Up and at it - what is your morning routine?
Once my son starts walking to school with his father, I start running - either into my office at Queen's University where I lecture in sociology (specialising in religion and peacebuilding) or around the neighbourhood and back to my office at home.
What might you eat in a typical working day for...Breakfast?
Porridge with peanut butter.
Lunch?
Curry with veg and plant-based protein - for a treat, from Bo Tree Kitchen.
Evening meal?
Veg and again some sort of plant-based protein. My husband is vegetarian, so I only eat meat a few times a week - when my mother-in-law cooks fish and chips on Fridays and chicken for Sunday dinner.
Is nutrition important to you – do you take health supplements?
Nutrition is very important for marathon training because you need to make sure you are getting enough energy to run 80-85 miles per week and enough protein to repair all the muscle damage that occurs when pounding the roads. I take a vitamin D supplement and a multi-vitamin, including iron.
Ever been on a diet – if so, how did it go?
Not a diet per se, but the amount I eat varies, depending on how much I am training at a particular time.
Weekend treat?
Lunch in Bengal Brasserie.
How do you keep physically and mentally fit?
Running is the foundation of my physical and mental fitness. I have been training like an elite runner for more than 20 years and of course that is hard work and requires a lot of physical and mental stamina. When I am doing a difficult training session it's because I want to perform well on race day. I also go to the gym twice a week and take a Pilates class. But it's not just about performance: I enjoy running and it's a great stress reliever.
Best tip for everyday fitness?
Find an activity you enjoy. That might be walking or a team sport. There are lots of sports clubs out there and they can provide you with friends and a chance to socialise. Parkruns are great for fitness and for socialising. Also, try to make fitness a habit. For me, running as my commute helps me keep the habit. The key to fitness is just showing up and doing what you can, day after day, even if you don't feel like it.
Were you a fan of schools sports, or do you have a memory from those days that you would rather forget?
I enjoyed sports at school. I played basketball from the age of nine and started running at 13, so I had a good level of fitness. My goal was always to out-run as many boys as I could.
Teetotal or tipple?
Teetotal. I reckon that alcohol won't help my sports performance.
Stairs or lift?
I feel guilty if I take a lift.
What book are you currently reading?
I recently finished The Raptures, a novel by Jan Carson. I am a big fan of her work, which mixes the surreal with the unflinchingly realistic. The main character in The Raptures is a child growing up within Northern Ireland evangelicalism in the mid-1990s. This resonates with me, because there are similarities with the evangelical Protestant subculture in rural Maine, where I grew up.
Best Netflix?
I enjoy the Murdoch Mysteries, a crime drama set in early 20th century Toronto. Unfortunately, it's not on Netflix so it has to be sourced elsewhere.
Most surprising thing you've learned about yourself over the pandemic?
Over the pandemic when churches were closed, I did a Sunday School lesson with my son each week, which has now led to me joining the rota of Sunday School teachers at my church. As a university lecturer, I never pictured myself teaching 3-6-year-olds.
Any new skills or hobbies?
No – my plate is full enough with parenting, working, and trying to train at a high level.
How do you relax?
I often tune in to compline (night prayer), which is offered online from a local parish, or listen to the Jesuit prayer app, Pray as You Go.
What are your goals for 2022?
I am 45-years-old now, so I know my days as an elite athlete are numbered. But I would like to maintain a high level of training and come close to my personal best (2.36.42) in an autumn marathon. In work, I aim to finish co-editing a book, the Oxford Handbook of Religion in Modern Ireland, with Queen's historian Andrew Holmes, for publication in 2023.
What time do you get to bed and do you think you get enough sleep?
I am in bed between 9-10pm - any later and I won't get enough sleep to keep me going.
Biggest gripe?
Gripe is probably not a strong enough word for the way humanity is collectively failing to act on climate change. In Belfast, that translates into having a city where there is so little cycling infrastructure that it is unsafe to ride a bike most places.
Have your priorities in life or perspectives changed?
When I was a student, I probably worked too long and too hard at my studies. Now, I aim for better work-life balance.
Has coronavirus changed your attitude towards your own mortality?
I mentioned earlier that I was raised within evangelicalism. Many evangelical traditions encourage you to focus on the fact that you will one day die, so that automatically gives you a sense of your own mortality. Even at a young age, I was aware that time was short, so to speak, which gave me a sense that it was my responsibility to make the most of the life God had given me.
