Mary’s hoping for an injury free year
SLIGO’S greatest athlete, Mary Cullen is back living and working in her native county and is looking to set new career goals this year - if she can overcome a persistent foot injury.
Mary (35) is working in the new sports shop Runpod on Markievicz Road and while she’s had Olympic qualification disappointment in 2008, 2012 and 2016, the latter including a valiant attempt at the 5k time at the track at IT Sligo, she is not giving up on her dreams. Her coach is still Ray Treacy at Providence College in Rhode Island and though she admits to being a bit disheartened after her last Olympic qualification effort, she remains upbeat.
“I was carrying a hamstring injury coming up to Rio and I so desperately wanted to be there and when it didn’t happen I did lack motivation for a bit to compete again at a high level,” she says. She has an ongoing issue with a metatarsal injury to her right foot which means that while she can still run it’s not at such a high intensity level.
“It’s just great to be back out running and I’m doing eight to ten miles most days, averaging about 60 miles a week which would be down from the 80 or 90 miles I was doing when competing. I’m trying to get to the bottom of this injury and hopefully it will clear up. My main aim is to step up to half marathon this summer and a marathon maybe towards the end of 2018 or in spring of next year. Mary returned to her native Drumcliffe last September after various stints in Providence and she immediately took to Martin McGeough’s ideas surrounding his new store.
“He wants to get communities running and it’s such a positive movement. Running is so accessible and to get new groups going would be great as it makes it more enjoyable than being on your own. Running can be a bit isolating even for experienced runners.
“It’s also good that there are plans to get monthly talks with a nutritionist going and this will help with diet plans and healthy eating which will feed into the running.
“I’ ll be here too to give advice on running and injuries. I’d like to give something back to running at this stage and this is the ideal opportunity for me,” said Mary who recently completed a personal training course.