Gold Coast Marathon Diary: Runner Louis McAfee ready to follow in family foot steps
Journalist Kyle Wisniewski will be joined at the Gold Coast Marathon start line by Louis McAfee, who hopes to follow his mother's winning footsteps.
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GOLD Coast runner Louis McAfee will compete in his first 42km race at the Village Roadshow Theme Parks Gold Coast Marathon, but unlike me he’s going for the win.
I, too, will be running in my first marathon on July 4 but I’m just hoping to finish.
For McAfee, his first crack at the distance is a chance to set up a career.
The 24-year-old was ticking the legs over when I rang him on a winter’s evening.
He was completing the 160km a week he runs for training, which is a lot more than the 30km I do.
Even more impressive, he does this while balancing being a teacher’s aide at The Southport School and studying a teaching degree at university.
McAfee is an accomplished half-marathon runner and has earned a swag of podium finishes across Australia, including winning the Great Southern Run and Noosa Half-Marathon in recent years.
This year he was selected for the Queensland team to compete in the Australian Marathon Championships at the Gold Coast Marathon, despite never before having run the distance.
Because the event is hosting the championships, it means runners are able to use the race to qualify for next year’s Commonwealth Games and the World Athletics Championships.
“It’s always nice to represent the state,” says McAfee, as he runs across the pavement.
“I was lucky they picked me off my 10km and half-marathon times.
“I’m not going in with a set time, I’ll leave that for the day.
“When I put pressure on time it never seems to work for me.”
McAfee has running in his blood with his mother Janet McAfee taking out the 1987 Gold Coast Marathon.
Hoping to add another title in the family, he’s coming off strong form after winning the GC30 in May.
“I’d love to win but just finishing is the main aim currently,” McAfee says through his steady breathing.
“It’s the year to win with international runners unable to attend but the field is still very strong.
“Both my parents were ironmen and my mum still is. My dad did a bit of running but mum was the one who took it seriously and was quite good.
“They have both been big on a healthy lifestyle and that’s rubbed off on me.
“Mum doesn’t get too involved with my running, she leaves that to the coaches.
“I’d rather it that way. She gives me advice and tips when needed but doesn’t put any pressure on me.”
Next weekend help myself, Louis and more than 20,000 entrants competing in the five events across Saturday and Sunday on offer by cheering us on.
Kyle is running the marathon to raise money for Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. You can donate here
Superhero squad ready to run for brain cancer
June 12, 2021
THE squad for the Superhero Run for Brain Cancer is coming together.
Next Wednesday I’ll be running dressed as a superhero from Kurrawa Surf Club to the Miami rainbow steps and back from 7-8am.
I want people to join me and walk, run or wheel for as long as they like for the hour – superhero costumes are encouraged.
A donation box will be outside Kurrawa Surf Club with all the money being split between Cure Brain Cancer and Children Brain Cancer Centre.
Cure Brain Cancer is the charity of choice for the McNees family, whose six-year-old son George was diagnosed with brain cancer at 11 months old.
George achieved a major feat last week when he completed his first school cross country.
Gold Coast boy Slater Clifton-Walker has been given months to live due to a lack of treatment for his brain cancer.
His family have chosen to fundraise for Children Brain Cancer Centre to help others in the future. So get your morning exercise in for two good causes.
So get your morning exercise in for two good causes.
I have Wonder Woman Emma Jean Pearson from CHANG3 organising a fun warm up for those joining in, kicking off just before the 7am start.
The co-founder and managing director of the Broadbeach gym said members are always encouraged to increase their mental health along with their physical health.
“Helping with events like this one is important for us at CHANG3. We aim to give back to the community all the time,” she said.
“We’re all about mindset projects at the gym and not just about improving strength and physical fitness.
“For example the winners of our Project Challenge are given $500 to give back to a charity of their choice.”
Also joining will be some of the aqua men and women from the Southport Sharks.
Both teams are doing great things on field this season and backman Mackenzie Willis said delivering off field is just as important for the club.
“We strive as a club to make sure we’re role models for the community on and off the field,” he said.
“Joining events like this one is a great way for us to give back to the Gold Coast and the community that supports us.
“All the players involved at the club are lucky to get to run out with our mates most weekends and play a sport we love.
“Unfortunately, that opportunity is taken away from others for different reasons. Hearing their stories puts into perspective just how lucky many of us are.”
For information about the event visit here.
Putting on cape for a 6yo hero given months to live
4 June, 2021
NOT all heroes wear capes and not all cape-wearers are heroes.
