Undeterred and driven, Sam has continued to make waves in the current season of 2023-2024, claiming top spots in several Queensland meets and achieving impressive times of 10.36 seconds and 20.92 seconds. With aspirations still high, Sam hopes to potentially represent Australia in the upcoming Olympics in Paris 2024.

Sam says his biggest supporter is ”My coach and training squad help me push my limits in each session, along with my training partner Charlie.”

Having sustained a femur fracture in late 2021, Bridgette found solace in returning to regular running in 2023. Setting her goals early, she acknowledges that while she hasn’t fully regained her pre-injury performance, she has made substantial improvements following such a significant setback. Bridgette recognises the importance of consistency, prioritising both recovery time and exercise to achieve her objectives. She has also learned to be kind to herself, embracing the inevitable challenges on the journey and understanding that “bad” days are an integral part of the process.

In 2024, Bridgette aims to expand her distance running, aspiring to complete one or two additional half marathons. Additionally, she has set her sights on conquering an inaugural trail running event. Demonstrating dedication, Bridgette maintains consistency in her running routine while delving into more intensive strength training. Recognising the importance of holistic well-being, she allocates time for recovery, stretching, and overall self-care, prioritising the health of both her body and mind.

Bridgette’s biggest supporters are her two teenage sons. She says “My 15-year-old is excelling in his running and helps to keep me motivated for the next event. We often cross the finish line together to create a cherished memory.”

This December, Isaiah had the fisiocrem GC50 Run Festival. It marked the longest-running event he had participated in to date. He diligently ensured that his training remained consistent and focused to guarantee his endurance throughout the race.

Isaiah’s wife and his two daughters provide him with unwavering support, consistently offering encouragement and cheering him on during race days. He says, “Between their encouragement and a group of great mates that are always keen to join me for a run, I’m always happy to be out racing.”

After a year of intense running, Maddi made the decision to scale down her running activities and introduce some HYROX events into her training regimen. Maddi stated, “I knew I was going to reduce my running distance and alter my training in 2023.” She is gearing up for an ambitious 2024, adding even more HYROX events into the mix.

Maddi’s biggest supporter is her partner, Jarryd. She says “As parents, it’s always been a bit of a juggling act with the kids. Family time is really important to us, but so is taking time for ourselves to do what we love. I definitely wouldn’t be able to do what I do without him!”. Whenever Maddi is at the gym or out on the trails, her partner is either taking care of the children or standing at the finish line, offering enthusiastic support. On days when she lacks motivation to lace up her running shoes, he encourages her by emphasising the post-run satisfaction. Maddi acknowledges that she couldn’t achieve her goals without his unwavering support and encouragement. Maddi firmly believes that there’s nothing more gratifying or inspiring than witnessing someone achieve a goal they’ve diligently pursued.

To navigate her fitness journey, Kirsty has enlisted the support of an exceptional online coach (@run_coaching on Instagram), Matt, who has crafted a program tailored to her lifestyle. This program incorporates elements such as strength training, stretching, and rest days, all to complement her running. Despite the challenges of being a full-time working mother and a university student pursuing her Master’s degree, Kirsty acknowledges that her plan doesn’t always unfold as expected. However, she firmly believes that by consistently prioritizing strength and stretching, she can at least make it to the starting line and ultimately cross the finish line, no matter the hurdles.

Kirsty finds her children to be a driving force, motivating her to continuously push her boundaries and demonstrate that any goal is attainable with determination, regardless of how unconventional it may seem to others. She also draws inspiration from skeptics who doubt her capabilities, viewing their skepticism as additional fuel to dream even bigger and set increasingly ambitious. 

When asked about who supports and motivates her Debbie says, “I am supported by my family and good friends but at the end of the day, it’s just me and I do these crazy adventures to see what I am capable of achieving.”

“I am motivated by many people around me, those who run, cycle and those who can’t. We have one life, and you need to do whatever you can in the time we have to enjoy it.”

Reflecting on her fitness journey, Debbie’s most significant achievement thus far has been completing a 100-miler race a few years ago.

She explains that she dedicated this race for Matt, her brother-in-law who sadly passed away 3 weeks prior. “I was so determined and was not going to quit; it was all for Matt.”

Debbie also completed the Scenic Rim event back in August, she achieved 105km. She describes it as ” Amazing, Muddy and Wet”. Despite the obstacles in her way, never giving up was the key!

