The 15 October marks White Cane Safety Day. 

Achilles Melbourne President, Claudia S shares a few tips on white cane users and safety.

The long white cane is a remarkable piece of technology that requires no batteries, wifi or charging. 

A white cane works by conducting vibration up the shaft to a user's hand which communicates a lot of useful information. It can tell you the material, texture and slope of the ground surface. You can locate steps and drop offs. By tapping, a cane user can receive auditory feedback about their environment including a degree of echolocation feedback as well as alert other people to their presence.

It can be used by people who are blind or have low vision of all ages and abilities in all environments (with some modifications to the tip for some places). At its most basic it is a low cost tool to provide safe and effective mobility to people across the world.

A white cane is amazing and both it and the people who use it should be given respect. The easiest thing you can do to create a safe space for white cane users is to use your voice. As a sighted person, if you approach a white cane user without warning, or grab and shove a person without consent, it can be jarring and leave white cane users feeling violated. 

Communicating your presence to a white cane user is easy. A simple, ‘Hi there’ or ‘would you like assistance?’ is a great start. A white cane user can move around you or seek assistance from you if they require it.

A brief side note is that there are also many people who are DeafBlind. This takes many forms but needs to be recognised that not everyone will be able to ‘hear’ your voice. If you encounter someone who is DeafBlind and they seem to be travelling well please just let them be. If they need assistance they will have strategies in place to communicate with you.

Effective cane use takes skill and concentration. It’s not easy to go for a leisure walk using a long cane. That’s where Achilles is a great resource. It allows cane users to let their brains take a break and actually enjoy their surroundings without worrying about the information they are processing through their cane.

Ways to assist cane users:
Use your voice. Let cane users know you’re around. Use your name if you know them, particularly when you’re out of context.

Be a good ally. Share information with your networks.

Ask if people need assistance with transport or would like to be met particularly if they’re heading somewhere new.

Ask a cane user if they would like to go for a walk or run.

Rhiannon R is a sighted guide with Achilles Melbourne. This past weekend, Rhiannon R guided and ran alongside blind runner, Peter E at City Bay in Adelaide, South Australia. In this blog post, Rhiannon shares her experience as a sole guide in a busy fun run.

Pete and I run together a lot. We are pretty well matched for pace, but he is running strong ahead of his debut full marathon in Berlin in two weeks’ time. City Bay was hard work, and I loved it, but it confirmed something I’ve been thinking for a while: runners need to reconsider their use of noise-cancelling headphones, and my experience highlighted the importance of “bulldozers” in a blind running team.

Usually at big events in Melbourne, people with low vision or blind people are teamed up with a guide that they run side by side with, and also a second guide that we call a “bulldozer”. Bulldozers run a couple of meters ahead to let people in front know that we will be passing them, and also to keep a clearer line of vision for the side-by-side guide. Pete and I didn’t have a bulldozer, but I’ve lived in Adelaide and know it well. I knew the course would be wide open bitumen roads with few turns or obstacles to worry about. I was excited to go out for what I thought would be an easy paced 12km fun run on my fave kind of surface, and to have some laughs with Pete along the way!

On Sunday morning, we left our hotel at about 7:50am for our 1.2km warm-up jog to the start line. Outside I immediately got disorientated and we did a lap of the large T junction through Hindmarsh Square before I looked up and saw the Adelaide hills, then my brain kicked into gear and we turned back in the right direction. The race started at 8am but I figured we wouldn't want to be up the front where it would be too congested. The information pamphlet provided by the event organizers said that walkers and pram runners would start from 8:15am, so we jogged to the start to begin ahead of them. However when we got there, many runners still waiting to begin in waves taking off at 5min intervals, so we chatted with another runner to make sure we were in the right spot, jumped into the start chute with him, and took off over the start line at 8:20am.

The start crowd felt  relaxed and positive, and we began running up a long slow incline surrounded by many runners at a similar pace. As we turned onto South Terrace a man called out “Go Achilles!” which surprised us, and we speculated that perhaps he was from Melbourne too.

There aren’t many turns along the route in City Bay, and the elevation trends gradually downhill after the first small climb up from the start. I knew we were moving at a good pace but assumed we’d been caught up in the start crowd excitement. It wasn’t until we turned onto Anzac Highway, which most of the 12kms follows, and we were still running each km faster than the last that I mentioned it to Pete. He said he felt good and I checked to make sure he was happy to keep pushing the pace. With Berlin Marathon only two weeks after City Bay, I wanted to help him run as fast he could and gain some confidence from this event, but I was conscious that if he pushed too hard he could get injured ahead of his first ever full marathon.

The highway is a wide road and people really spread out across the lanes. We stuck mostly to the right but did a lot of people dodging. In a few spots the bitumen had some large long cracks, and I think each of us slipped into them at one point. Without a bulldozer to help with noting hazards and ensuring a clear running path, the bitumen cracks came up suddenly as they were impossible to avoid amongst the crowded foot traffic. We passed heaps of runners and only had a handful overtake us. We stopped at two drink stations at 6kms and 9kms for water, and Pete had a gel that he’s testing for Berlin.

With a few kms to go, we were approaching a wide bend in the highway and I knew we would soon turn off onto more narrow streets. At some point as we approached the finish line, we’d also have tram tracks to avoid, but also the walkers at the tail end of the half marathon event.

Our pace had increased again but I could feel that Pete was able to go even faster. My heart rate was high and I could hear my pulse pounding in my ears. In my head I worried that he wanted to go faster but I was holding him back. Some negative intrusive thoughts tried to take over ‘You’re holding him back! What if you fall? Cramp? Vomit?’ But I had to block them out.

At this stage of the race, the biggest challenge on the course was navigating around people wearing noise-cancelling headphones. I was calling out almost constantly at this time “Please keep left, blind runner passing”. It was easier to try and clear a path than to keep dodging people, while also watching Pete’s feet to make sure he wasn’t going to slip into the tram tracks. I wanted to stay in the wider middle lane but there were too many people wearing noise cancelling headphones. People running with headphones weren’t able to hear me calling out, and were shocked or surprised as we squeezed past them. Sometimes other runners heard me and helped by calling out too, yelling louder than I was capable of. A woman pleaded for people to share the road. Some ran ahead and tapped the head-phoned people on the shoulder to move out of our way. I am so thankful for their help, and feel so much love for the people in the running community who are looking out for each other in these highly congested events.

I hesitate to discourage others from feeling a sense of enjoyment as I do from running. However, if you need the motivation of music to get out, please consider leaving noise cancelling headphones at home, try “open ear” or “bone conduction” headphones, or maybe just one earbud. Situational awareness is important in big fun run events, but also when we’re sharing day-to-day paths with pedestrians, bikes and alongside cars.

