Knockmealdown Half

Description:

Knockmealdowns Half Marathon

County:

Waterford

Date:

Saturday 31st March, 2018

Time:

11:00

Climb (m):

1050

Distance (km):

21.00

Event Difficulty:

10 (Extreme) - Extreme, >1,000M ascent or > 30Km

Race Marking:

- Only major junctions marked

GPS Allowed:

Yes

Leagues:

Munster Half-Marathon League 

Route Description:

Registration at the Bay Lough Car Park from 9:30am – 10:30am Race start is at 11:00am, 2.5km down the road at the Vee switchback (below Grubb’s Monument.

Get your race shoes on and warm up by running to the start point…. All runners will head off down the road from the start for a short distance before a quick descent on single track to a metal bridge crossing and the start of the fire road which heads East toward the Liam Lynch Monument. A gradual, but steady climb over 4km will eventually result in you hitting the Monument just shy of the 10km mark. We hope to have a marshal there to direct you into the woods and up the first of a series of open mountain climbs. The terrain from here is all single track and will be soft underfoot, so come prepared with aggressive trail shoes. The section from Crohan West to the start of the Knockmealdown climb is undulating but fast in sections; and with forgiving ground around you, you can really open the throttle if you’re brave.

At 13.5km you will hit a saddle and the start of the Tipp/Waterford boundary wall. We hope to have an additional marshal and/or medic here to keep an eye on weather conditions each runner’s reserves of energy. If anyone needs medical attention or is unable to continue, a vehicle will be on standby a short walk from this point. From here you follow the boundary wall almost to the Finish. All runners MUST follow the route to the corner of the wall. This will be clearly marked. When you hit the Knockmealdown climb, you will know it, but get to the top and you will have hit the highest point of the course. Now, put the burners on - it’s almost 3.5km down to the Finish and you can really fly it down this section. Watch out for the course markings angling you left off the main route toward Sugarloaf. A marshal will be stationed here to make sure you do NOT head on toward Sugarloaf, but instead will be directed down to the Lough in a NW direction before hitting it. It’s a more gradual (and safer) route.

Relive Video of Route

Getting There:

From Tipperary, head for Clogheen and look for the R668 heading south toward “The VEE”. 4km down this road you’ll cross a bridge just before the climb up to the Vee. They have a stop/go system in place there now as they repair the bridge from flood damage. After the sharp switchback a further km or two you’’ notice the Grubb’s Monument to your left 50m at the bottom of Sugarloaf. This is the start point of the race, However registration is a further 2.5km up the road on your right at a large carpark above the Bay Lough. From the Cork and Waterford side, head for Lismore and pass through town heading North past the castle. After crossing the Blackwater, take the R668 left and stay on this road for almost 13km. You’ll notice the carpark on the left hand side as you get to the highest point of the road, crossing the Knockmealdowns.

Organisers Instructions:

Entry now closed

REVISED MANDATORY KIT LIST: Rain Jacket, Phone, Foil blanket, warm hat, gloves

Experience with OPEN MOUNTAIN running is strongly advised for this race. Adverse weather conditions can make this race more challenging than expected. Under IMRA rules for competitor's safety, it is mandatory to bring and carry a jacket that is shower and wind proof for the entire race. Any competitor seen not carrying or wearing their jacket at any stage in the race will be disqualified. There are no exceptions to this rule!

NEW IMRA MEMBERSHIP PROCEDURE FOR 2018!

All competitors must be IMRA members. IMRA membership costs €10 for a calendar year. It is unrelated to membership of other athletic clubs. IMRA membership cannot be purchased at the race, you must follow these steps beforehand:

1. Login to your "myimra" account on www.imra.ie. If you don't have an account, create one using the REGISTER FOR MYIMRA link, and follow the instructions carefully.
2. Go to the PURCHASE IMRA PRODUCTS page and purchase 2018 membership using a credit/debit card.
3. Bring the membership confirmation email containing your race number for the year with you to your first race
4. Get a bib number at your first race, and hold on to it, as it's valid for the full year.

Note: If you are not a 2018 IMRA member or don't know your race number, it will not be possible to enter the race

Volunteers (Non-Running)

You need to have done 2 non-running volunteer roles in a calendar year to qualify for end of year prize

Current Volunteers

Role	Volunteers	Accepted	Run
Race Director		Matthew Branch	No
Deputy Race Director		Gary Healy	No
First Aid Officer		Marco Petrassi	No
Race Marker		Austin Browne	No
Race Marker		Kastytis Bereznocenko	No
Helper		John Hallahan	No
Helper		Ted Feehan	No
Helper		John Oflynn	No

Volunteers (Running)

Check with race director if they have a need for people volunteering and running. Race directors need a minimum number of people available throughout the race to make the race work so non-running volunteers are preferable. While it can be helpful, volunteering in a volunteer and race capacity does not count towards qualifying for end of year prize

Current Volunteers

Role	Volunteers	Accepted	Run
First Aid Officer		Robert McEvoy	Yes
Helper		catherine redmond	Yes
Helper		Brian Mullins	Yes
Helper		Robbie Williams	Yes

Carpool