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health+fitness WITH RORY HAFFORD PHOTO: DONAL GLACKIN
GUIDE-ing LIGHT! Catherine Lee, editor of the RTE Guide, reveals how running helps her cope with the stresses and strains of managing the biggest selling magazine in the country…
Q: Are you new to running? A: “No. I used to do a lot of running up to the age of about 14 or 15. I ran with Kilmore AC on the northside of Dublin, along with the Peppards, a great running family. I did several All-Ireland’s, both track and cross country; so, from an early age, it was in the blood.” Q: Why did you give it up? A: “I just got a bit bored with it, to be honest. Exams were kicking in and it got edged out.” Q: It must have been tough getting back into it all these years later? A: “You have to really want it. That, for me, was the key when I was deciding to run again. You have to really want to give it a go. Otherwise, you’re just dipping a toe in the water and not really committing.” Q: Can you believe that you’re back into it? A: “I never thought that I’d go back to it. I’ve always tried to maintain some kind of fitness and I focused all my energy on walking. I love the French philosophy of building exercise into your normal day…every day. And, with the Phoenix Park practically on my doorstep, I had a place that I could walk seven days a week and not go over the same ground! It’s a wonderful facility.” Q: Your job is particularly stressful. Does running help you manage that stress? A: “Running, for me, has been a great stress18 Irish Runner
buster. It brings you right into the moment. And I find myself concentrating on my breathing, especially breathing out. I run with my head and not my feet. Running a weekly magazine is relentless (if great fun!). You start every Monday with a blank flat-plan and by Friday you’ve all 88 pages flying out the door to the printer; so you have to be on your game every day. “Running helps me in this regard. It is now an integral part of my week. It’s the time I get to lift my head and get a little bit of perspective.” Q: Editing this magazine is a huge challenge. Just how much of a challenge has it been? A: “I have to say, when you take everything into account, I was delighted to have been given the opportunity to edit the biggest selling magazine in the country. “Maybe it’s no coincidence that the editorship and running arrived (back) in my life at the same time. Both have given me a whole new outlook on staying focused, setting goals and hitting targets. But, most importantly, living life to the full and grabbing opportunities with both hands.” Q: Any advice, from your own experience, that you would give to someone like you who is toying with the idea of running? A: “I wouldn’t be an expert, but I would advise to start slowly. The first few runs I did I thought I was going to keel over. So, I mixed running with walking (two minutes for each),
until I was up to around the 30-40 minute mark. “Eventually, I found that I was doing a little bit more running than walking – and now I’m actually comfortable running, nonstop, for around 30 to 35 minutes.” Q: Any tips in relation to running gear? A: “Invest in a good pair of runners and some decent gear. It helps enormously when you are comfortable and gives you less reason to stop.” Q: What pace do you run at? A: “If you want to get back, take it slowly. You are not Sonia O’Sullivan and you never will be. But Sonia’s 30 minutes is the same length as your 30 minutes. So, relax and enjoy it. “Oh – and another thing – stretch! I stretch before and after every run and I find that it helps keep the legs flexible.” Q: Are there any other benefits you have found from running? A: “When you talk all day, every day, the silence that comes from a long run is most welcome. I embrace it. I look forward to it. For me it’s not a social thing. It is my oasis of stillness in a day of seemingly never-ending chatter.” * The RTE Guide – in association with Irish Runner - will be producing a special 24-page running supplement, which will appear in the RTE Guide on Monday 28th April. The idea behind the mini-mag is to inspire runners and non-runners alike with tips, advice and encouragement to achieve their running goals.