‘I really enjoy having running in my life’

Dad and three children on course at Rocky Road Runners’ season opener.

RUNNING: The Rocky Road Runners are off to a flying start, with 77 people turning up for their season opener at Kershaw Gardens.

While it was a “fun run”, it was a timed event, with Liam Smith the overall winner over 3km and Hamish Chisholm the winner over 6km.

In the field was Matthew Sheales and his three children Charlotte, 8, Amelia, 6, and Marcus, 3.

Matthew and Marcus walked the 3km, while the two girls ran it.

Matthew said he was looking forward to another year with the Rocky Road Runners, which he joined in 2016.

“I was never really a runner or an athlete, I would commute by bike to work and that was about it,” he said.

“Some people at work were doing the Rocky River Run and I got into it from there.”

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Matthew started doing Rocky Road Runners events, including the Rookies Run on Monday.

He quickly found his groove and set a goal of doing the 10km at the Rocky River Run in under an hour.

Seventy-seven people, including 12 juniors, turned out for the Kershaw Gardens fun run on Sunday. Picture: Contributed

He did that and hasn’t looked back, building up his distances to run his first Gold Coast Marathon last year.

His goal this year is to run the marathon again and improve his time.

That would be the perfect birthday present for Matthew, who turns 35 on race day – July 5.

“I ran 3hr 56mins last year and I really think I can do a lot better than that,” he said.

“I think I can run 3hr 30mins this year, that’s what I’m shooting for.

“At the moment I’m doing about 40km a week but in the next few weeks I’ll push that up to 70km and then maybe up to 100km a week as the race gets closer.

“I try to do that one long run a week but the rest is whatever I can fit in, sometimes in the morning, sometimes on my lunch break or sometimes after dinner when the kids go to bed.”

Matthew and his pet pooch Cheerio are a familiar sight at the Rocky Road Runners’ Monday and Thursday events.

“They’re such a lovely bunch of people, you can’t beat it,” he said.

“You can go and have a chat and go easy or you can push yourself a little bit and try to catch up with the speedy blokes.

“Running helps me maintain a positive mental state, along with all the other health benefits.

“I really enjoy having running in my life. I get a lot of joy from it.”

Results

3km, adult: Ashleigh Clark 1, Sharron Parr 2, Katie Keohane 3; junior: Liam Smith 1, Indiana Parr 2, Zachary Thomsen 3; Masters: Lyn Lewis 1

6pm, adult: Hamish Chisholm 1, Matt Walter 2, Rhys Williams 3; junior: Cian Toman 1; Masters: Paul Williams 1, Michael McGrath 2, Peter Brady 3