8 year olds Heidi Hardman and Aoibhe Jacob put members of Frontrunners Cork through their paces as they helped launch the 1st 10k race to be staged as part of the Cork City Marathon. Photo: Clare Keogh

City marathon running a 10k event

If you break out in a sweat just thinking about a full or half marathon, this new run could be just the ticket for you.

Cork City Marathon organisers have announced the addition of a 10k run to the 2023 event. This year marks the 15th staging of the Cork City Marathon which made its successful in-person return last June. The 10k run will take the place of the team relay which featured in previous years and will welcome participants aged 15 and over.

As the countdown to Sunday 4 June continues, online registration for the full and half marathon as well as the 10k is live and places in the new category are already being snapped up.

Participants in each section can run as individuals or in groups of friends, colleagues, clubs, charity supporters or whatever they choose.

Cork City Marathon is organised and managed by Davis Events Agency on behalf of Cork City Council.

Race Project Manager Julie Sebode hopes the 10k will be a popular alternative to the relay: “We’ve had so much fun with the relay in Cork, and created fantastic memories for the runners and their supporters. This year we’re giving people doing a shorter distance the chance to enjoy a great starting line atmosphere and share the same 10k route with their friends and fellow runners.

“It’s going to be a fantastic experience particularly for our younger runners - whether they’re doing the challenge for the first time, as part of a bigger training plan, to support a charity or even for a bit of healthy competition with their brothers and sisters!”

Director of Services at Cork City Council and Race Director Adrienne Rodgers said: “Bringing more people into our brilliant marathon event is a great way to celebrate the number choosing to run all year round now. We’re all more aware of the importance of taking care of our physical and mental health and we want to support that from a young age so the 10k is a brilliant way to get the message out there.

“The council is also encouraging schools and youth clubs to get involved with the event’s Youth Challenge. Who knows, maybe some of the runners in this year’s shorter distances will be taking on a bigger challenge in 2024!”

Conor McAuley took 5th place in the Cork City Marathon in 2022. He said a 10k is a great event for novice runners: “It’s all about building up, moving up the distances and getting to the marathon takes many years really so a 10k is a great place to start.”

See Corkcitymarathon.ie for more.