As my training block for Dublin enters its taper stage, it’s always good to look back over the last few months to reflect and learn for the future. Training has been very encouraging and my fitness has increased. Mentally, I’m also in a good place. I’ve learned alot about myself over the last few months. I’ve learned that I need support in many areas of my life, both in training and in my personal life. While I might not use all these supports all of the time, they will be there for when I do need them. I’m embracing working on myself and enjoying challenging the way I think about myself and the way I think in general. The running bug has well and truly got me again. I was trying to figure out what was different about me and my running this time. Obviously, the medication I take allows me to concentrate and focus more, and I’m more motivated and excited to do the things I enjoy. I listen to my body more and I will take an extra day off if I need it, or I will run easy instead of a session if I am tired, it’s a constant balancing act.
Marathon training is always a challenge, and it will never go perfectly. I have had to be more adaptable and not be held to ransom by my running schedule. Some weeks of my training could have potentially been difficult to manoeuvre, as I was working weekends. As many of you know, a mainstay of marathon training is the weekend long run. Often these runs are done in groups and being part of the group helps as the mileage of the long run increases. Just being that little bit flexible was key for me. Rather than try and run long after 12 hours working at the weekend, I ran some long runs solo during the week. This involved a 16.5 mile run on a Wednesday, an 18 mile run on a Thursday and a 20 miler on a Friday. Thankfully, when I was off weekends I was able to join the usual gang for our long efforts. While running on my own helped build character and resilience, running with the gang brings comfort, support and security and it’s always nice to run in the company of good people.
I’ve also done a few track sessions in MTU. The club has track sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays and it’s been great to see so many Eagles out enjoying and benefiting from this world class facility. Running on the track, again with a group, helped with that bit of speed work that can only benefit me and it’s also just good fun!
Because I was working on the day of the Charleville Half marathon, I ran a half marathon in Mayo the day before at the Clew Bay Half. It was a journey to travel for this race, but I felt I needed the test at the half distance. It was also an excuse to catch up with a few friends who live around the area. The race itself went extremely well. Weather conditions were atrocious on the day, heavy rain and high winds. This coupled with a hilly challenging course, could have made for a hard run, but things turned out very well. For me, I often run better on a course where I don’t know the route very well. I knew it was hilly, but didn’t know exactly where the worst of it was. I ran on feel and enjoyed every minute. I went out hard, with the intention to stay with the pace as long as I could. After the opening mile or two, I found myself towards the head of the field. Slightly unnerved, I stuck with the plan to go hard. After 4 or 5 miles, after passing a few runners, I could see the lead car in the distance and I realised I was in 4th position. For a few minutes, I had visions of a podium finish, until a sharp gust of wind brought me back to reality. I ran solo over the rolling hills until two runners passed me at mile 9. While I tried to hang on to my two overtakers, I couldn’t match their pace. I was able to finish strongly and claim 6th overall and a one minute one second PB of 1 hour 31 minutes 56 seconds. Buoyed by this it spurred on some really solid training and it has set me up nicely going into Dublin.
It’s been a busy but enjoyable few months. I can retire the wig and lipstick for another year as the Echo Mini Marathon was also completed. This was a great event, with a real festival type atmosphere in the city. I was delighted and proud to be part of the Abode team on the day. The weekend was also the highlight of the year-long fundraising efforts by The Runners Diary. The Show us your Shirt weekend, helped to raise much needed funds for two very worthy charities, Breakthrough Cancer Research and Crumlin Children’s Hospital. This initiative along with many others helped raise much needed funds for other charities at the Mini Marathon. It also shows all that is good in the Cork running community.
Reflecting back on the long runs, track sessions, races, mini marathons, post run coffee meet ups and chats, countless running shoe discussions, gels discussion, hydration strategies, all of these things add weight to the fact that the running bug is well and truly embedded. But, what tipped the scales was something that happened while driving recently. There was some roadworks in Carrigaline, on Cherry Blossom Road. A road that I regularly run on, about a mile from my house. A new footpath was being installed and I genuinely got excited when I realised there was now beautiful new smooth tarmac, replacing the old concrete. I smiled to myself, when I saw it, and looked forward to some hill repeats on the glorious newly laid surface. Perfect for training for the Manchester Marathon in April 2025 I thought! Reflecting back, but I’m now also looking forward. Manchester in April will have to wait. Dublin comes first, and it can’t come quick enough.