To be honest, 2014 started pretty awfully! As a result of playing mixed touch football, and coming off second-best, my collarbone was completely snapped in half and I required surgery! After two surgeries, pins and plates, my shoulder was back together and I had to heal. With a loving husband who works very long hours and a two-year-old daughter, this was tough. I had to rely on my family for everything. My arm was in a sling for 10 weeks and I felt useless. It was during this recovery time that I decided to think positive, set my goals and run a marathon! My husband made his new-year goal to join me!
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Growing up, I was a sporty kid. I had always liked to run, my sister and I did Karate (I am a black belt in Karate and actually placed third in the world in Locano, Switzerland when I was 15). When I went to university, I made the decision to stop Karate to focus on my studies, including music (I play and teach many instruments including flute). Running and gym workouts were a perfect supplement.

I have completed many half marathons. At our wedding my husband actually said that he was thinking twice about our relationship at the 13km mark of his first half marathon, running with me. He was a very fit, football referee for 13 years but he definitely was not an endurance runner at that stage.

It wasn’t that long ago that I was on the sideline of the marathon track thinking that I could never do that! Something clicked in 2014 and Noah wanted to do something much bigger and more special than the glory of a marathon finish. We had decided that we needed to raise funds for the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital neonatal ICU and Special Care. There was something deep inside that was not finished, a need to help and to make a difference, one step at a time.

A background on our story… We welcomed our beautiful baby girl into the world in June 2012 at the Sunshine Coast Private Hospital in Buderim. The birth itself went smoothly but when baby Delilah arrived she wasn’t breathing. She had experienced a suspected seizure and the temporary lack of oxygen to her brain was dangerous. She was transferred to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital within hours and Noah and I were told that Delilah could possibly suffer severe brain damage. At RBWH, I held my baby girl for the first time, thoughts of never being able to take Delilah home were racing through my mind. The doctors worked quickly and Delilah had an EEG and MRI. Eight days later, we were told the news that only days ago we never expected to hear. Delilah was a perfectly healthy little girl that could be taken home to be with her family on the Sunshine Coast. Delilah is the love of our lives.

They say it takes a village to raise a child, well it takes a village to run a marathon too. Our training was tough and involved many runs in all conditions including in the dark, rain or at crazy hours on the treadmill. We had a team who took turns pushing Delilah in the pram at Parkrun or looking after her when we completed our long runs. It was tough to complete our training on top of our jobs but we got it done!

In June this year, my brother-in-law Rob became an Ironman and we were there in Cairns cheering him on. My sister, and fellow Running Mum, Charmaine, completed her first half marathon at the Sunshine Coast Marathon and I am so proud of her! It is amazing to think of how far our family has come! 2014 has started something spectacular. My niece runs around saying, “I’m doing Ironman triathlon!” and my daughter asks most mornings, “Is it Parkrun?”

After 1200km in training, August had arrived and it was time for the marathon. After many Facebook posts, chats and reminders, we were so excited to achieve our revised goal, raising $5216 for the RBWH Foundation! We completed the Sunshine Coast Marathon together in 4hrs 26mins. After completing the race, Noah vowed to never run another one but I had unfinished business! I wanted another one! And I am aiming to complete 3-4 marathons in 2015, including an ultra marathon with my brother-in-law in June. My goal is to complete a marathon in under 4hrs.

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I ran the IMP virtual 42.2km marathon on December, 3rd solo, in hot, hilly, conditions and Noah and I ran the Kurrawa 2 Duranbah 50km relay on the weekend (25km each)! 2014 was a year of Personal Bests, I took over 30mins off my half-marathon time (1hr47min) and have chipped away at my 10km and 5km times. Finishing the 5km Brooks Pink fun run in 21:37min was the icing on the cake. Take that broken collarbone!!

I joined RMA just before the Sunshine Coast Marathon and I can honestly say that my life has changed. I love cheering on the Mummies as I see them running by, where ever I am and I am proud to be out there in my RMA top! Set your goals and go and get them ladies! Bring on 2015!