I spend much time debating the drive to a parkrun other than my home run and in the South East of Ireland, I’m almost as spoilt for choice as in Perth. No matter where I’ve chosen, I’ve never once regretted it. In fact, I’ve loved the sense of adventure and the chance to meet new parkrunners & volunteers and chat about their experiences and events. It turns out that even anxious introverts can be adventurous and sociable under the right circumstances 😂
Today, Tullow parkrun in County Carlow was no exception.
It was hot and humid by Irish standards with a well-timed downpour 10 minutes before the 9:30am start time. The course is mostly in a wood on a gravel track and consists of two loops. I didn’t realise until I was done that the GPS coverage was poor which explained why my effort felt so hard for the pace my watch was showing. The volunteers were welcoming and encouraging, and the course is very well marked with permanent signs, and there were several marshals at the various turns too.
I met fellow tourists from Hazelhead parkrun in Aberdeen who are in Ireland for a wedding today. Got to love their dedication 🏃♀️😊 So if you have the chance, try out Tullow parkrun, about 90 mins drive from Dublin Airport. It’s definitely worth the effort.
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#parkruntourist #parkrunie #parkrunireland #tullowparkrun #rathwoodgardencentre #rathwood #coilte #carlow #parkruntourism #parkrunfamily #vhiparkrun #carlowparkrun #parkrunadventurers #parkruntravel #trailrunning #freeandactive #runningover45 #runningover40 #fitover40 #fitoverforty #loveparkrun
Throwback to this day in 2016. My first marathon, aged 45, which went better than I ever dared imagine. Actually I’d only been imagining even trying to complete a marathon for six months. It had never been a bucket list item.
Here I am, overcome with tears at the finish line, stunned that I’d not only finished but I’d finished in 3:55 ( with a toilet stop too🙄).
I always recommend people do their first marathon in front of a home crowd with family and friends at the finish line if possible. I know some prefer to focus on big city events like London, Paris, Melbourne but for me running my first marathon in my (current) home town took a lot of pressure off worrying about packing, travel and hotel accommodation. Of course, if you’re not a worry wart by nature, these things might not bother you. I also enjoyed running in familiar territory and with familiar faces (from parkrun mostly) in the small but enthusiastic, supportive crowd.
I was planning on doing Perth Marathon again but (a tripping) injury and travel meant I missed the past two years’ events. And this year, Perth Marathon is scheduled for October as part of @perthrunningfestival though the route and registration details have yet to be confirmed. It can be hot here in October but maybe I need to feel my fear about dehydration, try not think of Melbourne Marathon in Oct 2017 when I promised myself never again, and do it anyway. I do like a home crowd. 😘 -
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#fitover40 #fitoverforty #firstmarathon #sub4marathon #perthmarathon #perthmarathonclub #prfambassador #perthrunningfestival #prfchampion2019 #finishlinejoy #fealthefearanddoitanyway #anxiousrunner #irishnomad #nomadsontherun #expatrunner #marathonrunner
Last Sunday I seriously considered changing my @hbfrun entry from 22.1km to 12km as, for the first time in 23 half marathon race events, I had not completed a single training run longer than 18km. I was tired too, all the time. But I thought, it doesn’t matter, I should just embrace the privilege of being able to run a half marathon irrespective of pace as I know many people who would love such an opportunity but who, for health reasons, can’t run. Last year, I couldn’t run because of a back injury. I decided not to be at the mercy of my watch for once and I created a playlist last night to listen to during the race, something I’ve never before done.
I decided to start with the 1:45 pacer as I knew no matter what pace I ran, I’d struggle by km15, and following a pacer would give me a focus. I hoped to stay 10km with the pacer but ultimately I think I only lost sight of him around km18. I ended up running my second fastest half marathon ever, my fastest since Oct 2016. The cool temperatures helped, so did the music, but the biggest difference was my mindset. I refused to beat myself up for not going fast enough. If i could see the pacer ahead great, if not 🤷♀️ I looked at the watch a handful of times to check the distance but I didn’t use it as self-flagellation fodder. I also pushed myself near the end though I was hurting as I realised if I was doing a training run that required effort I’d do it so why, so often, have I lacked equal determination at a race? And finally. During the last 5km, I imagined people I care about gently pushing me along, helping me to move forward. I learned a lot today and will probably never race without music again 😊
Well done to everyone who crossed a finish line today, especially my training buddies, the Nomads on the Run, whose humour, support, and determination are inspirational. You’re all awesome. And no, I haven’t been drinking 🤣
#wintersun #hbf #hbfrun #hbfrunforareason #halfmarathon #anotherdayinwa #nomadsontherun #runningover40 #runningover50 #fitover40 #fitoverfortyfive #finishlinejoy #gloucesterpark #eastperth #aftershockz @aftershokzau #skirtsports @skirtsportsaus
Mt Clarence parkrun, Albany.
It still amazes me how I can haul myself out of bed in the dark to meet up with a group of strangers on a Saturday morning when normally I try to avoid group gatherings, especially those involving people I don’t know. That’s the magic of parkrun. It’s always worth the effort, even for an introvert, and at parkrun, no one feels like a stranger. In fact, 400km from Perth, I met another former Heirisson Island (now defunct) parkrun regular whom I haven’t seen in four years. #parkrunfamily
Definitely the hilliest parkrun I’ve done but the effort was well worth it for the spectacular views (and the training affect of course 😬). It’s an out and back (and up and down) course that finishes on the beach. I absolutely loved it and 🤐 don’t tell any of the other 20+ parkrun courses I’ve run, but I think this was my favourite so far.
#parkruntourist #parkrunworldtourist #parkrunfamily #globalrunner #expatrunner #irishnomad #nomadsontherun #albanyparkrun #runningover40 #runningover45 #loveparkrun #parkrunadventurer #freeandactive #mtclarenceparkrun
Finish line hand on the watch shot 😊
It’s automatic these days but when I finished my first half marathon, and second ever race, in 2012, I was so overcome with emotion that I forgot to press stop on the watch. The lip quivered a little yesterday too as I’d managed such a strong finish, something I hadn’t experienced in a race of any distance in a long while. So often, I’ve finished races with exhaustion predominating over exhilaration and joy. Yesterday’s race definitely slots into the ‘enjoyed’ rather than the much longer ‘endured’ column. If I ever figure out why, I’ll let you know 😜
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#runnersofinstagram #asicsbridgesfunrun #perthrunning #runningover40 #fitover40 #wamc #garmin #finishline #keeprunning #nevertoolate #elizabethquay #marathonphotos #loverunning
Woohoo! 14th!! Amazing Job!
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Thank you:)
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