Meet Aislinn McBride—an introvert turned club regular whose thoughtful, steady approach to running has taken her from cautious starts to marathon training. She’s learned to listen to her body, lean on her CRC support network, and appreciate the unexpected friendships that come with putting one foot in front of the other.
How long have you been running with CRC?
18 months
What made you start running?
I needed to balance sitting at a desk all day. Running had a low barrier to entry, so seemed like a good choice. It took a while to get consistent, I finally discovered I was running too fast; I slowed down and have never really looked back.
What was the biggest challenge you faced, did you have any low points, and how did you overcome any challenges you faced?
I had pretty sore knees after running a half marathon too fast, it took a long time to commit to the physio stretches, but it has made me a much more aware of injury risks and what to do to prevent them. A little strength training is now a core part of my routine.
Have you noticed any improvements in your fitness, mental health, or overall well-being?
The physical benefits are good, but vastly outweighed by the mental health benefits; especially when running with CRC, the support network is incredible, making all of life better.
What has been the most rewarding moment of your running journey so far? Have you made new friendships or connections through running?
I joined CRC to help me remain safe and sensible when running at night and through the winter. As an introvert and busy already, I was less than excited about the social connection element. But, I was wrong, I have discovered a brand new friendship group of fabulous individuals, which have added to my life beyond running.
Do you have any future running goals or races or targets planned?
I am in the final weeks of training for Belfast marathon, focused on completing it injury free and looking forward to my home city marathon.