Ep 36: How One 5K Changed Hundreds of Lives | Georgia Weir (Deadly Runners)

In 2012, Georgia Weir was battling poor mental health, addiction, and an incorrect bipolar diagnosis.

A local 5km event became a last resort.

What followed was a journey that took her from running her first marathon in New York, to founding Deadly Runners; a movement that has helped hundreds of First Nations Australians discover what's possible through running. 

But the road wasn't smooth.

After a dispute over ownership, Georgia lost everything, battled addiction, rebuilt her life, and emerged with an even greater sense of purpose.

Learn about Deadly Runners: https://deadlyrunners.com.au/

Discover WeRun Foundation: https://www.werunfoundation.org/

Perhaps the most powerful 'why' running video you'll see: https://www.instagram.com/p/DYt2BgwTHj3/

In this episode:

• Running as a last resort for mental health
• Finding self-belief through completing the New York Marathon
• Discovering purpose through establishing Deadly Runners
• Losing everything through addiction 
• The role her husband played in recovery 
• Helping First Nations communities break cycles through running 

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Runbelievable is the podcast for every runner. From your first parkrun to your 100th marathon, from walk-run intervals to dabbling in trail running, every runner has a story worth telling. Through honest conversations with runners from all walks of life, Runbelievable explores the challenges, achievements, setbacks, and experiences that connect us through running and shape who we become.

Transcript

Georgia 0:00

I just I didn't speak up, which I probably should. I did to some degree, but I should have spoken louder. It was devastating. It was really I started um drinking and drinking more and then taking drugs, and then I was in a full-blown ice addiction.

Joshie 0:21

Hello everybody and welcome to Run Believable, the podcast that celebrates Why We Run. I'm your host, Josh De Richton, and I'm here to bring you stories about what first got people running and what keeps them lacing up day after day. From the last and the lessons to wondering what trail running might be like. Coming up in this episode, you'll meet someone who took up running after exhausting all other avenues. From addiction and homelessness to breaking cycles for First Nations Australians, the story has to be heard to be believed. Also in this episode is our weekly quiz, plus the announcement of our guest the shoe mileage winner. Lots to get through. Brett, welcome back to Run Believable.

Brett 1:05

G'day, Josh. Yeah, thanks very much. Really happy to be back.

Joshie 1:09

Yeah, I must ask, how's the uh javelin training going?

Brett 1:13

Uh yeah, so yeah, so um back into both javelin and discus. So um and I it it does it, both of them do involve running. So I'm getting used to doing that sort of side step over. Um and uh and also a lot of high high leg lifting when you start the javelin, when you start the run-up with the javelin throw. So um I am doing yeah, high knees, that's it. So I am doing um lots of plymetric base work, running backwards, running sideways, little like 10 to 20 meter sprints. Um but it's a very it's a running style that um probably I would guess most of the listeners um don't do on a regular basis. We tend to do a um as part of a warm-up, like for intervals, for example, a lot of what you're talking about.

Joshie 1:59

Stuff that we're haters run as all those drills.

Brett 2:02

Yes, yes. You're right, yeah. Apply metrics is common, you're right.

Joshie 2:05

As part of it before we hit record, you're you're concerned about not being considered a runner because you've taken a few weeks off. See, but I can see you being very careful to make mention that you are indeed still a runner, which is uh kind of a prerequisite.

Brett 2:20

Just a a very a very different type of runner, and um and and running um as part of another activity, if you like. So yeah, still doing heaps of strength work and and enjoying that. But um, yeah. What was that thing you posted?

Joshie 2:35

There was like a graphic of some sort, and I think it showed like the qualifying distance for masters or something.

Brett 2:41

So it was the it was the world championships, the athletics world championships, um whenever the next one is. Um and it had the qualifying throw. Oh, gee, you brought this up. I don't I don't like talking about this because it had the qualifying throw for the javelin as being 85 meters. I wasn't sure if I misread it.

Joshie 3:02

I was gonna get in touch with you to say, is there a decimal that was in the wrong spot?

Brett 3:06

I know there's a lot of there's a lot of javelin throwers now that can that have thrown over eight uh over 90 meters. So to put it into perspective, I'm throwing 23 metres. I've gone from 18 to 23. So it's over three times, nearly four times. So it'd be the equivalent to show how I am relatively speaking, it's the equivalent of me doing a marathon in eight hours. Um, because it's you know, four times, you go three to four times, so seven hours. So it just shows how I am, how good I am relatively speaking. Well, at your current rate of progression, you'll be there in a hundred years or so. So yeah. Yeah, yeah. My my my ultimate goal at the moment is to be able to throw 30 metres. Yeah.

Joshie 3:48

Well, sincerely wishing you the best of luck. Now, Brett, as you probably know, our first community competition has been run and won. Uh sincerely thanks to everyone who played along. Now, Brett, in the end, it was a bit of an upset. Um Tracy in a 2-2 played quite the tactical race, um, hanging back in second right up until the finish line, an almighty lunge getting her there by a narrow margin of just 28 kilometers, which is bare like a half marathon. Um, yeah, very uh yeah, sincerely thanks to everyone who participated in the competition. We had a huge amount of fun. I do want to give a couple of special shout-outs. Firstly, to listen, they get fit with Theo 777, who had the closest guess in weeks uh two and three, I believe. Uh, in fact, in the last week he was only 25 kilometres, sorry, eight kilometres off. So with a guess of 25 kilometres, he was only eight Ks off the mark. And I'd also like to give a shout out to I am Kim Martin. Now, Kim, you really put up a brave fight, leading all the way right up until the finish line. I sincerely thought that she had it in the bag, Brett.

