Let's meet Lachie!
Meet the R4R Runners #104
Walking into a new environment, I was nervous. University had always been something to aspire to and now it was finally here. Fortunately for me, my nerves were quickly transformed into excitement when I saw all my friends from school.
The experience was different for Singh, an R4R legend who knew no one when he moved to Australia, and reflecting back on his time studying at the University of Canberra (UC), he wishes there were more things he could have joined to meet new people.
Fast forward a few decades and those wishes have come true. In partnership with UC and the UC Run Club, Running for Resilience (R4R) has expanded its footprint to North Canberra.
Every Thursday morning at 8:30 AM, R4R leaves from Coffee Grounds, returning for a cappuccino and a chat afterwards. The run wouldn’t be possible without a number of people, including Martin & Jan from UC, another R4R legend in Murray, and the founder of the UC Run Club, Lachie Wei.
Lachie is originally from Melbourne, moving to Canberra to study Vision Science at UC, eyeing off a career as an Optometrist. Early on in his study, Lachie and his friend Jackie were running around campus, wondering if there was a run club they could join.
After finding out there was none, they decided to make their own, knowing full well some of the benefits running with mates can offer.
“When you're on a run, no one is distracted by technology, and so it's a great way to be present in the moment and really connect. Friend's are also a great form of motivation for those days when you're feeling too lazy to go for a run. When your legs are aching and you want to give up, a friend's support can help you push through the pain.”
Exercising with friends is at the core of our mission for a suicide-free Canberra, and when we asked Lachie how moving with mates can help mental health, he echoed our beliefs.
“I feel like there's no better medicine then fresh air and a pumping heart. I remember during lockdown when it was difficult to socialise with friends, going for runs during the 2hr exercise period was always a great way to catch up.”
Community is key.
Lachie helped create UC Run Club to help him and others meet new people, to form a community whereby anyone interested in running or getting some exercise done could meet like-minded people.
We couldn’t be happier to have partnered with UC Run Club to help give to others what we’ve found so beneficial for ourselves.
Our community is growing, and we’re proud to have Lachie at the helm of this expansion, so it would be remiss if we didn’t ask him two of our favourite questions.
How would you define resilience?
I would define resilience as one's ability to bounce back. Everyone experiences hardship throughout their lives. During these points it may seem as if your life has no direction or even at times like the world is falling apart. Those who are able to face these challenges and keep the engines revving I believe demonstrate great resilience.
When you look back on the hardest moments in your life, would you give yourself any advice?
It sounds cheesy but I would definitely tell myself to organise some time to catch up with friends or go for a run (a bonus if I can do both). Both activities are a great mood booster and help to motivate you to push through no matter the challenge.
More information about UC Run Club
The club runs every Thursday (with R4R) and Saturday at 8.30am, beginning at Coffee Grounds at UC. The club is open for all, and is a great way to meet new people. For more information, check out their Instagram
Thanks, Lachie!