Runbelievable: Real Runners, Unreal Stories

Ep 17: She Just Wanted to Walk 5K… What Happened Next? Shona Farr’s Runbelievable Rise

• Josh Rischin • Season 1 • Episode 17

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Shona Farr didn’t set out to become a runner; she just wanted to walk 5k in under 50min.

What started as power-walking at the back of the pack quietly turned into running, racing, injury setbacks, and a deep love for the running community. Along the way, Shona navigated a broken ankle (in fact, twice), torn ligaments, post-menopause training, and the self-doubt that comes with starting later in life.

In this truly uplifting episode of Runbelievable, Joshie and Matty chat with Shona about going all-in on every run, the power of on-course support, and why inspiring other women (especially post-menopause) has become central to her running journey. From building the Slow AF Brisbane group to racing overseas and lining up a wild events, Shona's story is about courage, patience, and proving your story matters... even when you think it doesn’t.

Follow Shona's journey https://www.instagram.com/shonarunsveryslowly/

In this episode:

  • Starting with walking before discovering running
  • Accelerating from parkrun to 10Ks and half marathons
  • Running post-menopause and inspiring other women
  • Why community and on-course support matter so much
  • Balancing family, travel, and running goals
  • Racing overseas and what’s ahead

Runbelievable: real runners, unreal stories.

Interested in being a guest on the show? Hit us up!

Here’s how to keep in touch:

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Email: joshua@runbelievable.au

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Shona:

I absolutely love being an older woman. I love it. Really the best time of my life. And I would never have thought that you could be in the 60s and say that about yourself, but it's amazing. I love it.

Joshie:

Hello everybody and welcome to Run Believable, the podcast that celebrates the human side of running. I'm your host, Josh Trichen, and I'm here to bring you stories of grit, glory, and overcoming adversity. Each episode, we'll dive deep into what first got people running and what keeps them lacing up day after day. From the last and the lessons to random account suspensions, this is why we run and how it shapes who we become. And coming up in just a few moments, you'll meet an accidental runner who's raising the bar higher and higher, and perhaps rivals our co-host when it comes to having a shield obsession. Maddie, welcome back. How are the arms feeling? The arms are okay, to be honest. It's my chest. Maddie thinks I'm talking about his weights. I'm talking about your car cleaning effort. Oh. Yeah, no, that was good.

Matty:

I I'm really impressed with myself. Um I had to clean the car because we're selling it. And Sarah was at work and I didn't know where the car cleaning products were, and I uh still have no idea where they are. Um but I found a rag and I have a home. Um I spent about two hours scrubbing the car with a rag.

Joshie:

So uh it looks pretty good. So I'm proud. Well, if the podcast doesn't work out, my friend, it sounds like you've got a car cleaning business on the horizon. Now during my intro, I mentioned that our guest is an accidental runner. And I should clarify that's not accidental in the same way that Maddie's an accident-prone runner. Our guest sort of stumbled into running rather than stumbling into tree branches. Now, Maddie, it's time for the Run Believable rundown, and this is where we share highlights, mishaps, misadventures, crazy sights and sounds, little winds, basically the sort of stuff that humanizes the running experience. Now, recently I was curious about running with injuries, and I think we've all done it. So I did a poll. Once again, I don't know if you saw this one, but anyway, I'll provide a bit of um context. And it was whether or not, just a simple yes or no, anyone has been given advice from a medical professional telling them to not run, but they've gone ahead and done it anyway. Now, look, it was kind of unsurprising. Maddie, we had, I think, 85, 86% of people that have indeed run despite the uh advice of medical professionals. Um, do you fall into that boat?

Matty:

But yeah, I've been told not to run. I think I think the there was one time there I sprained my ankle and um I was desperate to keep running, and it was you couldn't run on it. But I think it was day three, and I went out for a test run, and I think around a hundred metres, and I'm like, right, I'm back. Back running again.

Joshie:

After 100 metres, you made that determination. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Matty:

That was my tick box. I'm going for a run, this army.

Joshie:

We actually had a couple of, in fact, we had quite a few DMs. It was fantastic. Um, and I'm pretty sure this person's happy for me to attribute them. Uh, I won't give her surname, but uh uh someone who we know in the running community called Tracy uh responded and her cardiologist advised her against running or said, keep your long runs to I think two to three kilometres. So what did she do? Signed up for a marathon.

Matty:

Oh my god, that's typical runner, isn't it? Like, yeah, that's just yeah, tick keep it to two or three kilometers. That's the tick that I can run, whatever. Yeah.

Joshie:

I've been there as well. I've uh I once got told uh I had an MRI on um my left knee, uh, and it was actually a sports physician that I saw, and I was like, I don't know if I want to get this done because I don't I don't want bad news. Like when you're a runner, you don't want anyone to tell you that you shouldn't run. But he was like, look, you have a suspected a suspected stress fracture, don't do any running until you get the MRI results. I was in my running gear and I actually went straight straight from the clinic. I think down the sand gate went for a log run. So I think Well, I haven't got the MRI yet, so it's okay. That's right. I did nothing wrong, but uh look, uh no judgment at all. I think we've all been there. I think that just goes to show the value that we get from running. But I do dare say take it easy, people, if you are running despite the advice of medical professionals. Now, Maddie, guess what? What we did another poll. Okay. By popular demand, we are bringing back a quiz. Okay, nice, nice. I haven't prepared you for this one. Okay. This one is all about, and there's no yes or no, no multiple choice. You just have to know the answer, my friend. A bit of context. This is all about the World Cross Country Championships, which were held quite recently. Yeah, I just sort of heard you groan. Um, and there's like I say, no multiple choice. Question number one. In which US state was the event held? Texas. It was Florida. Actually, technically that was multiple choice. He had 52 options. I can't remember. I think 50 options. Yeah, yeah. Um, but no, it was uh it was held in Florida. I think Tallahassee was the um was the was the city. Question number two. Who won the senior men's 10k event?

