We are excited to announce the inaugural winner of Achilles Melbourne volunteer of the month! Nominated not once, but twice, our June winner is newly crowned marathon man, TIM EMENY! The reason for Tim's nomination? Read on!
"Tim helped / semi-forced me to join a local running club soon after I moved to a new area and not only found and trained other guides, he also organises transport for me. This has not only helped me start to really enjoy running, but it has also enabled me to meet new people and settle into the area. He has also offered to help me learn my way around the local shops and introduced me to the local fresh food market after the regular Sunday training" Congratulations Tim, thank you for always going above and beyond! You hold the true philosophy of volunteering with Achilles and set such a great example for everyone around you. Pictured: Tim Emeny holding his medal after finishing the Gold Coast marathon this weekend.
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By Amanda Kwong
Boasting a flat course, tantalising for personal bests, Sunday the 2nd of July saw the 39th running of the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. Nearly 27000 registered entrants flocked to the sunny Gold Coast, which included Adam Koops, blind Achilles Melbourne athlete, stepping up to the challenge. Adam’s dedication to training and fitness collided with the world of running when Achilles Melbourne held its inaugural training session in March 2016. In less than a year, Adam has completed marathons at the Melbourne Running Festival, Run for the Young (Lilydale), and Wangaratta Running Festival. The Gold Coast marathon was Adam’s 4th marathon attempt – with a 3 hour 30 minute PB to beat. Guided by the winner of 2016’s Gold Coast marathon, Aidan Hobbs, Adam swept aside his old personal best; coming in at a very impressive 3 hours, 20 minutes and 59 seconds! Adam recounts his marathon experience. “I had some great support from Tim Emeny (Achilles Melbourne guide) who cruised with us up until the 35k mark, and I’ve found a new friend in my guide, Aidan Hobbs. I hit a wall at around the 35k mark, but as we turned the last bend, I found my second wind. What I loved best about this course was the location and the atmosphere. There were so many supportive, friendly people and music playing the entire way. The weather couldn’t have been any better – sorry to the others freezing down in Melbourne! I’d encourage anyone to give this event a go. It’s a fantastic course!” And they were not alone, as Enrique Suana, Achilles Sydney guide, who was gunning for his own individual marathon personal best, joined them during the early section of the course. From everyone at Achilles Australia, we congratulate Adam on his 4th marathon and new personal best. Adam is currently on a journey to tackle the holy grail of all marathons: the TCS New York Marathon in November 2017. You can support Adam or his fellow Achilles athlete, Francois Jacobs, following the links below. Support Adam here: https://give.everydayhero.com/au/blindrunner-saygday Support Francois here: https://give.everydayhero.com/au/francois-runs-new-york Pictured below: Enrique captures a signature selfie with Adam behind, flanked by his guide, Aidan and support runner, Tim on the course of the Gold Coast marathon. Road lines and 50km speed limit in background with legs of other marathon runners surrounding the group. The Achilles Sydney Committee has been working hard to finalise some exciting new partnerships which we'll be announcing over the coming weeks. The first of these partnerships is with local Sydney physio, Fix Physio. Mike Blackwell, Owner and Principal Physiotherapist of Fix Physio, heard about Achilles through two of his patients. Here's what he had to say about getting involved: "Fix Physio is committed on a daily basis to helping our patients overcome physical injuries to achieve the healthiest and happiest versions of themselves. As a small business, Fix Physio is committed to both local and international non profit organisations in any way that we can. When a couple of our regular patients introduced us to a charity that they are heavily involved with- the Sydney branch of Achilles, we couldn't wait to get involved." Fix Physio will be supporting Achilles in its aim of creating a place where people with disabilities can enjoy the social, recreational and health benefits of an active lifestyle. Fix Physio will be providing massage and physio services to Achilles members and volunteers at a range of local and national running events as well as sharing insights and knowledge on staying injury free whilst being active. They also have a collection tin at their practice so remember to donate if you're a client.
We look forward to a great partnership together improving the fitness and wellbeing of people with disabilities and the wider community. For more info on Fix Physio check out their website: http://www.fixphysio.com.au/ |
Our MissionOur mission is to enable people from all walks of life, including those with physical impairments, to enjoy the health giving benefits of walking and running in a supportive, social and encouraging environment. Archives
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