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Longford Runner-s, Longford (2026)

24/02/2026

WEEK AFTER XC (16-22 March)

What interesting things happened last week? I didn't have any health or fatigue crises after the Cross Country race, and I managed to get in a workout on Tuesday. It was a leisurely night run through the streets of Drumlish, with a headlamp on my forehead and the darkness all around.

Besides the standard route, I ran in total darkness, with only the light of the headlamp illuminating the path. It was a strange feeling, and I think I'd have to get used to running at night like that. I felt a bit uneasy, that's for sure. In less than an hour, I covered over 11km (5:04/km) and climbed to an elevation of 106m 🙂

My second training run was a trip to Edenmore Peat Bog (21km and 22 minutes from Longford). I'd been there before, but the last time was over a year ago. I met up with Patryk, and in the damp and gray weather, we covered 13.2km together (5:05/km, 94m up!). The area around these peat bogs has changed somewhat; unfortunately, the vast majority of trees didn't survive and were cut down. The walking trail, however, has a new surface in the form of black gravel. I like this place; in addition to the "trail" runs, you can also choose a section on asphalt. It's usually peaceful there, and that was no exception on Thursday morning.

Last week's highlight was a visit to Newtownforbes. And what interesting things happened there? I'll dedicate a separate post to that, because it was truly fascinating! ☝️🙃

19/02/2026

NATIONAL INTERMEDIATE, MASTERS & JUVENILE B CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS

It's been 12 months since my debut XC race. Back then, we were running in Westport, but this time the venue was Dublin, specifically the Sport Ireland Campus in Blanchardstown/Abbotstown.

I'd heard of it, but this was my first time there. The campus grounds are truly large; we passed by the National Aquatic Centre (with a 50m swimming pool) and the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena (with a 200m track). We parked our car next to this hall and headed to the venue of our competition.

There were 12 different races that day. Children (girls and boys under 11) started, and adults (Masters and Intermediate categories) finished. I ran in the Masters (ages 35-64) and my race started at 2 p.m. sharp.

How did I do? It could have been a little better, but I knew my form and condition coming in (only three XC training sessions and a two-week break due to injury), and it's important to be clear that great results weren't built on that. 🙃 A total of 203 of us ran, and right after the start, I was definitely in the top 50. But only the first kilometer was good (3:59), and after that, it only got harder and slower. 🥵

We were supposed to compete over a 7km distance, but due to bad weather (not when our race started, as it was very sunny (and windy) at the time), the distances were shortened. We raced on a one-kilometer loop and had to complete six such laps.

The ground was very muddy and soft. The course didn't have any hills, but there were heavy mud in places, which slowed us down and prevented us from gaining any speed. It was difficult to set a specific pace; there were no turns (except for one), and in my case, it was a struggle to reach the finish line. 😂

During these laps, a lot of runners passed me. Each subsequent kilometer was slower (3:58, 4:32, 4:43, 4:51, 4:59), and only during the last one did I manage to speed up slightly (4:47/km). We were running in a group of 5-6 people, and that definitely helped me maintain this pace.

My pre-race goal was to finish in the top half of the pack. I was supposed to finish no worse than 102nd, but I ended up finishing 125th 🤷 That's how much energy and preparation I had. I'm convinced I have the potential to finish at least 40 places higher, but I won't know that for sure until next year.😏

My performance was average, but my teammates from Longford AC performed very well. Special applause goes to the medalists:

Oran O'Neill (Boys U13, 1000m) - gold medal 🥇
Ailbhe McMullin (Girls U11, 1000m) - bronze medal 🥉
Rian McCaffrey (Boys U17, 3000m) - silver medal 🥈
Ashley Ryan (Masters Women, 3000m) - silver medal 🥈
Barry Sheill (Masters Men, 6000m) - silver medal in the M45 category 🥈

Finally, covered in mud, I changed into my regular clothes, and at 3:30 PM we back to the car and headed back to Longford. 😉
Longford AC

16/02/2026

INTENSIVE TRAINING - INJURY - BACK FOR RUNNING
🥵🤕🏃

Unfortunately, I overdid it a bit with my training. I felt too strong, and so I had to atone. The beginning of January was intense; I imposed a (completely incomprehensible) training regime on myself and ran practically every day. Too often and too fast in terms of pace, without a day of rest, which was reprehensible for me.