Brett 4:58

Oh, no, that's so good. I know. Oh, she'll have to console herself going for a run with the dogs.

Joshie 5:05

That's true. Where was I? Okay, uh, Brett, I'm now look, I'm gonna have mercy on you. Our last quiz. Yeah, I know. Can you remember what you you did?

Brett 5:15

Oh, I'm uh well, I know I'm one from six. So, um, and that's that's a one from three chance. The two I did were one from three chance. So so if I if I had just taken random guesses, statistically I should have got two from six. So I'm doing worse than worse than not worse than someone that doesn't know any of the answers. Gosh. No pressure, but I'm making today's quiz much easier. It's a 50-50 this time.

Joshie 5:42

I noticed you've been doing a couple of those. Yeah, but you were hoping I'd have one installed for you. Yeah, absolutely. Well, it's a 50-50 quiz all about 50 something-year-old runners.

Brett 5:52

Oh, and these are on my nose, so that's good.

Joshie 5:55

Well, you've got an unfair advantage then. So these are all true or false. Question number one. The women's W 50 world record, so that is 50 to 54 for a marathon, this is, yeah, is sub two hours 30. True or false?

Brett 6:12

Uh I think that uh I I I would I can't remember what the actual open world record is, but um I'm gonna two hours 30. Gee, that is so fast. Uh I'm gonna go false.

Joshie 6:30

Yes, indeed it is false. Uh not by much, can you believe it or not? Uh two hours 31 minutes and five seconds.

Brett 6:37

Oh, wow, that is so fast.

Joshie 6:40

Oh that was said by I think she's Ukrainian, Tatiana Posnyakova in 2005. Wow, gee. Question number two. Yeah, it's incredible. The men's M50 world record, so once again for a marathon, yep, is sub two hours twenty, true or false?

Brett 7:03

Oh gee. And often men often mature later. Uh so I'm gonna go sub 220. Yeah, I'm gonna go true on that one.

Joshie 7:19

Yeah, I'm impressed. So his name's uh Titus Mamabolo in 1991, believe it or not that long ago, he set a marathon time in the 50 to 54 age group of two hours 19 and 29 seconds.

Brett 7:36

Oh, so close. Gee, you made them very close, though, haven't you?

Joshie 7:40

Well, you're two from two, mate. So you're you're above uh above that average of if people didn't know anything about uh question number three the fastest time run by a 59-year-old Australian female in the marathon is sub three hours, true or false?

Brett 8:04

Uh automatically, I think it's true, but I'm not sure of logic of why I say that, but I reckon there's a lot of people doing sub three hours. Um so yeah, I'm gonna go true.

Joshie 8:23

So last year at the Gold Coast, uh Jill Wilkie ran a two hour fifty-eight minutes and thirty-three seconds.

Brett 8:37

Uh 59, did you say?

Joshie 8:39

Uh two hours fifty-eight and thirty-three seconds. She's 59 and 59. Yes, sorry, yeah, she's 59 years of age. Wow. That is awesome. And she incredibly, this uh this amazing woman has set age, uh, Australian age records three years in a row. And did a bit of Googling. I think she's a like a doctorate um and a radiologist in Bendigo, which is uh quite something.

Brett 9:06

Gee, she must be very busy between working and training. It's quite something, isn't it? Yeah, that's absolutely incredible. I'd love to know a training regime.

Joshie 9:14

That's amazing. Yeah. Now, Brett, I know you're a busy man. I'm gutted you can't stick around for our guests today, but I certainly appreciate that javelin training is your number one priority at the moment.

Brett 9:24

It is indeed. The professional javelin uh pursuit waits for no one. Especially if you're trying to quadruple your current distance, I'd better let you go. Thanks, mate. Good on you, Josh. Thanks a lot.

Joshie 9:37

Today's guest took up running in 2012 as a last resort following years of poor mental health and addiction. Running the 2013 New York Marathon set her on a journey not only of self-discovery and healing, but also giving back to her community through the establishment of Deadly Runners, a program that has helped hundreds of First Nations Australians take on challenges they never thought possible. Recently, she also took on the additional role of head coach of the TCS Sydney Marathon. Can we please welcome Georgia Weir? Welcome, Georgia.

Georgia 10:12

Thank you, Joshua.

Joshie 10:14

Now, before running into your life, what can you tell us how things looked for young Georgia?

Georgia 10:21

I think now that I look back, um, I was I forget a bit a bit sad. Uh actually feel a bit sad because there was a lot of uh emotional turmoil and a lot of unresolved trauma, but I was I really did the best that I could. So yeah.

Joshie 10:39

I mean, what can you tell us, I guess, day-to-day life was like for you? Um Yeah, sure. Yeah.

Georgia 10:47

So I I up until running, I started running. Um I had four kids.

Joshie 10:53

Okay.

Georgia 10:53

Uh with my husband Michael. Um, I worked in the public service off and on from about the age of 16. Uh, because I left school early.

Joshie 11:04

Okay.

Georgia 11:04

Um, and we bought a finally bought a house in about 2012, I think. Um, so yeah, it was probably very um for a we we were based in Can or Queen Beyond in Canberra, so we kind of followed that path that a lot of Canberraans do about getting good public service jobs and buying a house and I was there, Georgia.

