Before October 2015, I never would have called myself a ‘runner’. I would run 5k two or three times a week, and even then, not every week. I had done a few 10k runs but was never able to run the 10k non-stop which used to dishearten me. When my buddy Noel told me that Genworth were putting forward a team to join Clare Crusaders for the marathon I jumped at the chance! I was determined to have a non-stop 10k done before I joined the Crusaders group when the marathon training began after the Clare 10k in June! I had two under my belt and was raring to go!
Arriving in the DNG car park on Saturday the 4th of July is a morning I will never forget. Knowing that I was going to be meeting seasoned marathoners terrified me, thinking I’d never be able to keep up with them and that I’d make a show of myself! I needn’t have worried! Keeping me company on my first ‘long run’ was the unstoppable Sullie and Noel. While the run itself was torture, I cursed the route… especially going up Woodstock hill, I was introduced to the unique humour of Mr. O’Sullivan. Chatting about the effects of running on the body, he proudly told me I’d go down two cup sizes by October! How he knew this I still don’t know. By the time I’d finished that run, I swore I was never going back. I never felt so tired and sore in all my life but back I did go. The following week I wasn’t as terrified but again found it tough going. But I did it and was hooked.
Week 3 of training and everything changed. My running partner in crime arrived, my fellow greyhound, and I never looked back! The lovely Áine. Each week we trained together, we chatted, laughed, swore (mostly me!), questioned our sanity and apologised non-stop to the amazing hydrators. We kept an eye out for each other when we needed to visit nature’s own loo over a gate… we shared our worries of injuries, our trials of gels, our diet and what is best to eat the day before a long run, was it too much or maybe too little, do I need a rub to help the soreness and was that why I was struggling. We analysed every detail of our day to day and how it could affect our Saturday long run. The preparation for the long run began on Friday when we’d receive Barry’s email with the route. We would sit down and go through it with a fine tooth comb, ensuring we were familiar with every twist and turn but still managed to take the scenic route on occasion! When I think of the lovely John Finn and the panic we caused when we went ‘missing’! No fear of us though, we were happy out.
Every Saturday morning before we’d start Barry would call out the route and remind us of the amazing kids in the clinic and why we were doing this. Outside of our own personal goals, those kids were always in the back of our minds.
The most memorable long run for me was our last long run before the marathon. Arriving at the clinic in Barefield at 6.15 am, in complete darkness. How would I do this?! How was I going to see the road in front of me in the dark?! Again, the group had it covered. There was one benefit to being at the back of the pack on that morning, we had headlights from Moira’s car to guide us all the way until dawn broke. We told Moira at one point that we were ok and knew the way and to go on (we feared for her car as we listened to the groan of her engine in first gear behind us!), she hesitated and then said no, she had been warned to get to us near Knockaneen because of our fondness of the scenic/alternative routes! Near the end of the run, Pat met us and even though he had just run 21 miles, he ran the last few hundred yards with us. Telling us to imagine the crowds in Dublin at the finish line, that it would be something special. Reaching the clinic after the 21 miles was just as special. Some of the Crusaders group waited to cheer us home and cheer us home they did. Thinking about it now still makes me emotional. That was my fondest memory of my first marathon with the Clare Crusaders.
Dublin 2015 – Áine!
Preparation for the Dublin Marathon 2015 was immaculate, nearly like the 1st day at school – down to the very last safety-pin, with running clothes in this bag, other clothes in that bag…check, double check and just once more to be sure!
And then the sun rose, among clouds on Monday 26th October 2015. Every other year, we would have listened to the news items about roads being closed around the capital to facilitate the Dublin Marathon, but this year we were taking part, they were setting up the finish line for us also.
Awake before the alarm sounded, breakfast carefully eaten, some stretches and then a few more stretches it was time to hail that taxi to the city centre. Post-marathon clothes were guarded with care, the old hats and fashionable jumpers that were consigned to the back of the press were resurrected to keep us warm until the starting signal blared. With nervous anticipation we gathered outside Buswells to start the adventure, an adventure sparked by some very special children. With inspiring speeches to remind us of our purpose, we chatted and tried to calm the nerves. A group photo to capture the moment, Clare Crusaders 2015 – it was a crazy, proud feeling.
The start line loomed, the seasoned professionals were there and we were just a few steps behind them, with equal right to take part, completion being our goal. We had the training done, the miles put into our novice legs. The signal was given and we were away…no turning back now.
The route was great, Phoenix Park transported us back to our usual rural Saturday morning routes, before urban Dublin appeared again and we weaved in and out of long, straight stretches, loops and twists and little hills. People lining the streets had taken time out of their day to help us fulfil a challenge. They ‘willed’ us along with their cheers of encouragement, saying ‘not far to go now’ (even though it wasn’t yet half way ) How many times did we hear the phrase ‘the crowds will be amazing…they will encourage you…’ we didn’t really understand it, but we get it now…it’s true. As we attempted to avoid the lady who crossed the road with her shopping bags, with more things on her mind than us crazy souls, we laughed at the madness of it all. En-route we recounted the challenges of the past couple of months acknowledging that neither of us would be here without the pure determination of the other. Of course the water stops where chaotic and not a patch on what we had been used to, not a ginger-nut biscuit in sight.
Let’s not be delusional here, it wasn’t easy – miles 12 to 18 were tough going, we’d lose track of the mile marker checking with each other “was that mile 16 or 17 we just passed?”…but then 20 miles had already been covered and the anticipation of ‘Heartbreak hill’ loomed. However having ‘made peace’ with Templemaley Hill, Woodstock and that blistering Ennis by-pass training run with Ballybeg hill tacked on for fun, we had nothing to fear, we did it in style (accompanied by many huffs and puffs) . With the worst part over and ‘the back broken on it’ we really dug deep knowing only a few more miles to cover. God himself could have been present at the many entertainment hubs on the road, but our attention was focused on the tired legs. With cheers of ‘Go on Crusaders’ ringing in our ears and the booted strides of mad young lads who thought they’d join in for a few hundred meters nipping at our heels we blasted down past the RDS, end in sight. Could it be possible, was there only 400 meters remaining, that’s all – with tears in our eyes we crossed that finish line. Mission complete, promises to oneself and others had been kept and the marathon medal was ours.
Our warm-down walk around Dublin to find O’Donoghues was unscripted in the days schedule, tiredness was kicking in, but it served us well, the body had a chance to wind down slowly. Hugs, genuine delight and hearty congratulations were lavished on us from fellow Crusaders in O’Donoghues Pub for completing our 1st marathon. Sure you’d be mad not to be part of this crew. A long denied treat of a beer was sweet and we beamed from ear to ear. Plans for dinner and some drinks later on were made. Dinner plan was kept, but in spite of being all dolled-up not all the lipstick in the world would have helped our walk at 9pm that night – we could hardly move . Drinks were put on ice for another time – all done and dusted for 2015.
Dust wasn’t going to gather for long on the running shoes though – how could we possibly allow that to happen. 5km, 10kms and even 10 miles have been completed since October and the diary for 2016 is bursting with events to take part in. A mini training schedule is in progress and spring is only around the corner. We are looking forward to hooking up on the Saturday mornings with the Clare Crusader bunch for another challenging year – they say ‘never say never’, so here’s to Dublin Marathon 2016.
If you’re half tempted, like we were to take part in a marathon, here’s a little note from one novice to another, “think it possible and it becomes possible!”. The Crusaders group are fantastic and give all the support and encouragement necessary to allow you fulfil the dream, no matter how fast or slow you run