I finished that week with a Sunday (11th January) run of over 8 kilometers. It was humid, windy, and rained intermittently. The conditions weren't exactly favorable, but this is Ireland and it was January, so that shouldn't have been a surprise. I chose the surrounding streets, running past Abbott and mostly on the B4 bypass. I clocked in at 8k at a good pace (4:35/km).

The next day, Monday, I ran in the park. And that was my last workout 🙆
The run was brisk again (13km at 4:32/km) with very strong 200m at the end of each kilometer (3:05-3:20/km) 🙃 And that was probably the final nail in the coffin. The next day, I had serious back problems, and an injury occurred that sidelined me from running for two weeks. In the meantime, I walked and did various exercises, and luckily, it got better each day 🙏

By the end of January, I was feeling so good that I slowly started training again. Easy, testing runs of two 5km (average paces of 5:50 and 4:56/km), then a cross-country workout, two more easy runs (8km and 10km), another cross-country in Moyne and one easy with Patryk in Longford.

This break came at a decidedly bad time, although maybe it was a sign? To avoid overdoing the intense running and to introduce strength and mobility training? I've been doing this for a few weeks now, and it seems to be paying off, but I have to be consistent.

Regarding cross country, as you might remember, we started preparing for the race in Dublin (National XC Championship) at the beginning of January. These preparations didn't go as well as I'd hoped; I only had three grass training sessions, but luckily I managed to compete in the race, which wasn't so obvious when the injury occurred. And how did my teammates and I from Longford AC do? You'll find out in the next post 😁

Some photos from my recent training (last month period) 🙂

12/01/2026

XC SPEED SESSION 🏃💨🥶

Just like last year, we started our Cross Country training in January. I'd forgotten how incredibly tiring this type of running can be, even though we were running on flat ground, albeit on tall, unpaved grass. And then there was the ever-present cold 🙆🥶 It took a while to warm up at least a little.

The original plan for Saturday morning was to go to the school grounds in Moyne for our first XC training session. Unfortunately, the weather meant we had to change our plans. The roads were very slippery, and we didn't want to take any risk, so we stayed in Longford and ran around the pitches at St. Mel's College.

There were four of us. I met Ashley, Mick, and John at 8:30 a.m. in the Longford AC car park. Three things immediately caught my eye: cold, very slippery, and a colorful sky. The first few minutes of our training session were a pink, yellow, and red spectacle of the awakening sun and the whimsically arranged clouds. It was worth getting up early for this moment and crossing the large metal gate, from where we could gaze at the sky in all its glory. Beyond the fence, we had appetizers, main courses, and desserts, consisting of a warm-up, main session, and cool-down. 🤗

Even during the warm-up laps, it was clear that the terrain and tall, frosty grass would be a mild challenge. We ran calmly, chatting and adapting to the conditions. A crucial moment was a several-meter-long section of slippery concrete separating two pitches, which proved so dangerous that during the fast sections, we decided to run only along one of the fields.

The fast sections were simple (simple the best! ☝️), consisting of five 3-minute reps, with a 90-second rest. Ashley, who ran first, was keeping track of the time. I was right behind her, John was right behind me, and Michael was running a little further back. Honestly, it was a bit tiring, and while I spent the first three minutes constantly riding on my teammate's back, later on, the gap between us became larger. I was leading one rep, and on another, John was second, and I was third. It's great to work in a group because no one wants to drop out and everyone tries to maintain the pace. I had it in my head that I had to run right behind Ashley at all costs, and fortunately, I mostly succeeded. 😁

The grass got trampled quickly in some places, but running at a pace of 3:50, 4:00, and 4:15 per km wasn't easy at all. It was intense and tiring, but we bravely persevered and finished the workout exhausted but with smiles on our faces. Afterward, we headed off for a 2.5km cool-down run. 😃

I'm really happy with this achievement. Speed and endurance training in challenging terrain will definitely pay off in the future. This is only the first session of this kind, and I'm sure we'll be even stronger after a few more. And if we manage to add some hills (and that's the plan next week, in Moyne), Dublin's XC course in Adamstown won't be too bad for us in February. 😎

10/01/2026

ON THE ROAD - WEEKLY TRAINING REPORT (Monday-Friday)
🏃🏃🏃

COLD IN THE MALL 🥶 (Monday) - 5.25km

On Monday morning, January 5th, Longford Park turned white. Not from snow, that would have been too much of a luxury; frost dusted the grass, and it was cold. In places, the park paths, especially from the steaming Camlin River, were slippery. Not terribly slippery, but I had to be careful. I couldn't fully warm up my hands, even though I was wearing gloves. Even a rather brisk pace couldn't make me feel comfortable.

