From Thursday, I was eagerly looking forward to Saturday’s Parkrun. It felt a little bit like Christmas Eve. I needed to get to bed early but couldn’t sleep properly, excited to be returning to a running track.
I was up about 7am, eager to get back to Parkrun after exactly 63 days—nine weeks since my last one on July 18th following gallbladder surgery.
Before driving to Wexford this morning, I thought back to the seven years from 2016 to 2023 when I couldn’t run at all. Despite several attempts each year, the same injury always stopped me. In comparison, I figured my recent setback would be a doddle, but it actually took a lot of patience. There were six weeks of just walking—maybe about 15 minutes three times a day. Then, in weeks seven, eight, and this week, I slowly got back into running short distances.
I had a nice small breakfast and felt ready. My plan was to run half running and walk half, but as it turned out I ran most of it at a nice seven-minute pace (maybe just a little bit slower), only walking about 200 meters on each of the three laps. Good chats all the way around. One young lady was wearing a T-shirt sponsored by VERY. When I asked her about it, she said it was an online fashion brand, and in this case it was sponsoring a run for Breast Cancer Ireland. We talked about the cycling equivalent Pink Ribbon Tour.
She was doing about the same pace as me—sometimes ahead, then walking, then I’d catch up. We finished most of the last lap together. Very enjoyable.
Afterwards, I checked in with Christine and had a chat with Donal O’Brien, who was the director on the day, to thank him. Christine came over with my phone—I’d left it at her desk, of course. What am I like? Donal mentioned he has a sister living in Kilbrien and another in Ballymac. Small world, indeed.
Later, we went back to Barntown to see the lovely Bonnie, Méabh, and Jimmy. Bonnie is just getting so full of fun.
All in all, my first Parkrun back after nine weeks was just magic.
Back home just after 5:00 p.m. Feet up. Early night. Bike tomorrow. 84km. No doubt, I’ll sleep well.
