Best Walking Shoes For Women 2009

The power of friendship turns two women into marathoners

Karen Bradley and Stacey Harland live in Withcott, Queensland. These neighbours struck up a friendship about eight years ago and began meeting for morning walks. They also joined a gym together. In mid-2004 Stacey suggested they add running to their exercise routine.

“I enjoyed the distance running events at primary and high school. I didn’t ever win any races or break records but I got the odd second or third and represented my high school at the Darling Downs zone cross country. I had always been interested in doing a marathon and loved watching it on the Olympics but never really gave it much serious thought. I ran for exercise for a couple of years here and there, nothing ever too serious,” Stacey says.

Karen, on the other hand, had zero interest in running. She liked their morning walks and resisted Stacey’s suggestions to pick up the pace. “I've never been a runner – I didn’t like it at all. When another friend did the 10-kilometre race at the Gold Coast in 2004, Stacey got all inspired and thought we should train to do the same thing the following year,” Karen says.

Despite Karen’s reluctance to try running, Stacey persisted. “She kept nagging me to. I resisted greatly, however she finally wore me down,” Karen says. So Karen and Stacey began adding short stretches of running to their morning walks. “We started slow – just adding a bit of running to our walking, then a bit more running and a bit less walking,” Stacey says.

Slowly but surely the two working mothers in their early 40s built up their running stamina. It wasn’t long before they had a chance to test it. In early 2005, their gym organised a 5-kilometre fun run and breakfast. Stacey and Karen decided to participate. “We were a bit nervous and wondered if we could ever run that far as we hadn’t done that distance before,” Stacey says.

They finished the 5km race and loved the resulting feeling of accomplishment. The two women also noticed others runners doing that 5km stretch a second time. “We were totally amazed that some people turned around and ran it again. We were in awe. This helped us with our motivation. If they could so could we,” Stacey says.

They had considered doing that 10km race their friend had finished the previous year at the Gold Coast, which had been the catalyst for their running. By following a training program the two friends achieved their goal and finished the Gold Coast Marathon 10km event in July 2005.

Finishing that first 10km within a year of becoming a runner at the age of 40 is still one of Karen’s best running memories. “I was just on such a high from the whole race experience and in total awe that I had actually run 10km - and all with best friend Stacey of course.”

The elation of achieving another goal immediately sparked ideas for the next challenge. “We were just so happy that we’d done the 10km. We high-fived after we crossed the finish and said, ‘Next year the half’,” Stacey says.

Both Karen and Stacey have busy lives, with jobs, partners and children. They have to make time to do their training which can be a challenge. But the mental and physical rewards they get from running motivate them to stick to the training programs they choose. They run four times a week, usually early in the morning.

“Sometimes it's a bit of a juggling act. On weekdays I usually get up at 5:30am for a run while everyone's still in bed and then I'm back home in time to get ready for work and kids to school. Sunday long runs can sometimes be difficult to fit in, depending on other weekend commitments, but the majority of the time I can manage to fit this in first thing Sunday mornings,” Karen says.

While it may sound hectic, Karen finds the effort worthwhile because it allows her to focus on, and do something for, herself which in turn benefits her whole family. She says, “Running is me-time. Since I've had children I haven't really had much time on just me. I started running 3 1/2 years ago, and at times I feel guilty if I'm going on a long run, or going away for the weekend for a fun run - although that doesn’t happen very often. However, as the children get older it's getting easier. Running is something I can do. I don’t have to be good at it but I can do it and when I want and how I want and I get such great benefits, both physically and emotionally, from it.”

Stacey agrees. “I find time to fit running in around everything else. It is a chance for some me-time and a chance to have a chat with my buddy about all that goes on in our lives. The topic depends on what issues are pressing at the time. We find we can have a good talk while running. It is amazing how quickly you can get to the top of a hill while releasing all that anger. Otherwise we just chit-chat as we go. We are great friends and can talk to each other about pretty much anything.”