I started my Monday run at 9 a.m. and decided to only run a few kilometers in no more than 30 minutes. It turned out a bit faster, just under 24 minutes, and I ran 5.25km in that time. It was my third consecutive day of running, and honestly, I can't remember the last time I had a streak like this. 🤪

EVENING IN DRUMLISH (Tuesday) - 10km

The cold vanished. Instead, darkness appeared, a blackness controlled by various lights, whether from houses, streetlamps, or the ever-present Christmas lights. I know all these nooks and crannies very well, and even those shrouded in darkness are familiar to me.

It was difficult for me to go on Tuesday's run. I postponed it, and instead of running in the morning, which would have been the most sensible idea, I started training at 7:30 PM. I planned to get back into intervals that day, but since there's no opportunity for speed training in Drumlish, especially at night, I ran 10km at a fast pace instead.

In Drumlish, the course either climbs or falls constantly. On the descents, the kilometers reached 4:04/km, the slowest was the one on the highest ascent (4:55/km), and despite the changing terrain, I ran really well.

SOCIAL RUN (Wednesday) - 10km

This time, for a change, I had some company. I met my friend Darren in the park in the morning and we decided to set off on a 10km route, which was mostly outside the town. Since my recent training sessions were relatively intense, I also thought about it and hoped that I could do an easy run this time. How did it go? Well, it wasn't exactly easy, as my average pace at the end was 4:35/km 🤷

As always happens, when you have a somebody by your side, the time flies by faster and the kilometers disappear more easily. I'm glad I managed to get back to Cloontirm, an area I enjoy running in, but I haven't been there in a while. The canal was deserted, but as we ran through the town, traffic became more congested, and I had to maneuver, especially when crossing streets. I finished my run when the 10th kilometer appeared (45:52) and Darren wanted to get an even hour of running, so he went off on his own for maybe two extra laps in The Mall. It was good training – my 5th day of running in a row ☝️😁

GREY AT STONEPARK (Thursday) - 8.15km

The gravel car park right next to the entrance to the Longford branch of the Royal Canal was completely empty. I parked my car there, did a quick warm-up, and a few minutes after 12 noon, set off for a run around the area. I didn't encounter any other runners along the way; there were only dog walkers, children playing at school during break in Stonepark, cars driving on the surrounding roads, and generally, it was quiet.

I wore long pants this time, which was a good choice. I warmed up quite quickly during the run and didn't feel overheated. I know the Stonepark area very well, and honestly, it offers good potential for various types of training. Two unconventional spots offer good interval training: the gravel section of the canal near Ballymacormick/at the back of the N63 road and the angular loop around the Grattan Og GAA pitch in Stonepark. You can do some hills training (the local Mullaghavorneen and Cartronageeragh roads, which will take you to the summit where Ballymacormack Cemetery is located), various types of speed or tempo training on the main canal – in short, there are plenty of options. 🙂

This was another workout where I should have slowed down and run at a pace above 5:00/km, but it was really comfortable, and in the end, my average pace was 4:47/km. During the run, I planned to do 8km, and that's exactly what happened. I was back at the carpark after 39 minutes. I did some post-run stretching and headed home.

SUNNY MORNING (Friday) - 5.33km

Just like at the beginning of the week, it was cold and slippery on the roads, so it cooled down on Friday. The difference was, however, that the sun was shining but, it didn't provide any warmth 🙃 I couldn't warm up and was cold for practically the entire 5+ kilometers of the run. And I was already feeling a bit tired (my 7th day of running in a row 🙆).

My Friday run was around The Laurels and Ballinalee Road. I didn't push myself too hard due to a little loss of energy, but mainly because the sidewalks were freezing and my shoes weren't gripping the ground well. The sun was shining brightly at times, the temperature wasn't helping, and I wanted to put on my 5k shoes and head home. Plus, I had to start work at 12 noon 🫣

I'm glad I managed to get into running in the New Year. My goal was to get back to solid work in 2026 and try to structure my training. I want to be consistent, and so far I've been doing very well, although I have to manage it carefully to avoid overtraining. Step by step, but wisely ☝️

What are my plans for the weekend? On saturday we're kicking off our cross-country training with LAC (that's done 💪😁). I'll try to elaborate on that in my next post 😎

