Race-Day Arrangements

Changing Facilities
Start & Finish Lines
Timing Chips
Water Stations & Energy Drinks
Toilets
Course Time Limit & Traffic
Headphones
Getting to the Start Lines: Traffic & Parking
Team Relay
Discarded Clothes
Medals

Changing Facilities

On race day, there will be changing facilities available in Cork City Hall and leaving your bag for later collection. All bags must have a label with your race number tag on it, which you will find as a tear-off on the bottom of your race bib. Please do not leave valuables in your bag.

Please note that security scans will be in operation at the entrance to the halls.
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START & FINISH Lines

The marathon and relay start at 8.30am on St Patrick’s Street (wheelchair at 08.25am). The start area will be zoned into your predicted time for the race – please respect these zones.

The half marathon starts at 10.15am on Monahan Road. There are no parking facilities in the area of the half-marathon start. The start line is easily accessed on foot from Blackrock or is a short walk from City Hall. Please be in position by 9.45am.

For your safety and comfort, walkers are asked to begin from the back of the starting fields. Marathon and half-marathon participants will be wearing a chip in their race bib, so even if it takes a minute or so to get to cross the starting line you’ll get an accurate start-finish time.

All events finish on St Patrick’s Street.
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TIMING CHIPS

Your timing chip will be integrated into your race number. If you don’t have your race bib with you in the morning, you won’t get an electronic time for your race.

Please wear the chipped bib on the front of your shirt, as high up as is comfortable for you.

For the relay, the team member who will cross the finish line must wear the number prefixed by the letter E.

There’s no need to return the chipped bib at the end of the race.
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WATER STATIONS & Energy Drinks

Please hydrate well BEFORE race day!

Please do not come to the startline dehydrated. Given the early start, there won’t be water on Patrick’s Street for the marathon/relay start, so bring your own if you think you’ll need it. Refill Ireland will have a hydration station set up in front of City Hall from 7am to top up your bottles or hydration backpacks. The Refill Ireland hydration station will then later that morning move to the finish line. 

Drink enough before the start so that you don’t feel thirsty but don’t aggressively over-hydrate. Remember that over-hydrating is more dangerous than dehydration, so drink to your thirst and not just because it’s warm.

We’ll have plenty of water and Lucozade sport out on the course – nearly 80,000 units in all. However, please don’t waste the water by taking a sip and then dumping your bottle. Apart from the waste, it makes the job of the volunteers and cleansing crew a lot more difficult. If you don’t want to drink the full bottle, squirt the rest of it over you! SIP AND TIP, it’ll make recycling the bottles a lot easier too.

All water stations will be stocked with 330ml sugarcane and paper-based tetra packs with sugarcane caps. 100% recyclable. 

Lucozade Sports will be provided in cups at three of the stations, roughly at 11, 18 and 23 miles.

There are toilets at the start area and around the course (near the Relay Changeovers).

There are water stations every 2.5 – 3 miles so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to top up. You probably won’t need to drink at every water station. Drink according to your thirst, taking the weather into account.

DON’T OVER-HYDRATE!

Drop Zones

To help with the clean-up, please try to discard your water carton/energy drink cup within 200m of a water station. Throw them to one side, not onto the course or over walls or into peoples’ gardens.

On the South Ring Road, please don’t drop your bottles in the Tunnel. If you really do need to get rid of the bottle on the South Ring Road after the Tunnel, please throw it to the kerb on your right and not onto the grass verge.

On the South City Link, heading towards Turner’s Cross, please don’t throw your bottles up onto the steep bank to your left – throw them to the left but again on the road, so the cleansing crew can retrieve them more easily.

On the Carrigrohane Road, where there’s live traffic to your right, please throw your bottles onto the footpath to your left.

If you like to sip while you run, try holding onto the bottle until you reach the next water station.

