Welcome to the 60th edition of the ‘Meet the R4R Runners’. Some of the best things about this series of interviews are the varying perspectives on what resilience means to different people, the prevalence of struggle, and equally, the prevalence of overcoming or enduring said struggle.

This week is no different. You can clearly see that Danielle epitomises resilience and we’re proud that she’s part of our community. So, without further ado, let’s meet Danielle!

What is your name?

Danielle

Where are you from?

Born and bred Canberran

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

Sunsets over the Brindabella’s

Sunset on the Brindabella Mountains - Senator Photography — Hard to argue…

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

Friends from Elevate running group , I first attended 12 months ago.

There are so many R4R runners who are part of the Elevate Running & Fitness Group. If you’d like to get another dose of running in your weekly schedule, check them out via the link below.

Elevate Running & Fitness

What's your favourite thing about R4R?

Love the community spirit and the chance to run and socialise with new people.

What would you like to see R4R do?

Being that Wednesday nights are so huge, potentially an additional evening run.

That’s a good point! If anyone else is in the same boat, one run that follows a similar mold is the pub runners. Similar to Elevate, there’s plenty of cross over so if you rock up without telling anyone, you’ll probably come across a familiar face!

Pub Runners

What's the longest you've ever run?

30km Stromlo trail run.

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

Yes, I’m doing my first triathlon next weekend here in Canberra. The pink triathlon at Stromlo, raising funds and awareness for breast cancer. I lost my mum to breast cancer six years ago, so I’ll be doing this challenge in memory of my mum.

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

1. Even though my mum wasn’t a runner I would like to walk the 6km with her just so we could have more time together.

2. I would love for my son to run with me- this is a work in progress.

3. The Quad Squad- these ladies and I have been through a lot together. I’m so grateful to have these wonderful women in my life.

What does resilience mean to you?

Resilience to me means being able to withstand what life throws at you, grow from it and become a better person because of it.

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

The hardest moment in my life was when my son was diagnosed with Autism at the age of three. The life we thought we were going to have was completely turned upside down.

Autism is a neurological condition which affects my sons ability to speak and interact with others. He is nearly 17, he’s non verbal and will require high level of support for his entire life.

I wish I could have told myself when he was diagnosed that it would get easier, but it doesn’t. I just get stronger and more resilient.

Because of him I am a better human being

Thanks, Danielle. Great Answers!

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Around the Grounds

Thanks again to Tony Wallace for setting up the R4R Parkrun group. Some notable mentions this week were Lili Mooney finishing as the first Female and Jenni Schofield busting out a Park Run Personal Best!

Canberra Running Festival

Join us for the Canberra Times Running Festival on April 16, 2023! This event has something for everyone, whether you want to run a marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, or the 2K kids run. If you don’t have a team already, we invite you to sign up for the ‘Running for Resilience’ team and celebrate together after the race, at either the Jetty or the Dock (we’ll confirm closer to the date).

City 2 Surf

Mark your calendars for the 13th of August 2023 because R4R is doing the City 2 Surf again! Entries for the race open on Tuesday the 28th of March so don’t worry too much just yet, just know that you need to watch this space!

“What a day!” - if you’d like to see more about what last year’s City 2 Surf looked like, click on the link below.

Last year's City2Surf

The R4R Rag

Meet the R4R Runners #60