The Start
Fr Liam Kelleher visited my primary school to recruit athletes for a race in the Carmelite college in Castlemartyr. I signed up and this was to be my first race. On another occasion I remember travelling to a race with Fr Kelleher and we stopped the bus outside Rostellan woods. He challenged anyone to get around a predetermined loop in the woods in under 5 minutes. I cant recall the distance but I managed it and came away with 50p for my efforts. Quite a lot of money for a kid in those days. In secondary school then, Liam O Brien was a big influence. It started with the 12 minute run in 1st year which led onto representing the school team for the next 6 years. 
The Break
I actually gave up in leaving cert year after a poor race, the head wasn’t in it anymore. After school I ended up in Waterford doing Rec and Leisure management. Fitness continued to be part of my life and I kept up some running with the GAA being my main focus. 
The Comeback
The 2011 Ballycotton 10 was my first race back in years. I ran 61 minutes that year and took 2 minutes off that time over the next few years. I threw myself back into the cross country races in 2012 competing in a lot of the different categories.
The Setback
For the past year and a half I’ve had an ongoing problem with calcification in my heel and plantar fasciitis. I’ve been to see numerous consultants and have ruled out an operation at this stage. After taking a complete break of 3 months from January and I am now back training carefully with no pain.
The Future
In the short term I want to run the East Cork Harbour half marathon as its my local race. Having won it two years ago I’d like to go a little quicker. Over the next year or so I’d like to give the Masters Cross Country a good go and a few years down the line try and get a good time for the marathon. I’ve never technically ran a marathon but back in college I took part in an endurance test on a treadmill as part of a thesis. I ran 25.6 miles first and two weeks later using Lucozade sport ran 27 miles in the same time. 
The Highlight
In my first year in the schools Intermediate All Ireland cross country I finished 3rd to Keith Kelly and Thomas Carey, just ahead of Gareth Turnbull. All of whom were very good athletes. As a result, I made the Irish team for the home countries international, finishing 12th with the Irish team just trailing England in a tightly fought race. For me, this would be the highlight of my running career to date. One other race that stands out would be the Junior Cross Country in Cavan in 1994. I was only 15 and technically not eligible. The plan was for me to pull out before the finish but I had a strong race over a particularly muddy course, finishing 11th. At the same event Donncha O’ Mahony qualified for the Irish Senior Cross Country team.

The Club
Much of what I like about East Cork AC is similar to what everyone else has said. There is no judgement and you can come and go as you please. I remember appearing at Welshtown after nearly a 10 year absence and it was like I never missed a Saturday hill session. I think Roy and Noel Berkley were leading that session. There is nothing I would change about the club or setup but it would be nice if we could change the perception of the club as elitist in order to attract more members. 
The Session
Definitely Welshtown. It’s the best and the worst, as in the toughest. There’s great satisfaction to be got from completing a good hill session on a Saturday morning. If I hit the times on the hills I’d be driving down the road completely satisfied. 
The Extra Bit
Outside of running, I’m big into the GAA. We’ve two small kids now aswell so my hands are full. My favourite quote is ‘Live without fear’.