I work as Manager (Staff Officer)
for the Deputy Commissioner of the Queensland Fire & Rescue
Service. When I work out exactly what I do I’ll let you know
but the job involves generally managing the DC’s office, which
is responsible for all State operations and trying to make
sure we don’t appear on the front page of the Courier Mail for
the wrong reasons. I live in Greenslopes, and have
lived in (or just outside) Brisbane all my life - a very, very
long time - apart from a few years in Aramac in Western Qld.
Brisbane is home. I joined PCRG in October 2005 after
running past a big group of runners each Thursday for a year
or so.
My favourite restaurant is anywhere
that serves a good steak or fresh seafood and alcohol. The
Norman Hotel is good.
My earliest childhood memory is as a
4 year old having to run past a deadly, 6ft king brown snake
that had my brother & I cornered. I had to go get mum while my
older, and of course wiser, brother (5yr old) kept watch of it
‘so it wouldn’t get away’. Well, it looked like 6ft to me –
inches/feet – snake/lizard what’s the difference?
I am still trying to work out what I want
to be when/if I grow up to be an adult but for now I’m
leaning towards Supreme Commander of the Universe.
Can’t say I have a favourite movie -
I enjoy most movies with a story line, history, a message or
just a good laugh.
Brisbane City is a lot different to
my earliest memories of it – different in good and not so good
ways (who told all those Mexicans about it?) – but is a
fantastic place because of its great climate, close to the
best beaches in the world, you can still breathe and it’s
varying places to explore on a run or ride.
My regular holiday destination is
the Sunshine Coast or Straddie but my next holiday destination
– leaving the day after the Gold Coast Marathon - is to follow
‘le Tour de France’ and see a bit more of this big beautiful
rock we inhabit. Two months in total – bring it on.
If money was (suddenly) no option
I would have one hell of a party, set up a trust to help
those who are good at helping others, have another party and
then do whatever the Supreme Commander of the Universe has to
do.
It frustrates me when Pat calls out
ticket no. D43 and I have D42.
I have been involved in running since
junior footy (AFL) days. I loved training and running
around the block to get fit for footy. I’m still keen to pull
on the boots at the start of each year and if I get the chance
I will have a game in the UK or US while I’m away. My most
memorable running experience is leading a high school zone
1500m race at QEII. The cheer squad went off. Unfortunately I
was just a pacemaker for team-mates who got first and second
and all the glory. Another is when I helped organise the Ikea
Fun Run 11 years ago and the gun runner of the day, one Pat
Carroll, took out the event. The next week the Fun Runner
magazine had a picture of Pat superimposed onto a picture of
my 6yr old son so it looked like he was right on Pat’s heels.
(pic above). And it is still on the fridge at his mum’s place
now!!!
I enjoy distance running because I
can – sort of - and for the mental and physical release that
it brings.
My favourite run is anywhere off the
bitumen – Daisy Hill, Noosa national Park and Toohey forests
are hard to beat.
Motivation is something I sometimes
struggle with. Some days nothing will stop me from getting out
and others I just hit snooze. That’s why making a commitment
to PCRG is important. This lack of motivation often has a
direct correlation with, (see below)
Injuries are something to be avoided
at all costs because they rob the motivation and spirit of
runners. For me, they are usually a result of being too eager
to see improvement, not having the genetics to be a runner and
ignoring the warning signs. They are also something that I
continually learn more about.
I can’t name a particular instance that
was a turning point in my life because it’s all just fully
twisted.
PCRG is inspirational. I know that
because in the middle of some sessions I can be thinking “This
really hurts, why am I doing this?” but every time I get back
to the Ship Inn I’m thinking “that was bloody fantastic”. Ok,
so I enjoy leather and whips too – so what?
I prefer running in my sleep because
I always come first. It just doesn’t seem to give the same
physical benefits.
Running is something I mostly love
doing. I never found it difficult to do extra laps at
footy training and wind the pace up to finish the last one.
PCRG is a lot like that with everyone working hard and
encouraging each other to lift.
The best advice that comes readily
to mind is something Wayne Bennett said. “If you always
do what you’ve always done you’ll only get what you’ve always
got.” But I think that should also be tempered by ‘If it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it.’
The people that inspired me most are
my parents. Mum and Dad had 8 kids and did it tough. Dad
supported us as a family by driving BCC trams & busses for 37
years. We had no car so he would often walk an hour or more at
4:30am, middle of winter to get to work and with broken shifts
might not get back home till after 9pm the same night. So we
didn’t see much of him and Mum had to deal with the lot of us.
That took a lot of endurance, guts and determination from the
both of them. I try not to regret because it’s just a
waste of emotion. What’s done is done and can’t be changed
it’s better to get on with what you can do. That’s not to say
you can’t learn from the past but if you make the best and
most honest decision you can at the time then there is nothing
to regret.
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