Author: Suzanna Barry

Bianca 33, is the General Manager of the Murray River Holiday park. Having lived and worked in various places across Australia Bianca loves the lifestyle and community that Echuca Moama offers.

Long walks around river tracks with Gyps, a fantastic choice of gyms and two acres of caravan park to oversee, helps Bianca enjoy an active lifestyle. Bianca has been regularly running for around 12 months. She joined the Johnno’s Run team for Run Melbourne in April 2019 and began training for the 10km event. She had consciously avoided running up until then, but saw this an opportunity to challenge herself. To help her keep motivated she also joined parkrun which has opened a whole new community for her.

The current times of social isolation are challenging as Bianca would prefer to be running with others. She loves company, but wants to make the most of her time. Having heard that restrictions are in place until the end of May she has signed up for an online 8 week challenge as she doesn’t want to look back and think she wasted an opportunity.

Bianca is no stranger to self discipline. When she lived in Darwin she did two seasons of a Bikini Body Builders Challenge. Each season was for 16 weeks, and the focus was 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. Bianca recalls the advice that you can cheat, but it will show on the stage. The same could be said for running, it’s all about the effort.

Bianca was really proud that last year her efforts paid off. She, contrary to a handful of doubters, succeeded in running the full 10kms and not only raised funds for a great cause, the Opening Doors Project, she won a medal to add to her collection. She backed this up with a PB at Sweat vs Steam in October, then the following week another10kms PB at the Melbourne Marathon. For someone who loves a medal – 2019 was a great year!

Right now Bianca is missing parkrun and is worried about Johnno’s Run 2020, but today she is signing up to Strava which will help keep her connected with the running community. Bianca’s advice to first time runners is to give it a go, as you will surprise yourself on how much you will enjoy it. Bianca also recommends joining a running group or some type of running community which will without doubt, be a great source of encouragement.

Zoey has an intense love for running. An hour interview almost became two and we only scratched the surface.

I chose Zoey for the A-Z seriesZoey has helped me on my running journey. I clearly remember the moment three years ago when my sister Tracie told me she had found an online running coach, Zoey from Operation Move, to help her train for her first 10 km event. Tracie’s running success in turn inspired me and gave me trust that I too could succeed if I was consistent and put in the work.

Zoey not only loves running but she loves helping others discover that they can be a runner, and not only that, they can dispel false inner beliefs and achieve whatever they once thought was impossible.

Not so many years ago Zoey wasn’t a runner. Her initial motivation to run was weight loss and soon running became central to her personal wellbeing. Zoey also enjoyed walking and would often walk for a couple of hours at a time. Now most of her runs are around two hours – it’s her happy distance.

Zoey, wife and mum of two is also a remote personal assistant. Her businesses enable her to maintain work and home life balance. She can manage her time to be there for her kids while doing what she loves. Perhaps she could earn a higher salary in full time employment, however the sacrifices are worth it.

Her running business started out as a blog with a friend.  Soon she had many requests for help, so keen to do things properly Zoey enrolled in a coaching course with the Athletics Australia.

As an accredited coach Zoey has helped over 100 people participate in her Learn to Run program.  She also coaches individuals and develops personalised training plans. Her newsletter has more than 4,000 subscribers and she has recorded over 100 podcasts which in total have been downloaded 93,000 times.

Zoey has seen lives transform. Running achievements have empowered individuals to make other life changing decisions. This is the aspect of Zoey’s job that fuels her fire. Helping people who thought they could never run, building self-worth and inner belief – this keeps her going.
I feel indebted to Zoey. Her program was a turning point for my sister Tracie and for us both it began a chapter in our lives that has gifted us so much happiness, improved health and beautiful friendships.

Yaz, 17 is in Year 12 at Rochester Secondary College. Until 3 weeks ago Yaz’s year was mapped out. A week for her (& her mum) involved 4 or 5 trips to Bendigo for training, along with school and being focussed on her study. Numerous running events were scheduled in her calendar, now these are mostly cancelled.  School is also changed and is filled with uncertainty.

