Collette O’Hagan started running in her early forties and didn't particularly enjoy it at first.

More than three decades later, she has completed over 1,000 marathons, but the numbers only tell part of her story.

In this episode of Your Race or Mine, Collette takes us from her childhood growing up on a small farm in rural Ireland, one of 18 children, to discovering a passion for running that would become such an important part of her life.

We talk about the role running has played beyond the finish lines, from providing time and space to think while raising a family and fostering dozens of children, to the friendships, fundraising and community connections that have shaped her journey.

There's plenty of fun and nostalgia along the way, as well as some lovely reflections on getting older, staying active and always having something to look forward to.

Because for Collette, it's never really been about how fast you run or how many miles you cover.

It's about enjoying the journey, connecting with people and continuing to move forward.

If you or someone you know has a story that should be told, contact:

YourRaceorMineIreland@gmail.com

@KMFCoachingIreland

For more than 20,000 runners, Irish Life Dublin City Marathon is the culmination of months of training and preparation.

But what does it take to bring an event of that scale to life?

On this episode of Your Race or Mine, I’m joined by Jim Aughney, who has served as Race Director since 1997.

Jim’s journey began with a young runner from Carlow who found his feet in athletics after being steered away from GAA.

From organising running groups and local races to taking on responsibility for one of Ireland’s biggest sporting events, his story is one of how a passion for running grew into a commitment to the wider running community.

We look back at how the marathon and athletics in Ireland have evolved, the people and experiences that shaped Jim’s journey, and the enormous amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to give thousands of runners the chance to achieve something special.

With Dublin City Marathon just around the corner, this is a chance to look beyond the start line and meet one of the people who helps make race day happen.

Sometimes the reason we keep going is a person.

Daniel Moores was training for his first marathon when, around 30km into a difficult run, he hit the point where his body was telling him to stop.

He was running the Abu Dhabi Marathon in memory of two grandparents who had passed away.

And as the kilometres became harder, thinking about them gave him the push he needed to keep going.

It also sparked an idea.

What if, during the toughest moments of a race, you could hear the voice of someone who matters to you?

That idea eventually became Back My Run, an app that allows runners to receive voice messages from friends and family at different points throughout a race.

But this conversation isn't really about the technology.

It's about the people behind the runner.

The grandparents who inspired Daniel's first marathon.

The memories that can carry us through difficult miles.

The emotional side of running.

And the idea that sometimes the most powerful thing isn't necessarily what someone says — it's simply who is saying it.

Daniel also talks about his own journey to his first marathon, the realities of building a business from an idea, taking the leap when there's no guarantee of success, and what he's learned from turning a thought he had on a difficult training run into something real.

Because ultimately, as Daniel puts it, we're all running for a reason.

And behind that reason, there is often a person.

Your Race or Mine — where running is the thread, but the people and the stories behind it are what really matter

www.backmyrun.com

If you or someone you know has a story that should be shared:

YourRaceOrMineIreland@gmail.com

@kmfcoaching