Matty:

I literally have no idea. I'm trying to think. I don't know.

Joshie:

It was Jacob Kiblimo. Okay. From memory, his time was, I think, in the 28s, low 28s, which when you think about it on that course, it's just quite and question number three. As you probably know, maybe you don't, Australia meddled, and I think for the very first time, won a gold. Did you know that? Yeah, yeah, did in which event? Uh the mixed relay. Can you be more specific?

Matty:

Ah, so and I did read it too. I read how long that it was. Um so um it was mixed relay 15k then.

Joshie:

So it was 8k, 4x2k, to be exact. Okay. Australia, the Australian team, uh anchored by the amazing Jess Hull, yeah, won in a time of 22 minutes and 23 seconds. Jesus average of 248 pace. Can you believe that?

Matty:

Did you did you see her come home though? The the strength and power, and she had a smile on her face the whole way. And she's not uh like no one as a cross-country runner.

Joshie:

No. She's just a superstar. Yeah. And look, if you have any ideas on a quiz that you would love to hear read out on Run Believable or indeed a Run Believable story of your own, then send it our way. Today's guest simply wanted to walk 5Ks. What began as completing a walk at the very back of a park run has very quickly turned into running, racing, community building, and cheering others home. Alongside family, travel, and a very patient and stupidly fast husband, her story is about showing up, going all in, and proving that it's never too late to surprise yourself. Welcome, Shona. Welcome, Shona.

Shona:

Hello, Matt and Josh. Thanks for having me on the show.

Joshie:

It's our pleasure. Look, um you weren't on the call when we kicked things off. Uh we recounted some feedback that we received from a few fans of the show. We um we actually asked uh uh a poll about whether or not people have gone against the advice of medical professionals and run. Anyway, uh, you have a little story of your own, I believe.

Shona:

Um well, it was just recently, actually. Um I went back to my doctor and um I do have a little bit of arthritis, and she she suggested that I was a bit old to be running and that I should just stick to walking.

Matty:

You don't say that to a runner. No.

Shona:

I it's not the first doctor that's at that sort of mentioned my age and running. So I I think non-runners just don't really understand. Yeah, she was about my age, um, but I don't think she's ever run. And um I myself don't think with arthritis, it doesn't matter whether you're walking or running, it's pretty similar anyway. So um, but some people think, you know, I you know, you hear the the old saying, you know, it's really bad for the knees, or it's but I don't it isn't actually.

Joshie:

So it's not now there's a lot of research that has refuted that um and continue.

Shona:

I think it's quite the opposite, actually.

Matty:

Yeah, I've heard the exact going side to side like football, like rugby league players, side to side and stepping. That's where the knees go, not the not the forward motion of running.

Shona:

Well, I used to play netball when I was younger. That's where the knees, that's the that's the problem. Or roller skating or skateboarding.

Joshie:

You know, uh Shona, you um have uh a a very active and and just an incredibly well-curated Instagram account. I encourage everyone to check it out. Shona runs slowly. Very slowly, you know. I actually remember now what it was that caught my eye. There's this um there's this photo you took, and I think you can see this like wafer-thin gap between the bottom of your shoe and the ground. And I think you were like, you know, people don't understand the amount of effort that it took me just to get this uh amount of knee lift or something.

Shona:

I think when I started, I did a few, you know, you don't know how hard it is just to be, you know, an average, everyday, like, well, basically just a runner. Um, a slow runner is even extremely difficult. Um and and I still find it difficult, but um, you know, I'm getting there.

Joshie:

I think your story's incredible, but um, yeah, interestingly enough, when um when we met last year, we had a a coffee together, you you said that you never that you didn't think that your story would be interesting enough to to share. Um can you tell us why that is?

Shona:

Um I I guess in this world where most runners you see are young and you know look gorgeous and glamorous and running fast times, I I guess I thought who would be interested in, you know, a 60-year-old running very slowly. And a new runner at that, um, and not a very good runner. So I guess um I thought I I'm not sure anyone would really be interested in listening to me talk, but um I've since changed my mind slightly. Um I've I've followed another a few other older runners and I can see what a difference it it's made, even me listening to them, um, how encouraging it is. So I guess um I want to be in that position where I'm encouraging other people to start running no matter what your age.

Matty:

I don't think you can you can say like I'm not a good runner. Like running's running, no matter if you're whether whether you're running fast or running slow. Um you're you're running, you know, you're doing a lot more than other 60-year-olds out there.

