‘In the bag’: Inspiring 79-year-old Toowoomba runner showing no sign of slowing

One of Toowoomba’s oldest runners gearing up for the Toowoomba Marathon event said if it wasn’t for the social sport she wouldn’t be alive today.

Avid runner Ann Guyatt will line up for the 5km event of the Toowoomba Marathon, she completed the Toowoomba Marathon in 1982, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

One of Toowoomba’s oldest runners who is gearing up for the Toowoomba Marathon event in May, said it wasn’t for the social sport she never would have survived her cancer journey.

Retired dairy farmer, Ann Guyatt, 79, said she first fell in love with running when she took her children to a fun-run, and competed in her first marathon after they laughed at her for entering.

Proving her family wrong, the mother of two completed in one of the Toowoomba Marathon’s first events in 1982.

This year she’s set to run the 5km leg.

Runner Ann Guyatt will line up for the 5km event of the Toowoomba Marathon, she completed the Toowoomba Marathon in 1982, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“I was going to do the 10km race, but I know Prince Henry Dr well and no thank you,” she said.

“I’ve got this one in the bag as long as I don’t fall… five kilometres is easy-peasy.”

Mrs Guyatt said she started running in earnest at 69 because she was looking for something to do to stay fit after retiring from life on the farm.

She said if she hadn’t, she wouldn’t be alive today.

“I never got to run again and I never thought I would run again after the Toowoomba Marathon, but then parkrun started in 2013,” she said.

“I say it saved my life because that’s when I was diagnosed with cancer and I came to life again.”

Runner Ann Guyatt will line up for the 5km event of the Toowoomba Marathon, she completed the Toowoomba Marathon in 1982. Ann has collected many medallions from various marathon events, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mrs Guyatt had only been running for six months before she had to undergo a major surgery at 70 to remove cancer from numerous places, including her sinus and eye socket.

“They wouldn’t have done the 20 hour operation had I been unfit,” she said.

“After my operation when I had a talk to myself and said, ‘right-o, I don’t seem to have much life left, what do I want to do with it?’ And parkrun was what I wanted to do.

“But if I hadn’t had parkrun to use as my crutch, I wouldn’t have gotten through my cancer journey without it, I am 100 per cent sure of that.

“It’s just wonderful, physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially.”

Runner Ann Guyatt will line up for the 5km event of the Toowoomba Marathon, she completed the Toowoomba Marathon in 1982 and is pictured holding a certificate that was given to the 12 people who completed all the running events held by Toowoomba Road Runners in 1982, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Mrs Guyatt said despite having a few bad falls from running, one of which landed her in hospital, she was determined to keep running and is set to reach her 200th parkrun millstone at age 80 in October.

“Some people play bowls and do bingo, but that’s not me,” she said.

“I have a genuine love for running, I don’t know, but I really enjoy the endurance side of it… I love it when it starts to hurt.

“I stop breathing heavily, my heart rate lowers, and I know I can keep going forever.

“But I do have to concentrate and make sure I lift my feet a bit higher… because if I fall over and break my hip I’m definitely buggered.”

(COPY) A copy of a clipping from The Chronicle from 1982 featuring a poem and drawing about the Toowoomba Marathon by entrant Ann Guyatt. Ann will line up for the 5km event of the Toowoomba Marathon next month.

She encouraged others to take up running as a love affair but said it’s not for everyone.

“The thing about parkrun is you’re in the company of young people and they make you feel young,” she said.

“It would be good if others could get out of it what I do, but see my family doesn’t even understand it, they hope if they ignore me I’ll stop doing it.

“That’s why I got an electric bike, and I ride to these events on my own so they don’t know.”

She was most proud of the half Noosa marathon she completed in 2019, however joked “they would say what I do isn’t running – it’s the granny shuffle,”

“Some people say I inspire them but I don’t know about that.”