/program.Not to mention top class stewarding and the lads who organize it are sound.

Now where's my free entry!!!???

token56

I doubt its one many people have heard of but I think its a great race. Luggacurren 10k.

It may be in the middle of nowhere, but there is always a great atmosphere and its a very challenging course, I suppose if you dont like hills you wont like it. I have a great love hate relationship with it.

Edit: Just to say its normally on early to mid September

DAVE_K

Balla 10 k in Mayo. Great course similar to Fields of Athenry (but less people) - small roads - but some good hills. Good athmosphere. Not too much pre-race hassle. Turn up an hour before with yer 15 quid and off ya go. A good spread afterwards. Great support from the locals. Not too many people doing it - loads of hard auld fellas running it (i remember saying to one who ran a 39 min 10 k - "what sort of training do you do??" he looked at me like i was mad and said "I go out on the road and run")..............some serious characters..............AND a good standard of running.

mrak

DAVE_K wrote: »

Balla 10 k in Mayo. Great course similar to Fields of Athenry (but less people) - small roads - but some good hills. Good athmosphere. Not too much pre-race hassle. Turn up an hour before with yer 15 quid and off ya go. A good spread afterwards. Great support from the locals. Not too many people doing it - loads of hard auld fellas running it (i remember saying to one who ran a 39 min 10 k - "what sort of training do you do??" he looked at me like i was mad and said "I go out on the road and run")..............some serious characters..............AND a good standard of running.

Hills in Balla... ngg..! So tough - that race will break your heart. Why isn't the last "A" pronounced in Balla? Great race though, love it.

yop

Hollymount Only 1 I have done so I cant really compare
From what I was told that its a tough enough course.

belcarra

mrak wrote: »

Hills in Balla... ngg..! So tough - that race will break your heart. Why isn't the last "A" pronounced in Balla? Great race though, love it.

Why is the second L pronounced also??
I'm a local and not even we know!!

Sure there's a few hills but sure that adds to the fun!
Plus I recorded a pb there last year.

Go Balla!

emerald007

Dunshaughlin - A whole town steeped in tradition of road racing, warm saturday's evenings with a flat fast course, the best marshalling and distance markers of any race (every km and mile marked to the millimeter). Great location for the race center. Very nice men's team trophy as well!

Reaganomical

+1 on Dunshaughlin. Great, great race.

bewleys berry

emerald007 wrote: »

Dunshaughlin - A whole town steeped in tradition of road racing, warm saturday's evenings with a flat fast course, the best marshalling and distance markers of any race (every km and mile marked to the millimeter). Great location for the race center. Very nice men's team trophy as well!

Dunshaughlin is a great race alright........ always seem to get a balmy summers evening for it too (which is something that can't be guaranteed in our ''summer'')......... the feed they put on after is always top class too........

have to agree with emerald007 about the team trophy! - only on loan though:D

Clum

bewleys berry wrote: »

the feed they put on after is always top class too........

The feed is ths business!! Dunshaughlin is a great race and is always on my calendar.

RoyMcC

Another here for the Dunshaughlin fan club.

Cool Running

I would say the best 10k I have done was Fields of Athenry. Very well organised, good souvenir hat, good Christmas atmosphere. Although it was actually one my worst ever races, was doing very little training due to injury etc and went off quick but died around 6k from then on it was like pack of dogs just running by me. Thats the problem when theres nearly 1000 people doing it:)

I think my favourite 10ks are local smaller races such as the Grange or Calry 10k in Sligo. I like the way ya can nearly predict your placing in the race and theres none of the huge hype that accompanies some of the bigger races

Cartman78

Balla is indeed a toughie but it's my hometown race so have a certain inexplicable affection for it. And no, I have absolutely no idea why Balla is pronounced the way it is

My personal favourite 10k course is the Bilboa AC race in Limerick in June. Again a tough enough course but the last mile or so is completely downhill so serious PB potential if you're within range in the closing stages.

galwayspur

I enjoyed the Mick Molloy Classic in Oughterard last summer (July). Tough hill near the start of the race which can sap the legs but it runs alongside Lough Corrib. Great support back into the town for the finish.

