Runbelievable: Real Runners, Unreal Stories

Ep 7: Low-Key Legend: Andy Reddiex on Injuries, Heart Surgery, and Finding Balance Beyond Strava

• Josh Rischin • Season 1 • Episode 7

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Episode Description

Some runners live for data. Andy Reddiex isn’t one of them.

The chicken-breeding, surfing, DIY-loving accountant has battled abdominal injuries, ankle problems, and even heart surgery; yet somehow keeps running with quiet determination and minimal fanfare. Not on Strava, not chasing medals, just running for the love of it.

In this grounded and inspiring episode of Runbelievable, Joshie and Matty sit down with Andy to talk about resilience, perspective, and how running fits around a full life... not the other way around.

In this episode:

  • Overcoming complex foot/ankle injuries
  • Returning to running after heart surgery
  • Finding purpose beyond Strava and PBs
  • Balancing work, projects, and training
  • Why sometimes running less can mean living more

Runbelievable: real runners, unreal stories.

Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rnblv_official/

Got a Runbelievable story or interested in being a guest on the show? Hit us up on socials or email us at joshua@runbelievable.au

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Andy:

U I I did see a specialist um about that and it was I think she misdiagnosed it in the end. She basically told me at the time that I was just uh too weak on on that side of my body. Uh weak glutes on that side, weak glutes all around, actually.

Joshie:

And tell you what, if someone told me that I had a weakness, I'd be accusing them of misdiagnosis as well. Hello everybody and welcome to Run Believable, the podcast where everyday runners share their not-so-everyday stories. I'm your host, Josh Christian, and I'm here to bring you stories of grit, glory, and overcoming adversity. Each episode we'll dive deep into what first got people running and what kept them lacing up day after day. From the laughs and the lessons to unnecessary ambulance calls, Maddie, we're here to share what makes running a truly human experience. And later in this episode, you'll meet a runner who reckons it's driver is for losers and would rather ask someone face to face how their run went. What? In all seriousness, he is a superhuman and has a comeback story that must be heard to be believed. Maddie, welcome back. How are you doing?

Matty:

Yeah, thanks, Justy. Yeah, good, good. Um I you may not have realised, but I've I did end up taking three days off running this week, um, which is the longest break I've had in probably 12 months. Um so I'll get back into it tomorrow. But I'm feeling quite refreshed. It was quite empowering making the decision just to have a couple of days off to recover.

Joshie:

I can only assume that someone locked the house from the outside. I can't imagine. You don't get out for a run. Quite incredible.

Matty:

Yeah, yeah. So I'm I'll meet you for it, trust me.

Joshie:

And just when you have thought you're about to get out for a run, you jump onto a call with me and uh guest that's waiting. Gosh, way to hold you up even longer.

Matty:

That's good fun.

Joshie:

It is indeed. Now, look, let's get into the unbelievable rundown. And just a reminder, this is where we share highlights, mishaps, and little wins, the kind of stuff that Strava simply can't capture. Now, Maddie, as you know, I've really been struggling for running motivation of late so I decided to take it to our community and I posted a poll about motivation. Just to see if anyone else struggles to get themselves out onto the running track from time to time, and I was actually incredibly surprised. I thought that it might be close to a 50-50 split, but we had about 89% of people that responded saying that they also find it tough from time to time to the to get the motivation to run. Um which camp would you fall into?

Matty:

Um I I don't have that issue in terms of motivation, and I think um it's something that I I did initially going back when I first started running. Um because you know, when you when you first start running, it it's a tough sport, it's it hurts. Um it's like physical being in Queensland as well, it can be quite hot. Um so it can, yeah, that that motivation, lack of motivation can be there. But I just went off the rule of consistency, um, consistency breach habit. So um I don't have any problem now. Even when um like we come to this part of the year where all the major events are over um and it's coming into the warmer months. I I don't need something to work towards to actually go out there and run. Um you know, it's a bit more unstructured, but um I'm motivated to do it most days. So yeah.

Joshie:

You always look so chipper whenever we get out there for a run, you're super motivated, and you're also you're also pretty good at um motivating those around you. Um yeah, in particular, in particular your your kids, uh from from what I know, you're there going, We are the perries, we never quit. I need your ad gifts.

Matty:

It becomes real.

Joshie:

From what Nat was telling me, I think he said something a lot along the lines of what would Ned Brockman do?