Most people around us on the course were conscious that they were sharing the road with many people. We had fun, brief chats with a few people we passed, and some expressed how they admired what Pete and I were doing.

I know how hard it can be to get out the door to run. Let alone sign up for an event. By getting out there we gain invaluable life experience, test our limits and learn lessons about ourselves. We are all part of a bigger community and need to look out, and listen out for one another.

When running as a sighted guide, the race is run at the pace of the person with low vision. It’s their effort and they should celebrate that. I’m there to ensure that they, and everyone around them on the course, are safe in achieving their goals. The best part of being in a running community is that everyone has the chance to uplift each other and keep others safe, just by simply being aware of their surroundings  I don't usually collect a race medal when guiding, but I did after running the 12km City Bay Fun Run in Adelaide with Pete. I’m so thankful to Pete for inviting me to run with him in such a beautiful city. I knew we’d have lots of fun, but the bonus of feeling strong and being able to challenge ourselves to achieve a finish time we were both happy with is icing on the frog cake (it’s a South Australian thing!)

We collected stunning finisher medals that are burnished silver with a spinning gold medallion in the centre, highlighting 50 years of City Bay, and proudly wore them all the way home on the plane back to Melbourne.
 

By Peter E and Emily Haddow

Guide running and being guided carries a wide range of emotions from both people with vision impairment, and sighted guides. …and this is on top of the physical and practical mechanics of guiding.  The process for a person with vision impairment asking for guides, as well as a sighted person offering themselves up as a guide, can evoke a range of feelings that we all need to be aware of and understand.
When a person with vision impairment puts themselves out there publicly asking for guiding assistance for an event, training run, or even just a social walk, it can create anxiety and stress for them in several ways. Asking for assistance can feel like a sacrifice of independence despite logically knowing that help is needed to enjoy the freedom of running.  People with vision impairment may also fear rejection if they don’t get a positive response, which can happen for a range of valid reasons, such as no guides being available at the requested time or location, or there is just no guide available who can match the pace required.  For these reasons and others more personal, people with vision impairment may avoid asking for help to protect themselves from feelings of vulnerability and rejection. This is why proactive and emotionally sensitive offers of guiding for local parkruns, upcoming events and Sunday training is so important.

Guides can also experience similar feelings of rejection or disappointment if no one comes forward to take up an offer to guide. People can sign up to be a guide for various reasons, but most come with the desire to ‘be helpful’ or to ‘contribute to community’. These are wonderful motivations but can leave guides feeling unnecessary or unneeded if they are part of a large guide contingent for Sunday training, or are not selected to guide an event. It’s important to remember at these times that low attendance of runners with vision impairment at Sunday training can occur for various reasons such as injuries, or just many members with vision impairment being away over the weekend. Coordinating parings for large events can be challenging, with preferred pacing and distances difficult to match. If a guide is not selected, it is not a sign of individual failure. You may wish to offer any sighted guiding support the community, but this may look different depending on the availability, location, pace and preferences of athletes with vision impairment.

All feelings are legitimate, reasonable and need to be respected and understood.  We are all different; some of us may not experience these emotions at all, some of us may feel them but have built the confidence or resilience to ask for a sighted guide…The reality is that there are some of us who remain on a personal journey to navigate these tricky emotions. As a result, they may not be getting the full experience Achilles has to offer.

With all issues there are solutions.

For members with a vision impairment, if you are having difficulty with any of the issues raised in this blog, please reach out to the committee, or maybe a guide or another athlete you are comfortable with to talk through the concerns. We can plan to ensure you get the level of support you need.

For guides, the same advice applies, reach out if you have an issue or are struggling to feel connected. We can plan to help you feel like you are contributing to the community even if people with vision impairment are not as readily available as you had hoped. The Committee is always looking for more help!

It is essential to always remember Achilles is a non-judgmental, inclusive, and open community organisation that is here to support and help people with a disability on their terms.  Giving and receiving support is something we all should be grateful for, in whatever form that takes. Whether it is running together on a Sunday, completing a parkrun, socially being available, or most importantly, learning to be part of a group where members will have needs or preferences different to your own. 

We all think of Achilles as a running club, but it is far more than this for both the athletes with vision impairment and sighted guides. It is a community where we exercise, socialise, sometimes travel, but always support each other in the best way possible. No one should feel rejected or pressured to give or accept help. Enjoy Achilles not for what it gives you but what you can give to the community.

Peter is an athlete with vision impairment and committee member at Achilles Melbourne. Emily is a sighted guide and also a committee member at Achilles Melbourne. Both have dreams to run a marathon in an athlete-sighted guide partnership one day.

This is probably one of the most common questions we get from prospective guides. For a simple question, it’s a complex answer. It depends on the situation and location.

In short, the answer is, no, we don’t have “enough” guides. This is because we believe that all people who love running/walking, have a good level of vision, and the ability to communicate verbally should have some knowledge of sighted guiding. There are often times when our athletes with a disability are not able to find sighted guides.

One of the easiest physical activities to do to get active is to go for a run. There’s nothing like being out in the open, your feet pounding the pavement and the rush of energy you feel from running or a brisk walk. But if you live with vision impairment, it’s not just a matter of strapping on your shoes and heading out the door. Often, you need to travel somewhere to meet someone, arrange for a support worker to look after your dog guide, make sure you know where to send your rideshare or taxi driver, know how to navigate public transport to a mutually agreed meeting point and know how you’re going to store your belongings (e.g. white cane, a change of clothes, water, towel, valuables etc.). And after all of that, there’s the worry of matching pace and being guided by someone you get along with. Even the task itself of an athlete having to ask for a sighted guide can raise feelings of embarrassment or guilt that the athlete must push aside. There’s a lot to consider for someone with vision impairment when they go for a run.

Why is it such an effort to go for a run when you live with vision impairment? One reason of many, is because we don’t have enough guides.

Imagine this: one of our runners/walkers with vision impairment wants to go running or go for an energetic power walk. They could join any social running club or event because there would be someone who could run with them. Or if they weren’t into club running, or had awkward schedules that didn’t align with social runs, they could ask a neighbour or someone in the local community to simply turn up at their doorstep to go for a run.

If we ever reached this sighted guide running nirvana, then yes, we would have “enough” guides.
Despite your interest to become a sighted guide, you might not live near someone with vision impairment. If this is you, we’d still encourage you to learn to be a sighted guide. While there may not be someone near to you to guide now, perhaps sometime in the future, someone might move into your area, or you might move somewhere where you know someone with vision impairment. Perhaps you’re friends with a keen runner who does live near someone with vision impairment. With your connection, you could be the one that connects a guide with a person with vision impairment. 

