Running blackspots

rom

I run in both the north and south side in Cork 3 or 4 times a week each. Now I have been running in the northside for about 9/10 months and other than a few lads from the Muay Thai club 6pm every evening I haven't seen anyone else run there where in the southside the place is full of people running. Like its the case that there are a few local salute me on my run as they see me nearly everyday. I am yet to pass a fellow runner. It is at lunch time but still I don't see anyone else running in the morning or evening. Now the northside is hilly but there are 5K loops that have very little hills in them. It just seems like a big contrast over a small distance. Runners I know from the northside even run more often in the southside it seems. This is an observation and am wondering why this is the case ? What is the case in other places is there similar divides.

EauRouge79

My guess would be that its just to do with the lie of the land. It is very hilly and not many open spaces to run in.
To be honest, If I was living on the northside of the city I would probably head toward the southside for my running. Track options, marina/blackrock route, old railway line as far as monkstown, UCC Farm etc.....

Another observation...I cant even think of a any running club on the northside?

rom

Now I am just interested cause Mark Carroll http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056389104 used to run the roads around here and all those hills didn't hinder him. You could say the same for Sonia down in Cobh too. Just interesting that the two people who have the strongest irish records (over the same distance) both lived in very hilly places. But then again they are from Cork too :P

Cabaal

Lived in Cork last year for a few weeks and regularly ran though Douglas village area, into centre of the city and back. Only used to see other runners the very odd time.

Enjoyed the hills big time, ok they were hard at times but they made me a better runner

Krusty_Clown

rom wrote: »

Now I am just interested cause Mark Carroll http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056389104 used to run the roads around here and all those hills didn't hinder him. You could say the same for Sonia down in Cobh too. Just interesting that the two people who have the strongest irish records (over the same distance) both lived in very hilly places. But then again they are from Cork too :P

Aren't you from Cork? Don't you run in those same hilly places? We'll be expecting a National Irish record by the end of the year.
My parents are from Cork, but it must skip a generation.

rom

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Aren't you from Cork? Don't you run in those same hilly places? We'll be expecting a National Irish record by the end of the year.
My parents are from Cork, but it must skip a generation.

You wish you were from Cork :P
National Irish record in BS maybe

b.harte

Is it because of the accent? :eek:
Them norries are like a bunch of squaking chickens? :rolleyes:
Much more refined on the good side of the river.

I think it might be just more to do with the general lay of the land in the city / suburbs. The areas to the "South" such as Wilton, Douglas, Tougher, Blackrock and all would have been the leafy suburbs of a time past, the roads / streets are wider and connect in a more structured manner, which makes it a nicer (in an open way) environment to run in. Much of this is to do with the flatter topography as others have said.

The areas to the "North" are tighter, full of winding lanes and a criss cross of alleyways and narrow pedestrian ways. Some of this is to do with the steep nature of the areas to the immediate north of the river and some to do with the older north parts being the workshop for the city so the area is denser.

There are exceptions, montenotte on the NS and Douglas street on the SS don't fit this general pattern.

From memory a lot of other cities seem to be the same, areas of industry are dense, areas of commerce are lighter more open.

But really it to do with the current facilities, the running areas are better suited on the south of the river.

Google maps is your friend, there are some great and challenging runs on the northside, Summer hiil - St.Lukes - Left at Dillons X up past the barracks and back down patricks hill, that's a workout.

Bertie

thebouldwhacker

Not sure about all this....
I have lived all over the city and there are a lot of sports all over the city including running.
Glanmire is thick with joggers, mayfield and all along the north ring road. All along summer hill north and around that area too. I worked in knocka and frankfield, and it wasn't so common there (but there be big hills) however at the bottom of those hills commons road and blackpool are both good running spots which link up with the aforementioned north ring road.... And I didn't even mention the lower glanmire road.
That said all those places I mentioned are well represented by all weather pitches which are always packed so that may lower the running uptake...
That's my 2c

rom

Knocka,Churchfield, Fair Hill, Gurranbrather would be where I noticed this. Just thought in 9 months running there I would have passed someone else going the opposite way.

KentuckyPete

I live on the Northside and run both sides of the river:

SOUTHSIDE
1. LSR - Centre Park Road, Marina, Blackrock, Monkstown, Passage, Raffeen hill and back

2. LSR - On grass at the Farm

3. Intervals - Monkstown line

NORTHSIDE
4. LSR - Lower road, Dunkettle, GLanmire, Riverstown and back - that's a 10-mile loop

5. Hill Sprints - Hill at Sliversprings or the hill at up to the Glen church

6. Hills steady run - repeats of the Dunnes Ballyvolane / North Ring / Glen Church / Red Setter / Dunnes Ballyvolane loop (in both directions)

To your original question - everyone runs the south side because it's easier and you can go long distances in a pedestrianised environment. It's flatter and you have the old railway line and Blackrock Castle Loop. You could also get into the old "running (especially jogging) is generally a middle-class pursuit and you have an almost 100% middle-class population south of the river" argument.