Matty:

Like, Yeah, yeah. I I think that was a parkrun morning where they just didn't want to go to parkrun, so I just started chanting.

Joshie:

Um Well, Maddie, I'm sure you're more than happy to offer your services to anyone that's listening now. Look, if you've got anything that you'd like to contribute to the Runbelievable rundown, then send it our way. Okay, Maddie, we have a brand new game today, and for this you'll need, I really should have given you a heads up, a pen and paper.

Matty:

Lucky I'm organized, Josh. I've got that.

Joshie:

I have no doubt, and I'm sure you've got some kind of um folio set up for different tabs for one for the quiz, one for the Run Believable, write down one for our guests. Um, yes, if anyone's listening and wants to play along, I do suggest having a pen and paper handy or just an incredibly good working memory. So take your pick. Today's game is called Soulmates. Now, Maddie, what I'm going to need you to do is write down two separate lists. At the moment, they're unrelated. So list one is an athlete. And list two will be shoe sponsor. I'm sure you can see where this is going. Write down the following names under the athletes list. And added us. Now what you need to do is pair the runner with their soulmate. Got it? Yeah. Okay. Okay. Now, whilst Maddie's feverishly googling, I'd like to give a shout out to a handful of listeners that we have in the US. Now, having had a sneak peek at our data, we have a few listeners in the states of Virginia and Minnesota. So if you are indeed tuning in from that part of the world, we would love to hear from you. So hit us up on Instagram and let us know that you're out there, and we'll even give you a shout-out on the show. Now, how are you going there, Maddie? Did you need a little bit more time? So what I'll do is I'll read out those names again and you tell me who you got as the sponsor.

Matty:

Jess Halloween. And there was no Googling either, by the way.

Joshie:

Jess Hell and I'm Genevieve Gregson. You don't want to be Andy Buchanan. Lisa Waiteman.

Matty:

Puma?

Joshie:

Gow gout. Ellie Pashley. Leaning. You got three from six, Maddie. So the ones that you got wrong were Genevieve Gregson, she's sponsored by Puma.

Matty:

Okay.

Joshie:

Lisa Waiteman is Leaning. And that's a relatively new deal that I believe only started a couple of months ago. And Ellie Pashley is sponsored by New Balance.

Matty:

Okay.

Joshie:

What did you think?

Matty:

Yeah, I got them back to front. I knew it was in terms of Puma and New Balance. I knew it was either Genevieve Gregson or did I have who was the other one? Anyway, yeah, I I I kind of knew it was one or the other. But I just went for the wrong one. So and the reason I knew is I know that one of them has been on another podcast and was talking about um becoming a new mother and coming back that that sponsor had stuck by her the whole time. So um yeah.

Joshie:

I don't think I like how proud of myself. I love tripping off an interest. This is your happen often.

Matty:

It's not gonna happen. That's why you keep changing the games.

Joshie:

Of course, because I know that what you do in the meantime is you bone up on whatever it is that the topic. I'm like, no, I'm not gonna make it that easy for you. Uh I'll be honest, I hadn't heard of leaning. Like when I um was doing my research and I found out that Lisa Waiteman was sponsored by Leaning, I was like, I have not even heard of them.

Matty:

Yeah, yeah, I've heard of them. They've been around for it, they've been around for a bit. Um there's a cup there's a couple of brands out there that you probably like they're not brands that we would ever come across that I'm aware of that that are bringing out racing shoes. So it's interesting. It is.

Joshie:

So just a quick recap, Maddie got three out of six for our brand new game, Soulmates. How did you go at home? Feel free to let us know. Today's guest is Loki, perhaps Australia's greatest overachiever. A truly versatile human, he's not obsessed by running, but he's darn good at it though. Despite battling complex injuries and one hell of a health scare recently, he continues to show what's possible with quiet determination. Now, he's not someone to make a song and dance about his life, so we're gonna do that for him. Please let's welcome the chicken breeding surfing building running accountant, Andy Rediex.

Andy:

Andy, welcome. Thank you guys. I'm really happy to be part of your program as I've listened to a few of your guests so far and uh been some amazing stories come out of it.

Joshie:

Oh, cool. Did I miss anything in the intro with you with your with your multi multifaceted traits?

Andy:

I think well, I don't think you missed anything about the multifaceted traits. I think you might have beefed them up just a little bit more than they actually are. But anyway, I'll take it. I'll take it.

