Ballyhoura Race Day Instructions- Please Read Carefully !
| Author | Date | Message |
|---|---|---|
| Robbie Williams | Apr 29 2018, 10:14pm | BALLYHOURA TRAIL RUNNING FESTIVAL 2018 Welcome to all for the 2018 running of this great event in the beautiful Ballyhoura Countryside. This year sees the trial of a new distance of 10km to the event. We hope that your preparations are well underway for your trip to Limerick. Please read the following itinerary carefully so you are clear as to the agenda for the weekend. REGISTRATION/SIGN IN: T shirts and chip timing will be picked up when collecting race numbers ! Ultra Registration/sign in will take place on Friday evening in the Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel between 7-9pm. You may have a friend or fellow runner pick up race number/tshirt in your place but you will have to SIGN wavier for race IN PERSON, BEFORE leaving Scoil Pol hall on Saturday morning. Failure to do so will mean no race result. Stayover in hostel is €25 pp and for €10 a pre-race stew can be served. On sign in you can pick up t shirt & race mug. Marathon Registration/sign in can take place at 2 time slots. The Friday evening 7-9pm in the Hostel as specified for Ultra OR in the Scoil Pol (you may pick up your race t shirt and mug here) after the ULTRA has departed approx 6:40am and no later than 8am. Race instructions 8:15am SHARP. Race starts 8:30am SHARP. Half Marathon Registration/Sign In will take place on Saturday morning from 6:40am- 9:30am SHARP at Scoil Pol hall (you may pick up your race t shirt here). No sign in will be permitted after 9:30am to facilitate bus transfer to start. 10km Registration/Sign In will take place between 10:00am and 11:15am SHARP.(You may pick up your race t shirt here). No sign in allowed after this time to facilitate bus transfer to start. BUS TRANSFERS: For Half Marathon & 10km Races. When signing in you will be allocated a ticket which will pertain to a bus leaving at a certain time to go to the start. When the colour of the ticket is called, you will board that bus and also check the bus time table at reg. (eg: yellow ticket may leave at 9:45am from Church Car Park 100m from Scoil Pol).Busses will be at capacity. Also note, there are no facilities at start line so please do your business at Scoil Pol. Advice is to wear a black refuse sack to stay warm in and not to hand excess clothing to race officials. These can be put in a bin at your race start. ***Please take the bus you are allocated and do not ask for a later/earlier bus. If you are not on the bus that you were allocated you will have to make your own way to the start line 7km away. DROP BAGS (ONLY FOR ULTRA AND FULL MARATHON) Drop bags need to be placed in drop bag areas in hall on race morning. Ultras are allowed 2 drop bags: 1. Kilfinnane Scoil Pol (you will pass through here after first 16-18km), 2. Ballyorgan (you will have a 21km to go here) Marathons are allowed 1 drop bag: Ballyorgan. AID STATIONS: (FOR ALL RACES) & CUTT OFFS: PLEASE NOTE; NO STATIONS WILL HAVE CUPS, YOU MAY REFILL OR CARRY TRAVEL COLLAPSABLE. STATIONS WILL SUPPLY: WATER, CORDIAL, CHOCOLATE, BANANAS, CRISPS/NUTS, JELLIES. *(not all may be available at all stations) The race is in the format that the ULTRAs will do a loop from Kilfinnane out over Slivereagh and back into Kilfinnane, and then start the Marathon course. The Half Marathon starts from Halfway around the marathon course, and the 10km is the last 10km of ultra, marathon & half- marathon. The Stations: The Ultra will have one manned aid station up on Slievereagh (CP 1) before returning to Kilfinnane (CP 2) where they can have another aid station. On the marathon course, the first aid station is at approx. 12km into the course (CP 3). This will be a manned checkpoint. After summiting Seefin and descending down into Ballyorgan (CP 4). If you get to this halfway point within 2 hours you will be applauded by the Half Marathoners waiting to start. Please keep to LEFT side of road and allow a clear passage Half Marathoners! For the marathoners to run through easily) The next station is at the beginning of Darragh Hills (CP 5). After crossing over the 2 hilltops, the course drops to a low point at Darragh Creamery (CP 6). The next and last station (CP 7) will be unmanned and will be at the `High Bridge`approx. 