Cork City Marathon Measurement News - March 2023
Measurement the Cork City Marathon, Half-Marathon and 10k 2023
Status as of March 5th 2023
The Cork City Marathon, and it's associated Half-Marathon are AIMS Registered events, and are required to be fully remeasured by an AIMS Certified Measurer, every five years, or if the course changes. They were both fully remeasured last year, 2022
This year, the Relay has been dropped and, in it's stead, there will be a 10k, which, under AIMS licencing, must also be measured by an AIMS Measurer. The three Cork courses were measured by John Quigley AIMS/World Athletics Grade 'A' Measurer
One of the benefits of AIMS Certification is that qualifying times achieved at AIMS accredited events, like Cork, are accepted for the Marathon Majors, such as New York and Boston
In any city, it's difficult to maintain exactly the same Marathon course, year on year, and it will come as little surprise to find the there are a few, relatively minor, but nevertheless significant changes along the Cork City Marathon Route this year
Second Change in Marathon Route
The first change people will see will be almost unnoticed by many on the day: The City bound exit from the Tunnel is being streamlined, removing an estimated 30m from the route - This is Link B on the Dunkettle Interchange plans. It is planned to measure the section from Mahon Point to the old Dunkettle Roundabout early in April, to coincide with a closure of the North Bore during a planned Tunnel Maintanance outage ...assuming that Link B is finished in time!
Third Change - Atlantic Pond/ Páirc Uí Caoimh
Another deviation from the 2022 Marathon course will be at the interface of the Old Railway Line Greenway, by the Atlantic Pond, with the Marina. Major works, taking almost 12 months to complete, are planned for the Marina, to commence in May. The section of these works impacting on the Marathon and Half-Marathon has been re-jigged to ensure that the Marathon & Half-Marathon runners can pass through [After the Marathon week-end, works will commence fully, resulting in, it is understood, full closure of the Marina]
The Marathon will now continue directly along the path, towards Pairc Uí Caoimh, skirting the Stadium and then a short climb up the Pairc Uí Caoimh access road, and joining the Marina briefly, by Lee Rowing Club. This section will be remeasured in the coming weeks, and is likely to add some 3 or 4 metres to the course
First Change - Maddens Buildings
The first change on the route, is listed here in third place, because it will be the last measurement change to be made, once the Tunnel section remeasurement has been carried out
So...between the Tunnel adjustment, and that at Pairc Uí Caoimh, the course will be short by some 26 to 30m. The same start and finish, on Patrick St, as in 2022, are being maintaned. This means that extra distance must be found along the course, and it is proposed to insert this on the Blackpool ByPass, by Maddens Buildings, where, as in the past, a short 'S Type' loop will be added. This section will not be finalised until after the Tunnel section remeasurement
Half-Marathon Route
The only change envisaged in the Half-Marathon route is a slight realignment, near the 'Marquee Road', inside the first mile, due to more roadworks. It's likely that this will result in the Half-Marathon start line moving just a few metres along the route, in the Blackrock direction
The 10k Route
While the route is being kept 'under wraps' until there is an official Press Release, in the next few weeks, the 10k route was measured over the past two weekends, and only final details, such as locations of restriction barriers and other course managemnt items, which may impact slightly on the measurement, remain to be finalised. Once these are agreed, final adjustments will be made
So the route remains 'Secret' for now....but there were lots of runners out early on the past few Sundays, so anyone who spotted me might have some clues to the route!
