By KATH GANNAWAY
HEALESVILLE Run Guns team member Lorna Conroy has been in training for Community Bank Warburton Up and Running for the best part of 18 years.
In her case the event, which has been running for 12 years, will be Warburton up and walking.
Lorna suffered a stroke when she was 24.
She was a Level 5 gymnast and a State level badminton player at the time, and an aneurism was the last thing on her mind.
Two days after surgery to clip the burst aneurism, she had the stroke which left her paralysed down her left-hand side, affecting her peripheral vision – so she can’t drive.
“I had to learn to walk again,” she says. And she did it well.
It took five months in hospital with intensive rehabilitation as a starting point.
“It’s not my personality to sit back and be a wall-flower. I go to the gym every day, and while I don’t have the motor skills to actually run, I can walk.”
She went to school with personal trainer and local gym-owner Heather Christie who, she said, had been brilliant in adapting her exercise program to meet her needs, her abilities and her aspirations.
Heather and fellow-runner Millee Troon were instrumental in starting the Healesville Run Guns about 12 months ago, and are fostering quite a following among runners from serious ultra marathon runners and enthusiasts to amateurs keen to have a go at running.
“Anyone ready to have a go is welcome in our team,” Millee said.
Run Guns will have members in the 5km, 10km and the half marathon at Warburton on Sunday 22 February.
“Our focus in entering teams in Warburton was basically getting a group of like-minded people together, having fun and encouraging each other in running … which we’re all addicted to,” Millee said.
In their stand-out Healesville Run Guns Ts, they will stand out among the 1000 or so entrants expected to take part this year.
In addition to the running, Millee said the location, close to home, the fact that it was in such a beautiful part of the valley, and that there were events for everyone from kids to ultra athletes, made it a great event for the Run Guns.
“It’s something a lot of us can be part of; Lorna will be doing the walk, and we know she’ll give it a red hot go.”
That’s Lorna’s plan too.
She says she didn’t hesitate when she was asked to join in Up and Running, seeing it as an incentive to do more training, and get her steps up for the day – win/win!
“I’m looking forward to it. It will be great fun and being part of a team again is a great thing too.”
There is over $5000 in cash and prizes up for grabs in the event which has become a favourite for runners from all over the Victoria.
The event raises funds for Warburton CFA and Upper Yarra SES and the goal this year, according to organiser Sue Hoffman, is to raise even more this year.
The new website – www.warburtnupandrunning.com.au has training information and tips, including video footage of the courses.
Online registration is open until midnight on Thursday 19 February.
And, if you like the idea of the fun part of the run, but find the run part a bit of a stumbling block … “what the heck”, join Lorna in the walk.
