Increase in participants anticipated for Echo Women’s Mini Marathon

Interest in this year’s The Echo Women’s Mini Marathon is strong and there is still time for people to register for the 43rd edition of the event which raises much-needed funds for a range of charities.

The event, hosted by Cork Athletics and supported by The Echo, raises approximately €1.5m for charities each year, and is one of Cork city’s best-loved sporting and social events.

Speaking to The Echo ahead of this year’s 5km event on Sunday September 22, Ken Smyth of Cork Athletics said interest this year has been “much stronger” than last year.

Increase

“We’ll be expecting about 4,500 entries this year — that would be a good increase on last year,” he said.

The event this year has a few new additions — among them the introduction of a charity meeting point ahead of the race.

“This year, we thought that we should get a little bit more involved with the charities and, as a result of some conversations that we had, we [decided to] set up a charity meeting point in the Marina Market.”

The idea behind the charity meeting point, Mr Smyth explained, was a suggestion put forward by Louise O’Brien of the Mercy University Hospital Foundation.

Interest

So far, around 15-20 charities have expressed an interest in coming to the meeting point which will take place in the market from 10.30am until 12pm before the race on Sunday, September 22.

Mr Smyth said the meeting point provides an opportunity for charities to raise awareness of their work and creates a “little more of a build-up to the race” where people can socialise before heading over to the starting point on Kennedy Quay where the mini marathon starts at 1pm.

It’s also, Mr Smyth said, an opportunity for organisers to “acknowledge the contribution that the charities are making”.

Another new addition to the event this year is a bag-drop on the morning of the race.

This will be open in City Hall’s Concert Hall from 9.30am to 12pm.

The day prior to the race, on Saturday 21, anyone who opted to collect their entry can do so from City Hall’s Millennium Hall from 1.30pm-5.30pm.

The mini marathon is suitable for everyone, with women choosing to run, jog or walk depending on their fitness level.

People are encouraged to make their way to the start line early on the day of the race.

For more information or to register see https://www.echolive.ie/minimarathon.