In October 2016, Vicky began her fitness journey as a way to take some time for herself after having three kids and joined a six-week challenge at her local gym that included a 300m run time test, which sparked her running journey and she still takes on challenges at the gym to stay motivated. Vicky says, ”Finding the right environment that suits you, your family, your schedule, makes all the difference to keep it up & continue the journey. Still to this day, l do like to take on challenges at my gym, just to keep me on track.”

Vicky’s biggest goal is to keep doing what she loves with inspiring friends and continue challenging herself to be the best version of herself, which includes maintaining her fitness and health through running, a challenging pursuit that she hopes will enable her to achieve many other goals in the future, such as potentially participating in the Melbourne Marathon this year.

Vicky credits her running success to the incredible support and encouragement she receives from her running community, the Keilor Running Club. This club’s inclusive environment is what makes it so special to her, as it motivates and inspires every member regardless of their skill level or pace. She feels incredibly grateful to have found her tribe, as they constantly push her to be a better version of herself.

Vicky’s family is also a major support system for her, as they help her juggle her busy schedule and participate in various sports and activities. She emphasizes the importance of self-love and taking care of oneself not only for oneself but also for those they love. Her husband is also an active and fitness-oriented individual, and together they are able to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle that benefits the entire family.

Her biggest weakness when it comes to running is the “runner’s gut,” which is a constant battle for her. As someone who runs approximately four times a week, it can be challenging to eat the right foods since the next day is a run day. However, she finds comfort in discussing it with close friends who are also runners and realizing that she is not alone in this struggle. To ensure that she can manage this issue, she always makes sure to run in areas where there are nearby toilets, and when registering for runs, she plans ahead and checks the map for the location of restrooms.

Todd’s biggest fitness achievement was completing the virtual Ultra Marathon race put on by Run with the world in 2020. Running alone on the local streets around his area was mentally tough, but knowing his family was waiting for him at the finish line kept him motivated to keep going. He finished the race in 5 hours and 36 minutes.

Todd has set some ambitious running goals for himself in 2023. He hopes to run a personal best at the Gold Coast Marathon, with his current PB standing at 3:25:21. He also aims to run a total of 3500km for the year, and although he has fallen behind his planned schedule, he is determined to catch up and achieve this goal by the end of the year.

Todd’s biggest source of motivation and support is his family. He wants to prove to his kids that age is just a number, and with determination and hard work, anything is achievable, even running personal bests at the age of 48. Todd also finds inspiration and motivation in watching the last hour of a marathon or Ironman event. He believes that the last few people to cross the finish line are the real heroes and champions of the race.

Despite being a seasoned runner, Todd admits that his biggest weakness is swimming and his lack of confidence in the water. Nevertheless, he
has set his sights on completing an Ironman someday, knowing that he has a lot of work to do on his swimming to get there.

Currently, Sarah is eagerly preparing for the upcoming Gold Coast marathon in July, which will mark her fourth marathon to date. What makes this marathon particularly special is that it will be her first after becoming a mother. Sarah understands the challenges that come with balancing her responsibilities as a parent with her rigorous training regimen.

When asked about who supports and motivates her Sarah says, “My family and coach are my biggest pillars of support and inspiration. Their unwavering belief in me allows me to pursue my training with immense gratitude. I am genuinely thankful for them all.”

Rhys accomplished a remarkable fitness feat by completing the Blackall 100, a 100km ultra trail race, in 2021. Despite only commencing his running journey two years prior and having one half marathon road race under is belt, Rhys undertook this challenge. Notably, he had never previously participated in a trail event and his longest training run had been 37.5km. Regrettably, Rhys encountered significant sciatic pain upon reaching the 64km checkpoint. Nevertheless, he found satisfaction in having achieved this considerable distance and was prepared to withdraw from the race at that point. Rhys credits his wife, Colleen, for inspiring him to persevere, and after an additional 7 hours of determination and grit, he ultimately triumphed and celebrated with his son Hendrix at the finish line. This unforgettable experience ignited Rhys’s passion for ultra trail running and demonstrated the remarkable capabilities of the human body.

Rhy’s fisiocrem GC30 training routine typically includes running on the roads for 4 days and running on the trails for 2 days per week. Rhys incorporate an interval session each week to elevate his heart rate and dedicates the rest of the training to maintaining a low heart rate. Additionally, Rhy enjoys a daily 20-minute pilates session focusing on either legs or core. He also regularly uses a foam roller to help prevent injuries. He says, “I am extremely motivated and ensure I dedicate 6 days a week to training. Another major goal is that I want to continue to influence as many people as possible to take up running and experience the runners high.”

When asked about who supports and motivates him Rhys says, “My family and of course my sponsors provide me with the motivation and support to make my goals become reality.”