Shona:

I'm almost 61 soon, so that's scary. Um I thought about that today, actually. I was thinking in the car about, you know, any pace is a good pace because um, you know, I had a run last night and I was quite slow and a bit disappointed in myself. And I thought, well, I I don't even know why I'm worrying about the pace. You know, I'm out there, I'm running, I'm still getting there in the end. So it really doesn't matter. No one else cares what my pace is. You know, it it doesn't matter to anyone else. So as long as I'm running, it shouldn't matter at all. No, you're right. Yeah.

Joshie:

You weren't um on the call for um uh so we we did a bit of an introduction at the start of this episode, which uh if you if you listen to this and I hope you do, at some point in time you'll um you'll hear that I refer to you as an accidental runner, and I sort of mentioned not in the same way that Matt is accident prone. Now, I'd like to elaborate a little bit on that because I think it was three years ago that you started with walking, and I think you gradually built up to 40 minutes, I think, to complete a 5K. Um I think it was like three years ago.

Shona:

I think I've I did a 50 under 50 minutes 5K and I was really excited that I got to that. Um, but I have very small steps. Um and so it got to the stage where there is no way I could have walked any faster. It's it was just impossible. And I thought, well, maybe I have to do a little bit of running in there.

Joshie:

So what what made you even try running? I mean, if you'd set your sights on just walking in 50 minutes, what was the point? What was the trigger where you went, you know what, bugger this, I'm actually gonna try and get the legs off the ground?

Shona:

I wanted to get it over and done with faster. Like, how can I make this take less time in my life? And I do have a husband that's a runner, and I thought it what might be a nice thing that we could do together. I knew obviously I'd never be anywhere near his speeds, but every time we ever went on a holiday, he'd go off on a run and he'd come back and tell me all the great things he'd seen on his run, and and you know, and you do get to see a city in a totally different way. And and I would do it walking, like we did a UK holiday, and I did a lot of walking, but it was taking it was cutting into a few hours of the day. And I thought, you know, you run a bit, it's not cutting into so much of the of the day that you can spend with your family too as well. Um, and you know, and then I get to see the city the same way he does, which was which is a really nice way to travel.

Joshie:

And we'll talk a little bit more about your um about your husband and the role that he's played in your running journey. Now, early on, you had quite a big setback, if memory serves correctly, I think you broke your ankle and had torn ligaments.

Shona:

Um two torn ligaments and very badly and a broken bone. And that was just when I was still walking. Um, I did a little twist of my ankle when I was walking very fast. Um, and I hadn't yet started strength work, so I didn't have a very good strong core. So if I ever tripped, I just kind of went right over, um, which made me realize I really had to work on core strength and and as at which is really important as you age. Um so I had contemplated running just before that happened. So obviously that put me off for another six months. Um and I wasn't even able to walk for I was in a moon boot for three months.

Joshie:

So my goodness.

Shona:

That really put me back.

Joshie:

Yeah, yeah.

Shona:

And then not long after that, wore a calf muscle too.

Joshie:

So I guess um, yeah, physically that was a big setback. Did it uh did it set you back confidence-wise at all as well?

Shona:

It definitely did, um, because I'd had another few little falls. Um and I thought I I well, I thought it was just my age, and then um then I started reading about strength training, and I thought the only way I'm going to prevent this is if I have a really strong core, um, so that if I do a little trip, I won't just lose my balance. Um, and I I guess it did take a while, and that's what scared me about running. I was always scared if you know how am I gonna what happens if I run and I trip? You know, that could be pretty disastrous. Um and funny enough, since I've been running, I have never had a fall. So oh, except sorry, no, last year I did have one. Where I broke the other bone in the other ankle, but that's another kid. But that was a trial run, so that doesn't count. Sorry.

Joshie:

Doesn't count. What was the recovery like from that second uh ankle break?

Shona:

Uh it was really good because I did the right thing and went to the physio two days later. I didn't muck around at all, followed her instructions, did all the exercises, and I kept it strapped. So within six weeks, I did the Bernie 10, 10 kilometers, I think six or eight weeks after I did that second break. So that's um I did it slowly and it was still a little painful, but um it was really important that I got straight back into it because I just didn't want to waste any more time. Within about two weeks, if I don't run, I notice a big difference. You know, yeah. So it doesn't take very long to lose a bit of that fitness. So yeah, that's a scary.

Joshie:

Well, you certainly uh demonstrated a lot of resilience there, Shona. After coming back from those injuries, something clicked, I think early last year, 2025, and you really accelerated your running goals. You started tackling 10K events, uh, was it two half marathons as well?

Shona:

No, just one. I just did one half marathon. Um I I signed up without really thinking about it. I I had only really barely run five kilometres without walking. And I just wanted to set myself a challenge, which is one of the things I really love about running, of being able to achieve things that I never thought I could do in my entire life. So Kangaroo Island came up, I think came up on Instagram, and I thought that looks just amazing because you get to run through a uh a national park that's closed for the day with amazing views. And I thought it was hilly, so I thought that's a good excuse. I can walk up every hill, and and it didn't I think it was like about five hours you had to finish. So I knew I could finish. So and you know, I it was one of the best things I have ever done in my life. Like I'll just never forget crossing over the finish line and the the emotion I felt was just I just I just cried and it was just incredible, really incredible that I could do that I could do that. So I'm very proud of myself for that one.

Joshie:

Well, we're proud of you too, Sean. I think it's wonderful to hear you speak about yourself that way. Uh if memory serves correctly, when we first met last year, you sort of I think you suggested that you weren't in general an over an overly emotional person, and so you're kind of a bit surprised when you crossed the finish line that you had that visceral response.

