Gold Coast Results!

It's now been a fill week since Renee, Craig and Amy ran their races for Felicity and we couldn't be more proud of their efforts!
Renee was first up with her 10km run on Saturday the 6th. It was an early start but Renee powered through and smashed out a new personal best for the event she enjoys so much. Congrats!!

RESULT: 55minutes 09seconds


The following day the Gold Coast put on another spectacular day for Craig and Amy to run their first ever full marathon. The start gun went at 7:20am and the running began..... 4hours and a whole lot of steps latter both our determined runners were still on the course. We can only imagine the challenge this 42.2 run takes any runner through and are incredibly grateful to both Craig and Amy for taking it on in Felicity's name!

RESULTS: Craig: 4hours 22minutes
Amy: 4hours 44minutes
A HUGE thank you to our runners - your efforts and generosity is awesome. And a HUGE thank you, also to all those who sponsored our runners. Our counters are so close to tipping over the first $1000 of our aim - WOW!!
We hope it's been a week of celebration and rest Renee, Craig and Amy.... Well deserved!

Why Are They Running?.... Amy: Gold Coast Marathon

Just a few days to go - what a weekend coming up! Another of our runners who seems to keenly return year after year is Felicity's step-mum, Amy. This year Amy has stepped up to take on the full 42.2km marathon for the first time and has this to share with us about why she is doing it:

I have been running for a 3 years now and can safely and proudly say I love it (some may say I might be a little addicted to the sport). When I tell someone, especially a non-runner, what I did that morning in preparation for the marathon this is what they hear: My alarm goes off in the morning, I roll out of bed, get myself into my running gear, lace up my shoes and head out the door. I reach my half way point and turn around to head home or complete my circuit and come home. Sure I probably worked up a sweat or might have some sore legs at some point but I am fit so surely I can get it done. Right?
What really goes on:
I am reluctantly woken by my alarm clock at 4am, convince myself to get out of bed, get rugged up in compression tights, singlet, top, jacket, socks, sneakers, head band, hat, arm band, gloves, earphones, stocked fuel belt, set my phone running app on to track pace/distance/time etc and head out in the freezing (sometimes pouring rain) dark of the morning and clock up 30+ kilometres. Over those kms I track my pace and time in fuel Gels and sips of water from my drink bottle to help keep me going. Most of these long runs seem to end in a slow, chaffed shuffle up my driveway to my front door to quickly stretch out my screaming tight and tired muscles before having a warm shower then waking my sleeping hubby and kids ready to have breakfast and start a normal day of school and work. When said this way, I agree, it sounds like a horrible way to start the day but after the initial groan at the early alarm (I am NOT a morning person) every step is a step closer to a new goal. A step closer to reaching an aim. A step closer to a personal best. Every single run, wether it's a tough one or not, I come home proud of myself!

Felicity has been working in her Son-Rise Program for 7 years now. On a daily basis Felicity needs to take on all the day-to-day tasks you and I do like dress herself: Choose an outfit, take off your PJ's, maybe have a shower, dress yourself. You do this every day so surely you can just get it done. Right?
What really goes on:
Wakes up, gets out of bed in a dark disorienting space, makes her way to her bedroom door, bangs on the door until someone seems to appear and open the door. Walks to bathroom and uses the toilet. Depending on what PJ's Felicity is wearing she can undress herself but buttons are tricky. Have an adult choose an outfit for the day. Concentrate on every muscle in her body to balance herself while an adult helps her into her clothes one item at a time. Felicity, like a small child, would happily not wear warm enough clothing for the winters weather so it is up to us to be sure she has socks on her feet or a jumper on. Wait for someone to then brush her hair and tie it back to be out of her face. It sounds like a slow and tough start to the day but every single morning no matter how early she woke or how rushed we may be, Felicity will always give you a smile for helping her and doing what she wants. She is now one step closer to doing this for herself. One step understanding the process better.
Training for and running a race, especially a long distance one, is very similar to helping Felicity with her challenges in life. You need to be persistent to be successful. You need to take the bad with the good. You need to learn from yourself & others to move forward. You need to show up wanting it. You need to allow rest days. You need to be proud of achievements and goals reached, celebrate them, no matter how small and then set new ones.... This is what I find myself thinking about ALLOT when I am out running and what I will have in my head and heart Sunday as I tick of the kms until the finish line.
Sure, a marathon is a HUGE milestone and effort. For someone to complete the 42.2kms even just once in their life time is commendable and beleive me when I say I don't think I will be able to wipe the smile off my face for days and days afterwards but for Felicity every day is a a HUGE effort, with hundreds of tiny little milestones reached, and she does it with a smile on her face!!

