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

For Keith Russell, running began as a way to give his daughter Alanna a little more freedom, fun and connection with the world around her.

Alana had complex needs and required 24/7 care.

Keith had never been a runner, but set himself a goal: run the Dublin Marathon with Alanna, while raising money for a charity that supported his family.

What followed changed both of their lives.

For Alanna, running became a source of laughter, stimulation and shared experiences.

For Keith, it became a rare space where father and daughter could simply be out together.

Then, in December 2017, Alanna passed away suddenly.

In this deeply personal conversation, Keith talks about what happened to his relationship with running after that loss.

The thing that had connected him to Alanna became a way of coping with her absence — and he pushed that idea further and further, moving into ultra running, 24-hour races and backyard ultras.

He talks openly about the highs and the darker side of that journey: pushing through exhaustion, chasing ever bigger challenges, injury, guilt and the danger of using endurance to outrun grief.

We also talk about therapy, acceptance and the different way Keith approaches running today.

At the heart of this episode is a story about love, loss, endurance and memory — and the idea that grief isn't something we eventually finish with, we simply learn how to carry it differently.

Keith Russells reflections on carrying his ongoing grief

What happens when the path you thought you were on suddenly stops making sense?

James Brogan grew up surrounded by Dublin GAA.

The Brogan name is woven into the history of the game, and football was a huge part of James's identity from a young age.

But a serious injury at 17 was his first experience of a dream being interrupted.

Years later, after studying commerce, becoming a solicitor and following what looked like the safe and sensible career path, James found himself restless and questioning what he actually wanted from life.

A conversation with a life coach helped him understand himself in a different way, and gave him the confidence to take a completely different un-trodden path.

That decision eventually led to the creation of Legacy, a successful sports and marketing business, and later PepTalk, a workforce intelligence company.

But this conversation isn't really about football or business.

It's about identity.

About what happens when the version of yourself you've built no longer fits.

About resilience, self-awareness, and the courage to choose uncertainty over security.

James also talks openly about the injuries that shaped him, the importance of teams and camaraderie, why success isn't necessarily about the destination, and why you don't need to have your whole life figured out before you take the next step.

And perhaps most importantly, why sometimes the path you never planned can turn out to be the one that teaches you the most about yourself.

A conversation about letting go of one dream, making space for another, and learning to trust the journey.

https://legacycommunications.com

https://www.peptalk.com

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

YourRaceorMineIreland@gmail.com

@KMFCoachingIreland

For Natalie Weston, running had always been part of life — something she enjoyed, but never something she imagined she couldn’t do.

Then, unexpectedly, she was diagnosed with appendix cancer. In an instant, life changed: her health, her family, her plans and her relationship with her own body all looked very different.

But this isn’t simply a story about cancer. It’s about what came afterwards.

As Natalie began to recover, running became something to fight her way back towards. The casual runs of the past became a goal, a source of motivation, and eventually a way of proving to herself that there were still things she could control and strive for.

We talk about the shock of her diagnosis, the challenges of recovery, the frustration of a body that wouldn't co-operate, and the temptation to rush back to the person she had been before.

We also talk about motherhood, identity, competitiveness, perspective and the powerful realisation that being able to simply wake up and choose what you want to do is something worth appreciating.

And ultimately, Natalie explains why her biggest motivation now isn't about times or medals — it's about showing her children what it means to keep challenging yourself, even when life doesn't go according to plan.

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

YourRaceorMineIreland@gmail.com

@KMFCoachingIreland

The advice Tony Barclay MBE lives by is simple: believe in yourself, and magic will happen.

But when you hear how he went from a police career cut short by sight loss to marathons, ultramarathons, guide runner training, and becoming the first visually impaired person in Ireland to qualify as an archery coach, that mantra hits differently.

I sit down with Tony for a remarkable conversation about reinvention, resilience, and what happens when you stop accepting the limits other people place on you.

Tony shares the reality of losing his police career, living with a pituitary tumour, and facing the “little red devil” that told him for years he couldn’t do hard things - until Couch to 5K changed everything.

You’ll hear how one beginner running program became a launchpad into 10Ks, half marathons, marathons, and brutal trail ultras, including the infamous Derry Marathon and the midnight trail events Tony keeps returning to.

He breaks down how guide running actually works, why trust matters so much, and how he helps others with visual impairment get into sport through the guide runner training he delivers across Northern Ireland.

Then Tony takes that same mindset into archery, where he learns to shoot with tactile sights, coaches a young visually impaired archer, and proves again that there is always a way when you’re willing to adapt.

Along the way, he also explains how blindfolded running events helped sighted runners understand visual impairment in a completely new way, and why he sees himself as differently abled rather than disabled.

This is a story about starting late, saying yes to the right challenges, and turning setbacks into a life that helps other people rise too.

Essential listening if you need a reminder that your biggest breakthrough might begin with one brave decision.

If you or anyone you know has a story that should be told, contact Keith at:

YourRaceorMineIreland@gmail.com or,

@KMFcoachingireland