Joshie:

I did say that he wasn't one to make a song and dance about his life. Um but look, uh, let's kick things off, and you know that we like to get a bit cheeky. How's the marathon prep going?

Andy:

Oh yes, yes. Look, it's uh it's a long, long, long, long road for me because uh I haven't even got a marathon in my uh in my uh foreseeable future.

Joshie:

But you realise that's like a it's a not so subtle way of trying to convince people to give it a go. You just say, How's the prep going? Or um if you had to do a marathon, which one would it be?

Andy:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I heard you guys with Ashley and uh I probably should probably stay away from that that type of question. But um no look, um honestly, um I never ever thought I'd ever run a marathon. It's been a fleeting um thought once in a while, but then I have a look at how much work's involved and how much discipline's involved and um the nutrition that's that's required. And um you know, I guess if I ever going to if I'm ever going to do one, it would have to I'd have to be ready. And and right right now, um it's it's not in my it's not in my future. Um doesn't mean that it never will be, but um I think it's also good to just point out that um you know for people that um your listeners maybe that marathons although they're regarded as the pinnacle, they're not everything in running, you you don't have to um you don't have to jump in and and and run marathons. If 5k is all you've got in you and all you ever want to do, then that's fabulous.

Matty:

Yeah, I t I totally agree with that, and I think you have to you have to be in the right mindset in terms of yes, I want to go and run a marathon, because as you mentioned, that commitment with training, nutrition, um it's a massive commitment um and can be very hard to sort of fit around your your your daily life um you know responsibilities. So yeah, yeah, I I agree.

Andy:

You know, I think um and I would have a very supportive partner, obviously Jen um is very supportive of everything I do, um and and more more so than than than I would think most people are uh but at this at this point it's just it's not part of my uh not part of my immediate future, let's just say that.

Joshie:

Yeah. It's certainly not something you want to go into lightly. Uh I know a lot of people that it's been a one and done, and to the point where they actually haven't run ever again. There's uh two or three people I know of that ran either Gold Coast, uh actually no, they ran Brisbane Marathon, and I thought that they were just joking. They finished the race, they threw their shoes in the Brisbane River and basically run again. Yeah, yeah. Two two people I know very well um had that as their experience. And so yeah, you certainly don't want to um want to take it lightly. Um now, Andy, when did running first feature in your life? Uh are you a new runner or have you run since your youth?

Andy:

Look, look, it um I'm gonna it's relatively new. Um when I say that I used to enjoy uh cross countries at school. Right. Um and and the odd track event, I wasn't fast. I used to run the 800 or try out for the 800 metres. Most of the time I didn't make it. Um and when I ran the cross country at school, I didn't make the the the school crafts company team a cross country team either, but um but I two of my mates did and the coach allowed me to train to train with them at lunchtime. Um and in the end he ended up taking me to one of the interschool uh cross countries and um I really enjoyed it. It wasn't too far away, it was at Bunyaville, State Forest.

Matty:

Okay.

Andy:

Um and I ended up um beating two of the guys that made the team officially um and and I s and the third of the six there were six of us all up, and the third guy was only not far in front of me. So it was a fairly uh it was a really good experience. Um but uh fast forward um I don't remember doing any running then after school um at all um until uh it was 40 I was in my mid-40s in 2011 um and I was working with uh a company who decided to enter a team in the Bridge to Brisbane in 2011.

Matty:

Okay.

Andy:

Um and that they actually hired a coach to come in, I think it was twice a week, and on a Tuesday and a Thursday for uh maybe uh the best part of three months in the lead up to Bridge to Brisbane. And I kind of signed up to be part of that, and um after the first training session, I wish I didn't. I have never been so sore, and this is honest God truth. I have never been so sore in all my life after that first training session, and I didn't think it was anything hard. Um I I guess um I had um I always thought I was active, but but I didn't really wasn't into any real sport. I had the kids at the time, and you know, they were the focus, and um you know uh so I didn't think I'd be as bad as I was, and I didn't actually think the session was that hard. He had a few runs, a few exercises, a few other drills, and that night I got home and I I could already feel my legs starting to seize up by the next by the next morning. Every muscle in my body was was frozen, and I had a I ended up having a hot bath and I'm thinking I was laying in the bath and I'm going I don't know whether I can get out of this bath. Um how how bad would it be if I just let myself slip under the water and just go out peacefully because I was in so much agony. So I I definitely missed the next training session because I could hardly walk, but I ended up going the next one after that the following week. So uh that was that sort of got me back into running, but not um not in a uh uh I guess um a way of but where it became part of my life um as a in a in a big way. Um I ended up um uh doing a lot more hiking. I got in with a group of friends who loved hiking and um and we did a lot of hikes. Um I did the odd run here and there, but I and I did an odd unofficial park run. Um and I uh I did I think I officially joined Parkrun in 2016 and I did but again I was just very sporadic. I I would um go one week and then not go for six and depending on whether we were hiking or not. Um and we were actually we'd made the commitment to um train for the Kokoda Challenge on the Gold Coast I'd love to do that in 2018, so we were just hiking weekends, weeknights, um uh and just uh trying to get our bodies ready for that 98 kilometers. And um and I guess it was at the end of that after we completed that um hike I I decided that I wanted to keep that fitness up. Um and that's probably when I jumped back into running on a more regular basis. Um I started running park runs a lot more um lot more frequently and regularly. Um and um I guess it sort of went from there. So um 2011 sort of got me back in, but it was 20 and 2016 I did my first park run, but actually it was not until 2018 that I became a regular runner.

Joshie:

Okay. So does that mean you ran a uh 10k before a five then? So did you was that oh wow. So what so how did you end up going in uh 2011 at Bridge to Brisbane?

Andy:

Uh look, I I think I went fairly well. Uh I I and it was a I think I ended up doing f just under 54 minutes, I think fifty-three, fifty-one was the time. I don't know why I remember that, but I do. Um so um, you know, I didn't think that was and I ran all the way um with sort of you know that that 12 weeks of training. Um so I was pretty pleased with it, and uh, you know, obviously, you know, it was a it was a big achievement at the time. Um you know, I'm I don't uh I'm not the fastest runner in the world, but I I don't like to stop if I can avoid it. Um I like to accept on trails, that's a different story, but um but I I pretty determined to try to to uh you know to to not not have to walk um if I can. I not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just that's just that my psyche, I just I prefer to run really slow than walk.

Matty:

I think I think one of the other things too that people may not realise, or especially people um like ourselves who run quite regularly, um 10k is not an easy feat. Um you know, even 5k and and it sort of brought me me home when you look at all the people that are training for um using couch to 5k, um it's a massive achievement to run 5k. Um and that can't be that can't be sort of overlooked. That has to I try to keep that in my mind all the time because you know it's it's not easy.

Andy:

No, and it 100% right, and there's a I think that Couch to 5k was is a great program, and and I I've met a few people who have started running that way. Um so you know it's a really good uh a good initiative um to get people you know, at least sampling the sport. Um as you guys know, running's not for everybody, and it it does come with its fair share of challenges and injuries, particularly if you try to go too hard too soon and things like that. But um, you know, the the 5k um is is a is a hard event, um irrespective. Um so yeah, I think uh you know, I think anyone who can just get out and start to and do a bit of bit of running it, it's uh it's just better for it.

Joshie:

Yeah. You mentioned injury and you certainly had uh your fair share of late. It was only, I think, maybe three or four years ago that you were battling quite a complex abdominal injury and that was followed not long after by a foot injury. Um what can you tell us about that time?

Andy:

Uh look, it was um the the first um the the abdominal injury didn't really affect my running per se. Um but I it was actually very uh uncomfortable at times if I I would off if I sneezed, and I think Josh, you've had some issues as well with with abdominal uh issues, but um you know sometimes I could just sneeze and and my this this it was just like a massive cramp would lock on and uh it was happened at the most um inconvenient times while you were driving. You didn't have to sneeze, that was just one of the things that seemed to trigger it. Um if I was I used to surf a little bit, I couldn't even lay on the surfboard and try to prop from from the the the laying position to the standing position without without that um stomach just sort of locking up. Um it's quite painful and it takes a while to let go. Um you've really got to breathe through it. Um so that that um I I I did see a specialist um about that and it was I think she misdiagnosed it in the end, but uh well she did misdiagnose it, I I believe, but um she basically told me at the time that I was just uh too weak on on that side of my body. Uh weak glutes on that side, weak glutes all around actually.

Joshie:

And I tell you what, if someone told me that I had a weakness, I'd be accusing them of misdiagnosis as well.