Like us all Yaz is adapting to change and accepting her plans to compete in the U 20’s 2020 National Cross Country in Sydney, State Cross Country and various road races are now all unlikely. Jaz is taking the positives and reflects that the extra time will increase her chances of qualifying for the Worlds in 2021.

Not deterred Yaz is following her coach’s plan and is training in Elmore where she lives. With extra time on her hands, she is doing other things she loves, including cooking and cleaning!

Yaz is the youngest of 4 children.  He eldest sister Teleah, 22, also loves to run and has been her running role model. Now Teleah has returned home due to COVID-19 so the sisters are enjoying running together.

Life hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Yaz. When she was 13 her health declined. She lost a significant amount of weight and was experiencing chronic exhaustion, which created many issues. Sometimes she’d be part way through a race and her legs would go purple and completely numb. After many tests and investigations Yaz was diagnosed with Coeliac disease. Over the following year she slowly regained weight and her energy returned.

This experience along with her love of running has possibly shaped Yaz’s future career goals which at this stage she thinks will be in health. While the uni entry process for 2021 is now unclear Yaz intends to keep studying.  She also hopes to be competing at Bathurst, in the 2021 Worlds Cross Country event.

Yaz has an impressive collection of running achievements including the 2018 Athletics Victoria Under 18 Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Year. Her favourite distance is 3kms, with a PB of 9 mins 48secs. Her 5km PB is an impressive 17:30. Yaz also enjoys parkrun, particularly Echuca’s fast and flat course, where she holds her parkrun PB of 18:04.

Yaz loves the competitive nature of running and being outside, chasing her own goals. Her focus at the moment is to continue racing and to do lots of study.  When she needs a break from these activities Yaz will most likely be baking! Right now there’s still a glimmer of hope that Yaz will be able to compete in her final school track and field event at the end of the year.

Congratulations Yaz on having such a positive approach to life and the challenges of the current time.

Recently Wendy heard someone offer advice that resonates with her own philosophy, “run slow and just enjoy

Wendy, who will be 67 in October 2020, has been running for 7 years and is rightly proud of her achievements. Wendy always had a desire to run and when she turned 60 she thought if I don’t start now, I never will.

Her friend and neighbour Deb Whitten played an important part in Wendy’s running story.  Wendy laughs as she recalls Deb knocking on her bedroom window around 6am one morning, encouraging her to get out and run.  This was the push she needed.

Her first run was just to the letterbox and back, but Wendy quickly built up to 5 km. By the end of her first year she was running 10kms.

Running became a much loved activity enjoyed with Deb, her friend Jen McLean and Jen’s friend Karen Willison-Lloyd (Kaz).  These days Wendy runs a few mornings a week wth Kaz and with Jen on the weekend.

At the start of each year Jen (who is in her 70’s) and Wendy plan the year’s events.  Most months there is something to look forward to.  Running takes them all over Australia, and more often than not they’re running for a charity.  However it isn’t 5 or 10 km runs, they want to make their travel worthwhile so generally their goal is a half marathon.

Kaz is Wendy and Jen’s unofficial coach and captain, planning their training to ensure they are ready for their events.

Wendy explained that running is good for her brain – “running is a mind game, you have got to beat the mind”.  Running is the fuel for her tank, giving her energy for the day and keeping the aches and pains at bay.

Another aspect of running that Wendy enjoys is the special friendships.  She describes her running friends as soul sisters. She loves how they encourage each other and loves seeing other runners up early and starting their day in a positive way.

Wendy runs for enjoyment, soaking up her surrounds, whether it is running alongside the river in Echuca or through capital cities.  Running rejuvenates her and makes her feel alive.

Wendy has a goal to be running well into her 80’s.  She has no desire to run fast, and never checks her running pace.

Wendy is a granny to 3 little girls and a boy. Her first grandchild named her “Ninny” and coincidentally her running sister Jen shares that same name.  Wendy and Jen are known fondly as the “Running Ninny’s”.

Thanks for sharing your story Wendy and for being such a great example to all women in our community.