A Lifetime of Running

Mary Nolan Hickey has made running marathons a regular pastime. She has competed in every Dublin Marathon since it began, she tells Arlene Harris. 

Mary Nolan Hickey started running in the 1960s and has not looked back since. 

“I started running as a sprinter in 1968 and did track and country for about 12 years,” says the mother-of-three. “Then when the Dublin Marathon was established, I was interested in giving it a go, even though I had only really done one not-so-good 18-mile race. But before I knew it, I was on the starting line, wondering what was going to happen. 

“I remember being full of mixed emotions on that day as I could see so many people getting into trouble quite early on. And actually, I also had some issues. When I hit 16 miles, my calf muscles were in a very bad way. But I had to find a way to keep going, so I started running on my heels to stop my legs from cramping completely. I remember that from 18 miles to the finish, it was a really tough struggle. But I made it and finished up well in the women’s race at a time of 3 hours and 38 minutes.”

After completing her first 26-mile race, Mary, who used to run her own coffee shop in the local leisure centre but now helps people to with their running and walking goals, decided to take on the London Marathon. Her completion time was one minute faster than before and she went on to run another marathon that same year, which she completed in 3 hours and 15 minutes. 

And as her times continued to improve, she became hooked on the sport. 

“I went back to Dublin for the second year and finished fourth in the women’s race, coming in at 2 hours and 57 minutes,” says the 68-year-old. “I have enjoyed it from the start and undertook other big events, including 100k races in London and in the Netherlands, as well as cross country races with the Irish Masters. I also did the Marathon de Sable in the Sahara Desert, which took six days and was self-supported. Running is something I loved from the beginning, but I never really planned to be still doing it over 40 years later.” 

For the past two years, the Wicklow woman, who runs with Slí Cualann Athletics Club has been helping people to improve their health and fitness through exercise.  She says it is vital for positive mental health. And not only does she spend her time running and keeping in shape for the next Dublin Marathon, but she also engages in other physical activities. 

“I was involved in coastal rowing with the Arklow Rowing Club, and we had the first all-female team which rowed from Arklow to Wales,” she says. “I really enjoyed that experience and in 2018, I came up with an idea of doing something big every year – so now on New Year’s Day at 9am, I set off from Arklow RNLI station and run the whole coast – North, South, East and West. 

“My best friend Annmarie asked me how I would find my way and my answer was simple - if I leave Arklow with the sea on my right and keep going, I can’t get lost until I eventually arrive back where I started. I don’t have any back up while I am out on the road, but I had an amazing group of people helping me. From the beginning, my vision was to take a photograph of every RNLI station and then try to find a place to stay each night. It was incredible as after only a few days, my team had found some of the loveliest places for me to stay and the RNLI community looked after me so well. At each place I arrived, I was made to feel so welcome. The experience was absolutely amazing, and we managed to raise over €70k for the RNLI.

“Then in 2019, I cycled the southward lap on my lovely little hybrid bike. I only got one puncture along the way and like before, I met the most amazing people who helped me out wherever they could.” 

Mary’s achievements are nothing short of inspirational and while most of us couldn’t even begin to undertake such mammoth challenges, the seasoned athlete says the majority of people would be able to complete a marathon.

“Running marathons is not for everyone but almost anyone could get it done,” she insists. “Over the years I have helped hundreds of people get to the start line and more importantly get over the finish line, so it can be done.  But if people are thinking of running a marathon purely in terms of general fitness, then in my opinion a 5k or 10k run or up to 10 miles or a half marathon would probably be better as it takes less hours of training and commitment.”

Exercising in the fresh air is one of the only activities we have been able to do in the past year due to the pandemic. But even someone as fit and determined as Mary, is not immune to becoming unwell.

“Before Covid hit, I ran a ten-mile race last March,” she says. “I wasn’t feeling great and to be honest I think I may have had the virus as I had some symptoms. I phoned the GP and put myself into isolation for 14 to 16 days before getting a call (to be tested) three days later. 

“But by that point, I really didn’t have any symptoms, so didn’t get tested as back then everything took ages, so I started going out and exercising again. But I found it really difficult to run as my breathing was very bad and I spent about a month or so only being able to walk and was falling asleep every time I sat down. But, despite this, I kept just trying and eventually I could run a very slow 5k and made the decision to do the 41st Dublin marathon virtually with some friends, who were already entered. And on the day itself, last October, I ran it on my own, leaving the house at 7am with a small running rucksack containing two mobile phones and one watch. 

“I knew I would be out of the house for many hours, running all over the area within my 5k and I used all my training roads. Getting through it took lots of imagination as I was obviously missing the super support of the Dublin crowds. But when I finished my 26.2 miles at the local branch of Tesco, a few running buddies turned up to cheer me on at the finish line. Some of them had done it themselves the day before so we celebrated with chocolate and a takeaway coffee.”

Despite her experience with suspected Covid and the many injuries she has had over the years, Mary has no intention of hanging up her trainers any time soon. 

“I was put on inhalers by the GP (after the episode last March) and the impact of running for over 50 years has taken its toll on my body,” she admits. “I broke my left leg twice as a child and many years ago I crashed my bike and broke my right scapula. I also had a silly fall about a month after running the coast of Ireland when I tripped on rough ground and smashed up my left shoulder, but I am actually improving again and moving along quite well, all things considered.

"I got involved with the virtual Donadea 50k group and it has been a blessing – in fact, only a few weeks ago I completed 50k in one day. I'm also doing the Ray D'Arcy marathon a week for a year in aid of Laura Lynn. And when the Dublin Marathon comes around again, whether in real life or virtually and I am lucky enough to still be healthy, I will trot around it again.

“Running is a way of life for me and like life itself, it is sometimes very hard, but it is also sometimes full of joy. I have met lifelong friends through sport and have travelled all over the world, always paying my own way and always enjoying the simple amateur athlete life.”