Author: Suzanna Barry

Not only is Veronica McLeod a talented runner, she’s also a skilled time manager.

Somehow Veronica fits in 5 or 6 runs a week, a full time job and is a mum of two children and 7 foster care children.  This year she has also made debut into cricket which she has approached with enthusiasm.  Determined to contribute as a valued member of the team she’s currently putting in many hours of practice at the nets.

Veronica’s running journey was initially prompted by weight loss goals, but now it’s something much more.  It’s a family activity that she enjoys with husband Mal and their children, and it keeps her fit. Veronica also likes to be a good role model to her family.

Running has helped Veronica develop great friendships and has connected her to the community.
She enjoys running with various local running groups, and is often seen with one of these groups pounding the pavement at day break.

Veronica started running in 2014 at the age of 36.  Although running  has never been easy she is proud of what her body has been able to achieve. In the last few years she has competed 7 half marathons and in 2018 a marathon. Even fighting a bout of pneumonia didn’t deter her achieving her marathon goal, not that she’d recommend this!

Running in 2020  is not about events for Veronica, but is more about company and friendship. However one event on her list is Run Melbourne.  The McLeod’s love to be part of the Echuca Johnno’s Run team who participate to help build homes for people with disability. They feel it is important as Veronica  grew up with an uncle with disability and saw the struggles he went through to be included in the community.  It makes her heart full to know her kids are also passionate about being involved. Two of the children  currently in their care have disability and she wants them to enjoy access to quality services when they are adults.

Veronica has a large dose of determination,  has proved the power of consistency and has fantastic focus.  However another admiral trait is her support of others.  If you’re running in an event and hear a shout from the side lines it could well be Veronica cheering you on!

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Note from Veronica – a special thank you to coach Laurie Edmonstone.  Laurie has changed the lives on many #runningsisters in our local community.

Once upon a time Tarli Bird thought it was only Olympians who represented their country. Little did she know that her talent would take her to international running scene where she would compete in Japan, Paris and New York.

Tarli is one talented running sister who focuses on running for enjoyment.

Tarli, 33, is a Fine Arts graduate, an art teacher, acclaimed artist and elite athlete.

Her day consists of running, teaching, running again, and spending time in her studio. Friday is her “short run day” or maybe her day off, and Sunday is her ‘long run’ day. A regular week for Tarli includes running around 130 kms.

Running became a passion for Tarli during her university years. She lived on campus at Monash and in the evenings would run around the grounds.

Tarli humbly attributes her running success to her coaches and mentors Lesley Grimes and Trevor Vincent who taught her to run for love rather than achievement. Fourteen years later she still values Lesley’s advice and guidance.

At the beginning of each year Tarli attends a retreat with her coach and fellow runners at Falls Creek. This is an ideal location to escape the heat, get motivation and set up for the year ahead. This year it was  cut short as they were evacuated due to the devastating bushfires.

Tarli loves fun run events especially Run for the Kids in April and Run Melbourne in July. She likes to have a winter goal to provide an incentive to train in the colder months. While her focus is on her own PB unsurprisingly Tarli was the first female across the line at Run for Kids 2019.

A highlight of Tarli’s running journey is representing Australia in Japan in 2013. She was part of an Ekiden relay, a Japanese term for a long-distance relay running race. Tarli ran the last leg of the mixed gender marathon. She enjoyed the excitement and was amazed by the supportive crowds lining the streets.

In the past Tarli has combined travel and competing internationally, however she’s decided holidays are more enjoyable without the distraction of a race. So for now her focus is on site seeing and visiting galleries which aligns with her other great love and area of talent – art.

Twice in 2019 Tarli was handpicked by a committee of art industry experts to showcase her work at the Other Art Fair in Sydney. She relished mixing with other artists and the opportunity to sell her work.

Tarli is not one to draw attention to her achievements and is a role model of humility and determination.

Shelley Bennett discovered a love of running thanks to her daughter Jess’ Grade 5 school teacher.

Six years ago elite local runner Brady Threlfall was Jess’ teacher, and he was encouraging his class to participate in Sweat vs Steam.  Shelley, who was 46 at the time, decided to train with Jess and before she knew it, she was able to run 5kms.

A few months later her husband Tim also followed, and running is now something they enjoy as a couple.  Shelley is grateful for this shared passion, particularly as they both understand the commitment and dedication required to prepare for running events, which they both love to do.

Shelley is what I would describe as a serious runner.  She runs most days, and the days she doesn’t she is at the gym, working on her strength.  A typical week could see Shelley running up to 60kms, several gym sessions, a swim and maybe parkrun.

Running has had a positive impact on her health and wellbeing and has greatly expanded her and Tim’s social networks.

Running has taught Shelley that anything is possible – and that to achieve running and other life goals the ingredients include dedication, resilience and persistence.

Shelley embraces the challenges of running – whether it is the frosty winter morning early runs where her hands turn white or the endless “bloody” toe nails, Shelley can always see the bright side of a situation.