04/01/2026

NEW YEAR'S TRAINING

This week, I only started running on Thursday. It was my first training run of the new year 2026. The old year, with its many running adventures, has just ended (I want to write a separate post about that), and now I'm on a new one, which I also hope will bring a lot of good things.🤞

THURSDAY

The first run was brisk but short. Before work, I decided not to overdo it with the distance, so I ended up running 5.5km. The streets were, of course, empty for January 1st; I saw only a few walkers, cars rarely passed, and I ran. Mainly on Ballinalee Road, a bit in The Laurels estate, then past the Cathedral, St. Michael's School, and the fire station. As I mentioned, the paces weren't exactly slow, and at the end, I averaged 4:26/km. That was Thursday, but what happened on Saturday? 🙂 ⤵️

SATURDAY

On Saturday, I almost set off on another parkrun journey. Until the very last moment, I was debating what to do and, unfortunately, ultimately gave up (I was supposed to visit Kilcock). Instead, I ran again on our Longford streets, specifically, and primarily, the bypasses surrounding our town. 🏃🛣️

The first section was a long straight run towards the roundabout next to McDonald's, then another long straight run along the bypass past the giant violins, all the way to the next roundabout. There, I turned around and took the same route back, turning towards town at McDonald's. Meanwhile, the course had settled down so that my paces were once again fast (4:11-4:18/km). I felt good on these long, sun-drenched straights; the kilometers were disappearing quickly, and my rhythm was right. 💪

By the end, I'll admit I was feeling a bit tired, a bit sore here and there, and to make matters worse, I started feeling a bit tight in my big toes. I ran in Vormero 16, which unexpectedly gave me a little problems 🤔 I finished the workout after 54 minutes, covering 12.5km, and my average pace was 4:20/km. 👌

SUNDAY

My last run was on Sunday evening. I ran down Ballinalee Road (from Oaklands Estate) and through College Park to the Mall. It was much slower than the previous two times; it was as empty as January 1st, and it was slippery. I did two laps in the park and got into a good rhythm of consistent pace over the following kilometers (~4:50/km). 🌌🌠

I'm glad I closed out this week with a satisfying amount of kilometers and that I ran day after day, which doesn't happen often. Starting tomorrow, I really hope to get back into the training routine, to the much-anticipated consistency I'd like to maintain for as long as possible. And maybe I'll finally be able to do at least 50km a week, which used to be the norm. 🤞😎

02/01/2026

SHANE BRENNAN 5K, NEWTOWNFORBES 2025 🏃🏃🏃

We had a beautiful, fast run in Newtownforbes. I knew it would be intense, that I'd be tired at the finish line, that I'd meet friends, and that tons of people would show up. 😎

The Shane Brennan 5k is held regularly; last week was the 18th edition, but this was only my second time running it. In 2024, it was very quiet and slow with Sebastian, so this time, for balance, it had to be fast. ☝️

Before the race, I thought I'd be happy if I finished between 18:30 and 19:00. I imagined that such a result could put me in the top 10, which would be acceptable, of course, although... 🙃 Various scenarios ran through my mind, even one of me fighting for the top three 😂 Dreams are dreams, but reality is different. With my current training, where I do 20-30 km a week, it's not advisable to daydream. I'm saving ambitious goals for later, when I'm sweating it out during my speed sessions, when I increase my mileage, and when my training becomes regular (because it will happen, right? 😂).

The race start was scheduled for 1 p.m. We arrived at noon, and the sport hall where the race head office was located was still empty. We picked up our bibs (we were at the very end of the list 🙃) and with half an hour left until the start, we went to change. A whole bunch of people had already arrived; the gym was bustling with activity and warm, unlike the unpleasantly cold weather outside. It was time to warm up, so we did, and Michael and I went for a short run around the neighborhood. 🏃🏋️

It turned out the start had been moved to 1:15 PM, and when the hour arrived, we were all standing in the street, eagerly awaiting. After surveying the situation and discovering who would be running, I knew it was going to be exciting. Among the people I knew who guaranteed high-quality standard, we had two young, very talented guys, Rian McCaffrey and Eoin Morgan (both U-16), my friend Ross Gannon, a friend from Parkrun, Sean Farrell, and two very strong girls, Fiona Gettings and Ashley Ryan. I knew them all, and who knows how many other strong runners showed up? 🤷🙂

