2018 has been a tough year for me from a runner perspective. After the Munich Marathon in 2017, I had a series of chest infections and issues. Each one was difficult to overcome as the one preceding it. The most difficult thing to overcome when injured, is the sense that you could, or should be out there running, taking part. As runners, it is something we will all face at some stage, be it a knee injury, sore muscles, or any other ailment.
From October, I managed to start getting out, making ever longer runs with my local running group, Bus Run. Getting out was not easy. My fitness had regressed to the point where running a 5K was a challenge. Each day, I struggled. Each day, I tried. With hard work, comes rewards. While not back to my best, I am back to 23.30 for a 5K, and on track for getting back below 20 minutes.
Looking forward to 2019, there is plenty to look forward to. Back into long distance running, I will be running the Copenhagen, Berlin, and Dublin Marathons, as well as a host of other road races at home such as Bohermeen Half, Trim 10 Mile, Raheny 5 Mile, to name just a few.
During the coming weeks, and months, I will be blogging as often as I can to keep my own running diary, but also to show people the reality of training, irrespective of your level. There will be ups and downs, but the key thing as always is taking part.
With Run Republic, we have Runathon and many other competitions coming up for people to get into running, and stay engaged. If you have any questions, be sure to email us on [email protected]