Sometimes at our Sunday training sessions, a lot of our members with vision impairment seem to be simultaneously busy, and we can be inundated with guides. In these situations, we encourage you to get to know your fellow guide as Achilles is just as much social as it is about sighted guiding. On the contrary, sometimes we face a dearth of sighted guides. This can particularly happen when there are people with vision impairment with specific needs (e.g. extremely fast pace or extremely long distance). Here, we definitely don’t have enough guides!

Achilles operates on a casual basis so there’s no obligation to guide in an ongoing relationship. While some people may form good friendships in their guide-athlete dyad and run often together, it’s best if a person with a disability has a community of guides to call upon. Perhaps John is the Monday guide, Jane is the Tuesday guide, and Bilal is the Wednesday guide…you get the idea! But then perhaps Jane is injured or on holidays (lucky Jane!). Having a situations where we have “enough” guides would mean that Jane is instantly replaced by another guide while she’s unavailable.
​
At the end of the day, our message to you is this: give guide running a go, and if you can’t work it into your schedule, tell 10 friends about it. Actually, tell those 10 friends about sighted guiding regardless of your situation. If we have enough people talking about sighted guiding, then perhaps one day we’ll have “enough” guides.

This blog post was written by Amanda Kwong - Founder and current co-Vice President of Achilles Melbourne. 

By Maddy Seiter, President Achilles Melbourne 

With 2023 behind us it’s time to reflect on what has been a bumper year for Achilles Melbourne.
It has been yet another busy year for Achilles Melbourne filled to the brim with training opportunities and events. During 2023 we have had the opportunity to take park in a large number of events both near and far including  but not limited to The Tim Gates Fun Run, the Beer Mile, Stadium Stomp, Run 4 the Kids, Pride Run, Melbourne Marathon, Connors Run, Run Prix, Sydney Marathon, Puffing Billy, Bright Running Festival, Shepparton Running Festival, City2Surf, Gold Coast Marathon, HBF Run for a Reason, Mother’s Day Classic,  Canberra Marathon and our biggest event for the year Run Melbourne where we had more than 100 participants from all Australian Achilles chapters come and take part. A big thank you must go out to Amanda K, Bronson, Rhiannon, Vincent, Max C, Maddy, Max, Simon, Jermaine and The Wharf, City of Melbourne and our interstate chapter organisers Ellis J, Brian O, Peter R, Aaron B (Canberra's Max), Robert J.

We also had Claudia, Jack T, Maddy, Karen B, Nicole M, Joo,  Deb C and Jacinta W venture over to the USA where they were able to take on New York Marathon.
With thanks to Nat B, Bupa and Trailbus we were able to hit the trails multiple times where we explored George Bass Coastal Trail, Werribee Gorge, Yarra Ranges National Park and Lake Mountain.

We also had a good turnout for our 6th annual Tan Handicap where we introduced a second race for our guides. In our VIP event first place was taken out by Jack T and in the guide event Max C took out first place. A big thank you to all who helped put on the event including Emily H, Peter E, Amanda K, Julie C, Jez and Vincent.

Wednesday strength continued to remain strong both virtually and in face to face at Tom’s Block and Kathleen Symes Library. Strength welcomed a number of new participants and worked hard to support all participants.  A big thank you needs be given to our strength Coaches Deb and Karen for running the sessions and to Peggy and Julie C for covering while Deb and Karen were away in NY.

We also teamed up with our friends at parkrun on numerous occasions including a successful guide training session at Pakenham parkrun and filling all volunteer roles with athletes with a disability or guides at Parkville parkrun in honour of International Day of People with Disability.

Throughout the year our volunteers shone bright as always. Whether guiding, coordinating Sunday training sessions and events, running guide training sessions, assisting at expos or just being there to lend a helping hand your time and effort is appreciated.
 
We brought attention to the contributions from our volunteers of the month for 2023 Amanda K, Vincent, Maz Strong.  We also had a change in our committee where we welcomed Emly H and Peter E as new committee member and thank our current ongoing committee Vincent H, Claudia S, Simon B, Max C, Nessa S, Amanda K and Madeline S. 

But of course, our biggest thanks goes out to you, our members. Your enthusiasm and support for one another and our club shines through. Yes it has been a big year, but when you’ve got members from the best running club (slightly biased opinion), it makes everything we do worth it.

By Peggy Soo

A chilly start to the day on Sunday 30th April, Achilles Melbourne joined Trail Bus to Werribee Gorge on Wurundjeri country (and a tight border with Wadawurung Country to the south of the Werribee river). 
We met the crew of Trail Bus to do a fabulous hiking adventure with the choice of 8km and 5km courses. Both courses consisted of hills, lots of rocks and a bonus rope scramble for the longer course.

After a quick coffee stop and a safety briefing, we broke into two groups. The longer course consisted of VIP’s: Peter S, Maddy S, Jenny B and Max M. Guides were Jez, Erika, Jackie, Aiden, Emily and Rhiannon.

5km group consisted of VIP’s: Peggy S and Janice S. Guides were Nat, Amanda, Robin and Theresa. We also had one guide dog and two young children. One child was carried by mum or dad on their back with a specialised hiking pack. 

Both courses started together for 2km with a nasty hill at the beginning. After the walk up the hill we came a cross our first spectacular lookout overlooking mountain ranges from Ballarat over past Melbourne CBD to Dandinong Ranges. The climb  up the hill was worth the effort. 

As we went on our separate courses, we came across some challenging terrain which tested our concentration and patience. Even more so for VIP’s where guiding needs to be more descriptive of where to put your feet and which side of the track to walk on. Guides also found this to be a different experience where they need to be more aware of surroundings and placement of feet. At times we did find ourselves on narrow paths on the edge of a cliff face. Where the group doing the 8km course had a river crossing and climbed on various rocks, at one point having only a rope to cling onto on the edge of a rock cliff. 

We celebrated our achievements by being met by the Trail Bus crew with chips, coke and fruit.  We can’t forget the lunch at the pub for long-awaited pizzas. 

Achilles Melbourne had conquered Werribee Gorge with smiles and great achievement. Thank you to Trail Bus your planning, transport, trail equipment, and making sure we were all safe. Thank you to Achilles Melbourne and Bupa for an opportunity for some of us would never have been possible without your help and support. 

With courage, we conquered and made it through the Gorge!

[this hike was sponsored by Bupa as part of Achilles Melbourne's hike/bush/trail program]

On the 23rd of April, our committee met for our regular meeting. 

