After the excesses of Christmas, what better way to start the New Year than to run or walk the Bandon Athletic Club Donagh Coughlan Memorial 5 Mile Road Race on Monday 2nd January 2012? Race HQ is at Bandon GAA Pavilion with registration starting at 11am. The walk sets off at 12.30pm and the run at 1pm. Entry is €10 for the run and €5 for the walk. Junior (U20) runners aged 15 years also pay €5 for the run. Both the run and walk start on the bypass, go through the town and out the Kilbrittain Road looping around to finish at the Old Still Bar near the Mart. Prizes will be presented at the GAA Pavilion afterwards where there will also be a spot prize for the walkers. Refreshments will also be served. Full details of the road race can be found on www.bandonac.org

The Annual Donagh Coughlan memorial Road Race will be held on Monday 2nd January 2012 starting at 1pm. The race follows the usual route with a downhill start from the bypass, a run through the town before heading out the country via the Kilbrittain Road. For those who are not familiar with the route, this section is the only hill in the race. The route then veers east off the Kilbrittain Road with the remainder of the run over flat country roads and finishing by the old Still Bar near Bandon Mart. Entry costs €10 for adults and juniors (U20) aged 15 and over can enter for €5. Race HQ is at the GAA pavilion and registration will be open from 11am. There will also be a non competitive walk on the day which costs €5 to enter. The walk follows the same route as the run but setting off at 12.30pm. As usual there will be post race refreshments at the GAA pavilion along with the prize giving. There will be a number of spot prizes for the walkers. Further details on the race can be found on the Bandon Athletic Club website www.bandonac.org. Another date to keep free in 2012 is Saturday 12th May 2012 for the second Bandon Half Marathon and 10K Road Race. Following its outstanding success last year, it is intended that the event, which will see the renewal of the partnership between Bandon Rugby and Athletic Clubs, will be an even bigger event in the town than last year. For those of you which wish to make fitness part of your New Year’s resolution in 2012, come along to Kelleher’s on the bridge in Bandon any Tuesday night at 8pm and become part of Fit 4 Life. You can walk, jog or run at whatever pace suits you. Further details and updates on Facebook Bandon Fit 4Life.

The AAI Uneven Age and Novice Cross Country Championships were held in The Curragh, Co Kildare on Sunday 11th December. Despite cold sleety weather, Bandon athletes produced some impressive running. There were two lots of siblings competing on the day, the Everards from Enniskeane and the Crowleys from Timoleague. Mark OSullivan at U19 level had his best performance yet in All Ireland competition over a distance of 6K. He finished in 13th place, unfortunately just outside the individual medal positions. However, he was the first Cork runner to finish and was part of the bronze medal winning Cork team. He also won a Munster bronze team medal. Aisling Everard finished in 25th place in the Girls U17 race. Gerard Crowley finished in 49th place U15 over 3.5K and was the fifth member of the Cork team which was third. Fiona Everard had a 17th place finish U15 in a 3.5K race. Carina Crowley was running U13 and finished 25th and won a Munster team gold medal. U11, Gráinne Mulcahy came in 25th place and was on the Cork team which came third. Ella Stack also competed well.

The second Clonakilty Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K took place the previous day Saturday 10th December over some very scenic territory with many ocean views. Tom Laffan ran the marathon and finished in 12th place with Tom Sheehan taking 60th position. Kevin Wilmot ran an impressive half marathon coming home in fifth place. Carmel Crowley was the second women to finish and overall was placed 15th in a time of 1.23. Also competing were John Donegan, Pauline & Emmett Callan, John O’Sullivan and Pat O’Sullivan and Louise Cavanagh. Eamon ODonovan won the 10k

National throwing Coach Dave Sweeney gave what were deemed excellent workshops in discus and javelin to a large number of Bandon AC members and coaches on Saturday 10th December at the Grammar School.

There will be a break from training for the Christmas period. Ages 12 and upwards are back on Monday 9th January and the younger group resume on Monday 16thJanuary. The annual Donagh Coughlan 5 mile Road Race takes place on Monday 2nd January. Full details can be found on www.bandonac.org. Check out Facebook for fit 4 life updates.