Joshie 11:26

I was right with you. No.

Georgia 11:28

Yeah. Yeah. So um, but also, you know, I did all this while battling mental health and addiction. So probably a f a functioning um, I don't want to say, oh, probably alcoholic, I guess. I was lots of um, you know, periods of times where I didn't drink, but um, it was always there. The addiction cloud and the mental health cloud was always there.

Joshie 11:53

And correct me if I'm wrong, was it 2010 that you were incorrectly diagnosed with bipolar disorder?

Georgia 11:59

Yeah, that's right. It was um around 2010 I went to the doctor. It was just I knew I always knew something was up. Like I always knew something wasn't right because um I would make decisions around, you know, drinking and going out and taking recreational drugs that just I would be so really ashamed about. And I think even early on I had this um I could understand that if there was a lot of shame and guilt associated with it, then I knew there was more not more to life, but it was there was it didn't sit with who I knew I was. It didn't kind of align. But I always always felt I had I didn't have any control over it. So there was always, I guess, curiosity there about why do I make these decisions? Why do I do these silly things like drink choosing to to drink and go out? Why do I do that when I know it's not the best decision? Or when I know I have to take my kids to sport in the morning. And I think I always always knew I was I was a good person. I think that's what it was. I was fundamentally a good person, but I'd make really silly decisions. And I ha I just didn't have the understanding or tools to work out why this was happening.

Joshie 13:19

So do you think the the medical team around you at the time were dismissive of your concerns and were a bit too uh quick to diagnose you with bipolar? I mean, you you mentioned to me it was an incorrect diagnosis. Do you feel though the the process was just all happened a bit too quickly?

Georgia 13:35

It did happen very quickly, and I think I was so desperate for an answer that I was happy to take it. I was like, oh, there's a reason. I was like, oh, there's a reason that I'm like this, and it's bipolar and I have no control over it, so that's great. It was kind of answered questions for me. But then I think with a lot of I've seen in the work that I've done over the years and and it happened to myself, is that you kind of this diagnosis becomes your identity and almost becomes an excuse for poor behaviour. Oh well, I can't help it. I can't, I I've done this, but I can't help it. So and and that was you know, that resulted in the um the you know, I was prescribed really strong psychotropic medication that just was mind-bending and awful and made me feel horrible, and then I couldn't sleep, and then I'd be prescribed something else to sleep that was actually meant for epilepsy, but could also work for sleep. It was just this all it's just it's just horrible. It was a really bad time, but I felt, you know, that I had found the answer, and um I guess that leads to how I found running really.

Joshie 14:48

It sounds like that period between 2010 and 2012 was just devastating for you, and uh it all came to a head, I think you said in 2012. Um, are you happy to talk to us about what happened around that time?

Georgia 15:00

I d yeah, absolutely. I remember I would keep this box of medication on top of the fridge. And I remember I got it down one day, and there were again those psychotropic medications, all these really strong ones that made me feel like crap. And I just had this moment of I looked at them and I just was like, I'm not doing this. I can't imagine having to wake up and take this to feel normal for the rest of my life. And the thing is it didn't even make me feel normal, but it made me feel worse. Um so I started, I decided that I was going to sign up for a 5k because I was going to try exercise. Um so it was a I I I think I went to the local news agency in Queen Bean and bought a running magazine. Yeah. Started reading it, and there was like they, you know, they advertise, races advertise within those running mags, and there was one, I can't remember where it was, somewhere just outside of Sydney, and I signed up for it. And um then went, oh well, I better work out how how I get myself there. Yeah. Um and that then I downloaded an app. I found an app. Okay, there's apps you can use. Um and I downloaded the app and I think the first day I decided to use it, my we were, I don't know how we ended up doing this, but we were down we're at the you know, in the the center of Queen, and I said to my husband, I'm going to r run home. And he went, I'm gonna start this program. So I'm gonna start it today. And he said, Oh, okay. And um I did my first session, I ran home from the shop and I I remember the the the session hadn't finished I'd reached my house, but the the session hadn't finished. I still had like maybe another seven minutes to go. And I thought and I I thought when I was at my going past my house, I thought I've done, I've kind of done enough. Like this is pretty good. I've done most of it. Yeah. I think this is enough. Like I'm proud, it's better than doing nothing. And I made a decision where I was like, you've always this has been your thinking forever, and it really hasn't gotten you that far.

Joshie 17:14

Yeah.

Georgia 17:15

So I made a decision to finish the seven minutes, and that for me was again one of those moments that um kind of shifted a lot of um how I viewed myself and you know, took me into how I approach running mentally for the future because it was uh near enough was always good enough. And that moment, and that moment it was like it's actually hasn't that hasn't served you that thinking. So you've got to just finish it. So it was the first, probably one of the first times in my life that I'd finished something that was hard.

Joshie 17:49

Oh wow. That's and things escalated pretty quickly in terms of your running journey. I think it was just the following year, wasn't it, 2013, that you participated in the New York Marathon. Um, what can you tell us about your journey getting there?

