Sonia O’Sullivan: Why I find a 10km run so hard

There comes a time in every athlete’s life when you have to draw a line in the sand and start over again. You can only float along with no real goals or targets for so long, until something tells you otherwise. Everything you thought was easy or once took for granted is suddenly a lot harder than it used to be.

Even the most finely-tuned athletes are no exception: once they lose their normal routine and structure, their fitness can get away from them.

I was reminded of this last Saturday when I turned up for my annual support of the Great Pink Run in the Phoenix Park: a 10km run has never felt so difficult, and it was all down to lack of preparation and structure in my regular training routine.

I’m the first person to admit I run only for fun and fitness these days, but I still like to feel good when I run. So the reality of Saturday’s run hit me hard. I was never so happy to cross the finish line. My mind and body were definitely not on the same wavelength and I was down to Plan C – just trying to finish.

Injury and illness

It shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise. In the past 100 days, I’ve only run 10 times. It was clearly time to go back to the drawing board, and make a plan. The truth is I’ve been in this position, and vowed never to get back here again. But when you are plagued with an injury and illness, or some other interruption, it’s not easy to maintain the routine.

I get out for an hour of exercise each day, usually swimming, walking or something in the gym, but there simply is no substitute for the fitness you get from an hour run every few days.

Then on Sunday, I was back at the Phoenix Park for the Dublin City Triathlon. Since I have been keeping up a regular swim routine, I was keen to try the Olympic distance – which involved a 1.5km swim in the Liffey, a 40km cycle in the park, followed by a 10km run. But I had to be happy with no run, a sort of self-made duathlon, after leaving out the third part of the “tri”. As much as I was looking forward to the swim, especially as I knew it would be less taxing than the previous day’s run, I was a little fearful of swimming in the Liffey, unsure of the current, or whatever else might be lurking in the water.

But everyone I spoke to was enthusiastic and encouraging, especially the first-timers. It was exciting to see so many involved in an event that was going to take well over two hours to complete. Still, as I was cycling up the Khyber Pass in the park for the fourth time, I was glad that on the next descent I’d be exiting the park back to “transition 2”, knowing I was not running the final part. Tempting as it was, doing 10km twice in two days was probably not a good idea. And so I stopped, although not without feeling inspired to complete an Olympic distance triathlon, only this time with a bit more training under my belt.

If you want to compete at any level – or “participate” as I say now – you need to do the necessary preparation. For me, that’s what the triathlon is. As much as it is a race, the satisfaction of completion would be enough for me. So I’ve set myself a goal.

The Jailbreak triathlon takes place in Cobh in about two weeks' time, and there is a slim chance I can get enough running in to be able to complete my first Olympic distance triathlon.

The main attraction for me is the swim from Spike Island to Cobh, followed by the 40km cycle and the 10km run. Everyone assumes the run is my strong point, but nothing could be further from the truth. It’s getter harder to explain too, because nobody seems to believe me.

It’s great when you have a target in mind, but important to operate at your current fitness levels: the initial challenge for me is completing the course before thinking about any times, or speeding through the transitions.

I've spent a few days in West Cork this week, a beautiful spot to relax and to explore some challenging hills. When trying to regain fitness, it's always easier when you are exploring a little, not just re-running regular routes. You can always go a little bit farther to see what's around the next corner, such as completing a loop of the Sheep's Head, or linking in with the local swimmers at Lough Hyne, a beautiful salt water lake.

No agenda

Yesterday it was the Sheep’s Head, and it was stunning, impossible not to enjoy the freedom of being on your bike in the great outdoors. I was in no rush and had no agenda other than getting some miles on the bike, losing my thoughts along the Wild Atlantic Way.

Being on the bike also means you can cover so much distance at a pace that allows you to take it all in. These are definitely not roads to be looking around while driving a car. I had no idea the ride was mostly uphill until I turned around and, with wind at my back, finally got some speed up on the south side of the peninsula.

The great thing about the triathlon is when your legs are a bit sore after a hard run, you can work on the bike or the swim. They all complement each other and maybe now make the completion of the Jailbreak triathlon in Cobh a real possibility. I’m not chasing medals or times, just getting out there and putting the three pieces together in one day.

And hopefully realising there is still no greater satisfaction than crossing a finish line, no matter how long it takes.