Sinead Kane: 'Motivation isn’t just going to come, you have to take responsibility for your goals'

The visually impaired athlete says her next goal is the Paralympic Championships 

Ultrarunner Dr Sinead Kane had a worrying setback in December but is now recovering. Picture: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

DR Sinead Kane, the Youghal native, is nothing short of a powerhouse. She’s an ultrarunner, solicitor, public speaker, has two PhDs to her name and is the holder of two Guinness World Records — one for being the first visually impaired person to complete a marathon on each of the seven continents.

She’s gearing up for another year of pushing herself to the limit but says a worrying setback happened in December when she picked up a severe eye infection.

“I have a lot of issues with my eyes but this time it was different and quite serious,” she says. Sinead, who has 5% vision, says she had three appointments in a week with her eye doctor because of his concern.

“I was on five different eye drops. Four of which had to be taken every four hours and one which had to be taken every two hours.”

Thankfully, the 39-year-old is now recovering and focused on her next goal — competing in a Paralympic Championships. But first, she has to get an international classification from the Paralympics and this can only be obtained at an event held outside of Ireland.

“Two years ago I changed all my training to target a specific event. But then Covid happened and all my hard work didn’t get reflected in any race performance as all races were cancelled. Mentally, that was hard to deal with.”

Dr Sinead Kane on The Tommy Tiernan Show in March

What shape are you in?

I think I am in good shape, but a reality check happens fairly quickly if I run any hill in Cork or Youghal.

What are your healthiest eating habits?

I try to keep myself well hydrated and that includes sparkling water and a lot of green tea. Being a vegetarian, I make an extra effort to consume protein.

Guiltiest pleasures?

I like shows that help me switch off, like First Dates Ireland, Dragons Den, The Great British Bake Off, Love Island... if I want something, a bit more serious, I watch Court TV or crime documentaries.

What would keep you awake at night?

Worrying or working too late on the PC. Also, if something happened that day where I was disappointed.

How do you relax?

I like going for a walk in nature, whether it be a trail, woods or a beach and then going for a cup of tea afterwards. I also enjoy chilling out in the sauna after a run on the treadmill.

Who are your sporting heroes?

Sonia O’Sullivan – she put Ireland on the world map and she’s a great role model.

Ultrarunner Sinead Kane Picture: Stephen O’Sullivan.

What is your favourite smell?

The scent of freshly baked bread.

When was the last time you cried?

I cried over the death of Ashling Murphy and listening to the many women on radio recount their own stories. No woman should feel afraid in their own homes, communities, and society at large but unfortunately, this is how many women feel.

What traits do you least like in others?

When people don’t take responsibility for their goals. Motivation isn’t just going to come. No one is going to come and tell you to get out of bed. No one is going to tell you “right, put on your running gear and get out and go,” it’s up to you.

I value accountability and integrity. I don’t like when people don’t take responsibility for cleaning up after their dog. Or when people care more about getting likes on social media than morals.

What traits do you least like about yourself?

I struggle to relax. I’m very hard on myself — nothing is ever good enough. If I’ve done a good training session, I feel happy for a short time but then my head tells me you could have done better.

Do you pray?

Yes, I do. Sometimes I know who I am praying to and other times I just pray. I don’t have a set time to pray or a set prayer. I think the best prayer is conversation. Praying gives me hope, it gives me comfort, it gives me a form to express sadness and anger.

Has climate change impacted how you live your life?

I’ve been a vegetarian for the past 27 years, so I hope that makes some bit of a difference. If I take a flight, I look at ways to carbon offset. I use public transport. Whenever I stay in a hotel, I try to minimise my impact — if there are two bath towels in the room I’ll use just one. I also bring my own body wash and leave the smaller bottles on the sink untouched.

Where is your favourite place in the world?

There are too many to name. However, getting to Antarctica was special.