Pat Walsh Running

* Castlehaven parkrun report *

We had a lovely visit yesterday to this most quaint and beautiful parkrun. A nice jog on a woodland trail but book-ended by some unique performances.

Our Race Director Alun gave a welcome and informational speech prior to the run that would be more worthy of a Broadway stage performance than a mere intro to a parkrun and after the run we were treated to Cork and St Finbarrs AC man Dan Kennedy serenading us with his “Jogging Song’. I can honestly say I have never ever been treated to singalong straight after a run while some were still finishing. I hereby bequeath a Tony Award for acting and a Grammy for singing to them both.

The run itself is stunning through Rineen Woods and parts of the trail are alongside the estuary of Castlehaven Harbour. Do not have any notion of running a pb on this course, trust me it is not designed for that. Instead, take a more sedate pace and enjoy the undulating (hills) 2 lap course that finishes with an uphill path followed by a series of steps that had more in common with mountain climbing than running.

During the Summer season it gets visitors from all parts of the world. Australia, New Zealand, Scotland, Germany all got a shout out while we even had people from Tipperary wherever that is. Including the very welcoming locals it made for a unique an eclectic mix that was charming. Fact: they actually allow people to run in Kerry Jerseys ( if they are brave enough 😃 ).

Thanks to all involved who volunteered to make this run possible. It was the 479th parkrun there and who knows maybe a return trip for the big 500 may be on the cards. I would recommend this run to anyone but please go there to relax, soak up your surroundings and enjoy the run. Our Number 10 on the mission to do all Cork parkruns in 2026.

Castlehaven parkrun

* The Bear and the Wolf *

Oh, someday girl, I don't know when
We're gonna get to that place
Where we really want to go, and we'll walk in the sun
But 'til then, tramps like us
Baby, we were born to run….. Springsteen

What a fantastic Summer we have had and while all hope isn’t lost yet for the rest of August and September we have to admit the evenings are drawing in. It was fantastic to be able to pull on shorts, t-shirt, running shoes and out the door. No need to worry about cold or rain. I went for a cycle one day and it took me 20 minutes to get the bike out of the shed, pump the tyres, oil the chain, test the brakes and the gears and then find my helmet and glasses. I would have a few Kms done at that stage running.

I do honestly think it is hard-wired genetically into our DNA to just run. Nothing mad fast, but enough to be moving and stay ahead of the bears and the wolves that chased us when we put our nose outside of the cave a few thousand years ago. We were running then and we evolved and graduated to running around a field or a mountain trying to mind goats and sheep. We have always ran. Nowadays the beauty is that we have a choice for our health and mental sanity. We are blessed to be able to do it.

There is no mention of triathlons or kite-surfing in the annals of ancient Ireland and no sport except for Cú Chulainn hitting a ball around the place with an old stick. People either walked or ran. The bicycle is less than 200 years old and you only swam back then when you fell out of a boat. We were born to run. There were running events in the Greek Olympics 2500 years ago. Some, like Mark English must have had very fast ancestors but I think I’m more related to Fred Flintstone. My instinct and breeding is to be in the middle of the field, the safest place to be in the history of human evolution.

Of course it is important to do different things and try our hand at every type of exercise. But when all is said and done you can’t beat an easy run, with good company in a peaceful scenic location and the sun shining down on us. It was also nice to be able to go for a coffee afterwards without the fear of hypothermia from wet gear and a biting cold wind. I know the farmers are worried about the lack of rain but as my lawnmower is enjoying a restful summer then I’m not complaining.

I met some lovely people while I travelled around this Summer and those beautiful memories can help shorten whatever winter lies ahead. Running is a great way of socially mixing, strangers in a race become buddies as the miles go on, and many a kind word is exchanged at the finish line.

Thanks to all for saying hello and your very kind comments about my posts. They are welcomed and valued. I write about what I see and feel as I run. Keep getting out to run and socialize, it is part of your nature and no fear nowadays of the bears and the wolves.

'I write to see and the seeing is through language'.. McGahern

Please don’t ever take me seriously.

* The Straight Road *

This famous road in Cork has hosted many a sporting occasion and today we finished the St Finbarrs AC 10k in the Lee Fields at the foot of the County Hall at the end of the road. It is also known as the Carrigrohane Road.

To help your sporting and social knowledge this road has hosted a Formula 1 race of its time, a leg of the Tour De France, National Road Bowling finals and a concert one time in the Lee Fields was headlined by U2. Various Kerry football teams would have used it as an escape route back to Kerry when they got a hiding from Cork down the Park.

But why do I mention it today? Well one of the features of this route was the fact for years as you turned onto the road heading for Cork you could see the County Hall for 2.5 miles in front of you (4km for the young people). It was long, and mentally tough, it appears late in the Marathon route when the energy levels are flagging and you are questioning your sanity.

