Running for my marathon dream

IF SOMEBODY had told me last year that I would be running in this year’s Dublin City Marathon I would have said: “In your dreams!”

This time last year, a marathon wasn’t even on my radar. I was fit. I was running my local parkrun 5km most weeks and swimming five days a week.

Now, I’m covering up to 50km a week in preparation for Dublin’s biggest running event on October 30. 

I’m just one of the many members of Dublin’s newest running club, Waterstown Warriors, who have caught the bug and I hope to add the 42km course to the milestones I’ve already achieved over the last few months.

Formed by Palmerstown woman Julie O’Connor, the club now boasts over 100 members. And according to PRO Rachel Franklin-Dunne, it has gone from strength to strength in a short space of time.

“Back in the summer of 2014 a group of approximately 30 people got together to do the couch to 5k programme,” Rachel said. “These were friends and friends of friends who felt that they would have support in numbers and the Warriors were born from this original group.

“Since then we have had many members take part in the Dublin Five Alive series, the Dublin race series, and we even had some run the Dublin City Marathon.

“With so many coming together on a weekly basis it was felt it would be best to give the club a more formal footing. 

“And with numbers swelling over the past two years proper leadership and organisation was needed. It was decided to make Waterstown Warriors an official running club and we affiliated with Athletes Ireland. The committee was formed and the club was officially launched on May 1.”

Membership continues to grow, and with so many of my running buddies joining, I found myself being surrounded by Warriors every time I hit the streets of Palmerstown for a run.

The encouragement and craic among the runners is fantastic. I couldn’t get an application form in quick enough. There’s no pressure, no matter what your ability, and Rachel explains that this is all part of the ethos of the club.

“The club is different from other running clubs as we are a recreational running club,” she added. “We are not about winning medals and podium places. We are about health, fitness and socialising. We encourage people to get out and run and we offer a safe supportive environment. It can be difficult and even frightening to run alone yet it is easier to stick to the exercise if you’re in a group. Our motto is ‘nobody gets left behind’.”

I’m nervous, but have the determination to reach the finish line on Merrion Square in October.

It’s the same nervousness and determination I see in the faces of many of the other Warriors taking part in their first 5K. Running with the Waterstown Warriors has got me this far and I’ve no doubt it’ll get me that 42km through the streets of Dublin to achieve a goal I never dreamed of a mere 12 months ago.

To get involved just search for Waterstown Warriors on Facebook.