DEIRDRE O'BROINgave up the gym for the open road and hasn't looked back since
When did you start running and why?
I started running in January 2010 to lose the baby weight after the birth of my first child. I began running more seriously after the birth of my second child in the summer of 2011.
What has been your biggest achievement?
Definitely finishing the Dublin city marathon in October. It was my first marathon and I finished it in 4 hours and 30 minutes which I was delighted with.
What’s the best thing about running?
I love the flexibility of running. I used to go to the gym and do fitness classes but with the kids and working, this wasn’t practical. Opening times and timetables are too restrictive. It was difficult for me to commit to something regularly.
With running, I go when it suits me and it’s door to door.
Is there one thing you’d change about running?
The monotony of long runs.
Where’s your regular run route?
I change it frequently to keep me interested.
What are you training for now?
I think I’m going to focus on shorter distances and work on my speed.
What’s your goal?
It’s a bit too close to commit to another marathon, I still have aches from Dublin.
Are you a morning or evening runner?
Evening during the week and mornings at the weekend.
Do you stretch?
Yes. I learned the hard way and got injured when I first started running.
Have you a good or bad diet?
Very good during the week and disaster at weekends.
What’s your average training week ?
I normally run three to four times per week, shorter faster distances of up to 10k during the week and a longer slower run at the weekend.
What do you wear on your feet?
Nike
What’s on your iPod when running?
'Now that’s what I call running' and I love running to Coldplay for some reason.
Have you ever been chased by an animal?
No, not yet.
What’s your favourite running book?
Only one I have read is Run Fat Bitch Run by Ruth Field. It had some good advice, especially for a novice runner.
What’s your favourite running tip?
Around the time I started running I heard Eamonn Coughlan on the Ray Darcy Show giving advice to people who were thinking of taking up running.
He said run as slow as you can for as far as you can.
This really helped me when I started out.
It kept me focused and stopped me from sprinting off and burning out.
