31/05/2026
Stephen McAuley, Letterkenny AC, Wins Analog Devices Cork City Marathon 2026 in Magnificent Display of Front Running
Stephen laid down the gauntlet from the off, and was never headed throughout the distance. Heading down Patrick St, Stephen headed a trio of runners, including Chris Jeuken (Derg AC) and Pawel Kosek, who would eventually finish 6th). Passing the Mile mark, the trio were together, but Kosek was very slightly adrift by 2k, at Ladyswell.
At the 2 Mile mark, approaching Blackpool, there were just the three, with the rest of the field out of sight. By Madden's Buildings, Kosek had dropped a few metres.
Turning onto Camden Quay, at Christy Ring Bridge, Kosek had been dropped, and Jeuken was a metre or two behind McAuley. The duo maintained this passing 3 Miles, on Patrick's Quay, in 15:32, and 6k in 19:00, with 4 Miles on 20:30
5 Miles was passed in 26:05, and McAuley opened a sizeable gap, passing 6 Miles in 31:17 and 10k in 32:25, by which time the gap was 60m. However, heading through the Tunnel, Jeuken had clawed it back to a few metres. The climb out of the Tunnel, passing 7 Miles in 36:50, saw McAuley reopen the gap to about 25m. and extend this on the incline up the Mahon Point Slip, 8 Miles
McAuley went thro 9 Miles, just after the CSO, in 46 min, and 10 Miles in 52:09. with Jeuken about a minute adrift when the runners and lead car parted, with the runners heading out along the Blackrock/Lakelands Greenway.
The Lead Car picked up McAuley again at Pairc Ui Caoimh, just before 15 Miles (approx. 76 min), He hit 25k in 81:40, 16 Miles (Victoria Rd) in 84:05, and 18 Miles (Tramore Rd/Musgraves) in 1:35.
30k, at Pearse Rd/Botanic Rd junction, was passed in 1:38:30, with 20 Miles (1:46:24), at the Lough.
the Marathon 'Rule of Thumb' is that "20 Miles is Half-Way", so it was then a question of whether McAuley would continue at this pace and/or would any of the chasers make a late surge. By this time, McAuley had been the only runner visible to the lead car since rejoining at Pairc Ui Caoimh.
21 Miles (Orchard Rd) was passed in 1:51:10, and 22 Miles, just after turning onto Orchard Rd, in 1:57:00. 23 Miles on Inchigaggin, was 2:03:28, with 24 Miles just before the Carrigrohane Rd Car Park, in 2:09:40. .... and McAuley was still running very smoothly. 25 Miles (by the entrance to the Mardyke Arena, was passed in 2:15:00.
Stepen McAuley came in Washington St, running as if he was only going out along the Quays, with a good lift in his legs, an little sign of suffering ....... he looked like he had plenty more in the tank!
Finish Time: 2:22:40
Results: https://www.popupraces.ie/race/analog-devices-cork-city-marathon-2026/