The water stations are as follows:

All water stations will have 330ml cartons of water. Lucozade Sports will be provided in cups at 3 stations (11, 18 & 23 miles). The stations are as follows:

• Watercourse Road (c. 2.2 miles)
• Horgan’s Quay – (3.2 miles)
• Lower Glanmire Road – you’ll be looked after by a crew from Watergrasshill AC (c. 5.4 miles)
• Mahon Point – big shout out to Barry and the gang from the Rising Sun karate club (8.2 miles)
• Blackrock Castle carpark/walkway – thanks to Enable Ireland volunteers. Lucozade Sports (in cups). (c. 10.7 miles)
• Railway Line at junction with Skehard Road – (c. 13.6 miles)
• Marina (14.9 miles) – staffed by the wonderful Lee Rowing Club crew
• Curragh Road (17.6 miles) & Lucozade Sports (in cups)
• The Lough – thanks to Togher Tidy Towns (c. 19.5 miles)
• Farranlea Road – thanks to Leevale AC (c. 21 miles)
• Inchigaggin Lane/Carrigrohane Road – thanks to Ballincollig AC for looking after you here (22.6 miles) & Lucozade Sports (in cups)
• Carrigrohane Road – you’ll be looked after by the fabulous staff from the Kingsley Hotel and their crew (c. 24.1 miles)
• Mardyke approach to Mardyke Bridge – thanks to the Cork County Cricket Club (c. 25 miles)

Finish Line: In our continuing drive to green the Cork Marathon, we’re welcoming REFILL IRELAND to the finish line this year again. Water in the finish area will be self-service, reusable tumblers will be available but you can also refill your own bottle, tetra pack or hydration backpack. 

Our sincere thanks to the Defence Forces in Collins Barracks, who’ll make sure your water is delivered to each and every station on race day.

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There will be portable toilets at the following locations:

• City Hall
• St Patrick’s Street
• Half-marathon start on Monahan Road
• Silversprings relay changeover
• Ringmahon Road relay changeover
• Loughmahon Walkway/Ballinure Road
• Centre Park Road relay changeover
• Model Farm Road relay changeover
• Carrigrohane Road (Kingsley)

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COURSE TIME LIMIT & Traffic information for runners

The course time limit is 6 hours. After 6 hours, the Gardaí may ask you to move onto the footpaths but the finish line will stay in place for 7 hours. St Patrick’s Street will be closed to traffic for the day.

While the course is closed to traffic, there are some areas where local residents will have to access their homes. Castle Road (at c. 11 miles), Model Farm Road (at c. 20 miles), Inchigaggin Lane (at c. 22 miles) and Mardyke Walk (at c. 25 miles) are particularly affected by the race. Please be aware in these areas that you may encounter some traffic. There will also be some traffic permitted on the course led by a Garda bike or car.

The Jack Lynch Tunnel (at c. 7 miles) is a critical link in the city’s traffic network. If you haven’t reached the tunnel by 10.30hrs, you will not be permitted through it.

The South City Link Road (at c. 17.5 miles) is also a vital artery in the city’s traffic network. To allow the South City Link Road to reopen, there is an official time limit for reaching the Turners Cross junction of 12.30hrs.

If you’re over the course time limit, you may be asked to move onto the footpaths.

Please note that all road closures and re-openings are at the discretion of the Gardai and changes may be necessary on the day.

Traffic Restrictions on the day

Cork City Marathon 2022 will take place on Sunday 5th June 2022. The full marathon starts at 08.30 hrs and the half marathon at 10.15 hrs. There will be traffic restrictions on the day in Cork City and Suburbs between 6am and 6pm. Further details will follow closer to the date. 

We apologise in advance for the inconvenience caused and respectfully ask residents and visitors not to drive on the course if at all possible. 

For travel into and around Cork City on SUNDAY 5th June, the general advice is to use the Ring Roads (N25 South; R635 North) and Link Road (N27).

Our stewards, identified by high-vis vests with CORK CITY MARATHON on the back, and the Gardaí will do their utmost to minimise traffic disruption.

Getting to Kent Station:

Due to the Lower Glanmire Road closure to the North and Horgan’s Quay to the South of the Station access to both the North and South car parks will be restricted on race day. Timings to follow. 

Getting to the Bus Station on Parnell Place:

You won’t be able to access the bus station by car between 8.30am and 9.30am. After that, traffic will have access but will be restricted by the closure of St Patrick’s Street.

Cork City Centre

The marathon begins on St Patrick’s Street at 8.30am. 

The half marathon begins on Monahan’s Road at 10.15am. 

St Patrick’s Street and adjoining streets are closed to traffic all day, from 5.30am to 6pm.

North Main Street will be closed to traffic from c. 10.00am until 3pm.

There will be further restrictions across the City, details will be available on the website shortly.

Approaching the City from the North

Blackpool

The Blackpool Bypass will be closed from 7.30am to 11am TBC. 

Jack Lynch Tunnel

The Jack Lynch Tunnel will be open with a contraflow and traffic delays should be expected. 