At each meeting, we take the opportunity to express gratitude to those who have gone above and beyond, or have done little things that made a big difference. While we are absolutely sure we've forgotten someone, a special mention to:

* Max C for organising our Run 4 the Kids teams and managing our influx of merchandise.
* Mike T for heading up to Canberra and training out of session with Mikey
* Rhiannon R for taking initiative to help with our post Run Melbourne Lunch
* Simon B for organising our Run Melbourne teams (yet to be released but the background work has started!)
* Vincent H for being magical at linking names of people he's never met before/only once and mining our archives for their images
* Amanda K - for giving the newsletter a make-over and Ness for lending some great insights
* Claudia S for a head start contribution to a grant for Run Melbourne
* Zoe A for guiding a student VIP at a schoole cross country event
and some belated thank-yous from our Februay meeting:
* Jenny B for organising the Beer Mile and Kirkdale parkrun for IDPWD
* Erika H for diving head-first into active guiding after joining us after last year's IDPWD event
* Rhiannon R for organising our Pride Run teams
* Colin H for travelling the extra miles to do Claudia's half marathon event in Port Arlington.

Remember: we take nominations in no particular orderly fashion for Volunteer of the Month. So if you think someone has gone the extra ultra-ultra-marathon mile, please let us know so we can sing our praises to them!

 by Miwa Tominaga

On 28 October 2022, members of Achilles Melbourne travelled to Bendigo for a weekend of guide training at parkruns, trail running, First Nations’ Welcome to Country, ecology education and community building. Six athletes with a vision impairment and  7 sighted guides travelled to Bendigo.

Saturday 29th started bright and early with participants breaking off into two groups to provide guide training at both Bendigo Botanic and Kennington Reservoir parkruns.

Bendigo Botanic parkrun (event #71) had 83 people run and walk the event. We were lucky enough to have around 15 people attend guide training at 7:30am where Achilles guide, Jacinta, ran through the basics of guiding an athlete with a vision impairment. After the event briefing where we were warmly welcomed, the 10 members of Achilles in attendance (5 VIPs and 5 guides) teamed up with local parkrunners to further their training and give them the opportunity to try guiding.

While all of this was going our three other members (1 VIP and 2 guides) ventured to Kennington Reservoir Parkrun (event #322) where they had 128 people run and walked. Our members had the opportunity to talk to those in attendance about guiding and answer any questions they had.

After parkrun, people were given the opportunity to spend the rest of the day exploring their surroundings using various transport options included tram, bus, taxi, bicycle and walking from our convenient accommodation the Julie-Ann inn. People enjoyed attending the vintage talking tram, local pubs / restaurants, art gallery, museums, underground mine tours and other Bendigo tourist attractions before meeting up for a group dinner.
 
On Sunday 30th we headed out to the Bendigo box ironbark forests to meet up with the crew from Trail Bus with special guests Deanna, an ecologist guide, and Trent who led us in a      Welcome to C     ountry and traditional smoking ceremony and explained why these ceremonies are conducted, as well as their importance. Trent had just travelled 6 hours from flood affected towns in Echuca, Kerang and Swan Hill.
Deanna, a Bendigo-based ecologist, led everyone through a 1.2km nature hike sharing insightful information on local ecology, history, plants and wildlife. For example, Box Ironbark, caterpillars, pardalotes, chocolate lily, native orchids. She was able to point out important flora and fauna for those in attendance and would encourage people to touch and smell the plants when safe to do so.

The Trail Bus team continued the morning with a 6km and 12 km trail run / hike, taking on parts of the Goldfields Track. This was completed by 16 people and 3 guide dogs. The trail run consisted of lots of hills, rocky ground, muddy areas and water crossings. People were given the opportunity to go at the pace that suited them and the environment around them.

Once all the trail fun was over we took the opportunity to have a post run lunch with live entertainment at the Bridge Hotel Bendigo before people headed off home to Melbourne.

A big thank you goes out to all those who made this weekend a success including Claudia for organising the weekend, Bendigo Botanic and Kennington Reservoir parkruns for being so welcoming, Trail Bus, Deanna, Trent and Guide Dogs Victoria for the Connected Together grant.

By Simon Bernard

Build Up to New York
When Simon W put a request out for a guide for the New York Marathon, I didn’t hesitate knowing that, during the build up to the event, I was training for the Melbourne Marathon
Simon W arranged guides (special mentions to Kate, Bronson, Joo and Mark) to assist him in his marathon training, with him and I keeping in contact to confirm plans for the journey to New York
Race Week
Immediately on our arrival in New York in a hotel that was literally taken over by Achilles with a sea of yellow shirts.
In the hotel it was clear to me that Achilles is a bigger organisation than I had realised. Achilles International is an organisation that helps athletes with physical and mental disabilities that covers a broad spectrum from many countries from around the world. Achilles International also supports War Veterans and I met a few athletes who had served in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan
Chapters participating in the race included chapters from the USA, Germany, Mongolia, Brazil and Great Britain and of course Australia.
On the Friday before the race, Achilles hosted an evening at the Hard Rock Café in Time Square. Outside of the restaurant was a flashing billboard that showed the Achilles International Logo and the hashtag #GoAchilles. This is a prime area of New York so to see this was awesome.
At the dinner on Friday, the Achilles International team gave out some awards to some deserving athletes/volunteers. It was announced that for the New York marathon event, $USD300,000 had been raised

Race Day
The day began with a 5am departure to a bus which would take us the starting area. The starting area for Achilles was a private area with a huge tent where chairs, food and drinks were provided away from the rest of the athletes competing in the race.
Our wave was called and we were lead to the start line. The 500 metre walk to the start line was lined with people cheering and shouting “Go Achilles”. The national anthem, a canon went off and the classic song of ‘New York New York’ proceeded us before we began the race
A sea of Achilles ran through the streets of New York as Simon and I got into the race. The streets were full of crowds and the noise at times was deafening. At 24k’s, Rick - a guide from Achilles New York joined us to give Simon a local’s perspective of where we were running. A game changer for me was Rick had on his guide shirt written “Go Simon”. Immediately the crowds were shouting Simon’s name and it definitely gave me a boost in the times in the race that I struggled.

As Rick left us at 34ks, Simon and I attacked the final part of the race which was full of crowds to finish in just over 6 hours on a very warm day
At the finish line we were greeted by the Achilles International president who gave us a big hug before we made our way to the recovery where we were lucky enough to get free ride back to the hotel

Conclusion
As guide it was by far the most rewarding race I’ve ever participated in. The opportunity to meet Achilles guides/athletes from all over the world was awesome and to see Simon W achieve his goal was a great moment for me. Simon’s family had flown in from Melbourne, Sydney and London and it was special to meet them and also sharing his achievement with them.

#Go Achilles

With events back on in Melbourne after an almost 2-year hiatus, our members recount their return to the MCG Stadium Stomp, held on the 13th of February. We hear from full course stomper, Claudia and half course stomper, Francois about their experiences.