On June 16 I’ll be putting on my cape, running gear and a pair of jocks – over my clothes – for the heroes who help fight off one of the most deadly diseases.
To date I’ve raised just under $1000 for Cure Brain Cancer Foundation as a part of my Gold Coast Marathon fundraiser.
I hope to increase that number when I run 10km along Broadbeach and Miami dressed as a superhero from 7am Wednesday week.
The trek will be along the boardwalk from Kurrawa Surf Club to the Miami rainbow stairs and back, and I want people to join me.
Participants can walk, run or wheel and superhero costumes are encouraged.
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The idea came to me when the Bulletin reported on brave six-year-old Slater Clifton-Walker.
The Labrador boy was diagnosed with a brain tumour – ependymoma posterior fossa – at 18 months.
His mum Bianca said his tumour was continuing to grow at a rapid pace and he had only a few months to live, with no other treatment options available.
He’s now completely lost his hearing and becoming frustrated, but his mum said he continued to wake up every day singing.
Last Friday, Musgrave Hill State School threw the youngster a Hero Day for Slater to raise money for brain cancer research.
I’m going to continue the appeal for funds to stop a disease that kills more Australian children than any other, ending the life of one child every nine days.
People can donate into a donation box on the day with all the money being shared evenly between Cure Brain Cancer and Children Brain Cancer Centre.
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Cure Brain Cancer CEO Lance Kawaguchi said community fundraising was vital to the foundation’s longevity.
“Without the generosity and spirit of our community, our ability to advance brain cancer research, advocacy and community outcomes would slow significantly,” he said.
“Together we remain focused on improving the lives of people living with brain cancer and finding a cure.”
Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO Rosie Simpson said: “Everything we do for sick and injured kids is made possible in no small part by the generosity and support of our amazing community, and it’s incredible to see the power that people can have when they come together for a good cause.
“These fundraising efforts will work wonders by turning research findings into better bedside care, new treatments and ultimately, improved outcomes for children living with brain cancer.”
My fundraiser is one of 2651 currently registered with the Gold Coast Marathon.
Events Management Queensland CEO Cameron Hart said: “Participating for a cause gives purpose to the hours of training and effort on race day – often for a cause that is close to the heart.”
WHY I’M RUNNING FOR BRAIN CANCER
MAY 28, 2021
RUNNING 42 km for hours by yourself sounds like an individual activity, but when I take thousands of steps across the Gold Coast on the first weekend of July I’ll be a part of a very important team.
On July 4 I’ll be tackling the Gold Coast Marathon to raise funds for Cure Brain Cancer Foundation.
I’m aiming to raise money and awareness for the disease that claims the life of one Australian kid every nine days and kills more children across the country than any other disease.
My connection is through Team George, a community created to support six-year-old George McNees, a young sports loving boy from my hometown in Hobart.
He had his childhood turned upside down when he was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was only 11-months-old.
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Professor Bryan Day from QIMR Berghofer centre has been researching brain cancer for two decades and said it’s a “highly lethal disease”.
He’s also a co-director of Children’s Brain Cancer Centre, which conducts cutting-edge research, clinical trials and helps the wellness of the child and the families of sufferers.
“Many people don’t realise it kills as many people in Australia as melanoma,” he said.
“The incidents of melanoma are higher, where brain cancer is still a relatively rare disease.
“We haven’t done a great job of extending patients’ survival to date. It’s a big problem but it’s been understudied for many years.
“The problem with the disease and children is brain cancer is a major killer of kids.
“The children who do survive have had significant cognitive and developmental problems. They need care throughout their life.”
The Australian Government found about 2,000 people in the country develop brain cancer every year and over the last 30 years the survival rate for brain cancer compared to other cancers is considerably low, at around 22 per cent.
The federal government started the Australian Brain Cancer Mission last year to support research into brain cancer treatments.
Professor Day said the funding has helped find ways to target the “treatment resistant cells” that occur in brain cancer.
“There are certain cancers that are far more prevalent that get a lot more funding, purely through the fact more people get them,” he said.
“There’s been great initiatives for these but brain cancer has been a silent killer in the background.”
Although lots more funding and research is needed Professor Day said exciting breakthroughs are happening.
“We don’t have many people working on brain cancer in the field. There’s only a handful of labs across Australia,” he said.
“We are now understanding more about the disease at the cellular and biological level.”
Over the next six weeks I’ll be sharing my road to the marathon while putting the spotlight on the impact of brain cancer.
Those who want to donate can do so at goldcoastmarathon21.grassrootz.com/curebraincancer/kyle-wisniewski
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