02/06/2026
Sunday was the Cork City Marathon extravaganza!
Ah yes, the marathon.
It's a strange, hydra-headed thing, it's sources and reason for being hard to discern.
It's the cruelest of mistresses.
It's a two-faced liar.
It seduces you, before slapping you hard in the face and eloping with another.
Lads, therapy is another option.
His name is Jase - and he's ace.
Built like a middleweight boxer, Jason 'Hurricane' Histon showed phenomenal fancy footwork as he led the Ballymore Cobh charge from the front, storming home with the performance of a lifetime to ease in under the holy grail 3 hour window.
Blazing over the line just the other side of 3 hours was the indomitable Peter Howie.
Hot off a superb run at the Vienna City Marathon only a matter of a few weeks ago, telling Pete to slow down is like trying to baptize a cat... there ain't no point.
His runs are things of beauty.
Right on Pete's heels was another man who was supposed to be recovering from the London Marathon held only a few weeks ago... Yet, Niall O'Sullivan ran out of his skin, if not looking as shook as a hand at mass as he crossed the finish line.
How does he manage it?
He gave us a one-liner before disappearing into the chic Le Chateau tavern on St Patrick's St.
"Lads, it's time to get off my tïts on Aperol Spritz".
Running like the guy in front owed him money, Evan Cusack ran one of the most impressive times this club has seen on a marathon debut. All the more so, given his tender years, yet he was in tune with the marathon distance like that of an athlete many years more seasoned.
This young gentleman is one to keep an eye on.
We want to wrap our hands across his velvet rims.
We want to strap our hands across his engines.
He's Paul Hunt and he put down yet another sublime marathon effort, leisurely easing himself in under the 3:30 mark with oodles of time to spare. He's a handy goalkeeper too, if you're ever stuck for a net minder.
Achtung, baby! It's no surprise that this young lady bears the intials of a well known German automobile manufacturer.
Premium quality.
Agile handling.
Quiet and refined.
Victoria Ward has all the above attributes and more, and they were put to good use with a super-efficient performance that landed her in the highly respectable 3:50s time bracket. Outstanding!
We love this woman more than the Lidl reduced aisle - Jenny Costa, of course. You just wouldn't know where she'd pop up. Pumping it out at a 10k in Limerick last weekend, this weekend she cruises around the undulating Cork City Marathon course like she's on a meandering Sunday long run. Which it sorta was.
Another fantastic sub-4 hour marathon from our Sligo champion.
He's our Healy Rae of sunshine, this guy.
An all-around nice guy, Erik Johansson put on his game face for the day, saddled his horse and went to war. As that's what a marathon is - the highs, the lows, the controllables, the uncontrollables and everything you can and cannot conceive in between.
Erik, as we knew he would, came out smiling the other side, banking a super run in the 4:20s bracket for his troubles. Phenomenal.
Bringing the curtain down for the Ballymore Cobh cast, who was caught so unawares when the starter's gun went off that he didn't even have time to put his cigarette out, Darren Grace put the work in no end and reaped his reward clocking in just over 4:30 with one super effort on the day.
A thorough gentleman and a thoroughly good run to boot.
Our congratulations to all of our athletes and to every person who ran the marathon, a fantastic achievement to have chalked down, anytime, anywhere, any place.
And big thank you to the numerous vociferous Ballymore Cobh supporters lined throughout the course who gave it their all from the sidelines.
BCAC athlete's results in full:
Jason Histon 2:59:19
Peter Howie 3:10:38
Niall O'Sullivan 3:12:38
Evan Cusack 3:17:12
Paul Hunt 3:28:45
Victoria Ward 3:54:02
Jenny Costa 3:58:03
Erik Johansson 4:23:22
Darren Grace 4:34:18
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Want to join your local athletics club?
Come try us out for size.
There's always a warm welcome assured at our weekly Adult training sessions.
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🕑 19:00
📌 Ballymore Cobh AC Clubhouse, 'Tech Track', Carrignafoy Community College.
🖤 Free trial period for potential new members
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🖤 Complimentary entry to all Championship races for members
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🧡 And so much more!