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Report by Claudia Stevenson

Full course - somewhere between 7300 and 7600 steps

Despite my calves still tingling nearly a week later I’m delighted to have able to complete Stadium Stomp again. Last year, (or was it the year before?) I had planned to do Stadium Stomp tourism, completing all Stadium Stomps in Australia but then came the Lurgey and that was put on hold.
So this year. I’m back signed up… I’ve done the hard one, all the rest are easier!

What do I like about Stadium Stomp?
I love how it’s an untimed course and how polite and friendly everyone is on course. Because of the stadium seating there’s plenty of places where people can pass without feeling pressured. I have a love hate relationship with that tall stand where the seating goes up to row LL (I even saw a MM this year). I hate when you get up to U or Z or AA and your legs are screaming at you but I love that feeling of accomplishment every time you make it up there!

The full course is not for the faint hearted. It is steep and hard but the music is great and camaraderie on the course is wonderful. Start with the half course and work up your courage to do the full!

Thanks to Sophie for all her organising and of course to my wing woman and guide, Marg for doing all these crazy things with me!

*****
....and some perspective from Francois J:

Half course (approx 3900 steps)

Some people just go out and keep fit as a life routine, irrespective of whether they have upcoming events or not. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people. If I don't have an event to train for I tend to go into a very low maintenance mode at best. Memories of a fantastic time with our Past President Amanda on the steps of the MCG in 2017 and the need to get out of my own decline motivated me to enter for Stadium Stomp 2021. With easy access to the staircase of our six-storey apartment block and event day fast approaching I started stairs training in June last year and I was on track to enjoy the full course of 7300 stairs. Two event reschedules later I had lost my mojo and went back to my favourite relaxed weekly runs with Achilles. I kept telling myself I'll start again next month, and before I knew it it was February and too late to get fit for the full course. The incredible Sophie Thomas stepped in and helped me downgrade to the half course (only 3900 steps), and I felt much less nervous about it.
 
I was not going to be late, so I walked down to my tram stop ahead of time so I could meet my guide Simon at the G. Thank you to the random pedestrian who alerted me to the fact that there would be no trams on the day due to roadworks, and thank you to the Uber driver who still got me there on time. Note to self: Do your homework!
 
Event day started out cool and breezy but soon became a lot warmer. We bumped into Claudia and Marg at the start, all pumped for the full course, and their enthusiasm was really infectious, but would that be enough to get me over the line?
 
Achilles guides are so incrediblly adaptable, and Simon Bernard especially so. I soon realised the usual hand-held tether was not going to work for me on this one, as there are a lot of quick turns, and of course ups and downs. So I took his elbow and after a while I got used to the turns as they were consistent. So I said to Simon he can drop the verbal cues as his elbow gave me all the information I needed. It may sound counter-intuitive, but I found that going slightly faster in this type of situation was much better for my balance than taking it slow, and once we found that sweet spot I again remembered why I love the event so much.

There were significantly fewer participants than I remember from the previous time, understandably, but some great tunes over the loudspeakers really helped and going up and down, out into the sun and back into the shade really makes one feel like it's YOUR MCG!
 
Halfway through the vent my calves got a little tired, but miraculously it never got worse and I was amazed when we got down to the final lap around on the grass that I could actually jog it! I really felt it in my calves for the next two days, so I know that down-grading was the right decision for me but next time...

Huge thanks to Sophie and others at Achilles to make this possible, congrats to the other teams who also flew the Achilles flag and a special mention to Simon who made it all look so easy.

By Amanda Kwong
 
Shift. Pivot. Be nimble. Isolate.

Before 2020, these words would be synonymous to gearing our bodies towards being better runners, being agile, growing strong. Now, they hold an obvious alternate meaning related to all the challenges that 2020 and COVID-19 threw at Achilles Melbourne. Nearing the end of our 5th year in operation, Achilles Melbourne was set to rule another year that kicked off with some strong performances from runner-turned-human-fish, Maddy in the Pier to Pub, Andrew C asserting his presence on the athletics track, and Chris C raising a healthy packet of funds running the Two Bays trail running festival. The only thing we thought that COVID-19 was set to ruin was the shipment of our club shirts from China, at which point I remember distinctly imploring our members for patience and sympathy for the plight of those dealing with the virus overseas. Little did we know...

Though, at this time of year, we still focus on the positives. And heck, there were so many that I don't know where to begin. 

This year, I saw Achilles Melbourne's online presence grow substantially. While using our online social media and forums was previously about celebrating what members had achieved, and what was to come in future weeks, we instead used this to connect and motivate. With the first lockdown, online challenge after online challenge was thrown at our members who took these up with gusto. A special thank-you to anyone who coordinated a challenge, Amy for rustling up support to get challenge setters involved, Rhi for keeping the online heart-beat fresh and positive, and to all those who participated and egged each other on. We also managed to design our very own Steigen sock with the help of Chris C to keep the merchandise interests of the club in its full Lycra(TM) glory. 

Strength Wednesdays moved to an online format, which was a welcome change to traipsing out into the cold, dark nights of Melbourne winter to our much loved Multicultural Hub. With the new format, we were able to include more participants, who otherwise may have struggled to travel to the city for our key cross training weekly fixture. A big thank-you to Sarah A and Deb C for keeping our members strong, and outgoing super coach, Catherine N. It might be worth mentioning here that our top three winners for the Tan Handicap (Claudia S, Peggy S, Maddy S) are all strength attendees. Perhaps we have a secret ingredient for a winning performance?

We also must not forget that some running events actually did take place with the Pride Run and Run Warrandyte a resounding success (a hat tip to coordinator, Heather M). Whether we will be able to coordinate events with our flair of efficiency will remain a mystery into 2021. Perhaps if they involve an online challenge or two... We also acknowledge some incredible running efforts this year. A few particular recent efforts stand out: Jenny B's maiden half marathon in under 2 hours, with only a friend on a bike, two Achilles guides (cheers, Bronson and Wes!), and a shining yellow beacon of Monica W as a cheer squad on a downpour-threatening easing lockdown day. Further, anyone who witnessed our members bossing the battle ropes at our combined nokkon-Achilles International Day of People with Disability event should know to tread carefully around our exceptionally strong members. That, and Claudia S's stunning Tan Handicap win for 2020, where months of keeping fit and active through lockdown truly paid off. Mastermind handicap setter, Adrienne K, did well with scant data available to hold our handicap this year.  

