'Pursuing a family doesn't mean your own ambitions are finished' - Niamh Allen's productive maternity leave on track
Sonia O'Sullivan walked over to congratulate Niamh Allen on a fine 3,000m-effort at Wednesday's Cork City Sports. The latter was completely taken aback by this legend of the track seeking her out.
Sonia inquired as to her race plans for the remainder of summer. Niamh, in reply but not in reply to the question, called her 'an absolute legend' and 'so inspirational'.
The same as Sonia, we too had sought out Niamh shortly after the 3,000m. That she hadn't been among the podium placers didn't matter.
The 30-year-old Leevale athlete had gone through the first lap 15th of 15 runners. She proceeded to pick them off one at a time. Crossing the line fifth, her 8:51.08 represented a 35-second improvement on her now demolished lifetime best from 2022.
The 35-second improvement hiked her from 92nd to eighth on the Irish all-time list. The latest and last act of a phenomenal maternity leave chapter. The dual role of new-mom and an athlete reaching new heights continues to be perfectly balanced.
'I'm going back to work next week in my HR career, so to be honest, I saw running as something to keep my sanity and something for me while on maternity leave. It has paid off. Something is just working, I don't know what it is,' says an exhausted Allen.
'[Running and competing] is not the be-all-and-end-all. It is a lovely plus. I have definitely taken the pressure off, so it is now more fun as well.
'We might need to adjust training as I head back to work. But it has been a good ride. Packed a lot in on maternity leave, so hopefully we can continue.'
Niamh was late to running. Only in her Leaving Cert year did she take up jogging as a means of breaking from the books. The Blackrock native ran a 33-minute 10k and 72-minute half marathon during a breakthrough-ish 2023. Pregnancy would in no way derail that progress.
Last November, and just 11-and-a-half weeks after Lily arrived into the world, mom raced to silver at the National Cross Country Championships. A week later, she was 11th and the first Irish woman home at European Cross.
That superb pair of runs represented the opening paragraphs of her maternity leave. Much more was packed in over the following seven months.
Her 31.44 to win the National 10km Championships moved her to third on the all-time Irish list, behind only Sonia and Catherina McKiernan. She won the John Treacy 10-mile in Dungarvan in a new course record of 52:51. She won the Cork City half-marathon last month in 1:10.06. At the Midleton five-mile a couple of weeks earlier, she was the first competitor - male or female - across the painted strip.
'There are always going to be people that are naysayers, but the majority are supportive, they think barriers are being broken by me and all the moms who are coming back and continuing on their running career,' Allen says of balancing the miles and constant nappy changing.
'Because you want to pursue a family doesn't mean that you and your ambitions are finished. It is just about being more flexible and better time management. If I can be inspirational to Lily, even just for pursuing something I want to and have goals, that is all that matters to me.'
The weather was such at Bishopstown on Wednesday that Lily stayed at home with granny. She won't have long to wait for another chance to cheer on mammy, Niamh expecting to toe the line at next weekend's National 10-mile championships in the Phoenix Park.
'I have definitely found that since I stopped breastfeeding exclusively, that has helped [with my running and energy levels] and just having a bit more support from family members who are able to take her, so it is not all on me, is definitely a bit easier.
'I wouldn't change anything. I would 100% do it again in time. If it is encouragement to anyone to give it a go and to keep thinking you can achieve things, even if you do want to have a family as well.'
This particular mammy still has plenty she wants to achieve.
'Long-term, there is the LA Olympics. I'm 30 now, I'll be 33 by then. If it happens, great. If not, I'll just keep working on something else.'
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