Let's meet Cam... again!

Meet the Runners revisited #7

Welcome to the 7th edition of the Meet the Runners revisited where this week we get to meet Cam… again! What can we say about Cam… he’s a great bloke with a huge heart and a desire to help people around him. He’s influenced R4R more than most know and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s helped countless people by embracing his vulnerability and using it to become a stronger version of himself. As always, the revisits are a cracking read, and this week is no different… so, without further ado, let’s meet the man of the MO-ment, Cam!

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How have you been? 

I’ve been all the feelings. 

Knocked off any running events recently?

Really struggled to find any running consistency lately and this combined with some stomach issues has resulted in a few withdrawals from races. I had a good hit-out at the Canberra Times half back in November last year. 

There are a couple of events left this year that I have my eye on. 

What's been your highlight in the past two years?

Baby Lexi’s arrival in February this year is an easy highlight. 

What's been your favourite thing about R4R since we met you the first time?

I love seeing the organic growth of the community and people take the concept in their own direction. My favourite thing about R4R though, is hearing what it means to the community.

Your original answer to "what does resilience mean to you?" was "The understanding that not everything is going to go the way you planned or expected. To realise that sometimes you won’t understand why things happen but just knowing that you can recover. Understanding that your mindset has an incredible power over your reality." Do you still think it is? Would you change it at all?

Still strongly believe this but probably refined a little, also as my appreciation for letting myself experience feelings grows I would adjust it slightly…

‘The ability to accept and let ourselves wholly experience our emotions and then return, often stronger.’

Shortly after we met you last time, you ran 100km and raised more than $8k in honour of Flora, your daughter that was lost prematurely. Did you want to reflect on that moment and the time that's passed? Is there something you've learnt in the past two years that has helped you comprehend your struggle more that might shed light for others going through something? 

Something that has significantly helped me is realising that I am never going to come to terms with the loss of Flora but we can learn to manage it. For me, this includes really letting myself grieve when I can feel I need it. To those close to me this would be no surprise, but I’m a bit of a crier. When I feel I need it I’ll let myself sit in my grief and have a good sob. This helps me not let it slowly eat away at me and allows me to enjoy the amazing family and quality life I am so fortunate to have. 

For those expecting again after pregnancy loss it’s also important to let yourself feel all the feelings. There will be moments of excitement, make sure you notice them, make sure you feel them and lean into them deeply. Finding out Zoe was pregnant with Lexi was genuinely frightening. Terrified that it could all be taken away again. This resulted in an experience that was more anxiety than excitement. This is not what Lexi deserved. 

The run highlighted the importance of community and speaking out about our struggles. The amount of love and support I received really helped me and my family. In speaking openly about our experience I learned of many others who have suffered pregnancy or infant loss and hopefully we have all been able to help them too. 

You've been a massive part of the R4R community so far. How do you think we can achieve our goal of making Canberra suicide-free?

Collaboration with groups and organisations that operate in this space. Understanding that intervention necessarily comes in significantly different forms at different stages and for different people, and leveraging the expertise and touch points of mental health groups is key to developing a wholistic approach. 

Thank you, Cam.

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R4R Gala

We're thrilled to announce the first and upcoming Running for Resilience Gala Night. It's a time to gather and celebrate our incredible community and whilst there's no fundraising on the night, we've put $20 from every ticket to support Murray and his great work with Bravery Trek (Tickets sold at cost).

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R4R Gift

Each year so far, we’ve held an annual race called the R4R Gift. It’s an opportunity for runners to go that little bit faster if they want to, but it’s also business as usual for the joggers and walkers. We’ve got a little bit of a surprise for the winners on the night….

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