Shona:

I was. Um yeah, I really was. And I did it under three hours, which I know is sounds very long for a lot of people, but um I thought in my mind about three and a half hours. I thought, and then just towards the end, I'd kind of stuck with a few people and a woman said, Oh, I'm I'm gonna try under three hours this year. I'm gonna, you know, really run the last few kilometres fast. And I said, Oh, I'm gonna do it with you. And so I think I got a couple of minutes under, I can't remember my exact time now, but so that was even more exciting because I never thought in my mind I could ever get under three hours. So it was it was pretty special.

Joshie:

Did you know that?

Shona:

And I had my husband with me, which was really, really lovely for me too, to have someone running with me, supporting me the whole way. It was really lovely.

Joshie:

So did you know that you were on track to run a sub three-hour half marathon, or was that just a bit of a bonus?

Shona:

I had no idea. Yeah, because we stopped right in the middle, too. There was a toilet stop. I didn't I didn't stop. My husband did. And you know, he's he I should have just kept running because obviously he could have caught up to me. But um he stopped and then I I stopped for about five minutes in the middle of it. Had I even realized I was getting anywhere near three, I would never have stopped anywhere. I would have just kept going.

Joshie:

That's fantastic. Um oh wow. Uh and uh you mentioned to me as well that you have this, uh maybe it's not an an overt goal, but maybe it's kind of like a secondary benefit to running about uh inspiring other women. Especially women who are post-menopausal. What can you tell us about that and why it's uh something that you care so deeply about?

Shona:

Well, um I I guess, you know, our bodies greatly change, you know, once we hit menopause and and we we don't talk about it enough um about what women go through and the changes. I'd put on, you know, I was fairly thin my whole life, and then I had my last child at 40 and kind of just never lost the weight and just put more on. And that's how our bodies change. It doesn't, you we can still be eating the same amount and everything, and it just totally changes. Um and then I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, and I, you know, I had still a child in her teens, and I thought, you know, I really have to do something about my life. Um and you know, I and I just I've never run in my entire life. It was something I totally avoided, it was something I dreaded at school. It was, it was just like honestly, my worst nightmare to think of ever running even a kilometer. I couldn't have thought of anything worse in my whole mind. And I guess once I started the walking and then thought about the running, um it just changed my life so much. Um, it made every holiday better. It made me so much more confident in myself. Um it just made me feel so good. Everything about my life has changed. And I think a lot of women lose their confidence through menopause. Um, it's a really hard time of your life. You feel like you're going crazy half the time. Running also helps with that. You can get out and run when things feel bad at home. Um, you know, it's great for your mental health. And I think if other women realize that it doesn't matter if you've never run ever before in your life, unless you've got a an actual disability, I believe anyone can run. I really do. If I can, anyone can run. That's that's the truth of it. I'm the unrunniest running person in the world. I really am. So I I really would love to encourage women to feel so good like I do about themselves and about what they can achieve in life. Um, so I think if I can help other women do that, that would that makes me happy too.

Joshie:

Do you think that in one sense that men also have a role to play in terms of helping to provide support to their partners and women in general that are going through menopause? So my partner's going through perimenopause at the moment and it's just started HRT. And it's something that, I mean, like you say, it's not really spoken about. Um, it certainly wasn't a conversation that was had in my childhood. In fact, it there was almost this um uh pejorative way of talking about women that were going through changes. It was like they were, you know, they're going loopy, they're going crazy, kind of thing. And there just wasn't even this this um c uh sort of conversation about w, you know, why that is and how how men can p can play a role.

Shona:

Oh, it's it even, you know, I even help with doctors, even with GPs, don't even talk to you about it, you get basically help nowhere. And you do think you're going crazy. So having a husband not tell you go you're going crazy helps for a start. Um I think just having someone that's really supportive and and maybe, you know, is prepared to learn more about what women are going through with many pause and menopause and how hard it is for us. Um and I have a husband that helps a lot. You know, he helps a lot around the house. We don't, it's never been me doing everything. I've never, you know, I I wouldn't be married to a man that was like that. Um he wouldn't be my husband. So um a lot of women, you know, are stuck going through that, still looking after the children, taking the emotional burden of the whole family, even to the extent of they decide what's for dinner, they decide, make all the decisions. It's really important to have leeway, to not have to make every decision for your family. Um, to give you time to go out and have a run or get away, you know, to give you a break from all those things is really important too. Um and hopefully men are better at that now. I don't know. But um I'm I've certainly been very lucky though.

Joshie:

Yeah, I I mean I can't really speak necessarily generationally for what whether it's changed. I feel as though there's been maybe an organic shift. I don't think there's been a paradigm shift in terms of those I still feel as though there's largely um you know genderized um and stereotyped roles and responsibilities in the house. But um I sort of w wonder if you can give us a little bit of insight into, I guess, the the mindset of post-menopausal women. Um how how how do they typically feel about themselves when they sort of go?

