Meet the R4R Runners Special Guest #3

Heidi Prowse

In previous special editions of the R4R Rag, we’ve met my Parents, my dog Mate, and we’ve got a couple more special guests lined up for the Rag in the near future. This week, on the back of budgy smuggler merch and undie-run requests, it was natural to reach out to our 3rd Special Guest, Heidi Prowse.

Heidi is the organiser of the 2022 Santa Speedo Shuffle and is maybe better recognised as the CEO of Mental Illness Education ACT . Whilst she hasn’t been to an R4R (until tonight), she reached out to me early on to offer some insights and assistance on communicating within the Mental Health environment.

She’s helped R4Rs message get in front of more people and as a result, progressed us further towards our goal. She’s a special person with a real desire to improve people’s lives and I’m looking forward to reading her answers to our Rag!

What is your name? 

Heidi Prowse

Where are you from?

I grew up in Gundagai and then Tamworth, but I settled in Canberra about 10 years ago.

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

How connected everyone is. I love that you can go down the street and run into people you know, but the opportunities are endless in terms of career and lifestyle. I came to Canberra expecting to be here for 9 months. I found the love of my life, found the strengths that I can offer the community and really make a difference and built my home.

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

I have been following R4R since it started and a silent advocate from afar. I look forward to attending my first session as it has taken me some time to get myself moving.

What's your favourite thing about R4R?

It can be hard to find your people in Canberra, I love the inclusivity of R4R and how it shows that no matter who you are you have a place here.

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

A special come and try event or bring a friend would be amazing. Even though technically every session is a come and try it would break down further barriers for people to come along who may not have the confidence and provide a structured entry point which we know reduces anxiety for some people.

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

Goodness no!! I plan to do 3, 5km events this year and hopefully start to do them more often, but I am being kind to myself and taking my time so that this moving thing will last.

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

On the 31st of July I will be leading (from the back of the pack) the 10th and final Santa Speedo Shuffle around Lake Burley Griffin. I am holding this event in memory of my husband Andrew Prowse who passed away last year from cystic fibrosis, he was only 34 years old. CFACT were a huge support to our family over the past 10 years. They provided practical supports that kept him healthier longer like medical equipment, nutritional supplements and exercise support. This meant 4.5 years ago, for example, I pushed him in a wheelchair on oxygen into the ED of St Vincent’s and we walked out 9 days later following a double lung transplant.

I will always be so grateful for the extra time CFACT helped us to have.

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

I have never really been someone with idols, I like to listen and learn from people from all walks of life. In my role as the CEO of MIEACT I get to hear powerful stories from everyday people and they seem to be the people that I learn the most from.

So I would choose one of the MIEACT volunteers Damien, who has taught me about what dignity means and inspires me in the way he truly focuses on his mental and physical health every day. We walked the Canberra Marathon together and he is joining me for the Shuffle too. We have to go “a bit faster” next time. But I just appreciate the way he grounds me.

My great great grandfather immigrated to Australia from Germany. We haven’t been able to find any ancestors prior to him. Family is so important to me and I love to hear stories of our journey through time. I would love to walk with him to hear about his family, where he grew up, why he came to Australia.

And of course I would love to have one last 6km with Andy. We would wear our speedos. He is, well, everything. He has always been the person who gives me strength and inspires me to do more for our community. He would share so many facts from his computer brain. We were “lucky” to have so many conversations before he passed away at our home, he was completely at peace, but the thing is, it just never seems enough. We don’t necessarily need to have this time, maybe we would just walk in silence.

What does resilience mean to you?

My perception of resilience has changed or maybe it has evolved. It used to be about finding the strength to move through whatever you were faced and finding the gratitude in each day. At the moment my mental health feels like I am sitting at the bottom of a deep dark well. When I responded the way I always have, I caused greater harm to myself ferociously trying to get out and move forward. Now I allow myself to fully experience my emotions, to acknowledge them and not be frightened or ashamed of them, but to give them some space and respond in a way that is helpful for me. Sometimes that might be giving myself a break and being ok with doing that.

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

No. Every moment even the hard ones have helped me to learn and grow. They have created the women that I am today. I live every day the best that I can, I try to find acceptance in the past even if things don’t go the way I would like. Maybe I would just tell myself what I tell myself every day – remember you are fabulous no matter what!

Thanks Heidi!