Injury-free McKiernan mapping out comeback
The moment was in the midst of a spell where she dominated the classic distance’s greatest events, winning in Berlin, London and Amsterdam.
Having won four silver medals at the World Cross Country championships and claimed a European title in the mid-90s before her assault on the road circuit, the Cavan woman seemed destined for even greater things until injury struck in 1999, forcing her out of the Sydney Olympics of 2000 and a lot more since.
McKiernan’s life has been a rollercoaster since, with most of the troughs coming in her athletics career.
The four years since 1999 have seen the 33-year-old pick up a persistent back injury, a troublesome hip complaint, a stress fracture in a foot and an ankle problem to name but a few.
Finally, McKiernan is injury-free and ready to make up for lost time.
Back in November she completed her first cross country race in four years in Roeselare, Belgium, and made her Irish re-appearance in a race in Dunboyne three weeks ago.
Next up is the Cavan 10k Road Race on May 18, organised by her own Annalee AC in Ballyhaise, and McKiernan seems eager to put the past behind her.
“A big thing has been made about the injuries,” McKiernan said yesterday.
“I got injured before Sydney and for the first time I got a bit browned off with running. I suppose it was disappointment more than anything else.
"Looking back, I got browned off with the high competition and expectations but I still wanted to run.
“Then I got married and had a child and I’m still trying to come back.
"The injuries weren’t as bad as people made out.
"Since I’ve had Dervla I’ve really wanted to get back running .
“The training is going well and I’m looking forward to running this 10k in Cavan which has come at a very good time because it’s keeping me focused and if there’s always been one thing I’ve wanted to do it’s to run around Cavan.
"I’ve never had the chance with all the hard training and the high level of competition I’ve been involved in.”
Some might ask where she intends to find that time but Sonia O’Sullivan and Anne Keenan-Buckley have shown it isn’t impossible to combine motherhood and top-class athletics.
“When I was training hard and competing all the time (before having Dervla) I suppose I spent all day every day between preparing to run, running and stretching afterwards,” she reflected.
“Needless to say I don’t have all that time now but you do it with the time you have.
"Damien has been very good and some friends help out and Dervla’s very good. She watches me doing my exercises and tries to help me out.”
McKiernan has also pencilled in the Dublin mini-marathon for the June Bank Holiday weekend but for now, Dervla’s baby steps are mirroring her mother’s who refuses to contemplate any giant strides in the short-term as far as running is concerned.
Her marathon success back in the late 1990s would suggest a fit McKiernan could again be a serious contender for the 26-mile event but is it something she has her eye on after such a short amount of time back in her sneakers?
“It’s a hard question to answer when you’re only half-fit, but if I can keep the injuries at bay it’s all about putting in the miles.
"As Damien says, the engine is still there, it’s just a question of putting in the miles. I have no fear of putting in the work, its just if the chassis holds up, that’s the thing.
"For the immediate future I’ll be doing the shorter races and when I get stronger I’ll look at covering the classic distance again.”
With that, McKiernan makes a swift exit.Dervla needs feeding and her mother is anxious to see to it.
Priorities have changed for the Cavan woman, but the determination to compete to the highest level she can hasn’t been diminished.
This story has some way to run yet.
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