Bandon adds two new races to calendar

RUNNERS are set to hit the streets of a town renowned for its car sales industry and clock up the mileage with two new marathons.

And participants in the Cork city marathon have been asked to consider running that race for a bus.

The people of Bandon in West Cork will add two new races to the Irish racing calendar next weekend.

Bandon Athletic Club, in a joint venture with Bandon Rugby Club, are staging a half marathon and a 10-kilometre race on Saturday May 14. Organisers said the races are ideally positioned three weeks before the Cork city marathons.

The half marathon gets under way from Old Chapel, near the rugby club at 9.30am and the 10k runners will set off at 10am.

Runners will proceed west on the main N71 road before swinging right back towards the town, finishing near St Peter’s Church.

Meanwhile, St Luke’s Home in Mahon has urged people to consider running the Cork City Marathon on June 6 to help raise funds for a new bus for its residents.

“We have set ourselves an ambitious target of 60 teams of five for the relay event but solo runners are also welcome,” St Luke’s director of fundraising Oonagh O’Driscoll said.

Her call coincided with a reminder from Irish athletics legend, Sonia O’Sullivan, to people to register for the race ahead of tomorrow’s deadline. It will be Sonia Sullivan’s first marathon in three years.