Our latest member profile is from our new Ladies Captain for 2021 , Aoife Cooke!
Member of Eagle AC since: October 2019
How long have you been running and what made you take it up:
I started at the age of 11 when a club started in Ballincollig. My aunt Mary Sweeney was the reason I took it up. After watching her going out running every day when I was young I wanted to be just like her :)
Favourite thing about running:
The people. I have met the best people through running, and the support and sense of community amongst runners is wonderful
Can you remember the first Eagle AC member(s) you ran with: Damian Kenneally
Favourite Cork race and why:
Oh tough one… It would have been the Ballycotton 10. It was the first race I did when I got back into running in 2015. I finished 4th and was the day I realised I had potential. I came back and won it the following year. Of races that are still going it would be Cork to Cobh. Its such a unique race, I love the distance, the route and the mingling in the hall afterwards :)
Ultimate/Overall running goal:
To move up in the all time fastest Irish female marathon list
Most memorable/Funniest running moment to date:
Most memorable was winning the Irish National Marathon Championship in Dublin 2019. Funniest moment (although it wasn’t at the time!) I was running up the Wilton road in Cork years ago and I had a bottle of water in my hand. It was about 5pm so there was a lot of traffic. I ran past a car and a guy wolf whistled out the passenger window of the car and I actually jumped with fright, then the traffic started moving but stopped again so I went past the car a second time and he did the same thing and again I got a huge fright! On the third time I took the bottle of water and threw it in the window at him and sprinted off. I think he deserved it !!
Tell us something most people might not know about you:
I nearly got arrested in Italy a couple of years ago!! And I tasted Guinea Pig in Peru!
Biggest heroes (sporting or non-sporting): My Mom
One bit of advice you would give to someone thinking of taking up running:
Join a club. When these restrictions are over there's nothing like running with a group of likeminded people. And a club is great for keeping you motivated and keeping you accountable
If you could go on a run with one elite athlete (at your pace!) who would it be and what would you ask them:
Desiree Linden. I would probably ask her what her favourite whiskey is and if theres much of a difference between whiskey and Bourbon :P and of course I'd ask her about that Boston Marathon
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