It’s great to have a spring in the step

It’s a Saturday morning in march, the day before St Patrick’s Day, and it’s -2 outside with a healthy frost; the kind of morning that’s fresh, invigorating, bright, where you want to be out early because you know the sun is about to appear and it’s going to be a beautiful day.

The car is completely frozen over, a bitter east breeze, and I run back in for a cap. I’m not going to chance running the back roads even on this dry morning as there can be hidden puddles frozen over so I’m off for a park run instead and a return to my college days. I'll drop the first child to football and will be back to collect. It’s all about fitting everything in.

After a tough week of replacing salt, sugar and recovering from the last running endeavour, I’m well repaired, rested, restored and ready for road, fun and sun across the border, through the woods on the outskirts of NUIG, where the river runs alongside us and the sea awaits at the finish. I cannot wait.

As I begin to get a head-start on the day, my senses are awakening to the first signs of spring. The new baby lambs bleating with excitement of leaving the cooped up shed, heading for the emerald, green fields, leaping over the fresh meadows, playfully competing against one another to get out first. The swans down at the lough growl, whistle and snort at each other. The birdsong chorus is in full flight, literally, as the sounds of migrating birds returning fills the air. The agricultural contractors are flying around the fields making use of the early morning start. The daffodils are blooming a bright Easter yellow. Snowdrops and crocuses punctuate the previous barren fields. The young lads up at the crack of dawn putting last minute preparations together for St Patrick’s Day floats. With all that spring morning’s activity around me, I’m off to run in some sun before I get caught with a job!

As I drive up the wide-open road to Galway, the red sky begins to emerge, the warmth of the sun shining in the windscreen. A day like this would put a pep in your step. Every village has flags up, every town has road diversions, and the city has an St Patrick’s buzz about it today. Galway is a beautiful place on an early spring morning where one is in early before the city awakens, before the constant flow of traffic, where one can admire the beauty, stress free.

In today’s park run we are encouraged to speak as Gaeilge. I feel privileged and proud to speak the language, even if it is a bit blunt and raw from the lack of practice. I greet everyone I meet with Failte Romhat and on the weekend that’s in it, get a sense that every rural village this year is going all out. I think it’s important that we celebrate our national day with pride.

It's a shorts and t-shirt morning, there’s heat in this spring sunshine which heightens the beauty around us even more. I begin to trot around the marshy surface of the park. Today the grass is firm and hard, the buds are beginning to appear on the trees that survived Storm Eoghan. There is something uplifting when running on a dry hard surface, where the sun beams you on, where the river gets a rhythm flowing and where the kayaks pass you buy. One’s mind becomes completely distracted by the activities of a wonderful day. On a day like this you could keep going forever but this is only a warmup, I must return to meet the crew and have some fun.

I meet the familiar faces, we line up, some aiming for PB’s, some first timers and some here for some energetic fun in spring sun. Two laps of the marshland and then out and back along the river, happy days and we’re off. I don’t turn on the watch today, I’m here to escape, to spend time outdoors on a beautiful day where the mind is completely in awe and the body feels good. Everyone is in good form in weather like this.

Three, two, one and we are off. A fast start, we run down the pebbly trail, it’s crowded and in order to get out I happily run on the grass alongside. A firm, slippery, dewy surface but it feels soft and easy, a little incline and then the sharp corner; all these different underfoot actions demand the use, quickly, of different muscles, which highlights the stiffness in some parts of the body. The crowd fizzles out, I can already sense who I’ll will be hanging with today. We get into a rhythm, it’s good to have company, it makes things easy, even a few Irish words exchanged. I love it. A fast mile beeps.

The trail is crowded with other exercisers enjoying a beautiful spring day – bikes, dogs, joggers, walkers. I smile at everyone because smiling doesn’t cost anything and it makes one feel good. I can't help noticing the hive of activity elsewhere too; soccer training on the pitches behind, the canoeing club on the water to the left, cyclists gathering in the carpark of NUIG. The laughs from the children, the instructions from the coaches, the chat from the water all sounds louder today. The signs of spring have drawn more than just the park runners out this morning.

We hit the tar and leave the trail behind, only for a short time, but when one hits the tar it's like moving up a gear, the legs automatically go faster. My two buddies either side are still going well. A bollard up ahead, a very tight corner, I go out wide to try and take it as it’s slippery and grassy; a second mile completed. As we face the last mile for home, a tough, bitter breeze slows us a little, I lean forward and push against it, my legs taking two steps for every one of my companion’s steps, he being six foot something. I shelter on his shoulder for a little and then up ahead the sea catches my eye, a beautiful bright, beaming, blue ocean, gleaming from the shining sky above. That is exactly where I am heading after this because I am so hot right now, so I push on.

We’re back on the trail, the legs slow a bit, the sharp corner up ahead and one last lap of the marshy surface. I’m up on the grass again, a little incline, then a slight gradual downhill to the finish line. I keep going past as I don’t even see the barrier and hear a call to get back. I turn and run back to the barrier to clock in. My friendly competitors now in ahead, joke about me going wrong. That’s the thing about a fun run, it’s exactly that and even though a minute was lost, it’s irrelevant.

We all sit around on the grass, soaking up the atmosphere and the activities all around. Some got their personal best times, some had some fun, some went wrong, and some as Gaeilge flew into song. It’s Salthill next for recovery and eagerly a few begin to trot towards the sea. We thank the volunteers and bid farewell – in Irish of course – and head on the back roads down to Salthill. As we exit NUIG, I can already see the crowds along the prom. We slowly jog along, meeting people going about their normal Saturday errands but on a day like today there is an extra vibe, an extra sense of joy, an extra sense of appreciation for nature, brightness, for the outdoors, the environment, and for the wonder of natural surroundings, where the sea is still clear, the beach is still safe for exercising and feeling good. Where people are walking, swimming, cycling and everyone smiling.

I remove the shoes and dip the toes in, my companion’s the same, but some brave it and jump straight in. The water is freezing, I am roasting, and slowly walking along the seashore the feet gradually get used to the coolness of the seawater. I reflect and think about the beauty of the day.

I now must collect from football, spring clean the house and get a peep in at the float for St Patrick’s Day. Today harmonises a blend of natural beauty, brightness and cultural heritage, encapsulating the essence of St Patrick's Day and springtime. It serves as a reminder of renewal – not just in nature but also within communities – encouraging unity through shared traditions, celebrations and interests, whether that be the next generation building the float, the sharing and teaching of our language, running and swimming with friendly competitors or letting the lambs out to fresh grass.