Mitchelstown host inaugural 'Gr8km' road race
Tony Flynn and Steven Ryan from Awbeg Valley AC, Doneraile, pictured at the Rising Sun Open Sports Day THIS coming Friday night sees the inaugural 'GR8km' road race taking place in Mitchelstown. Hosted by the newly-formed Galtee Runners AC, the race starts at 8pm and it also serves as the fifth event in the Ballyhoura Active Summer Series which commenced back in April and concludes in Liscarroll on Friday September 3.
The headquarters for the new race will be at St Fanahans College where entries (at € 10) will be taken in the sports hall from 6.30pm onwards. This is just a half-a-mile away from the start and finish and the prize presentation, along with afterrace refreshments, will also take place there.
Galtee Runners came into being last November and Johnny O'Sullivan, one of the founders, explained how the club came about: "A few of us enjoyed running locally and competing in road races around the country and when we saw the interest in jogging, walking and running in Mitchelstown and surrounding areas, we decided to set up a club."
"We meet twice a week on Tuesday and Friday at 7.20pm at Brigown Cemetery gates in the town for a few miles of fun and laughter while we train. We break up the year up into five main targets - the Ballycotton '10' in March, Cork City Marathon and relay in June, our own GR8km, Cork Ladies MiniMarathon in September and the Dublin City Marathon in October," said O'Sullivan.
The club members were delighted earlier in the year when Michael Herlihy approached them about getting involved in the Ballyhoura Series. The race is named GR8 KM [Galtee Runners 8km] and takes in a route that is mainly flat with a good road surface. It goes through the town before heading out the country to finish near the start line on the Clonmel Road.
With Mitchelstown very central and easy to get to, the club is hoping to have a nice mixture of runners and walkers from Cork and the surrounding counties. More info about the race can be got on the club's facebook page or from the Ballyhoura Active Summer Series website.
- PICTURE: JOHN WALSHE by John Walshe
