One Week to Go...

It's one week to the Dublin Marathon, and all that stands between me and the Start Line is probably what is going to feel like the longest week ever! I have loads to do in work to keep me busy and then when you add in everything else going on, it's probably a good thing that I am Taper mode as I honestly don't know how I am going to fit everything in. It's my father-in-laws birthday, my friends are getting married so we are going to the wedding, its the bank holiday weekend and clocks are going back an hour. Throw in a 5 day working week, bootcamps, my taper runs etc - it's going to be mental!

The one thing that I do know is that I'm well and truly on my way to the Start Line. I get nervous & excited & scared all at the same time when I think about what I will be doing "this time next week". A few times now I've caught myself thinking either "I bet I'll be just finishing breakfast now" or "I wonder should I pack a spare pair of runners in case something happens my pair before the race". I really need to stop as I'm only psyching myself out. I didn't help when I came into work this morning the first thing my colleage said was "This time next week you'll be running"... *cue stomach flips*

Anyway, I do realise it's been over a week since I last updated this blog and that's purely down to how boring I've been. Myself and Brad went out and ran out last "long run" of the Marathon Plan together over the weekend. There was a lovely sense of 'coming full circle' about the whole thing. We ran and chatted and solved all of lives problems over our last long run of 14km. It's funny how much I have changed if I class 14km as not 'a long run', and I've found myself saying things like 'Oh I'm just popping out for a quick 8K'... Hello like, listen to me! I'll never forget the first 6K run I did with Brad months ago on a dark February night in Claregalway. 

Next Stop... The Marathon

I have read time and time again about how I shouldn't set a goal time for the Marathon as the goal IS to finish. My attitude however with everything is, if I'm going to put in the hours, I should at least give it my best shot. For that reason I have set a time goal for myself which is broken into Really Good, Fantastic and Super Fantastic. I have also promised myself not to be disappointed with my time regardless of what I finish in, what matters is the taking part.

Really Good: Finish my 1st Marathon
Fantastic: Under 4hrs
Super Fantastic: Under 3hrs 45mins


If I'm honest, I feel I can run it in 4hrs, especially considering I ran the Athlone 3/4 in 2hrs 50mins. That is why I have set a Super Fantastic goal of 3hrs 45mins as that is a time which scares me. I believe its the perfect balance of a goal as it exists in that gray area between attainable/achievable and something that requires work. I am also aware that regardless of what time I finish in, this will be my first marathon. I can only learn & improve from this point onwards. This will not be my only marathon and my result does not define who I am or how hard I have worked for it.

I am also setting myself a non-time based goal... and that is to raise money for BeLonG To, the national organisation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) young people. I have set a fairly ambitious target of €20 per mile (so €524.00 in total) which I hope will keep me going when the going gets tough out there on the Marathon route, I will think about both your kind contributions and the work that BeLonG To do for young people out there in Ireland. The Organisation is 10 years old this year and I just wish there had been something like it around when I was in school. You can read about the work BeLonG To do here, everything from Parent Support to Training for Schools, Coming Out Workshops to Forums, BeLonGTo do a 

If you can, and if you would like to, you can sponsor me online at the following page:






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