'Amy’s trademark sprint finish under the bridge in Clonmel is a joy to behold'

Susan and John Laste from Clonmel are speaking out this month on the joy that running has brought to their family, particularly for those on the autistic spectrum. 

Clonmel’s weekly Parkrun, which takes place every Saturday, has given both Amy and Gerard Ryan “a real outlet in which to socialise and to help them regulate in what can be for them, a very scary and overwhelming world”; the pair also get great support from the J&N Running Group.

April is Autism Awareness month, and John says that while today most people are aware of autism, the next step is to develop an understanding of what it means to be on the spectrum, how it affects one’s daily routine and the adjustments that have to be made to negotiate the world. 

“So by educating us neurotypical folk, we can make those small gestures through understanding that will most definitely make so much difference”.

Like many families around the world, Amy’s family joined their local parkrun, but for 14-year-old Amy, being neurodivergent means there are lots of hidden obstacles that neurotypical folk would not ever contemplate.

For Amy, says John, running serves as a powerful, self-regulatory tool that reduces sensory overload, dampens that overload of thought and provides valuable structure in what otherwise may well be a very chaotic and scary environment filled with sensory overload and periods of complete meltdown. These can be frightening not only for the young person, but for onlookers if the meltdown occurs in public.

“The key benefits of running include improved mental health, better sleep, increased dopamine, and a sense of ‘stimming’ through repetitive motion. 

“This is so essential for Amy particularly in a world that she craves to be a part of, belonging is so vital to her, so running and being part of a running community gives her those very elements we all take for granted everyday.

“Amy’s achievements and goals come from running on her own terms, processing her emotions and feelings through hyper-focus, and embracing the sport’s simplicity. It is just poetry in motion to see her float across the ground lapping up whatever praise comes her way like fuel and decoding her ever entangled thought processes.

“While all these things are important to acknowledge, the real truth here is that Amy is a runner like thousands of other runners and those who know and love her know her as a runner and not as someone who experiences such challenges in the world. If the real truth be known, we are all dealing with our own challenges and we too have taken to running as our regulatory fix”.

Amy is a member of her local running club, and looks forward to parkrun every Saturday in either Clonmel or Fethard, and even took part in a parkrun in Florida on holiday last year. She has completed 154 parkruns, one junior parkrun and has volunteered 53 times. Her personal best is 29:27 and she’s improving all the time.

“Amy’s trademark sprint finish under the bridge in Clonmel is a joy to behold. The joy, the pride, the accomplishment and the complete clarity and translucency of mind and body. You can see the regulatory process in full flow in this wonderful young lady who makes running work for her rather than the other way around. If it sounds familiar it’s because we are not all that different from Amy, really, are we?

John and Susan expressed their thanks to “all the kind and wonderful people at our parkruns and training group who welcome Amy with open arms and encourage, energise and support all those new to running. A gentle hello, a shake of a hand or a welcoming smile.

“Champions don’t always have to be the ones with the medals. The inner fulfilment and self satisfaction is just as valuable and those small thoughtful gestures live on in all the recipients of your kindness.