And through our lockdown months, our volunteers shone bright. There are many who kept offering to guide, and those who stayed home to keep others safe - both are thanked in equal measure. We highlighted the contributions from our volunteers of the month for 2021: Sarah A, Julie B, Michelle W, Emily H, Sophie T, Amy B, Maddy S, Monica W. We also had a changing of the guard (the committee) with special thanks to outgoing members, Heather M, Peggy S, Amir A, and Nicky H, and welcomed in their place: Simon B, Max C, Joe G, and Sophie T. Those who kept the administrative cogs of Achilles ever ticking, we also thank ongoing committee, Maddy S, Ness S, Amy B, Karen B, Simon W, Rhiannon R. 

But of course, the biggest thanks goes to you, our members. Your enthusiasm through lockdown, the Achilles Cup, reaching out to one another, wielding a credit card our way to buy a pair of socks or two, staying home to keep each other safe, and always willing to do what was necessary to comply with the constantly moving feast of government restrictions and hygiene measures. Yes, this year was always going to be tough, but when you've got members of the best running club in Melbourne* (*biased opinion), it makes implementing necessary changes and measures incredibly easy. 

Nimble. Ever-shifting. Ready to connect. We'll be here with you again in 2021, in whatever shape it takes. #GoAchilles

 - AmyJULY - Sophie T

Congratulations to Sophie T! Sophie has been nominated for a number of reasons: we are incredibly thankful for her online presence through COVID19, assisting with online challenges and remaining engaged with others over the last few months. Sophie always has positive words of encouragement to share, and has also been a necessary voice to represent the views of our members with disability. During non-COVID times, Sophie has assisted with Sunday coordinating and always manages to pitch in with whatever help she can offer for our community fundraising activities, including sizzling the odd sausage (oh, those were the days!). 

Pictured is Sophie completing the event of her dreams (the Rocky Run - related to Rocky, the movie) in Philadelphia. She stands at the finish line with a Rocky-like double fist pump in the air and a medal slung around her neck, like the true champion she is!

Congratulations, Sophie, and thank you for everything that you do.

***
AUGUST - Amy

If you haven't met Amy yet, Amy is one of our Achilles Melbourne committee members. While she has only been in the role for less than a year, Amy truly understands and embodies the values of Achilles Melbourne. 

Amy B is our August Volunteer of the Month as she has taken initiative to kick off some of our most popular virtual challenges in lockdown. She's been responsible for scheduling other challenges and has hosted some challenges herself. She is a committee member who provides essential insights on behalf of all members, but particularly for our members with disability. 

You can normally find Amy at Sunday training either coordinating, or running along the banks of the Yarra river. Currently, you can find her online on our Facebook member's forum.

Thank-you, Amy for keeping us motivated during lockdowns, and for bringing your pragmatic and hard-working attitude to the Achilles Melbourne family. 

***
SEPTEMBER - MADDY
Maddy was nominated for coordinating Sunday training during "normal" times and our Achilles strength group in a leadership role. Maddy also takes care of all merchandise orders, and is a committee member in an essential role for Achilles as a club. While in lockdown, Maddy has also taken part in Pawgust with her guide dog Zelda, walking many kms in their local area together to raise funds for Guide Dogs Vic.

Maddy is Achilles Melbourne's co-Treasurer, an unsung hero of Achilles; she fields endless enquiries and hasn't lost pace even through COVID. Maddy has also broken barriers by swimming really long distances (Pier to Pub), riding really long distances (Round the Bay) and running really, really far (always up for a good ol' 10k event...but just ask her how far she's willing to go in the future!). 

Thank you Maddy for everything that you do!

***
OCTOBER - Monica
​We've awarded Monica as our Volunteer of the Month because, apart from being willing to dress up in FULL Achilles get up to cheer on Jenny B for her first half marathon (while we're here, let's not steal Jenny's thunder either and note that she smashed her first ever 21k run with Wes and Bronson in under 2 hours!! ...now back to Monica so we don't steal her thunder too...), Monica has also been continuing to guide through lockdown, provide some great contributions to our iso challenges, and is always happy to jump in at the last minute during Sunday training sessions when we occasionally fall short of guides. Not only this, but she's also been instrumental in the success of previous fundraising efforts, giving encouraging nudges to small businesses to donate food and goods for the benefit of Achilles. 

During normal times, you can find Monica guiding at parkruns on Saturdays, guiding at Achilles on Sundays, or doing Tai Chi in places you'd least suspect. She's not hard to find though - just look out for the running beacon of yellow and give her an air high-five when you next see her running along the yarra!

Congratulations, Monica, and thank-you for everything you do.
​

Congratulations to Julie Baker, Achilles Melbourne's volunteer of the month for April (better late than never!)

Julie has been a solid guide with Achilles since 2018. She is generous with her time and commonly reaches out to runners in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. She recently celebrated her 50th parkrun, and yes, is a parkrun enthusiast. She guides regularly at Gardiner's Creek parkrun (pictured here with VIP Wendy and running partner in crime, Sonia R), and also at Achilles Sunday training. Julie also helped guide a runner who was visiting from the US in 2019 and gave him a bit of a running tour of Melbourne before guiding him through the iconic Run for the Kids. 

Thank you, Julie, for all that you do and helping our runners to stay fit, active, and engaged in parkrun!

Volunteer of the Month is back! At Achilles, we appreciate our volunteers in all shapes and sizes, so we're bringing back Volunteer of the Month to highlight some of our volunteers who go above and beyond to help Achilles achieve great things. 

This month's volunteer of the month goes to Julie Clifton. Congratulations! 

Why we love Julie: Julie has been running with Achilles since 2016 and was the first to suggest Janet Lady Clarke Rotunda as a new meeting spot for our rapidly growing club. Julie has always been there to assist when we need in any capacity. She's happy to run, walk, keep our furry friends company, or help train new guides. Julie also trains with some of our athletes in the middle of the week from time to time. Julie has also been instrumental in helping some of our athletes find their feet when they've needed extra mobility assistance to get from A to B, and as a result has helped some of our athletes remain in touch with Achilles. She's also always been keen to lend a hand during community fundraisers (i.e. she's a machine behind a sausage sizzle!).

Where can I say congrats to Julie? Julie can be found on most Wednesdays at strength sessions, and now and again at Sunday training. 

From all of us at Achilles, thank you, Julie for everything you do!

Would you like to nominate a volunteer for volunteer of the month? Contact any of our committee, or email [email protected] Please tell us why they should be nominated and where the volunteer does most of their guiding.  ​

Through the eyes and feet of Francois Jacobs and Michelle Joison, we experience two different Melbourne Achilles teams as they climbed up the Eureka tower last Sunday 17th of November. 

