Facilities

This run is located on the Athlone IT campus and has ample facilities. There is a multistorey car park at the site and there is a bus service to the campus. There is also an intercity bus stop on campus. There are toilets available at the arena next to the run course and there is enough room in here for changing also, if required.

Course

The run starts out as a fairly ordinary couple of laps around some football pitches but once this is complete the course veers off to a cross country course at the back of the campus. This part of the run is hilly, going through a wooded section and an open section. The surface is mixed, running on grass around the pitches, and some concrete in places, with a gravel path in the wooded section and grass again in the open part of the cross country. The surface can get muddy and slippy in wet weather, but that adds to the excitement of cross country. However, this is not a run for a PB. The course has a lot of turns and loops but is well organised with a lots of marshals showing you the way.

Coffee

There is coffee available in a cafe in the student canteen building on campus, which is close-by.  The coffee was nice and reasonably priced.

X Factor

This parkrun is located right next to an indoor athletics arena. It is interesting to go in and have a look around. There are pictures on the walls of championships that took part there over the last few years with some very high calibre athletes.