Name: Olga O’Sullivan

Member of Eagle AC since: March 2018

How long have you been running & what made you take it up: I’m an outdoors nut who works in finance… I dabbled in running many years ago but only really took it up at the end of 2014. It is easier to fit in a run between the job and family commitments than go surfing, hiking, climbing or open water swimming. (I still do all this but just not enough.)

Favourite thing about running: Running makes me feel free and lets me push my limits. You meet inspiring people at the races and become part of the local running community. It clears the head; it’s my therapy! Once, I came home after a long day at work, had a look around, and instead of giving out to everyone about the mess, went upstairs, put my gear on, ran out the door and didn’t stop for 20k. After I came back, nothing bothered me anymore, so it clearly works.

Favourite race distance to run: Not 5k! I like anything that requires a bit of endurance and I pace myself better at longer races…

What is your main goal for this year: Not to get injured and be out of action; also, more trails and mountain running.

Your best race/most memorable racing moment to date: I absolutely loved Roscarberry Surf,Turf n’Tar half marathon this year! My sort of race: forest trails, the beach, sand dunes, pontoons, hills, more hills & a bit of the road; plus I couldn’t believe it when I ended up the 3rd woman to cross the finish line.

Tell us something most people might not know about you: In what feels like a former lifetime, I used to be a professional violin player and I met my Irish husband while we both lived in India.

Biggest heroes (sporting or non-sporting): I love the “every day heroes”. I encountered so many inspiring people in my life through travelling and volunteering. For example, the parents, kids & volunteers at Surf2Heal are all simply awesome.

One bit of advice you would give to someone thinking of taking up running: Enjoy it and join Eagle AC – a lovely bunch of people to train with, one of the best decisions I made this year.

3 things you would take with you onto a desert island: Runners, hiking boots and a surfboard.

By Mark Smith

 I completed my first run longer than 6 miles back in January 2012 when I decided to start training for the Cork marathon, which was to be both my first marathon and first road race.  Up until that point I had only been doing a few runs at lunchtime, totalling no more than 20 miles a week.  Fast forward to June and I crossed the finish line on St. Patrick’s Street in a time of 2:59:27, which is where it all began.  Stupidly I thought I already had the measure of the marathon.

The next few years were a bit chequered, marked by injuries (due to poor training) and marginal improvements to my marathon times (dropped to 2:48:23 in London 2016).  I cramped up at the end of most marathons and at least once I swore never again and genuinely believed it.  In a moment of madness I tried for an entry to the 2017 Tokyo marathon as a “semi-elite overseas athlete”.  With only the 200 fastest runners accepted per year I really never expected to get in and I was shocked/delighted to get the acceptance email.

Around the same time I learned about the Six Star Finisher medal for completing all the World Marathon Majors.  With automatic qualification for Tokyo in the bag I tried for qualification to New York and also got accepted.  It was pretty much at this point that I decided to try and do them all, although I don’t think I truly realised what lay ahead.

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Club Notes for November 2018… by Karen Bevan and the news team

[eagleAC] Eagle AC weekly club email 29.11.2018
EAGLE AC Weekly Club Email

Evening all

Hope the week is going well and that storm Diana did not disrupt things too much.

It was a pretty quiet running week this week by the look of things, but plenty on the calendar again this weekend. We have several club members heading to Waterford for the Waterford Half Marathon this Saturday, so the very best of luck to everyone heading East! The Border half is also on this Sunday in Limerick and best of luck to Ed Fitz who is taking part in this.

Looking further afield we have Andrew O Farrell and Tony Merritt, who are seeking out some sunshine and doing the Valencia marathon on Sunday, best of luck to the guys and hope they enjoy it!

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