By Francois Jacobs

Through firsthand experience in the ups and downs of job seeking I know how physical activity can keep up the motivation and overall wellbeing.  So I have been a regular participant in the weekly circuit training provided by Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria at the Hawthorn Aquatics and Leisure Centre.  There I met the personal trainer Bob and the amazing crew of BSRV volunteers and soon also began personal training with him.  When I heard about the Eureka Stair Climb it sounded like just the motivation I needed to set a personal goal for myself.  When I learnt that Bob had done it before and enjoyed it immensely it became a done deal.  He knew this super fit crazy fitness fanatic called Adrian who would do things like sign up for a 210km cycle event on the spot, so Adrian was recruited on the spot to be my Eureka guide.
From beginning October we started incorporating twice a week workouts on the Stair Master which I soon started calling the “Stair Monster”.  It was gruelling and it never got any easier, but over time I realised that it made me a much better runner up Anderson Street on Sundays with Achilles. 
 
On Saturday night I felt convinced that I’m not ready, typical for the pre-race nerves that comes with inexperience but hey, I thought, there’s many others just like myself so let’s just do it.
The weather on Sunday morning was perfect and the company even better.  Fellow Achilleans Kevin and Karen would start in the same wave as me with my two member crew, and before I knew it we were off.  We passed a few climbers, and a few others passed us, but it was such a friendly affair, and everybody just encouraged everybody else all the way up. 
The view at the top…  I don’t know much about that, but what I do know is that I very much felt like I was on top of the world when we reached the sky deck in under 20 minutes.  What surprised me most was on Monday morning when I realised that I wasn’t even sore at all.  Personal trainer Bob was obviously good at his job!
 
Thanks to all our supporters, some with donations to the Fred Hollows Foundation, some stopping by to say hi at the Stair Monster and some with messages of encouragement on Facebook.  You all made us feel like we’re doing something worthwhile.

​---------------------------------------------------------------

By Michelle Joison
"Today I challenged myself to walk up 88 flights of stairs guiding Haylee, who has about 5% vision, while representing Achilles and of course, supporting the Fred Hollows Foundation.
 
As we arrived at the event, we were greeted by dozens of hot, sweaty climbers who had just completed the climb. Most of them had smiles of accomplishment, which was reassuring, but some looked exhausted, which made us a little nervous. I was starting to get a grasp of how hard this event could be. I was guiding Haylee, who has completed this event twice before, so in a way she was guiding me as it was my first time.
 
We started our ascent and the stair well was fairly empty - at one stage I had to check that we were in the correct stair well! Pretty soon we heard voices and realised all was well. Each flight of 16 - 20 stairs took us up to another floor, and every 3 flights or so we would stop so Haylee could catch her breath, compose herself and take off again. We met plenty of other climbers along the way, and greeted most of them with words of encouragement or jokes, mostly along the lines of ‘there’s no turning back!‘ or ‘it’s all uphill from here!’
 
Time passed quickly, and before we knew it we were at the 44th floor, the half way point, where we felt like we had overcome a big mental hurdle. Every climber had their own story: some felt they hadn’t trained enough, some cruised through almost effortlessly and others questioned why they were putting themselves through this. Haylee had no doubt that she could complete the climb for the third time, and she paced herself well - climbing steadily, then resting and drinking when needed. I was happy to support her at whatever pace suited her. Haylee gained so much confidence from the climb that she was able to let go of the hand rail for the last 10 floors or so.
 
Others on the climb found Haylee was their inspiration. ‘If she can do it, so can I!’ One climber was close to giving up before the half way mark, and we were so happy to meet her at the finish line with the biggest smile, saying that we were what kept her going.
 
On the 88th floor, we were greeted by dozens of climbers cheering, cameras flashing and volunteers placing medals around our necks. The much anticipated view at the top was a great reward and a perfect chance to allow the heart rate to slow down and leg muscles to relax while admiring the stunning views across Melbourne.
 
The athletes with vision impairment have once again given me so much inspiration and reminded me that we can all gain so much from these experiences by tuning into and sharpening all our senses, not just our vision."

Achilles Melbourne Incorporated (Achilles Melbourne) will hold its 4th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at The Green Room, Multicultural Hub. 506 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, on Saturday, 26th October 2019, at 2:30PM.
 

• The Multicultural Hub is located opposite the Queen Victoria Market at the corner of Therry and Elizabeth streets. It is about a 10 minute walk from Melbourne's CBD, along Elizabeth Street.
• If traveling on public transport, get on tram route 19, 57 or 59, and get off at Stop 7. Walk about 40 metres to 506 Elizabeth Street.
• There will be a “walking bus” meeting on the corner of Elizabeth/La Trobe Streets in front of Melbourne Central at 2:15pm. To join the walking bus, please call or text 0468 373 373.

 
About the AGM
Please find attached the AGM Agenda and Notice, a Committee Nomination Form, and last year’s AGM minutes.
 
All financial members of Achilles Melbourne are entitled to one vote each in relation to any resolution put to the AGM. At the meeting, members will also have an opportunity to:

• Find out about Achilles Melbourne’s finances and operations
• Ask questions about the finances and operations of Achilles Melbourne
• Speak about any items on the agenda
• Elect committee members

 
Call for Nominations for Committee Members
The election of the Committee will take place at the AGM. There are three vacant positions:
Co-Treasurer, Social Media Liaison and General Member.
 
People wishing to nominate for one of the positions or contest a position can do so by completing the attached Nomination Form.
 
All nominees must be financial members of Achilles Melbourne as at 30 June 2019, and should familiarise themselves with the respective Position Description (see Nomination Form) and the Achilles Melbourne Rules and Code of Conduct. Please contact Achilles Melbourne for more information.
 
Nomination forms should be submitted in Microsoft Word or text format and must be emailed by Tuesday, 22nd October 2018 to [email protected]
​

The Achilles Melbourne Mid-Year Raffle was drawn on the morning of the 14th of July at Janet Lady Clarke Rotunda at Achilles training. 