Andy:

That's right. Well, the funny thing is I actually she got me doing and I don't not um regret going to her, um she got me doing some some unilateral exercises so I could work on, you know, single leg stuff and and um other core work. But in the end it didn't make any difference to the to the stomach. Um and I ended up uh had an ultrasound done sometimes. She had she had sent me for an ultrasound, but she had her had herself convinced that the issue was in my lower back. And I kept saying it's not in my lower back, it's in my it's in it's definitely in my lower abdominal region. And so when I went for the original ultrasound, they didn't actually scan that area and it came up with nothing. Uh and then I went back to a GP oh look maybe 12 months later because I was still having some problems, and I said, I just need another I need a scan. I want to get a scan um because I was still having some issues. And it turned out it was uh an injury that I'd done some quite some time ago, but it was a tear, and what had happened was I'd been it it was a a a tear that would then heel then tear again, then heel then tear again, then heel and tear again. And that's why it was sort of a little bit intermittent. Um, but he could see there was a lot of evidence of scar tissue around um around that. Um thankfully I've I seem to have overcome that in the main. Um having said that I did have a little a little hit the other day, um, which was probably the first one for a while, but um I ha I've been doing a lot of strength, other strength work as well. Uh I had been, and um I'd kind of let that slip in the last three months. So I put it I put it down to to that um because it was do I was doing a lot of core work um and now I've been lazy for three months and it's gonna come back and bite me, so I need to go back to the gym.

Joshie:

Gosh. And so no sooner had you uh managed to work through the that abdominal complaint that you had, uh from what I know is quite a complex foot issue. Um serves correctly, you you're either seeing a specialist or potentially even booked in for surgery when you went, No, I'm actually going to find an even more extreme reason to take a a break from from running um running. What what what do you remember about um sort of when you f when you fell short of breath that time? I think you mentioned to me it was you're at work or yeah.

Andy:

Yeah, look, it was um I I guess it was a it was a double-edged sword to a degree. Um I'd had a a plantar fascia issue on my left foot, which a lot of runners get. Um and um you know it it wasn't too bad, but it wasn't going away, and and uh you know, after I I didn't feel it while I ran or anything like that, but the next morning it was really hard to walk. Um and uh I was getting some treatment for that and the the podiatrist kind of said, Look, you the treatment's not it's not really it's working, but not so I gave up running for four months. That was that was a plant of fascia on the left foot. So I stopped running for four months and I and I went swimming uh instead um just to try and keep some sort of cardio going. And I and at that stage I didn't I wasn't real a big fan of swimming. Um I'm not a good swimmer, but I actually started to enjoy swimming. I I hated it as a kid, but I started to enjoy it in more recent times. So so I so and yep, I I actually recovered completely from the left foot and got back into running and I seem to hit get up back up to speed quite quickly. Um I'd been swimming four times a week, so I think the cardio was was there. I just needed to get a bit of uh I guess muscle memory back in the legs. Um and then in uh was it just over just over or not last year, 20 what are we in now? 2023, 20 at the end of 22, I'd had a really good year of running and I uh I noticed my left foot. Um sorry, the plantar fascia was originally in my right foot, and then I noticed a very similar feeling in my left foot, in fact it was worse.

Matty:

Oh no.

Andy:

Um and anyway, I went back to the podiatrist, we started the shockwave therapy again, which and the treatment, which actually helped with the right foot, but uh it wasn't doing anything at all with the left. Uh, and then I had some scans on that, and there were two actual tears in the plantar fascia this time. The other one was only a thickening and a swelling, it wasn't um it wasn't torn. So uh that out of action again, and that was seven months, and I was just starting to come good. I'd been to a specialist, as you said, Josh. I went to see a specialist about that. Um, and uh I guess long story short, basically he said all they do is cut the tendon. Um, and I'm going, really? Is it is that all you say, yeah, just to take the pain away. And I'm thinking, but surely the tendon serves some purpose. You know, and he's just going, we just cut the tendon. And I and by the time I got in to see him, my foot was starting to I felt it had turned a corner, we're just starting to feel a bit better. And and then he told me what the price of it was for the operation. I said, that's alright. I'll I'm I'll give it another few months and we'll be right. And anyway, the the foot did come good, and the physios and that just said to you I could start running again. Um but just before I started running again, I'd I'd had a I went for a I'd been swimming as I s again, um and I'd uh went for a swim in the pool one night. It was in June, um um just over two years ago, and um I I in the two weeks prior I'd done my fastest laps in the pool and I was swimming you know one and a half Ks and I was and I felt really good. I got in the pool two weeks after I'd done my fastest laps and it was just hard. Like it the first lap just felt like I I felt a little bit of a funny feeling down the left hand side, but I I didn't take much notice of it. Um I just thought it had got cold, the winter the the weather had turned a little colder and so I uh I just got uh I thought maybe something my body's adjusting to the colder temperature. I I don't know, but but then um the physios had said to me when I to start running again, just to sort of run, you know, hundred metres on, hundred metres off, or just run four hundred metres, just nothing major, just start putting a bit of load on your foot. And I think it was about uh about two or three days after I'd had that swim, I went for um um a run, or tried to go for a run just around one lap around the oval was what I wanted to do near March and Park, and uh I got I would say 150 metres into that run and I just had this racking pain down my left arm and just shorter breath and and it sort of then started to make sense about what happened in the pool. Um and I'm sort of thinking, Oh, you know, this is a classic symptom but I but you know what I ignored it, and the reason and it's and it's uh I kind of knew it all along, but I ignored it for a while because I'd had a lot of trouble with my neck, and I was I kind of said, Oh, maybe there's a nerve being pinched off. Or something getting pinched in my from my neck and that's affecting giving me this pain down the left hand side. Anyway, I I saw about I don't know, I went massage, I went to um uh remedial uh therapists, I went to physios, uh I had an MRI done on the neck, and probably two or three weeks later, or you know, no more than a month later, the neck had come really good, and I went for another run just around home. And uh I got 40 seconds into the run. Sorry guys. Uh it's a little triggering.

Matty:

Yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure.

Andy:

And then it just racked me with pain again. Um and I knew then. Jen had a friend that she went to boot camp with who who worked for uh in the cardiology section and Jen Ranger that night. And in the end I ended up going to I couldn't get into my GP, I just went and she recommended another guy who I got into and and he's basically he said to me he booked me in for a specialist, um, he gave me um uh a couple of I might have been just taste start taking some aspirin. Um but he said if you if you feel anywhere you go straight to the hospital, straight to emergency. I managed to get into the specialist fairly quickly. Um and I guess um you know I I I had a fairly healthy lifestyle at that stage. I was eating reasonably well, um active yeah, active um no well I didn't think there was any history of heart disease in our family. Um and even the the specialist just he kind of after I told him what was going on, he says it's just a classic angina symptom.

Matty:

Yeah, okay.

Andy:

Um they booked me in about three or four days later for an angiogram. Um I think they I was the last one on the list. I think they thought it would just be an easy stent. Um anyway, I the prep for the angiogram was longer than the actual angiogram. Um it was um I was only on the table for I don't know, felt like only about 30 seconds, and they've they've called, you know, someone else came in and basically um uh they've after that they've come out and said, Oh, this the heart surgeon will be up to see you in a in a few minutes.

Matty:

Wow, yeah.

Andy:

So I had a uh blockage in in the arteries in uh left aorta um the left ventricle. Um and it's it's an artery called the widowmaker. Um my blockage was twofold. There it the that uh particular artery splits into two. Um one goes to the top of the heart and one goes to the bottom, and I had a 90% blockage in the on the on the side going to the bottom and a 70% block um going to the top. And I just couldn't believe it because up until up until uh you know that few weeks before that I I had no inkling and you know nothing felt at all difficult or wrong. I just sat one night I went to the pool and and yeah, that it that was it. So um that was uh you know, within a couple of days I was in surgery and um double bypass and yeah.

Joshie:

Wow, yeah. Yeah it's what you're saying, um, you know, that you you've lived a very healthy, active lifestyle as well. So it would have c you know, you're doing all the right things and yeah, I guess it really caught you by surprise that you would have found yourself um suddenly on the on the op table. I mean, without any time to prepare and without really much in the way of warning signs as well.

Andy:

Yeah, yeah, no, that's um I mean I think that's the best way for it to happen, to be honest. I didn't want any time to think about it. Um so um the quicker it the better for me. And uh I mean um uh as it turns out my and I knew my um my um grandfather on my father's side, um he died I never met him, he died when my dad was only six and it was an undiagnosed death. Uh but but thinking about it now was likely that he he had heart um heart condition as well.