Shona:

The good thing is once you go through after menopause, um, you you realize that you weren't really crazy. It was just, you know, um you you become a lot calmer. Um, like obviously this is the calmest I've ever been in my life. Um you really stop caring about what other people think of you, um, which is I guess why, which helps you start running, because you're not you don't care what other people think. It doesn't matter anymore. Um you you just learn to love yourself a lot more and you're more confident in what you can achieve in life, I think. Um and you also start to put yourself first, not always last, which when you're a younger woman, unfortunately, everyone else comes before you. And and as you get older, you realise that that's not sustainable, really. You if you don't look after yourself, it's very hard to look after other people. Um so I guess wisdom comes with age too. So that's something um that I've really enjoyed. Um, I absolutely love being an older win woman. I love it. Um it's uh really the best time of my life. And I would never have thought that you could be in the 60s and say that about yourself, but it's amazing. I love it.

Joshie:

Really?

Matty:

It's really, really good to hear. Yeah, really good to hear.

Shona:

And also you don't have to care about, you know, how you look or all those things that unfortunately, you know, we've been taught to as women to care about, you know, our weight and our what we wear and and all those things that they no longer become important. Um it's more about health and just how good you feel.

Joshie:

So And showing up, which you're which you're doing time and time again, and you're giving it your all. And I think um as runners, we often overlook the the the effort and the commitment to the to the process. It's not necessarily about you know improving splits and improving times, but you're you're showing up time and time again. And we'll talk in a little little mo sorry, in we'll talk in a few moments about how you apply yourself in some some quite extreme ways. Um, so we'll we'll come to that shortly. But um I think Shane, we probably almost need a um a full series to capture your incredible life story. Amongst other things, you've run a number of successful businesses and I think you're studying sports nutrition at the moment. You just started I am, yes, yes. What what can you tell us about that?

Shona:

Um, that I'm very bad at studying. And that um ADHD and study are just two terrible things to go together. Um so I'm not very dedicated. Um I tend to start a lot of different degrees and not finish any. So that's the story of my life, really. Um so I have no doubt I won't finish.

Joshie:

Are there any regrets? Do you sort of look back at any degrees that you started and didn't finish and think, oh, I sort of wish I'd keep going with that?

Shona:

Five years of a six-year architecture course, so I guess I do regret that. Wow. Um I did yeah. Um, but I I had children, so I stopped studying and I had I had been working as an interior designer and with architects, um, which I I just loved. I loved working as an interior designer. And I designed furniture, things like that. You know, I did a lot for the Hyatt Coulomb when that first came out and big jobs like that. So and I worked with one of the best architects in Australia. Um so I was you know, really loved it. But then um I had children. So um I made a commitment to stay home with my children because my mum worked and it was something that I found really hard as a child. Um, so I married an architect. That was this that's not my current husband. Um and so he kept going and studying. We were actually both still students, and I stayed home with the children. Um, so I I guess I do regret that I didn't finish that. But in saying that, I had in my mind that I was going to be some famous architect, and I probably wouldn't have been, so it would have been a bit sad anyway. So that's okay.

Matty:

Life life happens again, and I yeah, I think the fact that the fact that you learned from from your parents and what you wanted to give your your children is, you know, that's amazing. So I think the fact you didn't finish, you took a different pathway. It's it's not a failure.

Shona:

And I guess that's why I love running now, because I it sort of makes me put myself first. And I haven't ever I have four children, so I've never really done that in my life before. So um I I think it's important to do for yourself. Something that's you know, just for you. And that's what running is, it's it's something that I do just for me.

Joshie:

So whilst let's stick on the theme of sports nutrition. Um, where do you see that going and how has it changed the way that you either fuel, train, or recover?

Shona:

It hasn't changed me enough. Um that's my downfall.

Joshie:

Yeah.

Shona:

It's uh because I'll really quickly mention this, but it's not something I obviously want to dwell on. You know, I've lost 50 kilograms over the last three years. So um I basically lived in a calorie calorie deficit for three years. So it's hard to get over that. And it's um it's hard to not be worried about sustaining that. And unfortunately, it's incredibly hard to run on a calorie deficit. It just it's almost impossible to, if you do not fuel yourself right, runs are terrible. And every time I have a bad run, it's because I have not eaten correctly, and you can't just live on gels and cheese like I try to, um, just before a run. Like sometimes I just damn the jelly beans just before I run and and things like that. Um so I'm I'm learning to have, you know, really balanced meals. Obviously, carbs are really important. Um I'm fantastic at carbs before an event. I'm I'm I just I'm so good at it. I love it because I go for three days just carbing up and it's the best three days of my life. Um, but otherwise I'm pretty bad on a day-to-day basis still. So I guess I wanted to study it to just more help myself. Um because it is, it's it's imperative to to feel right, really. It's just one of the main things, and it's it's one of the my worst habits, actually, of just not eating enough food before I run. Like I I've gone on runs at night time with eating nothing during the day, and that's just disastrous.

Matty:

So I have two, Shona, and it and it it hurts, it kills you. And I think I think the thing is you touch on a good point. It's you're going from a couple of years deficit now to having to fuel. Um, it's really hard to adjust. And it it it's a mindset because you start thinking that oh, if I eat that much, I'm gonna put on weight. Um, when in reality, you've got to eat that much so that you can burn that much.

Shona:

That's right. And then often if I do eat, I think, oh, now I have to run more, which is a really bad mindset that I have. Um and I'm trying to get over that as well.

Joshie:

But it's something I think we've spoken about in a couple of episodes. Um even though we know that we shouldn't be conflating um diet and exercise, we still seem to. Um we've It's unfortunate, yeah. Yeah, um this mindset of we've earned a burger or we need to run off that pizza, it can be quite a dangerous um trap to fall into.