And nothing is a bigger help to get up early when everyone else at home is still asleep than knowing that a running buddy is waiting for you. Karen says, “When the alarm goes off I just have to get up and go whether I'm in a good or a bad mood because I know Stacey's waiting to meet me. Which is a great thing because otherwise I know it would be way too easy to turn off the alarm, roll over and go back to sleep. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am now with my running if I didn’t have a running partner.”

The early starts make them feel that they are getting more out of life. Stacey says, “We do often make the effort to look around as we are running – seeing the wildlife, listening to the birds in the pre-dawn light, looking at the views and watching the sun rise. We also think about all the extra hours of living we have had, being up and about rather than still asleep in bed.”

Their new lifestyle has brought benefits to their health, and that of their family members. Stacey says, “I’m sure it has health benefits besides weight management. I know I’m a lot fitter than other girls my age in my touch team, plus all the other benefits that might not be obvious at this point in time such as reduced risks of osteoporosis, cancer and arthritis.”
Karen says, “Running has a great affect on my quality of life. I have an interest now and it is such a positive and healthy one. I eat whatever I want - which probably isn’t a good thing - but it's good to be able to not have worry constantly about what you eat. I feel well, fit and more confident with my body image. My running has had a positive impact on my family. My partner, being an ex-footballer, used to run from time to time but he is running quite frequently now and will probably enter some races this year. My children also sometimes want me to go on a run with them. Especially when it gets to school cross-country time they get very committed. I'm sure they would not be interested if it wasn’t for my running, so that makes me feel great.”

Stacey says, “My children will often ask me how far I ran when I get back all hot and sweaty. My son once said he wanted to be a runner just like mummy. My husband thinks it’s good I get away for the odd weekend here and there to participate in a running event.”

Both Karen and Stacey are now dedicated runners and have many other motivations to keep up their training regime. Karen says, “It is the great sense of achievement after a run, especially after doing a PB or finishing a race in your goal time; the extra time I get to spend with my best friend; the fat-burning and fitness benefits. It's a whole new exciting interest in my life.”

Both women say they usually feel better after a run. After a great run, Karen says she feels elated, on a high and so glad she made the effort to do it.

Stacey says, “If we’ve just done a personal best for a time trial, or had a good speed session, you can’t help but feel pleased with yourself. I also like the days when you feel you could just keep running – it’s very motivating.”

Stacey expects to keep running until they’re no longer interested or no longer capable. “I don’t know when that will be or which will be first. I do know that if Karen decided she didn’t want to continue it would be a thousand times harder for me to keep running.”
The single-most important thing about running to Stacey is testing herself. “I started running mainly for exercise and fitness but I want to see just how far I can run. I have goals I still want to achieve,” Stacey says.

The two runners keep find newer and bigger challenges. As they pledged at their first 10km finish in July 2005, they returned to the Gold Coast in 2006 to run the half marathon. They did it again in 2007, and ran many other races in between.

In 2008, they decided it was time to up the ante yet again. They enlisted the help of running coach Pat Carroll in March and prepared for the Gold Coast marathon, held at the start of July. With their new program, they ran four times a week including one long run. Four weeks before race day they did their longest run ever which they clocked at 32.7km. Stacey says, “I felt strong and spritely the whole way and entertained the thought that maybe I could push myself for another 9.5km. So hopefully I have another day like that on July 6. Karen wasn’t so lucky - she struggled the whole way from our first few hundred metres. But that too is a testament to her determination in that she kept going and going.’’

Those long runs come with a clear benefit. “Funny how anything shorter than three hours now seems easy. We have been talking and we feel we need another goal to focus on after the Gold Coast or else life will seem a little bit hollow. Though sleeping in for a couple of weeks will be nice,” Stacey says.

Running has changed their lives. “If (when) we complete the marathon at the Gold Coast we’ll be able to say ‘If we can do that – we can do anything’. It has given us a can-do attitude,’’ Stacey says.

Stacey and Karen did run their first marathon a few months later: as planned, they ran the entire 42 kilometres 195 metres side by side and crossed the finish line together. They ran their second one in July 2009, each setting a big PB.

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