From Cork to the Camino – Why Sharon Mullins walked over 100km at 58 and has no plans to slow down

At 58, Sharon Mullins could have booked a sun holiday and called it a well-earned break.

Instead, she booked herself onto a group trip to walk the Camino in northern Spain – not knowing a single soul going.

Over six days, she walked 111 kilometres with strangers who soon felt like friends. She came home fitter, prouder, and more empowered than ever. Not just because of the distance, but because of what it symbolised – that it’s never too late to try something new, to back yourself, and to do something just for you.

Sharon, who’s from Lehenaghmore in Cork, didn’t grow up seeing herself as a runner. But when the Cork City Marathon returned in 2007, just as she was turning 40, she set herself a challenge. She asked her Uncle Pat – a former referee and big into fitness – if she could manage a marathon. He said yes, got her a training plan, and promised to do it with her.

“It took forever,” she laughs. “But we did it. And I still have the medal.”

It wasn’t about time or pace. It was about proving to herself that she could do hard things. That first marathon marked a major comeback – not just physically, but personally too.

Years earlier, after the births of her children Jess in 1991 and Evan in 1993, Sharon had gone through serious postnatal depression.

“I really struggled,” she says. “Back then, it wasn’t spoken about the way it is now. I felt lost.”

So when she started running – even if she only used that word loosely – it became more than exercise. It became a way to take back a bit of herself.

“No matter how I felt before I went out, I never felt worse after. There’s something in it – it lifts you.”

Over the years she ran a few half marathons, but it wasn’t until two years ago that she committed to her health again. She started working with a coach, focused on nutrition, and gradually found her rhythm. These days, 10K is her sweet spot. She runs three mornings a week – no pressure, no perfection – just her and the road.

“I’m what you’d call a recreational runner. I’ve no interest in PBs. I do it because it makes me feel good.”

In 2023, she started volunteering with Cork City AC, helping with admin. Being around like-minded people, coaches encouraging the kids, and the positive energy gave her a boost. It reminded her that everything is achievable when you start small and stay consistent.

Then came the Camino.

She’d seen Trisha Lewis (Trisha’s Transformation) walk a stretch of it with Roz Purcell, and something about it stuck with her. When Trisha announced a group trip for July, Sharon booked it. Just like that.

There were 104 people on the trip – mostly women, mostly travelling solo. Sharon didn’t know anyone, but she wasn’t fazed. She was matched to share a room with a woman from Tipperary, not much older than her daughter, and they clicked straight away.

Each day brought something new – forest paths, sleepy villages, coffee stops in the middle of nowhere. Some days Sharon walked with others, but often she walked alone – without headphones, just taking in the sounds, the scenery, and her own thoughts.

“I stayed really present. I didn’t want to distract myself from it. I wanted to remember every part of it.”

There were early starts, hot afternoons, hills, and rough terrain. It wasn’t easy – but that’s what made it so powerful. One of her favourite moments was setting off at 6am to watch the sun rise as they walked. Another was the realisation that, despite the physical effort, she was doing it – keeping pace, feeling strong.

But the moment that stood out above everything came at the end of the week.

“The pinnacle was walking into Santiago and seeing the Cathedral. A feeling I’ll never forget,” she says. “Knowing what you’ve overcome physically and mentally to be there in that moment – it was emotional. It stays with you.”

Since coming home, Sharon has kept the momentum going. She’s back training three times a week, focusing on strength and conditioning. And next year, she plans to return to the Camino – technically on her own, but once again with Trisha’s UWalk group, which she says is the safest and easiest way to do it solo.

“It’ll be the same setup – I won’t know anyone, but that’s what makes it great. You meet new people every time, and you fall in naturally with others along the way.”

She’s still in touch with three of the women she met last time. They’ve got a WhatsApp group called the Camino Queens and are hoping to meet up again soon.

“I never thought at 58 I’d be booking a walking holiday. For us, holidays usually meant books by the pool. But this was different. I did it for me – and I’m so glad I did.”

Sharon, who’s married to Sean, says she’s never been more grateful to her body. And she’s never felt more mentally strong.

“I hope I go into my 60s fit and healthy. Doing the Camino was the most empowering thing I’ve ever done. It reminded me that it’s never too late.”