The Robbie Whelan 6K (Race 1) is part of a four-week series in Clonmel, starting and finishing near the Minella Hotel and the Greyhound Stadium. The entirely paved route heads out the Coleville Road before turning left at Sir Thomas’s Bridge and crossing over the Ferryhouse Bridge. After a stretch on the Waterford Road, runners join the Suir Blueway at Carey’s Slip for a final, flat 2km along the river. This race is unique for its "no watches" format, where participants must run as close as possible to a predicted time. The course is predominantly level, though the second half can be exposed to headwinds along the water's edge.