We thank everyone who supported this raffle by purchasing tickets and/or sharing our raffle sales site. A special thank-you to Adrienne for coordinating the raffle and Vic for assisting with prizes. Without further ado, we'd like to congratulate the following people, along with sending out a huge thanks to our prize suppliers: 

1st PRIZE WINNER
Sean Tyrell
Ticket Number: #180
1 nights' accommodation at Crown Metropol Hotel, Melbourne

2nd PRIZE WINNER
Sean Tyrell
Ticket Number: #171
Run Club 5 Class Pass

3rd PRIZE WINNER
Brenda Hutchinson
Ticket Number: #516
Case of wine from Prince Wine Store

4th PRIZE WINNER
Brenda Hutchinson
Ticket Number: #511
Entry to Sole Motive's Run Melbourne

5th PRIZE WINNER
Megan Mander 
Ticket Number: #60
Cosmetics from Mecca Cosmetica

6th PRIZE WINNER
Lisa Morgan
Ticket Number: #318
60 minute Myotherapy Session with Melinda at Body Health Co Moonee Ponds

7th PRIZE WINNER
Simone Albiston
Ticket Number: #474
Singlet and Cap from nokkon

8th PRIZE WINNER
Oliver Szklarz
Ticket Number: #325
Case of wine from Boccaccio Cellars

Congratulations to Paul Cosgrave, Achilles Melbourne's volunteer of the month for June 2019! Here's what our members had to say about Paul: 

"I want to nominate Paul for two things: Paul coordinates VI athletes wanting to run at parkrun (Gardiner's Creek and Mullum Mullum) each weekend. Paul checks with the VIs and then finds a guide as required. He is caring and passionate about ensuring that everyone gets a go at parkrun. He also volunteers his own time most weekends to guide parkrunners with vision impairment. Paul goes above and beyond to ensure that our VIs needs out east are met with respect, fun and a bit of cheeky laughter."

On behalf of everyone at Achilles, thanks Paul for doing what you do!

If you'd like to nominate someone for volunteer of the month, you can do so by emailing [email protected] 

By Peggy Soo

Achilles members, both guides and VIPs, took a trip to Great Ocean Road on the weekend of the 18th/19th of May. Over 40 Achilles members participated in a number of events ranging from half marathon to 14km and 6km events. For some Achilleans, travelling to an event of this nature was an adventure within itself, using a variety of modes of transport: from VLine, guides and VIP’s travelling in car  groups to the Achilles bus (thank you William and drivers). We arrived Friday evening with enthusiasm and excitement.
 
After the briefing and photos on Saturday morning, we headed into Apollo Bay township to participate in the 6km and 14km events. We had many cheers and supporters starting off at the wonderful Apollo Bay along some beautiful roads country Victoria has to offer...even running alongside some horses, if they were keen! The run was lovely and sunny which was certainly unusual for the middle of May.
 
Sunday morning brought on half marathon events along the picturesque Great Ocean Road. Once again many teams participated in this were very strong through some great distances. The teams were cheered by Achillians dotted along the road – even at the local bus stop. This motivated our athletes  knowing that there were  supporters along the way.
 
This weekend wasn’t all about running. It was very much about socialising with all our VIP’s and guides where we even cooked and ate together prepared by our wonderful sighted guide-come-chef, Simone.
 
I want to thank  each person who made this trip possible. This took hours of preparation to get over 40 people in one place with accommodation, paired with guides and participated in all events. Thank you to our drivers for coordinating how to get to and from places with such ease. Big thank you to Simon, Tammy, Rhiannon, Simone, Maddy, Amanda, Theresa and William for the hours of organising and preparation into this. This is certainly a ‘bucket list’ event for many. We couldn’t be there without you.

By Sophie Thomas

Last weekend, I was lucky enough to take part in the Great Ocean Road Running Festival with Achilles Running Group. The running community of Victoria and beyond came together to pit their wits against the iconic windy road that gives such amazing views and the occasional queasy stomach (car-sickness anyone?).

The beautiful and normally quiet towns of Lorne, Skenes Creek and Apollo Bay hosted more than 8200 runners, and of course all of their family and friends who came along as support crew!
This event is for everyone! There’s a race for all running abilities, each giving their own challenges to overcome. Whether it’s long and slow inclines; steep hills, crazy angled camber, getting up at 4.30am, being shuttle-bussed to the start line, starting at 1pm in the full afternoon sun, a finish line 60km after the start line (those ultra-runners are nuts), it all adds up to an amazing sense of achievement when you cross that finish line.

I entered the Garmin 14km Paradise Run, and I must admit, my preparation was not as thorough as it could have been, which probably explained the major butterflies in my stomach in the lead up to the race (I couldn’t blame it all on the windy drive down). Talking to my Achilles friends, I found that most people have this, and it’s usually due to excitement and anticipation. I was paired with guide Stephanie, and we were joined by Deb, who was running her own race but decided to help out and ‘bulldoze’ for us.

Our race started later in the day, which was different for me – I couldn’t work out when I should eat and what I should eat. In the end I opted for eggs and yoghurt for breakfast (not in the same bowl… ew) and an apple just before the run.

Along with five other Achilles teams (VIPs Chris, Peggy, Eamon, Maddy and Penny) we set off from the Apollo Bay Pub, and then after about 300 metres our route veered right and we were heading inland. Wait, we’re not actually running on the Great Ocean Road? Huh! In fact, any feelings of being cheated quickly dissipated. We ran through beautiful peaceful cow pasture areas and up into the fresh cool forest of Paradise. It was equally as scenic as the beach-side routes the other runs took, and being the tree-lover I am it was pure happiness to be running on the road under the trees and alongside a sparkling creek.

Side-bar: I must admit that, looking up across the route in front of us and seeing thousands of people snaking along through the fields, I had a momentary thought “aren’t humans stupid?” What other animal does this? Gathers in huge numbers and runs along together in the same direction just for fun?! We are a strange race!

The teams spread out along the race and we cheered Eamon and Chris as they sailed past on the way back. Penny and I kept passing each other, with plenty of competitive banter and laughs each time. My goal was to finish in under 2 hours, and I managed 1 hr 45 minutes…plus I ran most of the way, with only a couple of walking breaks needed towards the end. I’m so pleased with myself, and it’s motivated me to improve my running and aim for more!

Achilles actually had 42 people (combined VIPs and guides) entered in races over the weekend, so there was always someone to cheer on even if your race was done.

Let me tell you, if you want to see emotion, go hang out at the finish line of a marathon. All the FEELS! I saw women being greeted by their proud husbands and smiling children, who then grabbed hands and ran across the finish line with them, extraordinary men in their 70s and older being supported by their daughters, young teenagers being filmed by their extremely vocal friends, and so many running group members all looking out for their comrades. Supporters were running back and forth coaching their friends and family down that last 100 metres, and not to forget our very own vision impaired pals who all came in strong, flanked by their amazing guides every step of the way.

The support out there was immense. I swear, if you think the closing scene of Love Actually is heart-warming, you need to see this for yourself. Whether you’re a runner or not, you can’t deny that running a marathon is a huge achievement and deserves all the admiration, love and celebration that comes from those that crowd the finish tunnel.
​
So if you’ve ever thought about participating in such an event, I strongly urge you to try it out. Achilles makes it possible! From registering to accommodation and transport, they work hard so it’s easy for you. It’s highly unlikely I would be able to attend events like this without Achilles. I feel so lucky to be part of such a wonderful group of people and am so grateful for all the support I receive.