IT’S NEVER TOO LATE.
I have a lot to thank my husband for as his dying last words to me were ‘ Now is the time to show your mettle,’ and I feel sure that I have honoured those poignant and haunting words in the ensuing years, I have certainly never forgotten them. To assuage his death I found that walking was the best therapy, the faster, the better I felt.
After resettling back in NSW I joined a local walking group and enjoyed many great walks in the Blue Mountains, but wanting more than that I registered in my first City2Surf in 2001 and became hooked on the adrenaline rush and the thrill of achievement when reaching the finish line. From there I competed in the Bridge Run, with a win in my age group at my first attempt and wins and placings each year following, also the Sutherland2Surf, the Mt. Annan Challenge 12k Walk, Mothers’ Day Classic and others, with great success and wins over much younger competitors each year.
In 2010 I had the very good fortune to be offered sponsorship by the Gold Company of Sydney, I was 83 years old at the time and completely amazed but they felt that I was such a ‘good news story’ that people should get to know me and my achievements. We have been together ever since and have a warm and friendly relationship with great respect for one another. I cannot speak too highly of them, they are like family.
It became hard to find people of my own age to compete against and I was beginning to think that perhaps I was the ‘last man standing’, and it was then that my physio suggested that I compete in the Masters Games due to be held in Adelaide in October 2011. The rest is history and I now have 23 gold medals and hold all the Australian Racewalking records in my age group in the 1,500 metres, 3k, 5k, and 10k, plus two world records in the 3k and 5k racewalk events. I was the local Hawkesbury Sportsperson of the year in 2012, the Australian Masters Athletics 2012 ‘Walks’ Champion, a national award of which I am immensely proud. I’ve held the NSW Masters Athletics and Athletics NSW Annual ‘Walks’ Awards for the past three years.
My other great passion is taking part in the local Hawkesbury ‘Relay for Life’ 24hr Walkathon to raise money for cancer as this insidious disease had taken my husband’s life. 2015 will be my 12th year in succession for this great cause.
Naturally good health and fitness have been paramount to me and I have many maxims, one being ‘Use it or lose it’ and still have more challenges in the future that keep me training regularly which most 88 year old people would find daunting.
Of course the Order of Australia Award this year was the ultimate achievement with the very memorable presentation at Government House, and the meeting with Her Excellency the Governor of NSW Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO with all the protocol adding such importance and status to the ceremony will never be forgotten, and is the pinnacle of my sporting career.
One final word, a competitor racewalking friend in her Xmas card said, ‘ You mettle very well’ and I’m sure that my husband would thoroughly agree.