When we were finally freed from the clutches of impatience, a mad dash began! Literally! The front rows shot forward like a catapult, and a leader of at least 10 people immediately formed. We kept swapping places; first Ross was ahead of me, then I was ahead of him, Sean appeared on my left, Eoin followed, Fiona and Ashley ran on my back. Some of the young, angry runners took the top spots, I was 6th, then 10th, and I knew I probably wouldn't move much further forward. It was really fast back then (3:10-3:20/km), and everyone was running at that pace, or faster. The first kilometer was a mixture of courage and recklessness – a pace of 3:15 🤪

At the first right turn (about 1.2km), I was in 11th place. Six people were running at the front of the race, twenty meters behind them were two more (including Ross), and another 20-30 meters behind were Eoin, Sean, and I, and not far behind were Fiona and Ashley. The situation changed dramatically. Before long, my two companions had slipped a bit away from me, and to make matters worse, the girls caught up with me, and suddenly I was in 13th place. 🥴 It was a bit of an uphill climb, and my pace immediately dropped (3:30-3:47/km). I was worried that the frantic first kilometer would cause me to lose my power and a crisis might arise, but despite these worries, I decided to cling to the girls and try to run with them at all costs. And it worked. On the next two bends, the three of us ran, me constantly on their heels, at a good pace and with the rapid, loud breathing of someone increasingly exhausted. 😂

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to keep them company; the girls abandoned me, and suddenly I was alone. 🤷 I had to work on running solo, which is never easy. I kept my eyes on the road, seeing everyone ahead but unable to get close. The next right turn led us to a gravel section, and that's where the unexpected happened. Unfortunately, Fiona ended her run (injured), so it was certain that Ashley would be the first woman to cross the finish line. There were some small hills along this section, which slowed me down a bit, but I didn't give up. I'd noticed earlier that I had a slight lead over the next runner, which confirmed that the first few kilometers of the run had been well-worked. 💪

I was a little disappointed that I wasn't able to catch up with Ashley and Sean because they weren't running very far ahead of me, but at this stage, the most important thing, and the only thing I could manage, was to maintain my pace and not slow down dramatically. After less than a kilometer of packed gravel, a slightly potholed road surface reappeared. This was where the 4th kilometer, which was the slowest (3:57), hit, and the fans soon arrived.

The final section consisted of two turns and a run into the Clonguish GAA club grounds – there we had to run around the playing pitches, one large, square loop with a slight uphill section just before the finish line. I was in 11th place at the time, but unfortunately, with 200-300 meters to go, I was overtaken by a certain Ethan Sweeney. I finished 12th (out of 362 runners) in a time of 18:07 (3:37/km), which I'm obviously happy with 😎

FINISH LINE

At the finish line, I quickly recovered, congratulated my friends from LAC, and waited for Sebastian, who had finished his race a few seconds under 26 minutes. A moment later, we were in the hall, where I treated myself to coffee and sandwiches. As is often the case after races, the organizers had prepared snacks, hot drinks, and even hot whiskey and muld wine (alcoholic), which surprised me (and saddened me because I couldn't partake 😂🙆).

We concluded this festive, running-and-social event with a group photo. I must emphasize that everyone from Longford AC did an excellent job. Special applause goes to Rian McCaffrey and Ashley Ryan, who took first place. Rian achieved a very good time (16:18), thus breaking his personal best.

Finally, I would like to thank the organizers for a truly fantastic running event. I have no complaints, everything was organized at the highest level and certainly no one had the right to complain :) Of course, I don't have to add that we'll see each other on December 26, 2026 😉

I used some photos from Lissette Carcamo ☝️🙂

Longford AC

26/12/2025

A week. That's how long it's been since my last run. Fortunately, the Christmas race is over, and I managed to set off for a quick reconnaissance of the surrounding area. 😎

Yesterday, before evening, most of the streets and neighborhoods were empty. Cars were scarce, and I saw even fewer people. The idea was to do just 5km at a leisurely pace, but it turned out a bit faster. I started by running to The Laurels housing estate and then across Ballinalee Road to the park. There, I did a lap and returned to the stone near St. Eamer's School, where I finished my brisk run – 5.44km (4:41/km) 🙂

Yesterday's run was a way to burn off some Christmas calories, but also a bit of a warm-up before today's race in Newtownforbes 😃
Just like last year, the Shane Brennan 5k is taking place there on St . Stephens Day, and it will be a chance to finish the year with a race. I'll be meeting up with lots of friends and spending time outdoors.

