Janet joined the club in January 2010 and soon established herself as a regular on the Saturday morning 9 o'clock run. Soon after, it seemed anyway, she teamed up with Maeve Noone and Deirdre Quinn to form the triumphirate of gals (and gels) who are one of the bedrocks of training in our club.

Janet ran 3:45:39 in her first marathon in Dublin, October 2011. She is a native of the Athenry area.

1. What running shoes do you train in?

Asics cumulus/nimbus usually, and also trying out Saucony triumph.

2. How many miles did you run last week?

Around 40 miles.

3. What’s your favourite racing distance?

Probably a Half marathon, too long for intense speed yet short enough to manage.

4. Where’s your favourite place to train?

Local routes around Athenry and Newcastle.

5. What’s your favourite event or race each year?

Streets of Galway 8km.

6. What annoys you most at races?

Slow walkers or joggers starting near the front of races.

7. What race, that you haven’t yet run, would you most like to take part in?

Hoping to take part in a triathlon this year, whichever is easiest & shortest, maybe Loughrea or Athy.

8. What was your best-ever running performance?

Broke my 5km PB twice in 2011 5k series after months of trying. Also Claregalway holds my 10km PB for the year Ray paced me (just over 46mins), tough but have not been able to beat it since.

9. What was your worst-ever running performance?

A few races have not seen my better times so maybe Loughrea 10km 2010 or Kilconieron 5mile 2010.

10. What’s the strangest thing that you’ve ever seen on a training run?

Nothing too strange I’m afraid around our local roads.  Maybe a few sheep on route around Connemara on the yearly “fun run”.

11. Favourite piece of running gear?

Garmin watch. Definitely could not run a race without it.

12. Who would you most enjoy beating in a sprint for the line?

A few familiar faces from other clubs, although I don’t know their names I always seem to spot them (from behind) in some of the local races.

13. What was the best bit of training advice you were ever given?

One was to never walk in a race, no matter how tough you find it, slow it down as much as possible but don’t walk.  The other was to foam roll as much as possible, after a number of niggly injuries I firmly believes this works.

14. In ten years time will you still be running?

Hopefully!

15. If for some reason you were told you could never run again, how do you think you’d react?

Would hope I wouldn’t be hugely disappointed that it would put me off exercise for life but would hope to find other means of physical exercise to benefit me.

16. Have you ever been bitten by a dog while running?

Not yet!

17. Have you ever had to stop for an emergency "Paula" during a race?

Not yet either!!

18. Favourite post-race food?

Any sort of sweets or chocolate but then again don’t need a race to have an excuse to eat these.

19. Most embarrassing ever running-related moment?

Some seriously “cringy” race photos of me. These should not be allowed 'til I’ve at least got my breath back!

20. The greatest Irish Athlete of all time is/was?

My knowledge not the best on this subject but I suppose most obvious to me would be either Eamon Coughlan or Sonia O’Sullivan.