Tania has been training with Operation Move since 2016 and is an active and valued member of Run Club and the Operation Move Community. Tania originally shared her story in Run Club and it is reprinted here with her permission.
I have been running since 2012, it happened by chance, I’d just lost 25kg and my friends asked me to run in a local 3k fun run. The thought of running 3k terrified me and on the day I was so petrified by the fit looking people around and then I got locked in the toilets and only just got let out in time to run it. It was awful but that feeling, you know the one, the one where you cross the line, well it got me! So when another friend asked me to start running I jumped at the chance!
My second event, my first ever 10k was out near Zoey’s place, a funrun with so many hills, it damn near killed me! But the finish line, that feeling of accomplishment was like nothing else. The following year I ran my first half, it was awful and I was under trained- had no training plan and I almost gave up running. But I tried again the next year and on the way raised $5k for cancer research.
In 2016 I found Operation Move and I can’t believe I’ve been in this space with you amazing women for two years. Zoey trained me in 2016 for the Brisbane half and then I ran the Lismore Half that year too and ran a PB. In 2017 I ran my first marathon- again trained by Zoey, I bloody well loved it! Some of you may remember I had a bad lead up with a massive tooth infection but I showed up and ran in 4:55! I’m back to repeat it this year!
Why do I run? I run for me, for setting a goal and that feeling of achievement. I also run to make my parents proud, I lost both of them 6 weeks apart to cancer in 2010 and I feel in some small way more connected to them when I’m alone on a run. I also love the community of running and the amazing friendships I have formed. I was heavily involved in setting up parkrun here in Lismore and the community involvement and comradeship is amazing!
My goals? Kick GCAM18s arse! (And she did!) And I’d really love to participate in a triathlon this year too. I think endurance is my pocket and I’d like to explore this either in a triathlon type event or an ultra.
Oh and I should also say I’m 47 this year, have two gorgeous kids and amazing husband, a dog, a cat and we live on a farm near Lismore.
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