Time stood still on this road, you were going nowhere, it was still there in front of you and no closer. Einstein’s theory of time and moving forwards and backwards could actually be tested while running this road of a hot sunny day. I once saw the County Hall moving in a heat shimmer but as it was around the same time as the moving statues in Cork I could never be certain what was going on.

So the good news as I ran in today towards the finish is that the trees on the right hand side have grown up, to completely obscure the view of the County Hall until the last half mile. The things we do to distract the mind while we run as I reflected on this particular route. Flashbacks to late 80’s when this was our regular lunchtime training run. Memories of the late Derry O’Driscoll who lorded over us and who sadly passed away earlier this year.

What about today. Super race, well organized by St Finbarrs AC. Great buzz and a race that catered for all abilities even for old fellas like me at the back of the pack. 15 minutes slower today than a handy training run 38 years ago. Madness, insanity, old age, resilience, stubbornness, delusional… or just don’t care and be happy to be running.

Thanks to my pals Danielle, Iosla and Daniel for your company at the start and waiting around afterwards for me :D . I was grand, don't worry …. !

Thanks to all who organized today and keeping up the great tradition of a St Finbarrs City race. It has been held in various locations and distances around the city but always one of the highlights of the year.

Sorry for wasting 5 minutes of your time with my ramblings.This is a diary post rather than a running education for anyone. Thanks Graham, Mick and Joe for all the pictures even if we look half-dead.

'Every hold that I had on time
Every dream that I thought was mine
Well, it's all quite forgotten now
Lost without the double cross of you... '

St. Finbarr's AC

* Project 3664 *

I was fascinated recently with Josh Kerr and his attempts to rewrite athletics history and run a mile in 3.42. He called it Project 222. That is unreal and he publicly declared he would do it. 222 seconds to run a mile. 3 x 60 and + 42. Do the math.
The world record of 3:43.13 had been held by Morocco’s Hicham El Guerrouj ( hero of mine when I actually could run :D ) since 1999.
For 27 years, some of the greatest runners we have ever seen had attempted this and failed, he succeeded.

What is that to do with us mere mortals. Not a lot really or maybe if we plan and dream we all have no limits. I don’t have the answer but to dream is good and to see the completion of a fantastic record attempt is just mind blowing. It beats sitting on a couch.

So Project 3664 was a work in progress that was never planned properly, but was completed today. Not sure if Josh knows about this.
I decided to volunteer at my local parkrun as the tailwalker, the last man home, the sweeper upper, the marker collector, the official broom wagon driver. Time to give back something to the running community.

What fun exists at the tail end of the run. The buggies flying along, the dogs sniffing one another, the dog-owners looking at one another and trying to be sociable while thinking their own dog is the chosen one. Also we have those whose competitive days are over and want to take part in something pleasant and fun. Have the chats and be supported while walking. ' There will be coffee '

Be part of something bigger. Have a reason to get out on a Saturday morning. Volunteering can be good for your overall self esteem and give you a reason to be, a purpose, a sense of importance and involvement. Life exists on many levels and in so many different ways for everybody. I had a lovely morning. Thanks to my partner Aoife for the company. In Ireland a stranger is someone you have not met but after walking the 5k parkrun I now have another friend.

We were last home in 1.01.04 so I actually completed project 3664. Do the math…..!
The other volunteers were thrilled to see us. They could finally tidy up and go home..
Like El Guerrouj my days of glory are long past but my days of participating and supporting hopefully have many days ahead.

* Can the year please slow down? *

'If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do'

We had the longest winter ever followed by a very warm settled phase that resembled a Summer and here we are now in August. Are the years flying by faster, or does our very lifestyle make it seem that way? Constantly going, always planning, chasing our tails and wondering about time and the lack of it.

The next BHAA evening race in 2 weeks is the last of the evening races for this year, how did that happen? Are we mentally ready for the passing of another season and head into another autumn / winter of running. There will be a good September, be optimistic.

To train regularly during the week and to run in a few races gives structure and a sense of achievement to counter balance the always on, super busy mode in life where we never get around to doing half the stuff we intended to. To look back later in the year at races completed and a decent training log is personally satisfying and a mental tonic boost in the midst of chaos.

Life can throw curveballs, life can be demanding and challenging at times. Life can get in the way of running if you are not careful. We need to run for our sanity and health. Don’t worry about time or how far. Just get out and breathe the fresh air. Slow down and enjoy the fact that your are moving. Life can wait until you get home.