5km out from the finish. This is after you descend from Rupplagh (or the `Ski Slope`). So that’s 6 stations over the 60 km and a descending amount over the others, some will be manned, some will be unmanned. There will be a bin provided so please keep areas clean. CP 1: 10km U (Slievereagh) CP 2: 18km U (Kilfinnane School) Ultra CUT OFF 9:30AM CP 3: 30km U. 12km M. (Trim Trail) CP 4: 42km U. 21km M (Ballyorgan) CUT OFF 12:30 for Ultra /11:30am Marathon. CP 5: 46km U. 25km M. 4km H (Darragh Hills entry) CP 6: 50km U. 32km M. 11km H (Darragh Creamery) CP 7: 55km U. 37km M. 17km H. 5km 10. (High Bridge) ** U-into Ultra course, M-into Marathon course, H-into Half course, 10-into 10km course. Please respect the marshal`s wishes. If you are asked to withdraw because of passing a cut off, you will be asked to stop running, and will be a DNF. COURSE & MANDATORY KIT The course will have a varied mix of terrain and you will encounter muddy sections on uphills and down hills. Marathon and Ultra need to pay particular attention to the descent off Seefin (approx. 36km/18km as path is very rocky and rough at this, the highest point of the race. Shoes with some level of grip need to be worn. The mandatory kit for all runners in all races is as follows: Waterproof jacket. Mobile phone (working and with Race Directors number). Bottle of minimum 250ml capacity. Kit check at race start. Strict rules apply, A kit check marshal at finish will ask for kit which will need to be provided on a DNF will result. Race numbers need to be visible on approach to finish line. POST RACE: After you have finished your race, showers are available in the GAA to the left of the Main school entrance. Hot food & dessert is available in the Scoil Pol canteen upstairs. (We suggest you shower if you are able first as you may not feel like moving after a feed and a drink.) There will be vegetarian option available. Eight Degrees Brewery in Mitchelstown have sponsored us a selection of their finest Craft Ales and Beers which can be enjoyed at dinner. Tea & Coffee will also be available. Prizes will be handed out once 1,2,3 in each race both men and women have finished. ACCOMODATION: Limited accommodation may be still available at Ballyhoura Luxury Hostel. Deebert House in Kilmallock is also an option as is The Firgrove Hotel in Mitchelstown. PARKING: Race parking is available in the small school car park at side entrance and also behind the goal posts in the main pitch of the school. Warning: do not drive on main pitch please! SERVICES: A small garage and shop are on Main Street in Kilfinnane A Centra store is in the main street. That’s all the details folks, we hope you enjoy the day and remember the Ballyhoura International Walking Festival is also on, if you have those travelling with you that aren’t that keen on running. Walks cover all levels and distances. For info: www.visitballyhoura.com See you all soon !! |
| Stephen Brennan | Apr 29 2018, 11:06pm | Just confirming that the Start time for the ultra is 6:30am Saturday. |
| Robbie Williams | Apr 30 2018, 5:25am | Exact starts are; Ultra 6:30am Marathon 8:30am Half 10:30am 10k 12noom |
| Robbie Williams | May 1 2018, 10:05pm | Ultra race sign in and number pick up is Friday night 7-9pm at Ballyhoura Hostel. Please bring your imra race number, but you will also be assigned a new race day number with built in timing chip so you will need to pick up this on Friday evening. Hall opens 6am to put in drop bags. Race starts 6:30am sharp Marathon, Half , 10km can reg/sign in from 7am onward on Saturday morning. Please be early for pick up as marathon closes 8am, Half Closes 9:40am, 10k closes 11:15am. |
| Brian Flannelly | May 5 2018, 11:13pm | Go raibh maith agat to the Ballyhoura Trail Festival organising team who put together yet another fantastic event, on to 4 races this year. Special thanks to all the volunteers in Ballyhoura today (and yesterday evening preparing), who gave so much of their time to make it successful - well done all. Results are now up for these events on the links below - any questions/queries on them, please email: brian.flannelly at imra dot ie Ballyhoura Trail 10km <https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1648/> Ballyhoura Trail Half Marathon (#3 of 7 in Munster Half-Marathon League 2018) <https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1629/> Ballyhoura Trail Marathon (#2 of 4 in Munster Long Distance Championship 2018) <https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1635/> Ballyhoura Trail Ultra Marathon (#4 of 6 in Irish Ultra Championships 2018) <https://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/1611> |