Don't expect any really ambitious runs, I'll probably manage to get under 19 minutes and maybe I'll finish in the top 10 😁 We'll see what happens there 😉

21/12/2025

CLUB RUN 🏃🌠🌌

Thursday was my second (and final) training session of the week. I waited until the evening, and since we meet up for a run with friends from LAC on Thursday evenings, I decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

By the time we set off on our tried-and-true 10-kilometer route, I had already covered 3 kilometers. These were my fastest kilometers (2 and 3) during this training session. Later, when we were moving together (our team consisted of Michael, Ross, Mervyn, and I), the pace was relaxed and pleasant. 🏃😎

As we do every week on Thursday, we met friends from Brendan Doyle Running Club during a canal run. They most likely (though I'm not 100% sure) ran only along the canal. Our route was out and back. This time, I managed 13 kilometers, which I consider a good distance. ☝️🙂

17/12/2025

STREETS OF LONGFORD, 16K 🌞🏃😎

I didn't think I'd be able to run so many kilometers on Tuesday 🙂 The last time I did this much was probably before the summer, which was over six months ago 🙆

In recent weeks, I've struggled to hit 20 km per week, but now I'm already at 16 km on Tuesday 😎
At the beginning, quite unexpectedly, I met Marcin and we ran together to the park. There, at a conversational pace, we did two laps and said goodbye. The watch read 5 km. I briefly considered staying in the park and continuing my run, but I didn't feel like running in circles and decided to explore the area a bit.

I increased my speed a little, but I barely felt it at all. And what route did I choose? First, I ran out of the park past St. Joseph Church, then along Battery Road until I reached a bend and a small local road that led me to Abbeycartron Estate. I enjoy running there; it's usually peaceful, and I have a set route that I don't tend to change (including two small neighborhood laps: Brickfields and Woodlands).

I ran from one neighborhood to another (Battery Court), where I clocked 9km. White Linen Woods greeted me first with a nice downhill stretch, then a decent uphill. A kilometer (I had 11 of them then) later, I was on a small loop on Demesne, where I did two laps and then ran down the steps onto Pearse Drive. From there, you can see the new Longford Rugby Club pitch, some houses, and then the grounds of Pearse Park—County Longford's premier GAA stadium—appear.

Running down Battery Road, my pace was fastest, finishing kilometer 13 in 4:16. I even managed to overtake two cyclists 😁 The last 3 kilometers of my tour were spent in the town center – first, I ran past the cinema, turned right onto Little Water Street, then left and through the Providers car park onto Richmond Street. Then I ran along Main Street and through a small gate into Annaly Park, around the SuperValu, and then towards the canal. I didn't run onto the canal this time; I turned left and crossed the railway bridge towards Scoil Mhuire. The final leg was a long straight along Ballinalee Road (16km, 4:26/km), finishing at St. Eamer's School, where I usually finish my training.

The trip took me an hour and 20 minutes +average pace was 4:52/km). By the end, I felt really good, and from 7km to 16km, my pace was surprisingly fast. I need to run and explore more often our local areas. Longford isn't a big town, but you can cover a lot of miles exploring our various neighborhood streets. ☝️😃

15/12/2025

SOLID 11K AROUND NEIGHBORHOOD 🌠🏃💪

There was no away parkrun this Saturday (a strange feeling 😂). Instead, I went to our local Parkrun in Longford and took on the role of a volunteer marshal (my first time since September - I was a photographer then 🥴).

It turned out this wasn't just a normal Parkrun. Even before the start, no one (including me) probably expected a record to be broken here. And the record finally fell! Freya Renton clocked a phenomenal 17:11, breaking the women's course record by a whopping 37 seconds (Fiona Gettings, 17:48). I'll just add that Freya is 15 years old 😁

That was Saturday morning. Saturday evening, when the sun had already set and darkness had set in, I went for my run. I ran around the chimney, first along Ballinalee Road, then 2.5 laps around St. Mel's College, St. Michael's School and the College Park estete, and then I ran a bit in the park. 🌳

Although the first kilometer was easy (5:11), it was much faster after that. I felt good overall, and the weather was also good, although the wind was strong at times. I managed to reach paces around 4:30/km, with a few even reaching 4:20/km or faster. The 11 kilometers passed easily, and after 50 minutes, I stopped near St. Eamer's School. 🏁

A short (only two days) week of running was over. I racked up 22km, which, honestly, is far from an acceptable level. Let this year be over, and I hope to intensify my training in January 🤞

Longford Runner-s

24/02/2026

19/02/2026

16/02/2026

12/01/2026

10/01/2026

04/01/2026

02/01/2026

26/12/2025

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15/12/2025

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