I was running recently and spotted a fabulous hedge of blackberries that had just ripened. Perfection. A revisit later and the middle drawer in my freezer is looking good for winter. I have learned from the birds and animals how to be a hoarder too and plan for life ahead.

Start now.
I will train next week and the week after.
I will bring order and structure to my life.
I will embrace my running and enjoy it for what it brings to me.
I will drink coffee and travel to different places to run.
I will run a few races to be sociable and for the sense of purpose it gives me.
I will not entertain negative thoughts while I run and in fact I will try to forget I have another life.
I will not let 2026 pass me by without something notable notched on my belt.

I am not wishing my life away, in fact I want it to slow down. But I know I can’t. Next best is to bring order to the chaos and a feeling of something done.
On New Years Eve I will look back on the year and think it wasn’t totally wasted. Do the things you want to do. Don't wait. If I have collected a t-shirt and a medal from some run while eating my porridge with a few thawed out blackberries on top, then it will not have been totally wasted.
I got to Dunlewey Church this year. One less from the milk-churn list, yes mine is bigger than a bucket list.....!

'But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with' Jim Croce

Have a lovely weekend and keep on running.

* Dfor dog, Butterfly Buns *

Maybe it was the week that was in it, and a sentimental nostalgic mood took over. Reminiscing, thinking, hard stuff, people, memories, life, all the things we try to bury or ignore.
The title is reference to the Frames 2003 Live Album Set List which has been on repeat since Glen passed away. A great story before they played the song, ‘What happens when the heart just stops’.
The second part of the title is a story to be told.

I attended the Ballynoe 5k race last Thursday hosted by St Catherines AC. Lovely event set in the picturesque village of Ballynoe in North East Cork. If they were any further North East they would be in Waterford, OMG. Small village typical of rural Ireland but they have a Community Centre, a pub, a recently opened café, and for a warm up I ran around the local GAA club complex which is a testimony to all who live there and the great GAA tradition in this area. How often do you see a lady with children pushing a buggy around a GAA field that has 7 All-Ireland medals and 5 All-Stars. The buggy doesn’t push itself Orla.

The race was to be fair scenic. I love my landscapes and geography. I saw the Cross of Corrin in Fermoy not too far away but at the top of one hill when I could see the Galtees and the Knockmealdowns then I knew I had ran up a hill. I was able to report the fire in Slievenamon was quenched and that is only about 70 miles away. It all went down on the other side thankfully. My heart that had lifted into my left lung went back to its normal position. Maybe I had a vision of heaven for a few minutes but as I was delusional I can’t be sure.

Race over and on to the Hall for the cuppa. And there they were. The buns. OMG. Like my mother, Lord have Mercy on her soul, used to make them. A simple queen cake, normal size, they seem quite small now compared to the oversized on-steroids muffins that are peddled about. These were exquisite, perfectly baked, top lifted off and a spoon of jam or stewed apple inserted, a little dollop of cream and then the top replaced. The expert touch was cutting the top and putting it back as a butterfly wings. Butterfly Buns.

I was transported to another time and another place. Seamus Heaney’s poem about peeling the spuds with his Mother while the others were away at Mass washed around my brain. Maybe I was in the mood for nostalgia and was open to this. Maybe there is an unnamed expert baker hiding somewhere in Ballynoe. Imagine almost being in heaven twice in one evening. I won a prize at this race. A cuppa and a bun that meant so much to me and met some lovely people. Thanks to all concerned.

The real gift of the Irish is to tell a story. I humbly try. I beg your indulgence.

‘When all the others were away at Mass
I was all hers as we peeled potatoes.
They broke the silence, let fall one by one
Like solder weeping off the soldering iron:’ ….Heaney*

* Star Star *

Star, star, teach me how to shine
Shine, teach me so I know what's goin' on in your mind
'Cause I don't understand these people
Sayin' the hill's too steep, well
They talk and talk forever, but they just never climb,

I'm writing this week with a heavy heart, while contemplating the sudden and tragic loss of Glen Hansard. I'm lost for words. An absolute giant of the Irish music scene for most of my adult life and a deeply influential songwriter and performer. I don’t think there has been a year that the Frames haven’t appeared in my ‘Top 10 listens for a Year’ on Spotify. Many the run we shared together. Reading articles on his life, he was the most positive, supportive person to all he came in contact with. May he rest in peace and deepest sympathy to his family and all who loved him. The world is in a sorrier place today.

What has this to do with running?
It is the sudden and unexpected things that can occur to upset, derail or eliminate any plans we may have made. The things we said we will do in the future when we get around to it. Today is that day, tomorrow may be too late.

I won’t write much this week out of respect. But I do ask you think how our lives can be changed in an instant. Run while you can for as long as you can. Be careful of over planning the future and value the gift that is today. Appreciate the people around you while you can, and do your best to leave a lasting legacy as a role-model for friendship and support to your fellow runners. We get one shot at this.