Shona:

Um definitely it it is, and it's something that I'm really that's sort of one of my goals this year is to just really nourish my body and care about it and you know be ready for the runs and feel really great after every run as well.

Joshie:

Yeah. Well, I think you're doing great, um, Shona, and um hopefully you can continue to apply yourself with the sports nutrition, whether it's in a personal or professional capacity. Um we certainly hope you continue along that journey. Now, travel has become a huge motivator for you with your running. Um, what can you tell us that's different for you about r uh racing or running somewhere new?

Shona:

Um, that's the thing about me. I can't do the same run over and over. Um I I live where I live now, I'm about a kilometer from the river. So, you know, just shoot me if I have to keep that doing that run. That first kilometer I'm going through kind of industrial, and then I get to the river, and then I have to dodge people that never move out of the way, too. So that's another story. Um, but I just something in my mind, I just can't keep doing the same runs. And so when I go to a new place, it's just to me, just thrilling to to go to different areas, and you can never see a new city better than on your feet. Yeah. Like you just can't. You you go little down little alleys, little places that you you wouldn't even normally see if you're just being a normal normal tourist. I love I I don't go on a holiday now without a run, you know, like without a run of mind, which is really bad, you know. But I think why go to another place and not do a race? You know, why why not? Um it's just more exciting.

Joshie:

It is. And we spoke about that a few weeks ago. That um I I used to judge people that um would run on holidays. I'd be like, you know, why would you do that? You're on holidays, but why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't you? Exactly right. Something you love doing. And now I'm actually most of my trips away, I plan around an event.

Shona:

Um and every trip I do is around it. I guess it's harder if you have little children. Now, um, because I used to be a bit resentful of my husband, and I'm I'm truthful. We'd go on a holiday, I'd have the children, he'd go off for a run, and I'd think, oh, you know, you're getting all this time to yourself, and I don't get that. And I was a bit resentful of that because you can't just leave little ones at home. Um, but I guess if you both run, you just have to have turns.

Joshie:

So yeah. That's exactly right. And it sounds like you and your current partner have that understanding, which is fantastic. Um, and as I mentioned at the start, we'll um we'll we'll chat about his role in your life shortly. Um, you also mentioned to me that you seem to get as much value and utility from your own goals as much as helping strangers across the the finish line. Um, what can you tell us about some of those moments and what they mean to you?

Shona:

Uh, I guess that's one of my favorite things about an event is helping people along the way, whether it's even just chatting or um, I think I told you in at the Gold Coast last year, which was a very hot 5Ks. I was originally doing the 10, but I had that injury. So I swapped down to the five, and I was, I think there was about a kilometer and a half to go, and there was I was stopping and starting because I was just too hot. And then and another woman beside me, she was quite young. She said to her, the person, the man she was running with, you just go ahead, I can't run anymore. And I said to her, let's do it together. And so we just started running together and we just kept talking. And I said, if we both, if we do it together, neither of us need to stop. And when we both and we didn't stop then, and we finished it, went across the finish line together, and it just felt so amazing to do it together. You know, I didn't know her name, we never would never speak to each other again.

Joshie:

Oh, wait.

Shona:

But we both kind of congratulated each other, and it was it just helped us both get over. It doesn't just help me, it helps, you know, it's both of us getting over. And um I love that feeling. I just love the feeling of community too that running brings and sharing joy with people when they achieve something like you're the same as you know, you're achieving it. It's really lovely.

Matty:

I got huge goosebumps then.

Shona:

It's yeah, it is and it is. That's what I love about it, you know. Or I often go past young people and say, come on, you can if I'm old, if I can do it, you can. And that tends to get them going too.

Joshie:

You know, one of the one of the tenets of the Rum Believable project is um celebrating the human side of of running. And that's certainly what you just shared with us encapsulates that um to a T. It's the kind of stuff that Strava simply can't show. It's those um visceral moments, those human moments that oh, it's yeah, um, just beautiful.

Shona:

What's the most amazing thing about events? It's not whether you win or lose or where you come. It's about the shared joy and experience with other people. And, you know, you're all there doing the same thing together and trying to achieve something. And it it just feels it just feels amazing. Um, you know, and I've never experienced that before because I've never been a sport I've never been a sporty person apart from I got the wing defense, you know, position, which no one wants a netpool. Um it's always me, the wing defense, great. Um apart from that, I've never really, you know, I've never been involved in sport to understand the feeling of of that, um, of just achieving things and doing it with other people too.

Matty:

So I do I don't think much comes close to that though in sport. Like, you know, you can get that in team sports and that sort of thing, and it's a shared experience. But I I don't know. I I've I've played sport my whole life, but running is just different in terms of we all know what each other's going through, we all know the mental pain, the physical pain, and we're all doing it together. Um and it's something that you don't actually realize is gonna happen when you start running until you actually go and do those events, and that actually happens. And to me, it was exactly the same. It was like, oh my God, this is where I want to be. These are my people. Um, and I'm sure you you got to that point. I'm sure you got to that point at that 5K. It's like, this is my thing.

