The Art of the Long Game: How Ashley Ryan Chased Headspace and Found European Bronze

Author: Claire Kiernan Campbell

AILM & OAK WELLNESS

           July 27th 2026

Making the Irish national team is a massive achievement. Coming third in Europe shortly after your debut is outstanding.

From Coolbawn in Tipperary Ashley—now living in Longford with her husband James and their two young boys—this extraordinary athletic journey began not with a childhood dream of podiums, but with a simple teenage craving for headspace at 13 years old. Ashley proudly ran an outstanding race representing Longford AC and Ireland in the British and Irish Masters Cross Country team Internationals in Leeds in 2025 winning team silver. 2025 was a great year as Ashley went onto win gold in the National Master Road Relays championship. In April 2026 the Longford AC team of Ashley Ryan, Fiona Gettings & Niamh Manning won silver at the National Road Relays in Dublin.

The Unconventional Path

Many sporting heroes do not peak early. Icons like Brian Fenton, Paul O'Connell, and Ian Wright found their greatest success later in life. Ashley's trajectory followed a similar, refreshing pattern:

• Late Bloom: She only became truly competitive during her postgraduate psychology studies in the UK.

• Social Catalyst: Running started as a way to meet people socially before morphing into elite Masters and cross-country competition.

• The "No Talent" Mindset: Ashley humbly claims she started with "no talent," proving what Ashley wisely advises, that success comes from consistency, persistence, good coaching and resilience overcoming injuries and disappointments.

• Incremental Gains: Excellence arrived gradually, year after year, little by little. This can be seen in not only sport but in business, career and many other elements in life.

  
  

Mentorship and Mindset

Behind every great athlete is a guiding voice. For Ashley, that voice belonged to the late Irish Olympian Jerry Kiernan, who deeply encouraged her long-term thinking. Now training her is Longford ACs brilliant trainer- Enda Fitzpatrick.

As a travel business owner and mother, Ashley beautifully bridges elite sport with sports psychology. At our recent retreat, her genuine warmth, infectious positivity, and quick humour was infectious.

From our interview these are some key foundational psychological elements I noticed from Ashley that could be applied to anything in life you want to achieve greatness from:

• Release the Outcome: Plan your goals meticulously, train consistently with expert guidance but strip away the pressure of the final result.

  
  

• Control the Controllable: Focus entirely on your own execution, pace, and effort. Comparsion is the thief of joy. Learn, take guidance but do your own thing, drown out the noise.

  
  

• Listen to the Body: Understand physical & mental capacity for your life at different stages and prioritise. Respect the time constraints of family and work. Don't burn yourself out.

  
  

• Enjoy the Race: True performance peaks when the process brings joy.

  
  

During her bronze-medal European race, Ashley executed this philosophy perfectly. Despite an absolute whirlwind of injuries and low expectations, her disciplined, mindful approach carried her straight to the European podium.

Resilience

Resilience is discussed in psychology and mental health spaces. I've always found that it is never really explained correctly or how to achieve it in everyday life.

Sport for every child is very important for resilience and this a perfect example of it. Sports teaches about disappointments, achieving what you earn, pushing yourself, dealing with changes, dealing with different & difficult people & team work. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from difficult life events. In Ashley's case this was in 2018 when an injury took a huge toll on her mental health. She suffered with Morton neuroma. This is a damaged enlarged nerve that causes pain on the bottom of your forefoot. The exact cause is unknown. It was a time where Ashley really started to perform well on the national stage. "I tried everything to get it better. This is where Jerry started to train me and he believed in me and my passion. He helped me gain perspective as did parenthood. It was a steep learning curve but he supported me through it. I let my success become part of my identity and my confidence crumbled".

Sometimes a set back in person's life can be the best opportunity for personal growth and is a blessing with hindsight. When success in any area of your life is linked to your self-worth and if that area discontinues or halts, it can cause people to suffer. Wisdom is realising that your self worth or identity isn't linked to your or anyone else's interpretation of success in your career, sporting achievements, business, your life, relationships or certain people or things.

Ashley admit that if I said that to her at the time I would have been thrown a look but it has been a great blessing!!

A Lesson for Coaches

Ashley’s story is a masterclass for coaches everywhere. Future stars are not always the ones winning juvenile races. Often, they are the ones who need gentle encouragement to see their own potential. By keeping athletes involved, listening to their bodies, and fostering patience, coaches can help quiet teenagers craving headspace grow into the best in the world.

 From research, girls who play football at under 12 level, by senior level only two from the team still remain active. Ashley is a great example of talent that was gradually fostered expertly, allowed to blossom with hard work, drive, encouragement and discipline to turn into an international success story. Her last words of wisdom that consistency, persistence and the correct mindset can take you anywhere in life. What an inspiration to young people everywhere.