Georgia 18:05

Yeah, so it was it did escalate quickly. Um within a few weeks of starting that program, the I noticed that um my anxiety was reduced significantly. And it felt like magic. I had never had anything in my life. I didn't even, I don't think I even had the word anxiety then. I don't think I knew that's that's what it was. But I just felt this sense of calm and control for the first time in my life. I was like, wow, and I knew it was because of running. So yeah, that obviously sent me on this um journey that escalated quickly, and then yeah, I ran the the New York City Marathon in 2013, so I applied to be part of um the Indigenous Marathon project and got accepted. So yeah, ran the New York City Marathon in 2013, and that was again that was you know the next level. I'd probably done seven or eight K before I started training for that. And really, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like seven or eight K was probably the biggest run. Then I started the the proper training for it. And um Yeah, it was it I was so committed, but then I was injured I got injured leading up to it as well. So I I ended up doing about four of the six months leading up to it in the pool. So I did all my pool sessions, all my running sessions in the pool. Yeah, like three-hour long runs, like interval sessions in the pool. Yeah, because I got injured. Yeah, it was yeah, yeah, but it was it also developed such mental toughness as well. So doing three-hour running Queen and pool.

Joshie 19:45

So is that just like to reduce um impact really to um on the body?

Georgia 19:50

Yeah, so I had um injuries to my um calves and shins. I just loaded them up way too quickly because I was just too keen and I had done some damage. Um, so um there's no um, you know, no water is zero impact. So it was a good option. So I did that, and it's great cardio. It's a really good um replacement for running if you're if you're injured, is to get into the pool. You can mimic the movement of running. Um, there's zero impact. So I just and it keeps your cardio up. So I just that's just what I did. And it got me there.

Joshie 20:24

What can you tell us about your experience there and how you felt in particular when you crossed the finish line?

Georgia 20:30

Um, it was yeah. I set the bar pretty high by making New York the very first marathon I ever ran. But um, it's incredible. The atmosphere is like nothing I've ever actually, I'll lie, I just experienced it in London. I had I just ran London for the first time um last month, and London is very much on par with New York, but up until um, you know, last month, it was the most incredible atmosphere I've ever been part of for a for a run. You know, you get to see New York City by foot. You run through all the five boroughs, it's it's um they the city just turns it on, and um, it's yeah, it's one of the best experiences I ever had.

Joshie 21:16

Yeah, Georgia, there's a reason I wanted to spend a bit of time talking about your own personal running achievements and goals because you haven't actually spent much of the last 12, 13 years focused on yourself. I'd actually like to spend a bit of time talking about your achievements um beyond your own personal accolades. Um after the 2013 New York Marathon, you decided to um start Deadly Runners, an organization that you both founded and I think you're still the CEO for. Yes. Um what can you tell us about your inspiration for building this incredible project?

Georgia 21:51

Yeah, so I started it was just after I ran New York, um, and I got my qualification. As a personal trainer and a running coach, and made the decision to leave the public service because I realized there was more to life. And I wanted to, I wanted to offer run-in, like prof professionally led and coached run-in to all the local mob in Queen Been because I had found something that I thought was just magic. And I didn't want it, I didn't want to um charge anyone. It wasn't about money. It was just purely about, I found something so incredible that has completely changed my life that I want to give other people the opportunity to be coached through it and to learn and to have them have it potentially change their life. So I put a call out to the local uh Queen Yan community or the local mob there and just said if you want to, if you want to learn to run, like zero to 5k, just come down to the park. And people did. And then it just blew up within a 12-month period and got um, yeah, it just it just blew up.

Joshie 23:09

So what year was that that you started Deadly Rain? 2014. Wow. And so was this about helping to facilitate breaking intergenerational cycles? Was that a large part of your motivation?

Georgia 23:22

I think looking back, uh absolutely, like it it was, but I probably didn't have the words around it. It was all really emotion-based, and it was like, this has changed my life. I need to give other people, pass this on to other people. Um, and now looking back over the last, you know, what has it been? 12, 14 years, 13 years. Um it's had this profound impact um on our communities. And I've looked looked at the the impact it's had on individuals, on communities, on their lives, and I'm always um probably a little lost for words um when I think about the the the impact this program on Deadly Runners has had on people. Yeah.

Joshie 24:14

Have you taken the time to r reflect on yourself and I guess how proud you are of yourself for the legacy that you're leaving with Deadly Runners?

Georgia 24:25

Yes, yeah, I do um I do think about it often um because I never I had there was there's so much um devastation and trauma attached to my journey and I it could have easily gone another way. Um but I think I just you know I touched on it earlier, I just always had this curiosity about myself and where I was in life and why I've I behaved the way I did, which led to this um journey of understanding trauma and childhood trauma. So um, and that's you know, what I've learnt and my and the way Deadly Runners operates is very much um it's been incorporated into how Deadly Runners rolls out in communities. Um so you know there's purpose from my pain. And I think it's such a it helps me. I think when you've when I've created something that's been so impactful from something that was so could was traumatic and devastating, but really could have gone another way. Um I'm very grateful that I am someone that knows that they're living their purpose and that something that's was so awful, not just for me, but for my family, has turned into something so beautiful.

Joshie 26:00

Yeah. You know, Georgia, you took a massive gamble. You quit a very safe and secure job in the public service, like you mentioned before, and you decided to educate yourself in personal training, got the relevant qualifications that you needed to. Um, was there any point that you hesitated and went, should I be doing this? Or did you did you have this burning desire and just went, I'm going all in?