Shona:

Yeah, it there's nothing better than fit crossing that finish line. It doesn't, and it doesn't matter what position you're in, it's irrelevant. It's just, oh wow, I've done it. And you know, and and you've other people are feeling exactly the same emotions. So you're going through the same things and everyone's so happy and joyous at the end of the line, you know, or exhausted, one of the both or both. But it it is a great feeling. And um, and I guess that that's got me hooked. I did 11 events last year in my first full year of running, and goodness. I'm probably going to do quite a few more than that this year. So I've got a lot lined up.

Joshie:

Now, we mentioned a couple of times, and you've mentioned more than a couple of times, about the role that your um husband, Jason, plays in your life. Um, he's uh lightning fast. Um he's also, I think, a running coach, but he's also your mentor and incredibly supportive of your own running goals. Um, what does it mean to you to have someone like him in your corner?

Shona:

Um, I don't think I could have achieved um I'm not a person who likes to do something by themselves, unfortunately. Um maybe I sound a bit codependent, but um I find it hard to I don't even run by myself, very rarely ever do a run by myself. So the fact that he is prepared. To do every single slow run with me, and you know, I'm half the pace of him. Um, and he never complains. He he seems really happy to do it with me. We've we've now made Friday night run into our date night run, so we, you know, do a beer or a snack in the middle of our run, and that's what we do every Friday night. Um, he makes me feel like I'm amazing, no matter how slow I am, and he's always making me feel like that there's everything that I achieve is even more amazing than it is. Um I I'm so lucky to have him supporting me. Um and he is a coach, so I don't listen to him though, but as a coach, which I should. Tells me have a rest day, like and I don't. Um and you'll injure yourself and I ignore him and I do. Um But yeah, he and he lets me buy my shoes and never complains about, you know, how much money I spend on that. Um and obviously he loves it too because I never complain about him entering any races anymore. You know, he gets up at four o'clock every Tuesday morning. I don't complain about him waking me up to do his training. Um I never complain about his runs, and I guess I used to a little bit because I didn't really understand. You know, I'd say, why you're you know, you're away for hours. Now I say just go, go, you know. Um, so it's it's made life easier for him too, I think, because I can understand where he's coming from now too. So um, and it's just lovely, um, I think as a couple to have a really something that you both love that you can do together. Um and I I feel like it's really brought us closer, actually.

Joshie:

It's yeah, I was just going to ask, you know, whether having that a shared interest has sort of helped galvanize your relationship.

Shona:

It um we used to always work together because you know, we're weird and we always like we do like to spend, you know, every day together. Um and so when we stopped working together, I didn't see him as much. So now running's sort of brought that back that we do spend a lot of time together. And you know, I do. I mean, he chats a lot when he runs, whereas I'm just out of breath. So that kind of distracts me, which is really good from the pain sometimes when he's just chatting away and you know, talking about all these PBs and whatever else he likes to chat about, but or who he's going to beat. Um and he's sort of brought me into his world. He's got a lot of running friends, so we kind of hang out with them a bit as well, which is nice. Um, and then chat about more running. Um, and yeah, yeah, I guess his main interests in life are running and rugby. So now he can talk about running. I still don't let him talk about rugby. Especially the all blacks. He goes for the all blacks. I go, no, don't talk about that.

Joshie:

Oh, there we go. It's okay to still have boundaries. There's no issues with that, Shona. Now, is it true? Uh, this is sort of like a a weird feedback loop. So, episode four, we interviewed someone called Mighty Mark. Now, your partner Jason is clearly a very supportive person. Um, did he give Mighty Mark his very first sports watch, first running watch?

Shona:

He did, indeed. Yes. We used to see um Jason knew Mark from when, you know, when he j from when he first started running. And then we'd see him at Chermside Park Run, and he was talking to Jason about doing the Brisbane Marathon. Um, and he was just using his phone for timing.

Joshie:

Yep.

Shona:

And Jason said, You cannot do a marathon with a phone.

Joshie:

Right.

Shona:

You can't, you have to have a watch. And he said, I've got one at home, I've got a new one, I'll bring it to you next week. And he did. So that's awesome. That's a really cool story.

Joshie:

Wow. Yeah, it is. And yeah, it's certainly been great to see Mighty Mark go from strength to strength. That's yeah, sort of love that sort of little connection there that's um your experience.

Shona:

Yeah, we saw him again on Christmas Day, and you know, he's such a lovely person, Mark.

Joshie:

Yeah, yeah. That's fantastic. Um, I I mentioned a little bit earlier, Shona, about you applying yourself in quite an extreme way. Now, I can say that because you did tell me that one of the challenges you have with yourself is that it doesn't matter what kind of run you're doing, you go hell for leather, you go flat out on every run.

Shona:

I do, unfortunately. I have uh it's a bit harder in summer, to tell you the truth. It's a lot of I I found summer running incredibly hard. This is my first summer running and it's been a shock. But um, I guess I really love the feeling uh of being totally exhausted. Um maybe it's good for my mind, I'm not sure. Um, but I feel like I haven't really had a great run unless I get home and I just am totally, totally exhausted. So if you look at my heart rate on every run, I'm always in zone four. Every single run, I'm thinking, I don't know how to do that zone two. I just don't.

Joshie:

Yeah.

Shona:

I'm not sure how to achieve that. But um, you know, I I really do have to try to sometimes. Um and but when you're already a slow runner, it's pretty hard to go much slower, really. But anyway.

