During Christmas of 2005 I decided to spend my college work-experience year abroad. I settled on Australia and moved to Sydney for work in January 2006. The first few weeks were spent job and accommodation hunting. I met a great bunch of friends and felt at home within no time. With long free sunny days ahead before finding work, I went out for my morning run then spent the rest of the day walking around city looking for work! When I returned in early evening it was impossible to resist another run. It would feel wrong not to go out again in the sunny cheerful evenings while waiting for friends to return from work. I did not yet notice the affects of the considerably dramatic increase in activity and this kind of lifestyle soon took a toll leading to burnout. I was running under the intense Australian sun both morning and evenings breaking a sweat within seconds. Between this I was almost constantly walking.
With the predominantly outdoors Australian lifestyle coupled with the hot weather, there was not as much need for cooking big hot meals. I adopted the Australian lifestyle easily and rarely cooked in evenings - making a preference for salads and bowls of cereal after the evening run before shooting out again to meet friends. The only dinners and hot food were over barbeques or eating out at weekends. I started working full-time but managed to continue the same amount of activity. It took only a week before I was feeling constantly drained and fatigued. My legs were incredibly heavy and my body felt like lead. I felt connected to a ball-and-chain that would not release me. Running was becoming almost impossible and I was dizzy and nauseous when walking to work. My friends said I was looking very pale so I eventually visited doctor. I was highly anaemic. My iron and haemoglobin levels were dangerously low. I was sent to hospital for a blood transfusion. I was referred to a specialist and within weeks I was much improved. Due to considerable iron intake and return of enough red blood cells, oxygen increased and I was no longer continuously fatigued. This was when my keen interest and knowledge of foods developed. I learned the importance of balanced nutrition, particularly if prone to anaemia. I continued running through the year living in Australia albeit only once a day now. I was consumed with ensuring I had a full nutritionally balanced diet with calorie and carb-rich foods to ensure adequate fuel for running. I encountered a few calf and foot injuries over the months but would lose only a week or two of running each time for recovery.
I experienced Australia living and travel to the full while also working full time, seeing friends and going out at weekends. However, I continued to maintain running with core and stretching exercise habits each evening after work before I allowed any fun and relaxation! My friends thought it was admirable but sometimes compulsive if I were late for an evening event due to my run taking first priority!
I ran the Sydney “City to Surf” 14km in August 2006 and the Perth “City to Surf” race a few weeks after this in 48 minutes. The adrenaline rush after these races was the kick-start to a continued desire to compete in as many races that were within my reach. I returned home to Ireland for 4th and final year of college. My friends and family were shocked at how “skinny” I had become. I assured them that I was eating just as much and it was a result of running and exercising more. My parents were highly concerned from my appearance so on the weekends that I came home from Dublin, my mother was persistent on getting as much food into me as possible. I was more than happy to consume her delicious home cooking and baking - and this greatly relieved her too!
In December 2007 the “Dublin Port Tunnel” was finally opened to the public after a few years of construction work. To mark the occasion, a once off event was held. The “Dublin Port Tunnel” 10km race was organised with quite a limited number of entries due to the high demand and popularity of the occasion and also due to the width of the tunnel to allow for so many people. I was lucky enough to partake and the atmosphere was electric. I completed this 10km in exactly 41 mins. This was my first 10km race in Ireland. Unfortunately there has not been, nor apparently will be, another opportunity to hold a Dublin Port Tunnel run again due to it’s fulltime operation to traffic since.
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