Throughout school years I was as active as most of my peers. I would do the mandatory gym classes in school and was ‘forced’ into hockey and basketball. Like many of the girls in school, when the weekly gym/sport class arrived I often “forgot” my gym gear or had a well fabricated excuse ready. The standard excuse of “I don’t feel well” was not good enough for the teacher and there was usually some form of punishment. But the risk was worth it.
I often detested the challenges that came with team sports – the roaring coaches telling you to run faster and do more warm-up laps, the team rivalry, overly competitive team-mates and opponents and the restraint of having no individual choices when you must be at training and matches for particular times. I enjoy working in a team together – on the same side helping each other. But put a group of young schoolgirls together in a team-sport environment then the real concept of “team-work” is non-existent! The only positives were the brief joyous feelings when we won a match against another school-team. The rest was mainly miserable!
(2001 – 2002) I happily completed my final year of high-school exercise and sport free. This was probably the peak of my most inactive and unhealthy lifestyle. I ate far too much - comfort eating constantly to alleviate study and exam stress. When my boyfriend (at that time) and I met each other in-between school times, time spent would always evolve around food: dinners out, large breakfast rolls, late evening gorging on chipper fast food, chocolates, burgers etc… and no exercise whatsoever. This never bothered me nor did I realise how excessive it was. As I am quite tall and was very young then (17-18 yrs), body image and weight never went out of control. I was a decent size 12-14 and very unfit to say the least. I viewed exercise as too much effort and a chore, like many people do….
(2002 – 2003) When I started college in Dundalk Institute of Technology my love of junk food (particularly chocolate & cookies) continued and I remained inactive. The summer before college I just worked and partied. Moving away from home and starting college after that summer was the start of a much healthier lifestyle and mindset. The girls I live with suggested we start the aerobics class in the college. It was upbeat and fun but very challenging! The instructor, a wonderful lady from Northern Ireland, was a national runner and fitness enthusiast! Her ultra high cardio 1-hour classes discouraged many people and pushed them away after trying to keep up with just a few classes. I stuck with it along with a few others as I was actually enjoying this new feeling of fitness while still having fun. It was giving me more energy too. This aerobic teacher was in her 40’s and so energetic, fit, toned and always smiling. She was literally like a Duracell battery bunny that had lost the switch-off button. I felt flabby and unfit and was determined to keep up with this class! She started taking us out to the college sports fields to run a few laps for half of the classes. I didn’t like the idea: but this is where my Love of running actually started!
During that 1st year of college I managed to get out early most mornings and jog (I mean just jog) up to the center of the town and back – thanks to this woman and her encouragement. She believed we could all be athletes! It was only 1-mile and back jogging slowly. I was out of breath but I got into the habit of treating this morning jog as a new routine. However, I did not let this new fitness pursuit take over my life. I could miss a few days which was no big deal…
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