This year the Galway Bay 10 will have a very scenic starting point on the South Park, providing participants with wonderful views of the Bay and the invigoration of sea air to set them on their way.

Galway Bay 10: Route Analysis
Start: South Park, Grattan Road, Galway

Mile 1: The first mile of Galway Bay 10 is entirely flat and proceeds from South Park to Grattan Road, turn right onto Fr Burke Road and after 0.7 mile take a 90 degree left hand turn onto Fr Griffin Road.

Mile 2: Mile two commences at the Promenade junction with Fr. Griffin Road. From there you proceed along the Promenade into Upper Salthill passing Salthill Park and Leisureland.

Mile 3: Continue to Blackrock Diving Tower. You now take a left down onto the foreshore path, keeping the Golf course on your right hand side. Take the narrow road at the end of this path heading up by the driving range and onto Gentian Hill. Continue on to Knocknacarra Cross and take a left turn onto the Barna road. You have now completed 3 miles.

Mile 4: Having taken the left turn, you continue on the flat for 850 metres until you reach the turn for The Cappagh Road. Turn right onto The Cappagh Road. You have now completed almost half of the race and should be well settled into a good pace.

Mile 5: Continuing up the Cappagh Road, get ready to meet the main hill of the course. A short hill but with quite a drag at the top, so keep it relaxed, maintain your pace turn right onto Western Distributor Road. After turning right onto WDR the course maintains the climb and then reverts back to a slightly downhill gradient. Just the right spot for a dash of water on the run. Mile five is reached by the next roundabout, halfway.

Mile 6: At the start of the 6th mile you will have passed through the first of three round-abouts on this stretch of the course. Between two round-abouts the road is relatively flat but after the third round-about the slope increases gradually for about 500 metres. Over the top of the slope there is a sharp slope downwards till you come to the roundabout which takes you onto Bishop O'Donnell Rd. At this roundabout you go right and climb uphill to the 6-mile mark at the Threadneedle Rd/Taylors Hill crossroads.

Mile 7: Mile 7 takes you down Kingston, which is relatively flat and onto Knocknacarra Cross reaching Mile 7 before the junction at Knocknacarra Cross. Turn left and retrace your steps back onto Knocknacarra Rd until you reach the 8 Mile mark at Blackrock. Stay on the main road.

Mile 8: Mile 8 takes you back in along the Promenade. Now is the time to increase the pace. Continue into Upper Salthill and veering right past Seapoint and passing the National Aquarium on your left hand side, you are now passing the 9-mile mark.

Mile 9: And so the final mile, hopefully with the breeze to your back and the course dead flat, you can pick up the pace again and head for the finish. Take a right turn onto Grattan Road and continue past Grattan Park and the foot of Fairhill Road on your left. South Park and the finish come into view with only 500 metres to go. At the end of South Park turning right onto Nimmo's Pier and get ready for the finish line down the last 100 metres and through the finish line. Look and check your time as you pass through.

Congratulations and well done! Hope you had a good run.