Much to her daughter’s amusement Shelley has a quirky sense of running fashion and can often be spotted wearing a bandanda, a backwards cap or her hair in distinctive pig tails.  Jess also commented on her mum’s busy life where there’s always something to be done – like Strava to be checked, PB’s to log, setting out her running clothes for her early morning run or planning catch-ups with her running friends.

In 2020 Shelley has some ambitious goals.  She is currently trying to build a bigger base and has the Great Ocean Road 44 km in May in her sights. Then it is the 50km Ned Kelly Chase at Wangaratta in October.   She believes that one day a 100km will be possible with the right training, and wants to embrace what she can do while she can do it.

Shelley feels blessed to be surrounded by so many positive people in the local running community.  Thanks to running Shelley says life is good, she not only feels fantastic but she feels a special sense of freedom.

Just before her 29th birthday, and after a good few years of saving and planning, Rachael decided to take a career break and left Dublin to travel and see the world.

After eight months of backpacking in Russia, Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, she moved to Melbourne in March 2019.

With a plan to live and work in Australia for only six months it quickly became obvious that six months was not going to be enough! Although already ticking off her Oz Bucket list the Grampians, Phillip Island, Wilsons Prom, Great Ocean Road, Harbour Bridge Climb, Perth and Rottnest Island there’s still lots more for her to see and do.

Some of her favourite things about living in Oz include the friendly people with an accent she loves, how absolutely everyone and everything has a nickname, amazing wildlife, delicious brunch food and coffee, and the healthy outdoor lifestyle.

She lived in St Kilda from March to Nov 2019 and worked at Monash University as a Development Coordinator for the “Change It. For Good.“ campaign, the largest public fundraising initiative in the uni’s history.

It was through Monash that Rachael first began running – when she joined the Run Melbourne ‘Team Monash’, to raise money for the Asylum Seeker Scholarship fund. She was inspired by Monash’s commitment to deliver on a  campaign goal, ‘Education For All’,  one of the most generous scholarship programs in Australia.

She had tried training for a 5 km before but lost motivation and let life get in the way. But this time it felt different. She had the support of coworkers also training for the first time and Rachael knew she was running for an incredible cause.

She used a Couch to 5K app to train from April-July 2019 and raised $610 from family and friends. With every donation came a surge of motivation to keep going.

Rachael felt an incredible sense of accomplishment running 5k without stopping for the first time, and is determined to keep it up.

She joined ParkRun in Albert Melbourne  and completed the Sole Motive Sandy Point 5K in September. She also did the Jingle all the Way 5K around the Washington Monument while visiting her family in Washington D.C. this Christmas.

Rachael never thought she would be a “runner” but has come to understand why people love running so much.

“It’s a great way to clear your head, it’s free, and you can do it anywhere in the world – perfect for someone who travels quite a lot!”

Petra hadn’t been a runner, but in 2009 she had a goal to do a fun run before she turned 40. She found a running buddy to help keep motivated and not only did she do the 5kms Mothers’ Day Run but also ticked off the 10kms Carman’s Run in December, just before her 40th birthday.

Early 2010 Petra and her family moved to Echuca. She was introduced to several women who run and they have become special running friends.

By 2016 Petra, 47 year old Deputy Principal of St Mary’s Echuca was regularly running up to 12 kms, when she experienced a sudden decline in health. In a matter of months she was struggling to walk. Life became work and sleep, with no energy for anything else.

There was no explanation for Petra’s diminishing energy levels. She even bought new runners to see if this would help. She stopped going to gym and soon had to stop running.

Eventually the answer came with a call from the hospital. A blood test identified she had Leukaemia and that night she was admitted to hospital. The situation serious, but the good news was that Petra was told she would recover. Her specialist gave her hope and told her the treatment would be intense, but in six months she would be back running.

Petra spent 6 weeks in hospital in Geelong, followed by treatment one month on and one month off for six months in Bendigo. She drove herself there and back daily.

With side effects of extreme muscle pain and fatigue, she was so glad of family, a supportive workplace and her beautiful running friends.  She recalls friend Andrea asking “was she right for a walk” when she returned home.  Her running friends also slowed their running to keep her company. They helped her through 2½ years of recovery, where it was 2 steps forward and 1 step back.
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In December 2018 Petra did the Carman’s 10 km run again. Her aim was to “just do it”, but at the 9km point she checked her time and then it was “giddy up”.  She finished in 1 hour and 22 seconds. This was a turning point for Petra, life was back to normal!

Petra has now completed Carman’s Women’s Fun Run 10km again, and achieved a new PB of 57.15!

With an “all clear” Petra says she is so grateful and feels incredibly lucky. Running keeps Petra fit, helps to keep her head clear and provides wonderful connection with others.

Thanks for sharing your very personal story Petra.  Your strength, courage and determination is an inspiration. #runsisterrun