Georgia 26:23

I just had this burning desire, and I still get this. That was probably the first time I've ever had this, I don't even know how to describe it. It's like a given. Okay. But I have this, is I have this intuition with um a lot of things deadly runners related where I just know I know that it's the right decision and I know that it'll work out, and that it's it's a feeling that I get, and that was probably the first time when I decided to leave. So I didn't I will I did get a um a part-time job in the um in community services. Okay. So, but it was again, it was like a $60,000 pay card, and it was like it was quite significant. Um But I I needed something to allow me to be in Deadly Runners as well, to work in that.

Joshie 27:17

Now, from what I can deduce in Georgia, if talking about any of what happens next is too uncomfortable, I'll understand, but I think it was right up until 2016 everything was going quite well. You'd secured funding to independently operate Cambridge Deadly Runners. Um program was going quite well. Are you happy to talk to us about what happened next?

Georgia 27:37

Yeah, absolutely. It probably makes what I just said probably makes a bit more sense. But yeah, so in uh Deadly Runners was going great for, yeah, up until about end of 2015, early 2016, and then I had an organization that originally supported me and was great, um, and a coach and mentor that uh even auspice funds for for me in the early days, um just misappropriated the program and later found out that they had amended their funding agreements with the Commonwealth and started um claiming funding for my for Deadly Munners and then just rolled it out as their own throughout Australia. So um it it happened gradually, and I think, you know, I look back now and there was I believe there was just a a a power imbalance that was created with um with myself, or not just myself, but anyone who has been part of this organization, any black fellow that has been part of it, and the non-indigenous um person and people who run it. Um so I think I felt indebted, and I did have meetings with this org about what they were doing, but it was it just the lines blurred and it was um I just I didn't speak up, which I probably should. I did to some degree, but I should have spoken louder. Um and then it was devastating. It was really I started um drinking and drinking more um as they were rolling this out in different communities and then taking drugs, and then I was in a full-blown ice addiction. Um and I ended up, yeah, I ended up leaving my husband and my kids, and we lost the house that we'd just bought, you know, a few years before. Um there was no obviously no income coming from me. My husband um was doing his best and um, you know, continued to work where he could, but it was devastating. It was just, it was, I'd you know, I it's I can tell you about it, but the emotions and what it did to our family was um heartbreaking. And um yeah, but I guess I I I have a a good husband who stuck by me. And when I well I I should say he fought for me really. Um he just he'd always there were a few things that he did that I think were really key in my um in my recovery, and he had up he had strong boundaries up about what was okay and what wasn't. Like he would never give me money. Um, I never came to the house under the influence of anything, but I was never, I was always allowed to see my kids. I was always allowed to come home and sleep. Um and you know, there were times where he I remember him, I'd come home after being up awake for like seven days, and I'd fall asleep and and he'd wake me up and feed me, like, because he he just he said he knew it was the only time I'd eat. And then he'd wash my clothes for me, and then I'd get up and go and just leave him. It was just, I was in this world of hurt. Um, I couldn't, yeah. You know, I think what people need to understand drugs numb everything. They don't just know I was taking drugs to numb the pain of the devastation of having something I had created taken by someone I trusted, but it also numbs all the good, numbs for you from feeling the good as well. So it's just a it's it was an awful experience, but um I always knew I was I was loved and I always knew I had a home, but you know, like I always want to be clear that there were always strong boundaries up here. I wasn't I didn't walk all over him. There were awful times. Um but you know, I think around 2018 I I got clean, so I went into um hospital and um we moved from we we lost everything, obviously, but we just packed everything we owned into a car and we moved to the North Coast and just kind of isolated ourselves a bit. And when I had a clear mind, finally I decided I was going to I made contact with this organization and had you know met with them and had a conversation and then spent the next two years trying to resolve what had happened. Okay. Um and you know, the the the relationship was actually okay. Um we were trying to work things out. Um and then I trademarked Deadly Runners and I actually told this person in the organization because it was mine. And I'm like, I was just being transparent and I I didn't want, I was trying to work it out so we could both, I didn't actually even want to use it. I just said, let me own it because it's it's it was something that I created. Um and it just got messy, and they opposed their trademark, and then um they my husband we went public with it about what they were doing after two years of trying to resolve it, and the public um response wasn't good, so they pulled their opposition and now the trademark sits with me. Yeah, but um yeah, it's been a journey, it's been a journey, and I think you know, I'm I'm I've one thing that's really rare for someone who's been on drugs and left their their family is I was able to just fit back into family life and slot back into it, which isn't common for people to do. Um, I think my husband just he he was always he lost a you know some family and friends because they were telling him to that I've you know she's gone, she's left you, she made a decision. Um you shouldn't just move on. And he he knew he just said he knew in his heart that that wasn't the right thing to do. Um he said, even if you know things were too damaged with our relationship, that he was that I was still the mother of our children and that the kids deserve their mother. Um and one thing our daughter, our oldest daughter said to me a few years ago, um, she said, Mum, I think the reason we were able to repair our relationship, or the reason I was able to repair my relationship with the kids, with her and her siblings, she said, Dad, Dad never spoke about you badly, like even in the worst times. She said, Dad, he always just said, Mum's unwell, and you have to help her get better. So I think even though he had a lot of hurt, he could put what was best for our children first and made sure or did his best to ensure that my that they never viewed me as abandoning them, even though it would be very easy for that, because he understood it was hurt there. So um, yeah, that's that's what had happened.

Joshie 35:07

So during those, I guess, darkest times, what was it that kept you going?

