Looking for training motivation: Here's a list of Cork events going ahead in 2022

A number of new and old Cork races are planning to run real-world events in 2022.

To give Cork’s athletes, triathletes and try-something-new peeps a focus for the months ahead, The Echo has put together some of the big race days coming up this year.

A fast and scenic run route, the Kinsale 10 mile race organised by Riverstick Kinsale AC in on Sunday, Feb 27 at 12pm.

A newbie to the racing calendar, Adventure Racing Ireland (ARI) has committed to a series of four team-based adventure races in 2022 with the first one kicking off in Kinsale, Co Cork on March 5.

The event, which can be completed in teams of two, involves orienteering, trekking, trail running, biking/mountain biking, kayaking along with a few other surprises promised as part of a new team adventure race in Kinsale this spring.

 Another flat and fast 10-mile route is the Mallow 10 miler hosted by Mallow AC on Sunday March 20 at 12.30pm.

There are 2,000 places available via online entry only

At the end of March the first duathlon in the county is going to be held in Clonakilty by West Cork Triathlon Club.

The sprint race involves a 2.5km trail run, a 20km bike, and finished with a 2.5km trail run.

The sell-out Sonia O’Sullivan 10 mile road race in Cobh will be held on Sunday, April 3, at 10,30am.

Hosted by Ballymore Cobh AC the route is a little more of a challenge than the earlier 10 milers of the season.

On April 17, Kinsale Triathlon Club is holding a Duathlon at Garrylucas beach, Garretstown.

The event consists of a 3km road run, 20km cycle and a 6km hilly road run.

The Cork City Marathon is endeavouring to go ahead this year on June 5, kicking off the Marathon leg at 8.30am and the half marathon event will commence at 10.15am.

Schull Triathlon Club are hoping to run the popular Centra Fastnet Triathlon on 11 May.

The event is a normal sprint distance.

Also in May, on the 19th The Edge Sports Blackwater Triathlon (Olympic Distance) Triathlon is going ahead in Fermoy Run by the Blackwater Triathlon Club, the event will have a 1.5km river swim, a 40 cycle and a 10 road run.

Another Triathlon race, to be held on June 18 is the inaugural CUH Charity Triathlon.

 A unique event raising vital funds for the CUH Cancer Services, the charity event hopes to take place on Saturday, June 18 at 2pm and will be held at the National Rowing Centre, Farran Woods, Ovens, Cork.

There are two distances and the race can be completed as an individual or as a team.

500m swim, 32km cycle, run 2.5km 1000m swim, 32km cycle, run 5km

Set in scenic Kinsale, Cork Triathlon Club organises a sprint triathlon ‘King of The Hill’ every year. The race is expected to go ahead this year on July 27.

The sprint race consists of a 750m swim, 20km cycle and a 5km run. This run is far from flat, but what goes up must come down and ends with a long descent to the finish line.

At the end of July, (30) Hardman Events is holding a middle distance triathlon in Bantry. The Bantry Bay Triathlon comprises of a 1.9km swim, 90km cycle which is quite hilly and then an even hillier half marathon run (21.1km) 

The popular run series, Marathon, Half Marathon and 10km run in East Cork called the East Cork Harbour Race hopes to go ahead on Saturday August 6 at 8:30am. Registration is set to open soon.

 Ironman Youghal looks set to return. The Ironman event, which consists of a 3.9km swim, 180km cycle and a marathon run (42.2km) is not for beginners.

The event ran in 2019, as a Duathlon (bike and run) due to bad weather, and was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, but hopes to make the much anticipated race go ahead this year. The Half Ironman is set for Saturday August 13 with the full distance taking place on Sunday, August 14

 A real experience is taking part in the Jailbreak Triathlon run by Cobh Triathlon Club on August 20.

The standard length triathlon starts at Spike Island with competitors swimming 1.5km to shore before cycling 40km and finishing with a 10km run.

The 42nd Annual Echo Women's Mini Marathon organised and hosted by Cork Athletics will take place in 2022, in September, with more information to be released soon.

Typically coming to the close of the Triathlon season, which is largely dictated by weather, the Moby Dick Sprint Triathlon organised by South Coast Triathlon Club at Claycastle Beach, Youghal hopes to go ahead on September 17.

The sprint race is a 750m swim, 20km cycle and 6km road run.

A new race to the Calendar, Tri Na Tabhairne Olympic distance triathlon looks set to go-ahead for the second year, on September 18 at 9.30am.

Organised by Crosshaven Triathlon Club, and raced from Fountainstown beach, the race has 100 available spots and a new relay option.

The Olympic distance event includes a 1.5km swim, 40km hilly cycle and a hilly 10km run to finish.

Getting cold for the more sensitive, Mallow Triathlon Club is holding the Ballyhass Sprint Triathlon on September 25.

The 750m swim is in Ballyhass Lake, the bike is 20km and the run is 5km.

More information on the Duathlons and Triathlons are available on Triathlon Ireland's website.

The Irish Mountain Running Association (IMRA) also have a number of trail races going ahead

• Sunday, January 23 (11am) 6.6km Corrin Hill Trail Race, Fermoy.(This is a good introduction to trail running for anyone starting off.)
• Saturday, February 19 (11am) 7km Mallow Trail Race 
•  Saturday, February 26 (11am) 6.7km Currabinny Trail Race 
•  Sunday, May, 29 (11am) Curragh Woods 9.9km 
•  Saturday, August 6 (11am) Nagles Half-Marathon 21km 
•  Saturday, October 29 (7:30pm) Halloween Half-Marathon Glensheshkin Woods, 21km

Note that IMRA hip is required, which costs €10 for the year.

For shorter, faster stuff, the Cork Business House Athletics, (BHAA) organise regular road races ranging from 5km, 10km, 4mile or 6mile as well as the Cork to Cobh 15 mile race in October and the charity Cork Simon 5km in December.