My Running Life: Malcolm O’Kelly

When did you start running and why?
When I was a professional rugby player, we did a lot of interval running but not so much long-distance stuff. However, since retiring I have increased my distances to keep the weight off. To maintain my motivation I set challenges for myself. I'm doing the Great Ethiopian Run for Plan Ireland in November so I've recently started increasing my intensity as I want to try to keep up with those Ethiopians.

What has been your biggest achievement?
I've completed a couple of the "Hell and Back" races where I had to scale 10ft walls, crawl under barbed war and wade through marshes.

What is the one thing you'd change about running?
As an ex-rugby forward my body has a lot of miles on the clock. I tend to do varied cardio training such as cycling, rowing and running. I mainly stick to softer terrain so I enjoy running in parks and forest trails. So I'd prefer if there were more races and venues where you could run on grass rather than constantly having to go on hard road surfaces.

Where is your regular run route?
Marlay or Phoenix Park or Djouce wood.

What's your regular training schedule?
At the moment, I try to do some activity every day, but with work and family commitments it can be a bit of a struggle.

What are you training for?
I am doing the Great Ethiopian Run 10km for Plan Ireland in November. It is in Addis Ababa. Plan is a children's charity working in the developing world. My wife and I sponsor three children with them, so I'm fully aware of the great work they do. This trip will also enable me to visit some of Plan's projects in the field which I'm really looking forward to.

What do you wear on your feet?
I have a pair of Brooks Beast, the runner for the larger gentleman.

Have you any niggly injuries?
It's a long list. For years, I gave little consideration to my body while playing rugby, now I try to listen to it by varying what I do and reducing the impact on the joints. However, sometimes I feel that I just have to tough it out.

What's your most embarrassing running moment?
I recently ran a "Hell and Back" race with my sister. At 7km she eventually tired of waiting for me and took off. She finished 20 minutes ahead of me. Sibling rivalry, it never ends.

What's your favourite running book?
I bought Born to Run by Christopher McDougall but it is still in its wrapper, but I vow to read it before I get over to Ethiopia.

Have you ever been chased by an animal?
I was chased by a swarm of wasps when I was kid – unfortunately they caught me.

More recently, I was chased by a bull in a crowd participation night in a bull ring near Montpellier; thankfully I managed to hurdle the hoarding to safety.

What's your favourite running tip?
Do your runs in a loop. Devise a route where you have to run back again as opposed to running around a track.