I just wanted to say how much I love Run the World! It is motivating, and helps me keep pushing forward when it often feels too hard. I wish I’d known about you earlier! I tell everyone I speak to about walking and/or running that they should sign up. 

Just a little backstory…. I will turn 50 next year, and until I was 40 I always said I was “allergic to exercise”. It started with walking, and I started a netball team, joined a gym, got a personal trainer….. rediscovered a love for life, energy, and found a new love for exercise. I lost 30kg and felt better than I had in my entire life. I didn’t really discover that I loved running until I was around 45, and unfortunately previous injuries, arthritis etc often mean it’s difficult to do, but I LOVE it, and when my knees became too painful and I had to give up netball, I channeled that into running and began running some events for the first time, which was AMAZING. 

I happen to live in Melbourne with my 18 and 16 year old sons, in the lockdown capital of the world, and running has helped me through it. At times, just the thought of leaving the house to go for a run has been a challenge, one that I haven’t always won. It doesn’t help that this year I’ve had a burst appendix and a number of other health and injury issues… nor that my husband of 22.5 years lives in Brisbane, my 21 year-old daughter lives in Canberra, my mum lives in regional SA, and my brother lives in Darwin - so the border restrictions that Covid have resulted in, means that I haven’t seen them much at all in the last 18 months-2 years. And my youngest son is learning from home during Years 10 and 11 that have been further impacted. 

So I am currently participating in the One Foot Forward virtual campaign to raise money for mental health. And this week I virtually reached Brisbane in Run Down Under - the only way I can currently be in the same city as my husband!! I’ve already signed up again for next year, and although currently my projected finish date will be some time around the year I turn 70, unless I increase my kilometres each week significantly, I feel that is a goal worth working towards! 

I also really appreciated the email to congratulate me on reaching Brisbane, and the extra personal touches of my 8 day streak (unfortunately ended today, due to work and my knees needing a day off) and the double effort on Tuesday. These personal touches really make it so much more rewarding and encouraging to be a member of the Run the World community.  And I have set a goal that next year, 2022, the year I turn 50 and about 5 years after I discovered running, I will participate in my first ever half-marathon. AND I am so hopeful that restrictions will have eased enough, that actual events can take place again next year! But in the meanwhile, Run Down Under will keep me motivated - next major stop is the Northern Territory, to ’see’ my brother! 

Thanks for an amazing and inspiring virtual run.