This week we meet Bronwyn Murphy-White, creative artist to the club, musician, running adventurer, and a great companion to have on a hot 10 mile run with her barely-legal hydration home brews.
When did you join Sportsworld?
I joined in summer 2011 after taking up Bootcamp to lose some weight as a new year’s resolution. I lost about 3 stone in 6 months and felt confident enough that I wouldn’t make a complete fool of myself, so headed down to the club one sunny Tuesday. I had seen the runners in Bushy Park over the years and always thought it looked really cool but never believed I could run. Lucy brought me around a couple of top laps and I loved it.
Where do you work?
I work as the in-house graphic designer for a research and marketing company.
What is your favourite club session?
I actually enjoy all the sessions, but I really look forward to the long runs at the weekend and especially the Waterworks.
What is your favourite race distance?
Recently I have been enjoying the 10 mile race. Coincidentally, it’s the last race I did, so maybe I just feel that way after every race.
What is your favourite meal before a big race?
Just a black coffee. Poached eggs on toast afterwards though.
My Favourite place to train is?
Again, the waterworks. It’s a good hilly challenge, in a beautiful setting. Great training for a half or full marathon. I always get a great buzz from a Waterworks session. Then home to die on the couch with my legs in the air for the afternoon.
What’s your favourite race?
I love the Debra Wicklow Mountains trail half marathon. I love the mountains.
What is your target for the next year?
I’m doing the Dublin Marathon in a few weeks, so my target is just to get through the training, to avoid injury while doing it and maybe to do a little better than I did before. I have no time target, but it would be nice to improve on my previous times.
What international events have you ran?
In 2014 I ran the New York 10k. It was two grim laps around Roosevelt Island, but I got a huge medal, a really nice t-shirt and a PB at the time!
I also ran the Snowdonia Mountain Half Marathon that same year. Almost completely vertical and it lashed rain the whole time (July).
Will be running the Krakow half marathon with a pretty big group from the club in October. Can’t wait!
Where’s the most interesting place you have run?
I’m going to swap ‘place’ for ‘race’. It was the Land of Legends 8k in Louth a few years ago. There was a small crowd running and we were led through a farmyard to the start area by someone playing the bagpipes and someone else walking an Irish Wolf Hound. We had to run around a horse cross country course, like horseless jockeys, jumping over huge big logs and up onto those banks (huge big waist high grassy steps up a massive hill). It was really mucky and at the last bend we got surprise-drenched by firemen blasting the hose from a fire truck. I think I came 8th woman or something, there were that few in it. It was just so weird, it was great craic!
Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been? (Doesn’t have to be running related)
I used to be a touring musician in a really unsuccessful pop-rock band and we played gigs to nobody in the most random little places in Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland etc. I can’t even remember half the towns and villages, but we got to see lovely places you’d never get to go to in a million years. More glamorously though, I’ve been on holidays to New York, Toronto, Chicago, Tokyo, Shanghai and spent a couple of weeks in Thailand on my honeymoon.
What do you like doing when you don’t run? (hobbies/past times)
Running has recently been taking over my life, I love it but it doesn’t leave much time for anything else. I like to read crime thrillers, hang out with my husband and friends and I’ve just become a qualified lash stylist – ladies contact me to get your lash extensions done for the anniversary ball on the 15th!
Tell us about your PB’s / What is your biggest achievement?
I don’t tend to hold race times in my head or try and beat times in general, but I distinctly remember getting a PB at the Lakes 10K last year because a few years ago I was obsessed with improving my 10k time and never could and then I just did it at the Lakes that day. No idea how.
My biggest achievement was not dying or having to be rescued at the Killary Gaelforce mountain run in March. It was hell. It was lashing rain and howling wind and snowing with massive freezing cold puddles and so misty you could only see the barbed wire to haul yourself up the hills and there was no running, just climbing. I really thought it was never going to end. I’m fairly hardy when it comes to mountain runs and genuinely like adventure races and long distance, but I hated this, which makes it a big achievement for me.
How often do you run / What is your typical weekly mileage?
Right now I do between 30-40 miles per week.
Monday I run with Carol’s group
Tuesday I do the club session
Wednesday I do the Pius run
Thursday I do the club session
Friday it’s illegal to run
Saturday either club session or long run
Sunday either long run or rest if long run was on Saturday
What motivates you? Running or otherwise
I’m not sure, I just always want to do it. I love the buzz I get from running, the feeling afterwards is equal to none. It’s a great stress release too, while you’re running there’s only that, and the chats, everything else can wait. I also love the social aspect, I’ve made lots of good friends in the club.
What would you say is the best thing about being in a Running Club?
Definitely the camaraderie and friendship. I get a big sense of pride and belonging when we are lined up at a race in our singlets ready to go. Also it’s great for improving your running, there will always be someone there who will push you a little bit more than you would push yourself and vice versa. Keeps you super fit too!
Who is the person in the club who inspires/drives to run better?
The people I run with on a regular basis, always encouraging and positive…. Though we were only saying last night at training how we are always moaning these days… Ultimately it’s running with my pals that makes me look forward to and show up to all my sessions. Emily and Myles’ encouragement, support and at every session and club race and commitment to the club is really inspiring. I always feel that if they can be there in rain, wind or baking heat, then so can I.
Do you do any cross training / other sports on a regular basis?
I go to strength and met con classes 3 mornings a week before work in a place called Fitter Faster Stronger on Leeson Street. I also cycle to and from work twice a week, about 30 miles a week. No wonder I’m knackered.
Tell us something that no one in the club knows about you!?
I was a strict vegetarian for 22 years until a couple of years ago when I started craving burgers out of the blue. I secretly Googled pictures of burgers for about a month before I asked my bewildered husband to take me to get a burger one evening. I switched to a full on carnivore pretty quickly, there was no easing into it.
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