Balla was a very well organised race, and I was well impressed with the spread afterwards. It was my worst time of last season though, the night after U2 in Croker. I was knackered.

thirtysomething

Has anyone ever run the Killarney Lions Club 10k in May?

It is run around Killarney park and should be very scenic.

Hard Worker

The Dunshaughlin 10K ticks all the boxes. It's organised by a good team of athletes from the club. They have a great course which is well stewarded. Changing facilities are available and a good feed afterwards.
One of my old favourites was the Ennis 10K where I set my p.b. many moons ago. Not sure if it is still in existence though.

TFBubendorfer

thirtysomething wrote: »

Has anyone ever run the Killarney Lions Club 10k in May?
It is run around Killarney park and should be very scenic.

I have and it is. I can recommend it.

thirtysomething

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

I have and it is. I can recommend it.

Do you know what date it is set for this year?

TFBubendorfer

thirtysomething wrote: »

Do you know what date it is set for this year?

As far as I know, the date has not been announced yet. Their website still states:

Don't forget to keep an eye on our calendar for the date in 2010.
Details and an Application Form will be available online.

Martin0077

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

As far as I know, the date has not been announced yet.

Hi, the date for the Killarney Lions Club 10k has been set as Sunday, 23rd May at 15:00.
Kick off from the Kilalrney Plaza Hotel as always. Hope to see you there.

Seres

fields of athenry ( would like to take ths opportunity to recomend leaving the date for the middle of january , cant go on stephens day )
Donadea 10km in October ; lovely run thru the forest and very well organised

pre

thirtysomething wrote: »

What in your opinion is the best 10k road race in Ireland?

I would also be grateful if you could write in why you think so, where it is and when it is on.

Thanks

there is no better ten k than dunshaughlin anywhere in ireland. in terms of value, course, distance markers,stewarts and refreshments simply the best.

chinguetti

My vote is for Donadea too. Well done job, decent goodie bag, interesting course through the forest and good spread of food afterwards.

farmerk

Does anyone know whe the Lugacurren 10k is being run this year? I've moved to laois in the last year and would love to give it a go

Daithi BC

Last year it was on the second Sunday in September. At some stage in the past it was on the first Sunday in September, but seems to have moved on a week now. With the National half marathon champs in St. Abbans this year on the 4th, I'd say the most likely date is the 11th.

Chartsengrafs

+1 for Dunshaughlin.

It was the first race I did around 3 years agao and I've done many more since elsewhere but Dunshaughlin is my favourite. Granted I'm from there so I'm extremely biased

farmerk

Thanks Daithi

farmerk

I will now happily give my vote to Lugacurren. Tough course with plenty of hills, a great test for anyone, with some very high class runners for those who are looking for competition, and plenty of road for those who are only competing with themselves. And I got a pb, which is encouraging because of the afforementioned hills. I highly recommend this for next September.

ger664

ClareGalway 10K in August, good club run event with a very flat course.

ManFromAtlantis

ger664 wrote: »

ClareGalway 10K in August, good club run event with a very flat course.

good race alright but i think this is now a two loop run with a bit of a hill included.

jcsmum

Now, I've only done a few 10ks but I really enjoyed the Dunshaughlin one. Everyone was so friendly.

feicim

chinguetti wrote: »

My vote is for Donadea too. Well done job, decent goodie bag, interesting course through the forest and good spread of food afterwards.

+1

Fast course through a forest. Plus numbers are limited to 600 so not too crowded. Me and my sister both got PB's here last year.

Its on again on 16th Oct.

You can register for it here.

DustyBin

feicim wrote: »

+1

Fast course through a forest. Plus numbers are limited to 600 so not too crowded. Me and my sister both got PB's here last year.

Its on again on 16th Oct.

You can register for it here.

Yeah but it's €30!!
Shocking steep for a 10k at any stage but in these times?
People have to vote with their wallets

ger664

ManFromAtlantis wrote: »

good race alright but i think this is now a two loop run with a bit of a hill included.

Meh I set my PB on the old course.

pc11

30 quid for a 10K?! Seriously?


You're right, vote with your feet. It's not like they need to close roads! How much was it last year out of interest?