What a way to look at it! Run Amy, Run - we will be cheering loudly for you from the sidelines!!!!!
Support Felicity through sponsoring Amy's marathon run HERE!!

Why Are They Running?... Craig - Gold Coast Marathon

You would think running 42.2kms is enough of a milestone in itself but adding on all the hours and kilometres of running before race day makes what Craig is doing for Felicity, in a weeks time, an even more mammoth task! Craig has the following to share with us about his race day lead up and why he is willing to pound the pavement in Felicity's name.

Relying on my fitness only from my squash games, I entered into a half marathon about six years ago. Pounding that bitumen in a pair of board shorts, my dad’s shoes, and the mantra “I can run as fast as a leopard” I found it to be bloody hard work, but it did get the endorphins going.
The full marathon always seemed impossible, until something clicked this year. I had been reading about a few interesting people at the start of the year and realised that a huge amount of running is to do with your mental attitude. I began running when there was no surf, but as the year progressed I thought a marathon may now even be possible. I can’t lie, I’m scared, but at least I can tick it off the bucket list when I make it over the line.
My main training component has been running solo on weekends through the Nerang State Forest on rocky steep trails. I usually run 20km.

Felicity does not get the opportunities in life that everybody else takes for granted. Felicity faces constant challenges and misses out on many of the choices and opportunities we can make. But through her development program she can make more opportunities and experience her world in a happy way. Encouraging people to help fund her Son-Rise program and become aware of Felicity’s needs and helping in any small way makes this marathon an awesome experience as it’s not just about me and my achievement it also helps Felicity.

Woohoo Craig - we are right behind you!! Help us show support to Craig for what he is about to take on (did you know only 1% of the worlds population have ever completed a marathon!) by sponsoring him HERE and in turn you are supporting Felicity!!

Why Are They Running?... Renee Gold Coast 10km!

Renee is a wife and a mum of two young boys who has found her love of fitness and running in recent years. When we heard Renee was planning on entering the 10km Gold Coast race we threw around the idea of her doing it for Felicity and she joyously jumped at the chance!
I have asked Renee to 'document' her training, preparation and thoughts along the way and more importantly WHY she is running on July 6th for Felicity and this is what she had to share:

April:
New kicks! Hopefully my new shoes and orthotic inserts will get me running better and faster. Nothing better than a new pair of runners.
As part of my training and my effort to meet my goal of beating my 10km time from last year I attend weekly running training. It is interval based and has grown from a Mum’s and Bubs training group that I’ve been going to since my first son was born five years ago. A group of Mum’s got into running and haven’t looked back, as our babies got bigger we wanted more of a challenge so our trainer created a running group. Our trainer also does triathlons and she has supported and encouraged a lot of Mum’s to get into triathlons as well and she now does weekly tri training for the Mums who want even more of a challenge. So running training went well this week. I set some cracking times. We run 1km four times and try and get a faster time each time. My fastest was 4.35min which is close to my fastest ever. But at this stage I couldn’t hold that pace for 10km I’m still a 5.30min to 6min pace at the moment for a longer run.
May:
Mother’s Day Race – as part of the lead up to the 10km this year I’m ran in the Mother’s Day Classic again. I opted for the 8km race, last year I did the 4km one. Unfortunately I didn’t get the time I was after, it wasn’t my day for running despite setting such great times at training the week before it just wasn’t my day. My time was still pretty good though well under an hour just a slower than expected pace.
I’m starting to get a few extra runs in. Went for a run along the Burleigh Heads foreshore with a friend and we racked up an easy 9km first thing in the morning it was a great confidence booster.
June:
Not long now until the big 10km I’m still aiming for a time faster than last year. I don’t think I’ll get 49min but that was pretty unrealistic as I remembered my time from last year wrong. It wasn’t 51min it was 57min so 54min would be pretty awesome and still really hard to get.
Well training has kicked up another notch this week. Along side my triathlons and running training I've also been doing a fitness challenge for over a year. The challenge (Ashy Bines Bikini Body Challenge) is a great way to meet like minded people who help to inspire and challenge me everyday. I love it. Anyway, one of my friends from the challenge helped me step up this weekend. With her encouragement and support I completed my longest ever run - a massive 14kms and it was just a casual training run. I'm so excited to have achieved this and I'm now starting to think of setting my sites higher next year, maybe aiming for the 21km distance. My leg is trying to tell me I'm 35 years old (had some ongoing issues with my feet/leg this year) but with a bit of physio I'm aiming to be in top form. Only 11 more sleeps!

