Meet the R4R Runners #65

Welcome to the 65th edition of the ‘Meet the R4R Runners’. This week we get to meet Rex, who is an R4R Runner from way back in the free food days! Always donning a smile and always happy to chat, Rex is exactly the reason why our community has grown into what it is today… he’s a bloody quick runner too!

We are stoked to have Rex as part of our community and he’s provided some great answers below. So, without further ado, let’s meet

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What is your name? 

Rex

Where are you from?

Do you want the short version or the long one...! Short version is: Sevenoaks, UK Long one is Taiwan, UK, then stints in Czechia, the U.S., Shanghai, and back to London before arriving on the beautiful shores of Australia in 2016.

What's your favourite thing about Canberra?

Out of everywhere I've lived, Canberra is (quite seriously) my favourite place so far. I feel like Canberra is rehab for anyone who's spent too long in big, noisy, polluted mega cities. The access to trails for walking, running, or biking, those spectacular sunsets, misty mornings on the lake - the sleepy suburbs, hidden cafes, big boulevards and empty museums. What's not to love!

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

A friend of mine mentioned there was a running group just down the street from me, back when R4R was only a small handful of people shivering in the dark. It's amazing to see how much its grown since then.

What's your favourite thing about R4R?

The people, the message, and of course the beer. I've met some amazing friends through R4R for which I am deeply grateful

What would you like to see R4R do?

More events! Post R4R trivia? But also runs - I hope to make it to City 2 Surf this year

What's the longest you've ever run? 

64km, the Razorback trail run in Vic

Are you planning on taking part in any races or events soon or are there any just gone?

I only started running in late 2019, after being dragged out of bed (by some wonderful people) to do a parkrun (which I couldn't finish). Little did I know that would be the start of a life changing journey... This year I'm signed up to the CBR times marathon for the second time, will attempt the UTA 100, and hopefully the Sri Chinmoy Canberra trail 100 in September.

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

Barack Obama - how he maintained poise and composure in face of the most incredible challenges is truly inspiring.

Albert Einstein - I feel like even a small glimpse into his mind might well change you forever.

Alan Watts - my mentor, spirit guide, (and also my greatest sleep aid).

What does resilience mean to you?

Having the courage to go on.

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

That the darkest night is just before dawn. That no matter how bad things get, there is always some light to be found, and from the greatest personal tragedies often comes the most positive transformative change.

Great responses, Rex!

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Around the Grounds

And the numbers just keep growing! Park Run is a cracking way to kick off the weekend and it’s clear to see that many of our R4R community members share this sentiment. There are countless options for Park Run all across the world, so if you’re interested, check them out here.

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Canberra Running Festival

On the Sunday just gone, countless Canberra drivers were frustrated beyond belief when they tried to venture across the lake. Meanwhile, countless Canberra runners were miserably wet and cold as they knocked off innumerable kilometers.

The Canberra Running Festival was a great success and it was so good to see so many R4R Runners out there pounding the pavement.

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ANZAC DAY R4R

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them

If you’re looking to take part in something a little different, one of our R4R community members is signing up for the Trek 4 Vets which is Midnight 2 Dawn Trek that requires participants to sacrifice a night’s sleep and trek until dawn to attend their local ANZAC Day service. If you’d like to find out more, click the link below.

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Interview with the ABC

Last week, Running For Resilience (R4R) was featured on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) with Adrienne Francis. The interview allowed for a high level view of R4R, context on how we started, and touched on our goal of making Canberra suicide-free by 2033.

I mention in the interview that it’s an ambitious goal, but it’s one that we’re serious about, and it’s one we believe we can achieve. It’ll be a long, windy road, with plenty of unknowns… but the first steps of improving sustainable individual resilience and increasing community engagement are the simplest yet potentially most impactful ones we can take.

You can listen to the interview here or via the below link.