Michelle Collins crossing the finish line hand in hand in hand with her niece Amy Lawless during the 2019 Dublin Marathon.

Running Matters One:2:One with Michelle Collins

with Martin Lyons

This week I’m interviewing a lady involved in running from her youth, but who in recent years is blessed to be able to run.

Michelle Collins from Baylin, close to Athlone, has been on quite a journey, not only race wise, but more so health wise, as she describes in great detail below.

Her life was turned more or less upside down with a diagnosis a few years ago, yet despite this she continues to push the boundaries of her limits, training and completing full marathons, a task many would find arduous, even in the full of their health.

Michelle’s story should hopefully inspire others to not let excuses get in the way of getting fit and completing their own goals, regardless of the obstacles faced and she is a shining example of both determination and passion for the sport she loves most.

Name: Michelle Collins

Date of birth: February 20, 1970

When did you start running and what motivated you take it up?

I'm running since I was in school, where I did both track and cross country.

I always loved sports, especially running. We used to go to Belvedere when I was in school and do the cross country.

I went again a few years back and I also really enjoyed that.

It is a lovely location with beautiful surroundings and is ideal for running.

What is your favourite and least favourite type of training and your favourite race distance?

My favourite training is the marathon. I love everything about it.

My least favourite is 5 and 10k training! My favourite race distance is all the longer ones.

The Mullingar half marathon (which used to be on St Patrick’s Day), is one I look forward to every year.

At the moment I'm loving the 10 mile, it's not too long or not to short, pretty much perfect!

What running achievements are you most proud of and why?

The marathon is my proudest – because I actually never thought I'd get to do it.

I was running the flatline half marathon in 2013 in Athlone and I hadn't been feeling well all through my training and subsequently ended up running the race poorly. Then all of sudden I was up in hospital the next day.

The doctors were surprised I ran at all, or had the energy to do so.

They told me something was attaching to my lungs and I had a type of pneumonia, so it took a long time to get a proper diagnosis.

I was then told I had a lung condition called bronchiectasis and I was put on a lot of medication. They said I actually always had it.

I was sent for percussion once a week and I had that up until the lock down, to help clear the lungs out. The condition itself is where the lungs fill up with mucus etc, so that's why exercise is so important, especially running.

It took until 2017 to get some sort of normality back and I’m with a lung specialist in Mullingar now.

I told him I wanted to run Dublin City Marathon and he was a bit taken back, mainly because I was due to have surgery the week of the marathon.

I asked if we could leave the surgery till after the marathon. I know – madness! He agreed once I was sure I was able and to keep safe.

My running since my diagnosis took a huge nosedive. I could no longer run at the paces I was running at. I had to retrain myself with the help from a coach I was running with, in the Moate Athlone running group, at that time. I got to the start line in Dublin and I ran the whole thing. It was amazing. All of my family and friends were waiting for me at the finish.

My niece Amy Lawless and best friend Edel Doyle also ran it with me. I did all the training on my own because I just had to take care of heavy breathing around me and my lungs were just not in great shape at the time, but I did it anyway.

I went for surgery the week after and I had the bottom of my right lobe (a section of the lung) removed. I will never get fully better and I'll be on medication for life.

I also have asthma on top of that and it has a bit of a knock on affect, along with arthritis in my neck and GORD syndrome, a type of gastro-reflux.

The reality of it all is that exercise is the key and my consultant wants me exercising regularly.

To be honest, if I couldn’t run I don’t know what I would do.

After I ran Dublin in 2017, My son Niall was so inspired by me, that he decided he was going to challenge himself to train for DCM 2018 and we went on and ran it together.

It was the proudest moment of my life - who gets to run with their son, let alone a marathon.

In 2019 my health was at its worst, but I continued to push myself with the marathon training. I know I'm mad!

My niece Amy Lawless decided to run it with me then and it was a big bonus to finish the race with her, hand in hand.

List your current PBs for the following distances:

5k: 25mins

5-mile: 43mins

10k: 52mins

10-mile: 1hr 27mins

Half marathon: 1hr 57mins

Full marathon: 4hr 53mins

All of these were recorded before I got sick.

How have the restrictions up to now, relating to Covid-19, affected your training or racing plans?

It actually has made me stronger. I’m the healthiest I've ever been. Due to face coverings and us all washing the hands more.

I think it's because I’m not picking up any infections and that has helped me so much. This is the longest I’ve gone with no chest infection.

I am very high risk for colds and flus with the lung condition that I have and I would get very sick from time to time, but ironically this past year has been a safer one for me.

What advice or training tips would you give to anyone who is now looking to take up running?

My advice would be to just go for it! Go easy at first and run for the enjoyment, nice and slow and don't worry about pace or time.

I've never done a couch to 5k, but I'd probably start there if that suited, just to get you going.

Then, join a club and you will meet the best of people who have nothing only encouragement and support for You and in many ways are on the same journey.

The most important thing to remember is to just start easy and then build it up!

What are your lifetime goals in running?

My main goal into the future is to be able to keep moving for as long as I can! Funny and all as that sounds, but it’s the most important thing of all.

Apart from that, I hope to build on my progress this year and see where it takes me into the future with regards to personal bests and new race targets.

What is your favourite post race meal?

I don’t eat much after a race, as I find my appetite goes for a while. However, I do love a cup of black tea and probably a bar of chocolate from time to time, as a quick fix!