There was plenty of Roscommon involvement in last Sunday’s Dublin Marathon judging by social media alerts over the weekend. Not only did we receive a couple of great shots of Rossie participants at various stages of the race, we also received word that the O’Toole sisters, Katie-Anne, Charlotte and Aishleen completed the run.
The girls were running in aid of ‘Jacinta’s Smile’, a charity they founded in the wake of their sister Jacinta’s untimely death earlier this year and there was plenty of emotion at the finish line.
I have to say; I haven’t always appreciated the whole running thing. Running to me has always been associated with punishment. Whether it was the two or three gruelling weeks of pre-season training in July/August or the shuttle runs on cold Tuesday evenings following a poor weekend result.
Even when the brilliant Sonia O’Sullivan was wowing Irish fans at the Olympics, I often wondered what made her get involved in such a tough and, in my mind at least, unrewarding sport.
That was until recently. I’ve seen the huge health benefits involved in running, both physical and mental, and I’ve witnessed body language, facial expressions and even outlook transformed by a brisk 5k. The pictures from last Sunday’s Dublin Marathon confirmed what I’ve come to suspect: running is not only enjoyable but is probably one of the most effective medicines known to man.
So, as the long winter months approach, and a Christmas of selection boxes and ham and turkey sandwiches looms, I think I’ll give the running another go!