Georgia 35:14

Um I think I the I had this knowing that I was never gonna be in it forever. Okay, I didn't know how I was gonna get out of it or or when, but I just had this knowing that I was never gonna be in it forever. And also I think keeping that line of connection with my children and with my husband kept me, I knew I was never cut off. So I always had that connection and that line of love that was always open to me, which I think a lot of people because addiction drugs are awful and they're devastating, not just for the addict, for the family and people that support them. Like it's a horrible thing for anyone to go through. Um, and it's easy to cut people off because of the pain that addiction causes or or that addicts cause. So and I just was never cut off.

Joshie 36:11

Um how much did your husband and your husband's role mean to you then in terms of your recovery?

Georgia 36:18

Oh man, he's he's you know, he's the reason that I'm here because he he always let me know I was loved. And that he he he said to me when I got clean and I we've had these conversations, he just said, I never forgot who you were or what you did for our community. He goes a lot of people forgot about that. Um he just never forgot the person I was because when it's it is, it is, it really is. Yeah.

Joshie 36:53

Not a lot of people would yeah, stick by their spouse during such a a tough time. I mean, it sounds like he maintained a really strong sense of belief in you. Um and you've certainly gone on to bigger and better things since. I mean, once you got clean, I think it was 2019, you went on a crusade um with Deadly Runners. I mean, you reconnected with family, with community and the the role, the um the the wonderful project that you fought so hard to to build. And since 2021, uh and correct me if I'm wrong, but your work with Deadly Runners has only further expanded. I think you've um you've you've helped um uh is it dozens of people complete their first marathons, you've built leadership programs, become a real mentor and a role model for for um First Nations people. What can you tell us about your journey since 2020, 2021?

Georgia 37:47

Yeah, sure. So what had had that that horrible, you know, um period that I just spoke about actually helped um shape this new version of Deadly Runners. So in um 2021, 22, when I got the trademark, I was like, oh well, I'd better start another, I better start up again. So I started the Byron Bay Deadly Runners, which was great. We had um that went for about a year and was really, really, you know, it just was great to be back in it. And then in 2023, the very start of 2023, um, I got uh I was contracted by uh Aboriginal Medical Service on the far south coast um to deliver deadly runners. And it was only meant to be for 10 weeks, but we moved, we were just moving down here for that school term, and I knew it was that reckless feeling again, that reckless decision making. I was like, oh, I just knew it was gonna work here. And my husband, he looked at he goes, We're moving here, aren't we? And I said, Yeah, we are. So we took the four kids. We have five, but our oldest daughter was already moved out at home. Okay. But so yeah, we moved to the south coast and then um it took off again here, like just you know, the community responded really well to it. Um, and then I wanted to do a leadership camp, but it was really important to incorporate for me to incorporate um trauma training and how that looks through a First Nations lens because what had, you know, I live, I'm someone now, I live with so much peace um within me, because what that journey did, um, that addiction journey and the loss was forced me to look inward and to understand myself. And I think the biggest thing that drove that is I had left my children and I knew that I didn't love my children any less than any other mother. And prior to this experience, I I might have, I probably would have passed judgment on the mother who did what I did. Be like, how could you leave your kids? And but I knew, I knew that my love was just as strong as any other mother's, but there was this awful um complex trauma that led to addiction that just had this power to take over and remove me from that. So I went on this journey of understanding it, which led to this understanding childhood trauma and how that shapes your decision making and how you view the world. Um so that's incorporated into our leadership camps because um that, in addition to running, was one of the most significant, impactful things I've ever done for myself. Okay. So on our leadership camps, we do uh runners get their level one community coaching through Athletics Australia. Yep. Uh they do mental health first aid and they do this trauma training. So um, yeah, we've done in the last, you know, since 2023, we've had 180 First Nations people on the Far South Coast go through the program. Wow. Um we've had three leadership camps where 27 um people have got their um nationally accredited qualifications. We've gone on to be able to employ seven of those people as coaches in their community. So the idea is beautiful. Yeah, yeah. The idea is for me not to be needed. Do you know what I mean? I don't want, I don't want Deadly Runners ever to be reliant on me to work in a community. So the idea is to, you know, um transfer the skills and knowledge to the community so they then have um control and say over what it looks like in their community. And the people in the community have more impact coaching than me because people are trusted and it's like so yeah, it's been a it's been a crazy journey that I didn't well, I didn't I would never have predicted. So how do you feel about what you've created? I'm just it's uh it's surreal, but again, I think it just I'm just very grateful that all of that darkness that that I went through, something so beautiful has come from it and life-changing for others. And that's it helps, I think, frame reframe um trauma. Do you know what I mean? It's like I could have gone, I went through this awful time and just let it swallow me up, and I've just turned it into something that um yeah, is still a bit surreal, I guess.

Joshie 42:45

I'm really curious about the trauma training. What's that about? Is that about understanding trauma?

Georgia 42:52

Yeah, so it's not um, and this I have facilitators who do this, it's not something that I deliver. Um, Kylene Randall is um one of my sisters who I've known for a very long time. Um she delivers it. Um, but it's it's not it's not about digging into in these sessions, you don't dig into your own trauma. Like we don't, that's because that in itself is not safe.

Joshie 43:18

Yeah.