Joshie:

Well, I don't know, Shona. It sounds like you're applying yourself uh as at to your absolute max as hard as you possibly can. And I have no doubt that um you'll start to see some improvement as time goes on. Um, especially if you get yourself a pair of carbon-plated shoes, which I know a few people are trying to talk you into.

Shona:

And I actually looked at Pro 4s this morning for mine. There are a few on sale. I went, oh. Um, but yeah, I do have a lot of shoes to wear out, so I'm I'm trying to do that first. Um I do have one carbon plated pair, which I'm saving for, I'm not sure what that um maybe the next 5k I do, I'm not sure. Um certainly for winter anyway.

Joshie:

Now you started the well, I believe you started the slow AF Brisbane Running Group. Is that true?

Shona:

We did. Um I I guess I wanted to find some people that were slow as me. And I said, Oh, I'm gonna start a Facebook group. Because I had been in the original, there's a huge group, you know. I think it's based in England, I'm not sure. Um, and I thought, oh, I'm gonna start a Brisbane one because then we can do, you know, weekly runs and they'll be all slow. And so we did, and we used to run every Wednesday morning um from Fonsi Abbott at Albion. As soon as I started it, that's when I that's when I broke my foot. So I didn't go for the first six months, but Jason went, which was really hard for him because he was fast. But he would take the slow group until I could actually join. And then when I first joined, I was just still a walker.

Joshie:

So and then, you know, you were all surprised that they didn't kick him out of the group.

Shona:

And he didn't tell them he was fast. He just ran slow with him. And then I joined and I've made some really I we don't do it anymore. Um, I kind of got I find morning running really, really difficult. Um, I much prefer running at night, and so I I I actually stopped going to my own group, so it slowly died. Um, but I've made some lovely friends out of it, and I'm still friends with them. And we're starting beer runs up again soon. We do a Sunday once-a-month beer run, so we're going to start that back up again. Oh nice. It's a bit cooler, so we all go for a drink afterwards.

Joshie:

So that's groups. So that group's still going, is it?

Shona:

Uh the Facebook group's quite big. No one really says much in it. Sometimes I say a few things.

Joshie:

Okay.

Shona:

Um, but some of us used to meet up, we'd meet up at, you know, we'd say which park runs we were going to, so we'd do park runs together and things. Um, I did a couple of runs towards the end of last year with a few people, but the beer runs uh we'll get it back going, I think in March. So um we normally go at Stafford, there's a brewery there, and then we run from there along the brook and then back and have a drink. So that's always fun.

Joshie:

And you're not done yet. Before we finish up, Sharona, what can you tell us that's on the horizon for 2026?

Shona:

I've got three half marathons and and a marathon and um a lot of five and ten K events. So um I pretty much just uh want to do every local event there is, so I don't have to travel to those. And then I have to be a bit careful about which other ones I do. Um I work with Atlas events, so um they have Hobart, um, which I'll be doing, but I'm only I think I'm only doing the 10k in that one. Um and Gold Coast I'm doing the half, Brisbane I'm doing the half. Um that's with Atlas as well. And they have cans, so I haven't signed up yet, but I might. And they've got a new one in Harvey Bay, which I might try to. So I don't know yet, everything yet. But um my jar is getting pretty full.

Joshie:

I think what you neglected to share that that marathon's not a local just pop down the road.

Shona:

It's no, it's in Amsterdam.

Joshie:

Um there wouldn't be too many people that uh have sort of based in Brisbane that have decided to head over to Amsterdam for their debut marathon in their 60s.

Shona:

Yeah, I'm not sure why. Um it just came up in my feed again, you know. I've got to get off Instagram. Um my grandfather was Dutch, so I thought that's kind of cool to to do a Dutch one. Um I thought that might be nice. And um I haven't ever really I've only spent one night in Holland, so I thought it would be kind of nice to go over there. I still have some relatives there, so I thought that would be a nice place to do it. Actually, the week before um is a run in Bruges as well. So um I'll probably just do the 5K and that one the weekend before as well. So yeah.

Joshie:

Wow. Wow. Yeah. No, thanks so much for taking the time to join us on Run Believable. We can't wait to see your continued progress. Um, you're inspiring a new breed of runner, and we truly wish you every success in the future. We've had a joy speaking with you today.

Shona:

Thank you very much. It was lovely speaking to both of you.

Joshie:

Well, Maddie, I don't know about you, but I feel as though Shona really understates just how incredible her journey has been. Yeah, I totally agree, Joshy.

Matty:

It's inspirational, and you kind of think to yourself, look, we're we're we're getting older as well as time goes on and it goes so quickly. Um, it it really reinforces that, you know, we can still be doing this when we're when we're older. And I think um Shona is a true inspiration to those people that that maybe um started running and maybe a little bit older and think, uh, is this really for me? I think what when you listen to what she said about that five kilometer race, that's what it's about.

Joshie:

Yeah, look, I couldn't agree with you more, Maddie. I you know, I love challenging you, but I really had nothing to add to what you just said. So that's it for today. If you have a run believable story of your own, then we'd truly love to hear it. And if you'd like to be a guest on the show, then please hit us up. Finally, this podcast relies on your continued support. So if you can please take the time to follow, rate, and share this podcast with your running mates. We'd really appreciate it. And we'll see you for the next run believable adventure.