This is a relaxing time to be Paul Curley. The 42 year-old runner has recently finished the Dublin city marathon and his next competitive outing is oh, far, far beyond the horizon into the New Year. “It’ll probably be a Carrigaline five mile race as part of the preparation for the Ballycotton series in March,” he shrugs, “but I can ease off a bit for now.”
Report: Christy Parker Photo: Michael Hussey  Email: news@youghalonline.com

Of course marathon runners find five miles about as demanding as a dash to the fridge for another bottle of Lucozade Supersport with Extra Porridge or whatever. Yet, its not that long since Paul found a 1,000 metre relay at a school’s parent’s day almost life threatening. “I was totally knackered. I could hardly breathe afterwards, let alone walk!” he recalls of that awakening day in 2004.

Around the same time he began experiencing muscular aches and pains. The man was not just ageing, but starting to creak as well. Up to then he had assumed his work as a builder automatically kept him in condition. “It was a different sort of fitness,” he observes now. He decided to take up running, an activity that had departed from his life on the same train as childhood.

Training

So, Paul began pacing the roads around Youghal, gradually building his strength and stamina. The arrival of Aura in town also helped and he still finds the centre’s treadmill a viable alternative to being dodging Youghal’s ever-widening potholes. Either way, he quickly became very focused on being fit. He also found, in one of life’s ironies, that, “the more I trained the less tired I felt generally.”

After a few months his sister Sandra persuaded him to join her and her Youghal Athletic Club colleagues running from Tides and back via Summerfield Cross and the Strand –a route generally known as ‘round the ring.’ At first strenuous, that too became routine eventually.

Within six months the running bug had taken a strong hold. He began participating in Business Houses Athletics Association (BHAA) competitions as part of the Quality Hotel team and was running five & 10 miles on road, cross-country and along beaches in. The BHAA manages inter-business athletic events, with competitors generally over 35. Paul’s mantelpiece holds a Galway vase and a plate -of unknown origin- in lieu of two third place finishes (0ver 40’s) in the five-mile Cork-Cobh runs of 2008 and 2009, by way of which he returned a personal best of 1:32:45 last September.

Marathons

Paul had joined the Youghal Athletic Club in 2005 but resisted suggestions that he attempt the Dublin City marathon for a year, feeling he hadn’t yet enough miles on the clock. In 2006, he ran round Dublin in 3:05:00. In 2007 he opted instead for Amsterdam and clocked 2:57.00. Dublin 2008 brought his time down to 2:53:00 before last month he flashed home in 2:51.00 (about the time it takes most Youghal men to walk up Cork Hill), finishing, coincidentally, in the precise position as the previous year and amongst the top 150 from 10,500 finishers. He feels there is better to come, noting that, “many older runners run faster than that.” He doesn’t dispute that calculations predict that at the current rate of progress he will win it in a world record time when he’s 67. By 80, it’ll take him 10 minutes.

This year, Paul also ran the Ballycotton 10 in under an hour (59.35) for the first time. There is no denying he acquires immense satisfaction in seeing the figures tumble. Perhaps even more so, he is delighted at the over spill of running and fitness into his life generally. “I find my whole approach to things is better. I feel more relaxed. The benefits vary. It’s a bit like going back to how I felt when I was younger; I find even my taste buds are improved.” For all that, Paul doesn’t espouse running as a panacea for the population’s ills. “I don’t think it suits everyone,” he suggests. “Some people just aren’t suited to running for various reasons.”

Sporting family

It must be said that being a Manchester United fan, Paul has an extra impetus to leave his house and hit the road. His wife, Jackie, supports Liverpool. A native of Tallow, Mrs. Curley also clings to the belief that Waterford will eventually win something in hurling, whereas Paul basks in the memory of Cork success while confidently predicting more. Their home represents divided sporting loyalties with eldest son Mark (17) committed to Waterford and Lee (14) and Adam (12) flying the Cork flag. (The cat, Deano, is named after the Cork’s Killeagh Tiger while former companion, Mullane, “has disappeared,” possibly across Youghal bridge in embarrassment following the 2008 All Ireland final.)

Paul’s running career is far from the family’s only sporting achievements. Lee, inspired by his highly acclaimed cousin Sarah Ryan, took up pole-vaulting last year and trains with the adapted facilities in the GAA pavilion and also in Cork. Accumulating achievements at a similar rate to his father, he quickly won County and Munster championships before, earlier this year, vaulting 2.20m to become All-Ireland under 15 champion.

Adam is fast progressing at the javelin, having won and competed across County, Munster and All-Ireland levels. He also boxes with St. Coleman’s Shanagarry. On quiet days he plays rugby. It’s amazing what some families do when they leave the house.