Georgia 43:19

But it's about um how she does it is just beautifully. So it's about understanding trauma and how it shows up in our communities as well. Um and it just provides the context behind people's behaviors that help you understand it, and it removes the shame um that sometimes we can have and feel about ourselves around certain things. So that in itself, the trauma training has changed, you know. I've had people say it's changed their life. And they've gone home and healed relationships. Um, and just and most of all, you know, most importantly, they've learnt to be kind to themselves, which is Um, such a gift you can give yourself.

Joshie 44:03

Oh, I'm lost for words. Um, what you're doing is incredible work, Georgia. In fact, you shared a story with me that I'm keen to explore a little bit further. I think it was in April this year at the London Marathon. You had two women, I think Charlie and Shannon, that both participated. Um, how satisfying was that experience and what can you tell me about their their journeys?

Georgia 44:26

Um, two First Nations women from the same part of the world, two very different women.

Joshie 44:33

Yep.

Georgia 44:34

Um so I guess uh without Shannon. I mean, I've been given permission from Shannon to ha tell part of her story. I don't like telling all of it, but she I probably had a similar um you know background to me, just battled with a few things. Um she joined Deadly Runners after having six months of uh dose-dense chemotherapy after having um breast cancer.

Joshie 45:01

Oh my goodness.

Georgia 45:02

And wasn't hadn't run before, hadn't led the the fun life, like myself as well, you know, partying probably too much. And she just got to a point where she at 40, I think she was 43 or 44, where she realized she just had things had to change. So she started with Deadly Runners in 2023. Um, and I always told her just to be consistent and that it'll get easier. And I think within uh I think it was about week seven of the programme, she said, I think you I think you're taking the piss. She goes, This is not getting easier. Yeah. But she stuck with it, and she has probably been the most consistent runner on the far south coast. She's gone on to do, she did her first 5K, she did 10, she's done a few halves. She ran the Sydney Marathon last year in August. Um, and then the opportunity came up to run London, and she did. And she's also got her older sister um into running as well. So, you know, I think Melissa's in her 50s, so Melissa started running and did her first 10K. Um and Melissa's, I've just employed Melissa actually two days a week to help with deadly release, with the admin, so not coaching, but the administration as well. So, yeah, it's really cool. Um, and then we're just trying to rope in their other one of their brothers to come run in as well. So we're working on that. But you know, these are three, you know, siblings that um I always say, what would you think? What would you say if someone told you five years ago that you and your sibling, you and Melissa would be running together? She just shakes her head, she goes, like, I thought you were mad. So that was, you know, that's been hugely impactful for Shannon, and she's been instrumental in the success of Deadly Runners here. She um encourages a lot of the young ones, gives them the excuse. If I can do it, you know, I'm I'm 47, I'm running marathons. Um so yeah, and she, you know, I think what it does is give you, I've said this number a number of times, that what I have observed over the years with Deadly Runners is it gives people the framework um that is uh gives you a framework that is transferable into other areas of your life. So that long distance running, you know, it teaches you the the importance of commitment and focus and discipline and staying consistent and that you can do you can sit with discomfort and that that it's okay. Um and that's transferable to other areas of your life, and I think that's why it has such impact because it's not just the running itself that that even though there's all those benefits. But um, yeah, and sorry to go back, we also had Charlie running the London Marathon as well. So Charlie started running in 2023 as well, but she uh she did she did 5k for about a year and a half, she just would limit herself to 5k, and I'd always have it was a bit of a joke, and I'd be like, You need to stop. We gotta, we have to move forward. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. So she's from a community uh here called Wallager Lake, and the opportunity to London for London came up, and I asked her, I I I hadn't actually had it confirmed, it was just this might come up, and I and I asked her, I said, if the opportunity to run the London Marathon comes up, would you be interested? She said yeah. And she just the opportunity came up, she took it, and she just absolutely like had a tunnel vision for her um training, yeah, committed, trained really hard. Single mum, um, so would work around the kids and her work and going to uni. And yeah, we we flew over uh in April.

Joshie 48:47

Is it is it true that she'd never left the state or New South Wales before that trip? Yes, yeah, before that trip.

Georgia 48:52

Yeah.

Joshie 48:53

Yeah. And you shared that beautiful video with me, and I encourage all listeners to check it out. Um in fact, I'll let you describe uh those last few kilometres um and the experience. Yeah.

Georgia 49:06

So Charlie, yes, hadn't left the state. Um and why when we went over there, she had she'd got the the curry flag. Um, she'd bought one and she'd written the name of her community on the bottom. But she'd also taken um a whole heap of ochre crushed up in a plastic bag, and she ran with it down like down her shirt or down her shorts, I think. And I think the last drink station, she tipped water into the the ochre bag and just painted herself up from head to toe in ochre from the south coast, and then ran over the finish line with her flag and her ochre all painted up. And if you get the chance, it's on the Deadly Runners um Instagram, it's one of the most powerful videos I have ever seen.

Joshie 49:56

It's incredible. It reduced me to tears when I saw it. Um I'll include it in the show notes and I encourage everyone to check it out. It is just one of the most beautiful things that I've seen. Um now look, you have um yeah, five kids. I think you've got one grandchild now as well. So life's incredibly full, but clearly not full enough for you. Earlier this year, you took on a new role with um WeRun Foundation. Um, what can you tell me about the organization and your role there?

