Former Corio woman Nikki Love looks to set world record for running across Australia

A woman who travelled almost 4000kms on foot hopes to encourage others to back themselves as they chase their goals.

Nikki Love, a 56-year-old woman who ran across Australia, is hoping her feat will inspire others. Picture: David Smith

A former Corio woman is hoping her potentially world record-setting adventure run from Perth to Sydney inspires others to back themselves in achieving their goals.

Nikki Love ran close to 4000km to complete a goal she had set about 10 years ago – to travel across Australia on foot.

The 56-year-old, who is now a resident of the UK, said she had pushed through perimenopausal symptoms to complete the 3988km trek in just 77 days.

Perimenopause refers to the lead up to menopause, when a female’s ovaries slow down, with symptoms including irregular periods and hot flushes.

Ms Love said she had suffered injuries associated with perimenopause, including a stress fracture to her pelvis.

Ms Love said she didn’t like being told she couldn’t run, so adapted to her body’s limitations. Picture: David Smith

“I was told that maybe the running stuff, the extreme endurance, was going to be too much – but I didn’t like that answer,” she said.

“So, I worked on doing the opposite.

“This is the narrative we get as 50-plus year old women – to take it easy, to slow down.

“But for me, I’ve been perimenopausal for seven years, and have done a lot of adventures in that time.”

Ms Love said she had to make a decision whether to let her goal go, or to go for it.

And go for it she did, tackling endurance tests including finishing 63 marathons in 63 days in 2017.

Ms Love said completing 63 marathons in 63 days confirmed to herself that she could run across Australia. Picture: David Smith

She said completing that challenge was the catalyst for convincing herself she could complete the Australia-wide journey.

Ms Love said continuing to run through her perimenopause was physically and mentally draining.

“The first few weeks of the run, it was a lot of effort, and a lot of pain,” she said.

“But thankfully I’d experienced the process of adaptation, and continued on.

“At the end of it, I had actually changed my own mindset.

“What I’m hoping to show is that you do have to believe, even when words come out that might be saying the opposite.

“It’s about trusting yourself, backing yourself, and holding on to that.”

While it remains under review, Ms Love is hoping to set the women’s Guinness World Record for crossing Australia on foot. The review process takes between 12 and 15 weeks.

Ms Love said to prove her achievement, she had a watch, her phone, and a GPS tracker that took note of her location every five kilometres.

She said members of the public she passed throughout the run were asked to sign witness statements as further proof.

Ms Love said she wanted people to believe that they could achieve what they set out to, just like she did.

“You’ve got to hold on to that belief that you are still capable, and find ways to continue,” she said.

Originally published as Former Corio woman Nikki Love looks to set world record for running across Australia