As I train for this race and continue on my fitness journey I think about Felicity a lot and I think about all the work she puts into her day to day life to achieve what we would view as simple tasks. Last time I spoke with her Dad she was working on making a plan, but not a plan as we might think of it just a simple thing like walking around a wall with a hole it in and making a plan to do that to get to the side she wants to be on.
One of the other things I think about is her Mum’s comments in the video about Felicity’s program, it has made the difference between a child that was retreating into her own world and seemed very unhappy to a child who is much happier and enjoying her world much more. This sums up to me the reasons why her program is so important and raising awareness and funding for this for Felicity is an absolute honour. Running is an apt analogy to Felicity’s progress. To run you need to strive constantly, you need to keep training to keep up your fitness and it becomes part of your everyday life.
You are inspiring Renee! Thanks so much for all your work and we can't wait to support your race and hear how you go!!
To show your support for Renee and what she is doing for Felicity be sure to pop over to our DONATE page HERE for ways to sponsor her awesome effort!!

2013 in full swing.... Where we are up to now!

Ummm excuse me, is it June already?!? My apologies for some serious blog neglect here but life is rather busy and has been swallowing us whole!

Alrighty, so where are we up to in our Running The Marathon Of Autism calendar for 2013 you must be wondering.
We have seen our first event of the year already happen a few weeks ago thanks to Amy and Julia running the Sydney Morning Herald Half Marathon for Felicity. both of these runners took on the 21.1kms event for the second time and crossed the finish line tired & sore but with smiles on their faces.
RESULTS:
JULIA - 2hrs 5min 50secs
AMY - 2hrs 1min 29secs

So what is next?... in just 3 short weeks is our next event and it's a biggie - The Gold Coast Airport Marathon!! This event has a bunch of differnet length races over the weekend of July 6th-7th and three of our team will be a part of it. Renee will be taking on her favourite event on the Saturday, the 10km, and is aiming for a PB. Word has it Renee is training hard and be sure we will share a few of her thoughts in the lead up with you over the next few weeks.

Also running on the weekend will be Craig and Amy. These two are taking on the full 42.2km marathon for the first time on the Sunday and have decided to do it in Felicity's name - Awesome! Both of these runners are deep in training and have some stories to share about their experiences (how many of you would be willing to get up at the crack on a cold morning and go for a training run that takes 3hours?!? Huge effort!!).
We also have the Sydney City2Surf, the Melbourne Half marathon and the Sydney Blackmores event with runners taking part for Felicity later in the year so 2013 is looking good!!
Again, sorry for the lack of blog posts but strap in now because they are in the works :)


xxx

Maryke's Marathon Number 4 for Felicity!

What are you up to this coming Sunday? A sleep in? A relaxing day out with family? Will you be going for a short run to get in a little exercise? or will you, like one of our awesome runners, Maryke, be taking on a 42.195km Full Marathon for the 4th time??

Maryke will be lining up in the Melbourne Marathon and just like the past 3 times she has run this race, Maryke will be doing it for Felicity!!

Why do I keep coming back for more Amy asked me? I think the marathon has become slightly addictive.
On Sunday I will line up for Marathon #4 – when I started this crazy caper 4 years ago for Felicity I never ever thought I would run more than one.
But here I am, about to do it for the 4th time.
When I started I also did not know that my own son was on the Autism Spectrum – he has Aspergers. This came out in the years since and changed everything. If anything it motivated me more. It led me to the Autism Treatment Centre of America to learn about strategies to help him be the best he can be. It healed a large part of me. Your head space has such a big part to play in marathon running and after going to the US I had my most mentally comfortable run ever.
Every year is different – the lead up, the training and then the actual day. It has become a quest of sorts – to complete 10 marathons – all for Felicity - to see her into early adulthood – she turned 12 yesterday!
I do it simply because I can.

- Maryke

What an inspiration you are Maryke! Thank you for being you and GOOD LUCK on Sunday, we will be behind you in spirit!!
To show your support for Maryke and what she is doing for Felicty (did you know less than 1% of the worlds population have run a full marathon?!?!?!?!) please follow the link HERE to sponsor Maryke's run by donating via Paypal, cheque or direct deposit.

Half Marathon Results 2012

What a spectacular Spring day Sydney put on for the Blackmores Running Festival yesterday.
The Half Marathon event was the first event of the day and started at 6:20am. Amy managed to snap a quick shot as her and Julia headed over the Harbour Bridge at the start of the race.

Both Julia and Amy had a great race for their first ever half marathon and are already making plans for their next running challenge! Congrats ladies on such a great effort and THANK YOU oh so much for doing this for Felicity - our donation counter crossed the $2000 mark thanks to you wonderful women!!

RESULTS:
AMY: 2hrs 3mins and 34secs
JULIA: 2hrs 3mins 45secs