Georgia 50:26

Yes, so um WeRun Foundation is like the charity arm of the TCS City Marathon. So they actually, there's so I hate this, it's a bit of a buzzword, but they're very values-aligned with Deadly Runners. Um, we do a lot of um similar, I don't know, we're both very passionate about um promoting and getting people involved in so in like in the social run clubs. Um it's about support, they support a lot of marginalised groups to give access to um these world major marathons. Um that is what funded uh Deadly Runners, Charlie and Shannon, to go to London. So, you know, creating opportunity that that these women might not have otherwise had, uh you know, if it weren't for WeRun. Um they're just a great uh foundation to be part of. Um I've got um a lot of respect for for the for you know Nick Youngquest, who heads it up. Uh he's a great guy and had a lot of belief in me, probably more than I had in myself, um, hence the role that I'm now in. Um but yeah, they're just a great organization, great um foundation to be part of. They're it's not just you know deadly runners, they're heavily involved with the Muslim Run Club uh as well. Um yeah, they they power the track nights.

Joshie 51:56

Um yeah, you're gonna have to tell me about the women's track nights um and how they came about.

Georgia 52:03

Yeah, so it was um we run and the Office of Sport um came together. There was a study done um just around women's uh safety in running, which you know the findings weren't anything that we don't know as women. Um so one of the outcomes of that was let's create a safe space where women can come and run in a controlled environment and just have a good red hot go at training as well. Um so we've had uh two track nights so far and uh just an absolutely great turnout. Um, it's just really good to create that sense of community and connection for these women and just participate in something that you know everyone should have the right to participate in safely.

Joshie 52:52

I love what you're doing in terms of community work, Georgia. You haven't spoken much about your own running goals. Are you harbouring any ambitions for yourself or are you so focused on community that you're sort of like, I don't really care about myself?

Georgia 53:07

Uh look, I think I've gone through this role of coaster of my own personal running over the last few years while focusing on on what I do. And I pulled back a lot for a number of reasons. I actually had um managed chronic fatigue. Um, I was in bed for about three months last year. Um, and then you know, when I did return to running in 2022, 23, um, I've all I was running, mind you, but just not the bigger distances. So when I when I say return to running, I'm I I mean I mean in the context of the marathon training. Um I just wasn't strong. I had a lot of fatigue issues before the diagnosis of chronic fatigue. Um and so I kind of pulled back. I did a I ran a marathon that, you know, I think my before all the the that dark time in my life, I think my my PB was around 3.23. And then when I came back, I ran the Chicago marathon and I just didn't feel right. And I ran it at like five hours ten. So it was a significant um, you know, time difference. And but now I've since learned that I had, you know, um uh yeah, I had I've had the chronic fatigue, I've had a lot of injury, which was just a result of not being strong. I think I tried to return to running like I was 35, not 43. Yeah, which is a huge difference in that time frame, you know, in that in that um, you know, when you talk about age. So, but I also I pulled back from running and then realized how actually how important it was me, it was for me to run. I think I pulled back thinking, I'll just I've got I'm so busy um watching everyone else do it, it's great. Um, but it's actually like the fuel for the fire for me. So as long as I'm engaged and running, and I just love the challenge. I love the challenge. So I'm actually in training for the Canadian death race, which has yeah, what a name, right?

Joshie 55:15

I don't like the sound of that, Georgia.

Georgia 55:17

That's horrible. So um last year I um had a West, I'm a 2025 Westpac fellow. Um I got a fellowship for social change, and part of that was travelling to Canada and the US. Um, so in my Canada part of my trip, I connected with uh a lady, Anita Cardinal, who does what I do, but in Canada, she's a First Nations woman, and she asked if I would like to be um part of a relay team running this trail um ultra trail event through the Rockies. And this is when I just had was starting to kind of recover or get managed the chronic fatigue, and I shouldn't have said yes, but I did, because you don't say if as a runner, you don't say no. I went, yeah, sure. Anyway, I did the run um and she told me about this Canadian death race that they're her First Nations runners do every year and how incredible it was and um how I should do it one day. So within 12 short months, I've managed to um secure the the money, the funding, um, the runners, and we're going over in like six weeks, seven weeks.

Joshie 56:29

How many of you are heading over there?

Georgia 56:31

Team of ten, two, two teams of five real agents. So yes, so there'll be uh 10 runners, a few support people, and we'll be camping at the bottom of the Rockies Um and doing a trail run through the Rocky Mountains.

Joshie 56:47

That sounds awesome. I don't like the sound of the name of the event. It doesn't really still much hope.

Georgia 56:53

Awful. They have all these awful runs that obviously awful named runs, I shouldn't say. When my husband and I were there, they were like, Oh, we should do the grizzly bear ultra. We're like, you what do you want to be in names? Well, you've got to stop with the names.

Joshie 57:10

Um now just finally, I mean, sitting here today, it seems as though at least outwardly things are going quite well for you, but it hasn't all come easy. You've gone to hell on a number of occasions in your life. Um looking back though, what advice would you give a younger, sort of less stable version of Georgia?

Georgia 57:32

Oh to speak kindly to yourself, to pray to whatever God you believe in and ask for help. And set goals, work towards them, but don't hold on to the outcome, don't be tied to an outcome. I think it was, yeah, that's probably one of the things that I, you know, I have fundamental things that I do every day that keep me grounded. And um, yeah, I just would like to give her a hug and let her know that she's okay.

Joshie 58:11

George, I hope you appreciate the legacy that you're letting you're contributing in a huge way to breaking degenerate racial cycles to Andy. John, you really are an inspiration. Thanks so much for sharing your journey with us today.

Georgia 58:26

Oh, no worries.