Cork City Marathon 2012 Launch

Cork City Marathon 2012 Launch

Wednesday, 18th January 2012. Irish running legend and former Olympian, Catherina McKiernan, along with fitness expert, Karl Henry, from RTÉ’s Operation Transformation are calling on people everywhere to lace up their running shoes in preparation for the 2012 Cork City Marathon!  Coming together to officially launch the 2012 race, these two Irish athletic powerhouses are challenging participants from all walks of life and levels of fitness to sign up to one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the Irish sporting calendar.

Heading into its sixth year, the 2012 Cork City Marathon will take place on Monday, 4th June and is long-established as ‘the marathon for everyone’.  Organised by Cork City Council, it offers runners of all fitness levels the opportunity to challenge themselves on a demanding but thoroughly enjoyable course with more race options than ever for participants in 2012. Alongside the main marathon – which, as it is an Olympic year, is expected to feature many top athletes hoping to post an Olympic-standard time – and the ever-popular team relay, the inclusion of an official half marathon and the youth team relay make the 2012 Cork City Marathon the most inclusive yet.

Furthermore, the Cork City Marathon is also an opportunity for national and international runners to post an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) certified time, which enables runners to qualify for marathons such as Boston, New York and Berlin.

Speaking at the launch of the 2012 Cork City Marathon, race ambassador, Catherina McKiernan, said: “I am delighted to come on board as ambassador for the 2012 Cork City Marathon. The Cork marathon is certainly one of the most challenging events on the racing calendar, but it’s also one of the most appealing thanks to a fantastic course that takes you the length and breadth of Cork. The warm reception that participants receive from the Corkonians can really make a big difference to runners in the later stages of the race.”

For leading personal trainer and RTÉ’s Operation Transformation fitness expert, Karl Henry, the Cork City Marathon is a particular favourite: “This is one of my favourite marathon routes in Ireland and I am delighted to be supporting this event as ambassador. I’m expecting a great mix of participants to take part due to the full, half and relay options, with everyone working towards the same goal – to finish the race! My advice to those hoping to be part of the 2012 event is to remember that you don’t have to run the marathon; you can walk it, jog it or join a relay team. Also, make stretching a key part of your training to avoid injury.”

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Terry Shannon, is happy to see the Cork City Marathon acknowledged as a major weekend in the Irish sporting calendar: “Once again, the 2012 Cork City Marathon is set to be a major sporting weekend for Cork City. Over the past six years, the marathon has been growing in leaps and bounds; not only do huge numbers of Irish athletes participate, there is also an international following which brings important tourism to the city. There is a fantastic buzz around Cork City the weekend of the marathon, and I’m expecting record numbers to take part this year.”

Also looking forward to the June Bank Holiday weekend is Cork City Marathon Race Director, Jim O’Donovan: “Cork City Marathon is a fantastic event that gets bigger and better every year. The day itself is all about volunteers, people achieving personal ambitions and raising important money for charity. It is also a tremendous boost for businesses in the region and showcases the best the city has to offer to runners and their families from home and abroad. Since the start, I have witnessed the tremendous support from the people of Cork, which makes a huge difference to the runners. As the event continues to grow, that support will be needed more than ever.”

City Manager, Tim Lucey, concludes: “I’m delighted that Cork City Council are again organising and hosting this event, which has become a firm favourite on the Irish athletics calendar. It’s even better to see the Cork Marathon continuing to grow year-on-year and this success is in no small part due to the incredible support of a number of key partners: the Athletics Association of Ireland, the Cork Business Houses Athletics Association, the Gardaí, the Defence Forces, the Health Services Executive and almost 500 volunteers on the day.”

The 2012 Cork City Marathon takes place on Monday, 4th June and is open to everyone over 18. Online entry to the 2012 race is now open! Participants can download and post their entry form or enter online at www.corkcitymarathon.ie.