MY FIRST MARATHON This year I finally got to tick off one of my long awaited bucket list goals of running Dublin City Marathon. The year I met my husband I told him I was going to run a marathon, 14 years and 2 children later, I finally did it, a training plan I wouldn't recommend.

I started my running journey (again) when I did the Braveheart couch to 5km in 2018 with the club, but when I completed the training plan there was something different this time, I was completely hooked. Without telling anyone I signed up for Dublin Half marathon, unfortunately I lost my father a month before the race but my father being an amazing sports mans himself, I knew I had no choice but to keep going. That October for the 3rd year running I went to watch the marathon and once again wished it was me who had the drive, commitment and strength to run it. Later that day my sister said “well you've never been so close to your goal for DCM, why not keep going”, and that was it I signed up.

I never in a million years realised the journey that a marathoner takes on, especially for your first marathon. It wasn't just the commitment of getting up earlier than what appeared anyone else around you to train, eating the right foods so you can train better, drinking copious amounts of water so you fell hydrated, trying out numerous gels and finding the one that doesn't leave you bent over with cramps, for me it was the constant feeling of self-doubt. Probably 90% of my long runs finished up with me saying to my husband “I can't do this”. Thankfully it fell on deaf ears as he had faith in me from the minute I signed up.

But the training also gave me so many positives in my life, I made a friend who started off as a good acquaintance to someone who has now become what I consider a close friend. She was the one who had to listen to me giving out on every country road around Trim that I can't go any further and kept shouting back at me “don't stop you've got this”. She often said she felt my eyes burning the back of her head but I'm sure that's what gave her a better marathon time. I had fantastic club members who also believed in me. Often asking me how the training was going, thrilled when I once again reached another milestone and sending me so many messages the day before wishing me luck but more importantly it was my children watching their mother work so hard for something and realising if you want something in life you work hard for it.

The night before I ran the marathon I stayed in Dublin and I rang my husband crying “I can't do this”. Even up to the last minute, that doubt was still there. I had the most restless night thinking of all situations that could crop up.

So the day arrived and I was finally at the start line, where I had wanted to be 14 years prior. I had finally trained like everyone else standing there so I could run 26 miles. My legs were absolutely shaking but there was also excitement and off we went. I brought earphones but never used them as there was 26 miles of people cheering all of us on telling us we were amazing and we had this. The atmosphere was electric!!!!!!!

It was the best I had ever ran, I felt strong, I felt empowered and the self doubt was finally gone, I knew myself, I had this, well until I reached heartbreak hill but that was still 22 miles of decent running. In saying that, there will be nobody in the club feeling threatened by this Cork women who had joined, but that day it wasn't about my time, it was about me finishing what I had set out to do when I signed up in October, to cross the finishing line.

What I remembered most about the entire day was when I crossed the finishing line and after receiving my medal, a girl, one of the volunteers, walked over to me and said “I think you are amazing”. I didn't know her, but I knew the look in her eyes. It was the same look I had watching the marathon year after year and wishing it was me doing it. So I ticked the bucket list and that night swore that was it, I've completed what I set out to do and I didn't feel the need to do another marathon. But then the epsom salts kicked in, the stomach settled and I was lying in bed thinking, I wonder if I trained harder how much better I could do and next thing I find I'm sitting at my computer signing up for DCM 2020. So as the story goes, to be continued..................................................