The Silversprings dual carriageway/ Lower Glanmire Road (N8) will be closed to traffic inbound from 7.30am.

Parking

Please see all city centre carpark opening and closing times below and also please note, Q-Park also offers a 25% discount for participants who pre-book their parking online and use the promo code CCM25 (valid 4-6/6/22).

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HEADPHONES

While headphones are not banned from the race, you are strongly advised not to wear them.

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GETTING TO THE START LINE

The marathon and relay begin on St Patrick’s Street in the city centre.

There will be major traffic restrictions throughout the city on race day but the general advice is to use the city’s Ring and Link roads when possible. You can drive into the city centre, but allow plenty of time to get to your start line. Contra-flows will operate in the Jack Lynch Tunnel, on the South Ring Road to Mahon and on the South City Link. A full list of roads affected will be available soon.

We’ll confirm race-day train times asap.

BUSES:

City and suburban bus services will be restricted because of the race – details will be posted as soon as they are available.

PARK & RIDE:

The Park & Ride service from the Black Ash centre, on the South City Link (N27), into the city centre will operate – Times to be confirmed soon. The service costs €5 for the day. Participants and spectators are urged to use this facility and leave their car outside the city centre. The bus will bring you to the centre, a minute’s walk from the City Hall.

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TEAM RELAY

There are five relay stages, for teams of two to five individuals. Each team member completes their leg(s) at the fixed changeover points.

The team member who will cross the finish line must wear the number prefixed by the letter E.

Stages

Team members may cover one leg each (in teams of five), or take two or more consecutive legs in whatever combination suits them. The relay legs are as follows:

• Start (Patrick’s Street) to near Silversprings Hotel: 4.8 miles (7.8km)
• Silversprings to Ringmahon Road: 5.4 miles (8.7km)
• Ringmahon to Centre Park Road: 5.7 miles (9.2km)
• Centre Park Road to Model Farm Road: 5.8 miles (9.3km)
• Model Farm Road to the finishing line (Patrick’s Street): 4.5 miles (7.2km)

Getting to your Relay Changeover
A fleet of Kearney’s of Cork coaches will bring you to and from the outlying relay changeover points. The buses will shuttle from and to City Hall. First and last buses are as follows:

• Silversprings: 7.15am – 8.00am
• Ringmahon Road: 8.45am – 10.15am
• Model Farm Road: 9.45am – 1pm

The relay changeover on Centre Park Road is a two-minute walk east of City Hall. From City Hall, follow the River east to Victoria Road, turn right and then left onto Centre Park Road at the roundabout and you’re at the station.

The last bus for Silversprings leaves promptly at 8am. If you miss that, you’ll have to make your own way down to the changeover.

If you’re expecting to run a very fast relay, the buses might not get you to your changeovers on time. The expected arrival time for the first relay bus in Mahon is 9.05, with a further 5min-walk to the changeover. Similarly, the trip to the Model Farm Road is approximately 20mins but may take longer, depending on traffic.

Remember that the day may be hot, cold and/or wet – when you finish your stage of the relay, you might need extra clothes to keep you warm or dry. Why not give your change of clothes to the team mate that you will be handing over to? That way, when you reach your team mate at the changeover point, you can take your change of clothes from them and can take any surplus clothing that they may have been wearing while waiting for you. The team member that you’ll be handing over to could also take water and any other items that you might want at the end of your run.

What to Bring:

• Race Number/s (your team’s chip is in the E number bib)
• Safety pins (in race pack at registration)
• Water
• Sunscreen
• Vaseline or other anti-chafing product

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DISCARDED CLOTHES

If you discard jackets, t-shirts, leggings, etc. at the start line of the marathon or half marathon, we’ll collect the garments and bring them back to City Hall, where the pile will be available after the races for you to sort through. Please note that we can’t guarantee that you’ll find your garment so ensure it’s not a valuable one. Also, we won’t have enough volunteers on hand to help you search, so it’ll be up to yourself to go through the gear and retrieve it. Please do not leave anything of value at the start line.

Unclaimed clothes will be donated to charity one week after the event.
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MEDALS

Marathon and Half-Marathon finishers will receive their medals at the finish line.

For the relay, each member of all finishing relay teams will receive a medal. However, you must go over to City Hall to collect the team’s medals. It’s a short walk to City Hall and please note that we will not be posting out any medals after the race.
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