Dave Walsh is 86 and he lives on the Pouladuff Road – this will be his fifth time running the marathon since his double hip replacement, and he’s really looking forward to it
Dave Walsh after completing a marathon
Not everyone can say they have run a marathon – but even fewer people can say they’ve run five marathons while being an octogenarian.
Dave Walsh, 86, from Cork city’s Pouladuff Road is the oldest participant registered for this year’s Analog Devices Cork City Marathon.
He previously made headlines for participating in the event following a double hip replacement, and he later came second in the marathon’s over-70s category.
Dave started running marathons back in the 1970s. “I did a number of marathons in Cork. I always kept up the running. I did a lot of Dublin marathons, I did some London marathons and I did one in America as well,” he tells RSVP.
Sadly, as he grew older, Dave was advised to stop running because he had hip problems. “I attended a doctor as I was getting pains. He didn’t agree with the road running, but he told me to get an x-ray. After I got the results, he told me if I didn’t stop running I would be in a wheelchair very soon. So I packed it up.”
For years afterwards, Dave suffered with pain in his hips, but he was reluctant to get surgery on them. During this time, his late wife was in a nursing home as she had Alzheimer’s, and Dave struggled to go see her due to his reduced mobility.
Eventually, he did have his two hips replaced when he was 78 as he wanted to improve his mobility so he could go see his wife more easily. “My wife, God bless her, has since passed away. She was in a home for Alzheimer’s. I used to go up and see her every day, and when she was asleep I’d do the walking.”
His recovery from his two hip replacements involved a lot of walking every day. After a while, Dave started to build back up towards running. “I started training and running properly again when I was 80. I did my first marathon after my hip replacements at 82. I’ve done them the last four years. The Cork City marathon next week will be my fifth.”
Dave had to build up his running gradually, and while he says he hasn’t gotten back up to the strength he once had, he still enjoys participating in the event. “I am a lot older, but I am doing it the way I like to do it. I just carried on with it and I am still doing it now.”
When he’s out training, people often give him a thumbs up, which he says is a great motivation.
Other people running the marathon are also supportive. “They don’t be pushing me out of the way or anything,” Dave jokes. “I think I am in their way at times. They’re very good, they realise I am not in the younger bracket.”
The Corkman also gets great support from his family, and his grandchildren wait at the end of the finish line, wearing t-shirts with his face and name on them and carrying signs. “They’ll be there to greet me, they are fantastic.”
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