Three months since having her knee replaced, Kathleen Quain is taking it easy. Reluctantly.
“I’ve always ran up the stairs, now I’m walking and it’s killing me,” exclaims the 67-year-old retired organic beef farmer who lives in west Limerick between Croom and Patrickswell.
“I want to be able to take the stairs two steps at a time.”
And it quickly becomes clear that post-surgery, the self-proclaimed sports enthusiast has no plans of slowing down; which may not be all that surprising when you consider that her most recent achievements have included taking part in her first triathlon at the age of 65.
“A little madness keeps you sane,” quips Kathleen, who is originally from Longford, and explains that while growing up with dyslexia meant that she struggled in the classroom, she could always express herself through sport.
“I was outside the door for most of my classes because dyslexia wasn’t a word that was mentioned,” she says.
“I just loved sports all my life. Running, bicycle races, basketball, tennis, hockey – you name it, I did it.”
Indeed, after moving to Co Limerick and starting to farm in the early 1980s, her love of sports even influenced the design of the family home.
“I built the house with no window on one end so we could belt a ball off it,” she laughs. “But we stupidly built a wall so close that you couldn’t do it.”
While raising her four children – Siobhan, Georgina, Brian and Oliver – her own activities took a back seat, but a decision to attend a local set dancing class proved life-changing; even though she admits it was daunting.
“I was only there for a half an hour. I sat outside, I couldn’t even go in,” she recalls.
“I sat outside wondering should I go home and check on the children, should I stay or not and I went home after about 15 minutes and everything was fine.
"The following week I joined in. And that was the start of life for me.”
As it transpired, sport proved a huge social outlet for Kathleen after she separated from her husband and began to run the farm solo; particularly when she discovered a passion for horse riding, going on to compete in show jumping, cross-country and dressage.
Kathleen Quain with her daughters, Siobhan and Georgina, at the triathlon in Fenit.
“I first got on a horse at 45,” explains Kathleen, who is also the president of her local club, Clonshire.
“Thought I’d never be able to get down again and then couldn’t wait to get back up again!”
She also went on to complete cycle events like the Tour de Burren and won an All-Ireland club medal playing badminton, but took on what was probably her biggest challenge when her daughter Siobhan entered her into a Try-a-Tri competition in Fenit, Co Kerry, as a “surprise” for her 65th birthday.
“What could I do? I couldn’t let her down,” says Kathleen of the 250m swim, 8km cycle and 2.5km run; despite a fear of water.
“But I was chuffed I did it,” continues Kathleen.
“They were so nice to me, they sent me a free entry the next year and I said I’d never ever, ever do one again… (but) sure how could I let them down?”
Indeed, Kathleen went on to take part in the Joey Hannon Memorial triathlon in Limerick, even discovering a competitive streak when it came to the crunch.
“I was last out of the pool the first year and I got up on the bike, and I put my head down, backside up and away I went like the hammers of hell… and I ended up a good bit up,” she laughs.
Kathleen Quain with her daughters, Siobhan and Georgina, after completing the triathlon in Fenit.
“It’s not the winning, it’s the partaking for yourself, not for anybody else. It doesn’t matter what other people think about you, it’s what you get out of it.
"Like when I come home from Joey Hannon, I’m on my own in the house but I sit down and I have the cup of tea and say: ‘Wow.’”
Break that barrier, walk over that step, go in on your own and then you’re never on your own again
As well as sports, Kathleen still helps her two sons out on the farm since retiring, in addition to supporting her family in their own sporting endeavours and stewarding at events.
"She is also a volunteer for Special Olympics Ireland in the equestrian games, getting horses ready and assisting the athletes as they prepare to compete.
“It can be very tiring, but the athletes are fantastic and a pleasure to work with,” she says.
Right now, however, she is trying to take things easy after her recent surgery to address a long-running problem with her knee.
But once fit and able, she plans to get back up on her horse and bike in 2019, while her hope for 2020 is to complete her first half marathon.
“That’s my goal, I’m finished then,” she states; though Irish Country Living does not quite believe the latter.
As for advice for anybody who wants to get fit, take on a challenge or just join a club as a social outlet this year, Kathleen says feel the fear and do it anyway.
“Break that barrier, walk over that step, go in on your own and then you’re never on your own again,” she says.
“It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”
Read more
Inspire series: I walked 500 miles of the Camino solo at 56
Made with love, at Love Mo Chuisle
Three months since having her knee replaced, Kathleen Quain is taking it easy. Reluctantly.