Raise your hopeful voice
You have a choice
You'll make it now,…. Falling slowly

"Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis"

* Clonakilty, parkrun Number 9 *

The quest to check out all the 11 parkruns in Cork this year. Cork is a big County and we have to do road mileage to get to some of these runs. 7.45am leaving home for a 9.30 start isn’t too bad.

The usual clichés but hey are still true. Lovely people and an honest open welcome. Lots of visitors on the day as West Cork is a tourist hub this time of year.
Not sure if we can answer to ‘any visitors today?’ when we are from the same County. ‘Fake Tourists’.
We passed signs for Michael Collins Trail and replica Model T from Henry Ford. Jaysus the Yanks love this stuff. No sign of Cillian Murphy looking out over a ditch with a fake rifle thanks be to God.
All I need is a pair of running shoes and a race and I’m happy.

4.5 laps on a loop around the Showgrounds which is handy for keeping an eye on those in front and behind you. No paranoia here I say, but I was lapped by the winner fair play to him.
Thanks Annabel, Danielle, Heike, Anna and Mikey for the company. Whatever you all lack in running skills ye more than make up for in Breakfast Company afterwards. Thanks Sandra and Siobhan for gracing our table.

Insanity as a form of relaxation is vastly underestimated and we had the pleasure of company with Tom O’Riordan Watergrasshill AC on his quest to do 8 parkruns and a junior parkrun in the one day. Starting with junior in Cobh about 6am and followed with Tramore Valley, Ballincollig, Clonakilty, Macroom, Mallow, Glen River, Youghal and finally Midleton about 6pm. Pleased to say he completed his task this evening. Well done to Daniel for driving and doing some of the runs. Great effort. A Marathon of 42k completed with about 400 miles of driving in between. Congrats.
Pleased to say I ran 5k with them and drank coffee when he took off for more madness. With age comes sensibility.

Thanks to all in Clonakilty and especially Patrick Murphy, Race Director and I even got a picture with the ‘real Boss’ Sandra Walsh. ( I will be killed for this :D ) Our Anna was first Lady home on the run for the 2nd time in West Cork this Year. ( I can’t be killed twice thankfully )

Keep running. Have fun.

* The Punt and the Euro *

You read the heading and ask am I losing my marbles? Maybe
Has this anything to do with running you ask? Maybe

Wednesday night I ran the Bord Gais BHAA 5k race in Cork. 5euro entry and I reckon that relates to 4 old punts for anyone old enough to convert. I also came home with a free t-shirt. A pint in my local is north of 6 euro at the moment.
No, I did not win a prize, the moon hadn’t turned blue on this occasion. It was 23 degrees starting the race and we also got a tan top up free of charge. Luckily what I lack I talent and speed is compensated by a sense of self worth and humour.

We have been through currency changes, recessions, depressions, inflation, stagnation and all kinds of troubles with money. We have moved in 2002 from the punt to the euro but still the BHAA continue to give us a reason to run without breaking the bank.

All-Ireland tickets are priced in the hundreds
Ryder Cup tickets are priced in the thousands
World Cup final football tickets are priced in the loony zone for a single event.

Running gives us an opportunity to still be active and engaging in a sport we love while avoiding negative equity. I had so much fun. The usual hugs, kisses, handshakes, fist-pumps and the odd slag from a steward who wasn’t running. Thanks Annabel for the run company. You couldn’t buy for any money what enjoyment an evening like this can bring to you. Sustenance for the soul.

What prompted this post?
I had a lovely chat and photo opportunity with Aine Murphy after the race. We both featured in a recent photo I shared from 1989 when we paid for entry in punts and I have no idea what it cost then. Probably 2 or 3 punts. Aine was 3rd lady home on the day, a great runner and a huge supporter of the Cork running scene. Last night we paid 5 euro to run and laugh somewhere at the back of the field. ‘The fun zone’.
It was only 37 years ago and I dare say half of the 726 field weren’t even born then. We have both gone through a lot of age category changes since.

‘I've seen the world, done it all
Had my cake now
Diamonds, brilliant, and Bel Air now.’

Incidentally two Mallow men Pat Kerrigan and John Holland featured in the same 1989 photo and were participating in this weeks run. They were too fast to get a picture with them..! Alas I got a picture with the Goonies for my troubles.

Run while you can and for as long as you can. Forget PB’s as you age past a certain mark. The trick then is to find peace with yourself. We have seen it all, done it all but still continue to participate for the joy it brings. You will never regret it. You will get value whatever currency you pay.

Thanks Joe, Mick and Graham for all your wonderful pics.