Craic, Confidence and Camaraderie at Carlow Town parkrun

Introduction

I’ve been in a running trough since the Cork Half Marathon 2025. The day had gone well. My family had all finished well across the various race distances. Then later in the afternoon news trickled in that a participant had passed away after finishing the half marathon.

I separated myself from running for a while and went back to the gym. I couldn’t bring myself to set another running goal just yet. I had to do something else but the thought of racing again seemed insane given the circumstances of my last race. I’ve spent the vast majority of my professional life encouraging people to take part in some regular physical and reap the enormous health benefits. I have unfortunately experienced cardiac rehab patients passing away. I always felt that I had at least played a small part in extending their quality and quantity of life. By contrast the death of a 24 year old participating in half marathon following the same path I had coached for the better part of two decades had never crossed my mind. Whilst my mind worked this out I hit the weight room in Clontarf. Edward was getting heavier. I still needed to be strong it was the kind of strong I had to work out.

Of all the places I thought I might find a lightning bolt to suddenly turn my running trough back towards a peak I wouldn’t have picked Facebook but there I was doom scrolling on a Friday night after another tough week at work and there it was a blast from the past and my god what a blast. I was watching a wedding video. The script in my head turned over instantly I knew the data behind this person’s life and I knew what they came back from. I had played a part in revitalising this persons life but I could now see the happiest day of their life. They had been my most complex case a heart transplant and in that moment seeing them alive and thriving 11 years later felt fantastic. Something clicked. I remembered 20 years ago when my father had passed away my mother and I struggling to explain his untimely passing eventually said to each other ‘Shit Happens’. For months and eventually years after his passing when either one of us had a bad day and we were slipping into downward self defeating funk we’d remind each other ‘Shit happens’. In college when things got tough and by jesus at one stage one third of the campus was under water I had evolved ‘shit happens’ to ‘if you can breathe you can keep going’. I canned the optimism and kept going down to the Craic, Confidence and Camaraderie Carlow Town parkrun.

Journey around the parkrun World

Julie and I completed Carlow Town parkrun and have now ran, jogged or walked 45 different parkrun locations throughout the world.

Course

Carlow Town parkrun Strava Map

Course Video

Julie with Baby Jogger

Stroller safe?

My wife took Edward in the baby jogger. We swapped at halfway with me having got to the turn about and seen the path become more grassy and become more narrow. This didn’t stop one local hero a man with a double buggy ploughing on like a knife through butter. The challenge of the terrain was nothing new to him in fact he was overjoyed to see me with a buggy as well. This course will be a challenge but honestly I’ve done far worse. I haven’t gotten over the scar of Ardgillans final hill and I had my own personal coach (a lovely volunteer) scream encouragement at me all the way up that hill. I remember flying out of the traps at Laytown beach parkrun and then turning into the wind on the way back and suddenly feeling every kilogram of the buggy and whatever the wind added. By comparison Carlow Town was easily managed.

Live a Little

There is a volunteer with Bell at the last 400 meters around the park. Pretend your in the final 400 meters of the 5k fianl at the Olympics and go for a sprint finish.

Volunteers

The Run Director gave a composed briefing from the natural podium on the banks of the river Barrow despite a technical issue with the megaphone and just to make sure we were listening she included the instruction to

Go up the steps not the ramp by the bridge

Seeing our apparent terror at this instruction she calmly corrected herself smiling broadly before we all burst out laughing. A deliberate ploy to ensure our attention. I couldn’t help but notice the absolute delight amongst the team as each milestone was read out the participants and volunteers a like were reveling in each others accompolishments. If you can volunteer please email carlowtown@parkrun.com for Carlow Town parkrun.

Conclusion

You will have great craic at Carlow Town parkrun

Quote of the Week

Our memory is a more perfect world than the universe: it gives back life to those who no longer exist. Guy de Maupassant