“I’ve always ran up the stairs, now I’m walking and it’s killing me,” exclaims the 67-year-old retired organic beef farmer who lives in west Limerick between Croom and Patrickswell.
“I want to be able to take the stairs two steps at a time.”
And it quickly becomes clear that post-surgery, the self-proclaimed sports enthusiast has no plans of slowing down; which may not be all that surprising when you consider that her most recent achievements have included taking part in her first triathlon at the age of 65.
“A little madness keeps you sane,” quips Kathleen, who is originally from Longford, and explains that while growing up with dyslexia meant that she struggled in the classroom, she could always express herself through sport.
“I was outside the door for most of my classes because dyslexia wasn’t a word that was mentioned,” she says.
“I just loved sports all my life. Running, bicycle races, basketball, tennis, hockey – you name it, I did it.”
Indeed, after moving to Co Limerick and starting to farm in the early 1980s, her love of sports even influenced the design of the family home.
“I built the house with no window on one end so we could belt a ball off it,” she laughs. “But we stupidly built a wall so close that you couldn’t do it.”
While raising her four children – Siobhan, Georgina, Brian and Oliver – her own activities took a back seat, but a decision to attend a local set dancing class proved life-changing; even though she admits it was daunting.
“I was only there for a half an hour. I sat outside, I couldn’t even go in,” she recalls.
“I sat outside wondering should I go home and check on the children, should I stay or not and I went home after about 15 minutes and everything was fine.
"The following week I joined in. And that was the start of life for me.”
As it transpired, sport proved a huge social outlet for Kathleen after she separated from her husband and began to run the farm solo; particularly when she discovered a passion for horse riding, going on to compete in show jumping, cross-country and dressage.
Kathleen Quain with her daughters, Siobhan and Georgina, at the triathlon in Fenit.
“I first got on a horse at 45,” explains Kathleen, who is also the president of her local club, Clonshire.
“Thought I’d never be able to get down again and then couldn’t wait to get back up again!”
She also went on to complete cycle events like the Tour de Burren and won an All-Ireland club medal playing badminton, but took on what was probably her biggest challenge when her daughter Siobhan entered her into a Try-a-Tri competition in Fenit, Co Kerry, as a “surprise” for her 65th birthday.
“What could I do? I couldn’t let her down,” says Kathleen of the 250m swim, 8km cycle and 2.5km run; despite a fear of water.
“But I was chuffed I did it,” continues Kathleen.
“They were so nice to me, they sent me a free entry the next year and I said I’d never ever, ever do one again… (but) sure how could I let them down?”
Indeed, Kathleen went on to take part in the Joey Hannon Memorial triathlon in Limerick, even discovering a competitive streak when it came to the crunch.
“I was last out of the pool the first year and I got up on the bike, and I put my head down, backside up and away I went like the hammers of hell… and I ended up a good bit up,” she laughs.
Kathleen Quain with her daughters, Siobhan and Georgina, after completing the triathlon in Fenit.
“It’s not the winning, it’s the partaking for yourself, not for anybody else. It doesn’t matter what other people think about you, it’s what you get out of it.
"Like when I come home from Joey Hannon, I’m on my own in the house but I sit down and I have the cup of tea and say: ‘Wow.’”
Break that barrier, walk over that step, go in on your own and then you’re never on your own again
As well as sports, Kathleen still helps her two sons out on the farm since retiring, in addition to supporting her family in their own sporting endeavours and stewarding at events.
"She is also a volunteer for Special Olympics Ireland in the equestrian games, getting horses ready and assisting the athletes as they prepare to compete.
“It can be very tiring, but the athletes are fantastic and a pleasure to work with,” she says.
Right now, however, she is trying to take things easy after her recent surgery to address a long-running problem with her knee.
But once fit and able, she plans to get back up on her horse and bike in 2019, while her hope for 2020 is to complete her first half marathon.
“That’s my goal, I’m finished then,” she states; though Irish Country Living does not quite believe the latter.
As for advice for anybody who wants to get fit, take on a challenge or just join a club as a social outlet this year, Kathleen says feel the fear and do it anyway.
“Break that barrier, walk over that step, go in on your own and then you’re never on your own again,” she says.
“It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.”
Read more
Inspire series: I walked 500 miles of the Camino solo at 56
Made with love, at Love Mo Chuisle
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