Meet Ann

This Team RR member is a somewhat quiet achiever…maybe that’s because we rarely see her at our early morning runs, yet she can bang out a road or trail half marathon as if she’s been up at the crack of dawn pounding the pavement without missing a beat! A self-confessed ‘night owl’, this champ can often be found enjoying a run along beautiful local trails, just don’t expect to see her there in the early AM. 😉 Meet Ann…

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m 50 years of age. I met my wonderful husband Tim in a backpackers – he is from the UK. We have 2 children; our daughter is 22 and our son is 18. I am a secretary but 2 years ago I left my job and now work as a casual when they need me. I absolutely love travelling.

Tell us a bit about you and running – How? When? Why?

I’ve always exercised but had never run. I took up running when parkrun started at Menai. For the first year I probably went once a month but the second year I started going every week and that’s what got me into running. I started to enter some races with friends and it is a great feeling when you finish a race. My friend Sheree introduced me to Rachel’s Runners and it was great to meet so many people. I never imagined I would ever be a runner and running long distances.

What’s the best thing about running for you?

I really started to love running when I took up trail running. I just love being out in nature and running with friends. I think running helps clear your head and I know when I’m out running with friends we always say how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place.

What’s your favourite piece of running equipment?

I do love getting new shoes and I also like the crazy calf sleeves/socks you can get.

What’s your biggest challenge with running?

My biggest challenge with running is getting up early. So many runners are morning people and I’m more of a night owl, so I really struggle with early starts, that’s why I don’t do the morning activities at 5:30am – haha! I also struggled with a couple of injuries and it’s frustrating when you have to be patient while recovering.

If you could invent a running or fitness tool or toy what would it be?

It would be nice to conjure up toilets in the bush when you need them!

Any tips for fellow runners?

Just to get out there and go for a run; even if it’s a short run, you feel so much better.