Meet the R4R Runners #43

Welcome to the 43rd edition of the Meet the R4R Runners. This week we get to meet an instrumental person behind the Lulu / R4R collaboration. We also get to meet a Friday morning regular who’s always happy to say hello and share a laugh… We also get to meet a Springboks supporter… but we’ll look past that for the moment.

Megan is a beautiful person who has helped R4R become what it is through her own efforts and channeling her efforts through Lululemon. We’re grateful for the time she’s put into R4R and we’re certainly grateful for her answers today.

Vulnerability is the currency for trust in a community and the feeling you have at the end of this rag demonstrates it.

So without further ado, let’s meet Megan!

What is your name? 

Megan Maddison

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in South Africa, but I followed my heart and immigrated to Australia in 2012.

What's your favourite thing about Canberra? (Apart from R4R obviously)

While I can appreciate all the possibilities they hold, I am not a big city girl. Give me the bush and wildlife all day, any day. 

I’ve lived in Canberra for nearly 2 years now and I truly resonate with its ‘big country town’ feel. I love how much space we have, right on our doorsteps.

How did you hear about R4R and when did you first attend?

I first heard about R4R through work – working at lululemon we are always keen to connect with our community. We were in the space of identifying ‘run clubs’ when R4R was first mentioned, and it piqued my interest when I learnt the story behind it.

I think the first time I attended was sometime towards the start of this year. My days and months have blurred together but I was told a few weeks ago that I have been attending long enough to be missed when I am not there. That is such a special feeling.

What's your favourite thing about R4R?

I absolutely love the people. I feel privileged to be a part of such an extraordinary collective who embrace and acknowledge each other just as they are. I do also love the post run coffees on Monday and Friday mornings. Oh, and ALL the R4R dogs!

Is there anything you'd like to see R4R do? 

I love what it is right now.

Have you ever run a marathon before? If so, how'd you go? 

Never a full marathon, I just don’t know if I can be convinced to go all in for 42.2km. A few years back I ran a half marathon in Vancouver, and it was so much fun – I think I will stick to the 21km distance.

Are you planning on taking part in any races or events soon?

One of my favourite mantra’s is ‘I can do hard things’ and so I have set myself a goal to compete in an Ironman 70.3 race towards the end of next year. Triathlon really excites me, so I am keen to continue showing up putting in the work and proving to myself that I have what it takes.

Which three people (alive or dead) would you like to run 6km with?

Anton Mzimba - Anton was a ranger and the Head of Security for the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve where I have been lucky enough to grow up. A few months ago, Anton was assassinated outside his home, in front of his wife and children for his life’s work – his dedication to wildlife conservation and anti-poaching, specifically protecting our Rhinos. I think he was the bravest man I have known.

David Attenborough - I have seen him speak live twice and he has such a remarkable story – I would love to hear more about his life, experiences, and his thoughts on the state of our natural world. I often wonder of all the places he has been, which one is his favourite?

My Mum - It’s been 18 years since I last had a hug, and I would love another one. 

What does resilience mean to you?

I lost my mum when I was younger and the day we said goodbye to her, one of the nurse’s (who has been by her side throughout her time in hospital) hugged me tight and told me to trust that we will never be given anything we are not strong enough to deal with. I have never forgotten her words and they often bring me comfort.

I think this is what resilience is. Allowing ourselves the grace to show up as we are and honour the small victories that can sometimes be just waking up and just getting out of bed. For me, resilience is very closely linked to my (on-going) personal journey with mental health.

When you look back on the hardest moment/s in your life, is there anything you wish you could have told yourself? 

Loss and change. These are two words that encapsulate some of the hardest moments I have experienced in my life so far; the loss of my mum when I was young, and then experiencing a miscarriage a few years ago – which was hard for both my husband and me. Both losses, while different, brought about change and I think the hard part to work through came from knowing that things would never go back to what they were before these experiences. 

Reflecting on these moments, I wish I could have told myself that it is OK to feel scared, or vulnerable, or overwhelmed when faced with hardships – and that these moments do not define us, they are given to us, even if they don’t make sense to allow us to grow.

That was an unreal read, Megan. Thank you for all that you do and thank you for being so open.

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A reminder: I’ll be at the run tonight and Friday with the shirts so if you ordered one and haven’t picked it up, please come see me! Alternatively, please get in touch.