I knew I wanted to do something meaningful to mark one year on from my husband's tragic passing, something that spoke of the horror of depression and the terrible consequences of suicide. I also wanted to do something that offered hope, that showed a way forward even in the midst of such suffering. Within mountain-running … Continue reading A Winter Denis Rankin Round to Remember
The reason why I've not blogged recently is because, for the last 9 months, I've been pregnant. Pregnancy and running are an unhappy combination. For starters, the advice about whether or not to run during pregnancy is at best mixed. Doctors are happy to give general statements about 'keeping fit', whilst others frown seriously at … Continue reading Pregnant and Keeping Fit – Is it even Possible?
I woke up early to blue skies, crisp air, and the sun rising over picture perfect slopes. It was my last day in Snowmass village, just outside the ski resort of Aspen. An early morning run would be the best antidote to the 5 hours I knew I’d spend in the car that day. I … Continue reading Classics on a Rock on an Aspen Rim Trail Run
There are three main things that can mess up when you're ultra running. The first thing that can go wrong is your feet. Blistered, bruised and battered feet can literally stop you dead in your tracks. Adventure racers seemed to have masterd footcare and take great pleasure in sharing their wisdom about how to keep … Continue reading Feet, Stomach and Head – Ultra’s Terrible Trio
It’s always a pleasure to meet Aonghus O'Cleirigh at mountain races. A former Irish orienteering champion and a consistent top-finisher at orienteering events, he’s a highly talented runner and navigator. For someone so talented, it must be hard when injury strikes. Gus has unfortunately had his fair share of enforced rest of late. I met … Continue reading Happy to be Running
If you are any sort of a serious runner, you will eventually end up referring to the Book, The Lore of Running. This thousand page almanac from the training guru Tim Noakes contains a wealth of wisdom, everything from the running physiology and biochemistry, to the basics of training; from how to transfer training into … Continue reading The Most Important Step to Becoming a Great Runner
I had a good year in 2008. I won the IMRA Irish Championship, the Connaught Championship and the Queen of the Mountains. Later, I came first overall in the IMRA Navigational Challenge. With Andrew McCarthy, we retained our 24 hour Irish Rogaine Title in June. In September, together with John MacEnri, we won the Mourne … Continue reading Is it the winning that counts?
When I run, I think. I think about work and play, about family and friends, about life and love. And after the mountains of miles I’ve clocked up, I’ve come to the conclusion that what I’m actually running towards is to simply be the best that I can be. When I say best, it’s not … Continue reading Being the Best that I can Be