Matty:

So um yeah.

Andy:

That's uh you know, so I guess in the end I was uh out of running for another another uh three or four months. Um so in the in the end I it was a it was actually a full twelve months um off running between the between the uh the the tear the tears in the planter and uh and the um and the heart surgery. So yeah.

Matty:

That's not that long though, really, when you think about open heart surgery for a condition and then your other injuries. Um yeah, you came back I'd so I'd say that's quite quick.

Andy:

Funny, Maddie, that it's funny to think that the actual plant of fascia injury or or tears took me out of running longer than the heart surgery because I was back I had the heart surgery in August. Um I was back home out of hospital in a week. One of the things they tell you to do is to walk.

Matty:

Yeah, that's right.

Andy:

And I did their cardiac rehab program and I actually had to be pulled back just a little bit. Um they put you on a treadmill and tell you to walk and then they tell you to run, and you know, I I was I was itching to run again because I had been out for so long, you know, so I'm I'm getting into it. And uh anyway, they they put the the when it took my all these um tests and it turned out that um you know there was still swelling around my heart, so the and so the the blood flow my high my low blood pressure level was too high. It wasn't it wasn't um it wasn't allowed. I was because there was so much pressure around the heart from the swelling, it was pushing the the blood pressure up. So I had to back it off. Um, you know, um back it off for a while and just ease back. Um for me I had no thought of ever giving up. It was um uh my my thought was just I want to get back to running. Um it was a really big part of my life at that stage and um and clearly running gave me a lot. Um you know um I I obviously met my the love of my life, Jen, through running, and um you know, and so uh running means an awful lot to me, um, even though I don't describe myself as uh an avid uh I mean I don't follow uh you know, this is gonna sound pretty bad, but I don't follow running as a sport. I don't I would you could tell me apart from gout gout, I probably don't know too many Australian running athletes. Um so um I mean I might know a few a couple, but but you know, when when we go to training and and you know the coach mentions so and so had a great run, I'm going, who's so-and-so? You know, so I don't I don't follow it uh uh like like um as an and so you know I don't regard myself as a am I a runner? I run for for me, I suppose, rather than uh it's a it's an enjoyment.

Matty:

You're definitely a runner. I mean you uh you've you've run many half marathons, you've run many different events and you train and you run park run, it's just you do it for you and you do it you do it different to I I guess everyone could possibly do it a bit differently. Um you know I read a lot, I research a lot, that sort of thing, but you know, it's uh uh I run for what running gives me as well. So that's the I think that's the really important point is it gives everyone something. Um you know, and it's different for each person.

Joshie:

Yeah, I mean lifting sorry, go on Josh. I was just gonna say, um, you know, you're you're not very active on social meat social media, so it's very difficult to get a sense for for how you're going just through the I guess what's um published um publicly. Uh do you ever get sick of people asking why you're not on Strava?

Andy:

Uh no, not too many people ask me anymore. I mean uh I obviously I obvious I have a joke with Jen every once in a while and say, well, obviously I don't run because I'm not on Strava. Um so I can't be a runner, you know. Uh and I actually said to Jen uh a couple of times, oh I suppose I should go on Strava, and she said, What for? And I've gone, yeah, okay, what for?

Joshie:

A lot of people have you know that have been through challenges in their lives that have seen them take an extended absence from running. Like you have uh one of the first things they do is they get back on Strava and because they rely on that sort of community support to help motivate them, you know, first run since heart surgery or first walk since heart surgery. But you've sort of gone about this very quietly. I mean, your determination and your resilience uh has largely come from within. Um how have you found the strength, Andy, to do that?

Andy:

Um Josh that it's um I was a loner when I was a teenager, um, and so I wasn't particularly social. It's not that I I was very shy actually. Um and so I found um I guess solace in hobbies um and and interests. And so uh, you know, I I had trouble talking to people. I you know, I got I don't I I won't s I don't suffer from I won't say I suffer from mental health issues in any in any way, shape, or form, certainly not like a lot of people. I did have a fairly high level of anxiety when I was younger. I still do, um but I you learned I don't think it was a debilitating form, so it was just, you know, I was shy and I had to overcome a few things and and just trying to try and change it, change your life as but as I got older you you kind of tend to I I managed to be able to sort of um overcome a lot of that anxiety, still feel it, but but overcome and can deal with it a lot better than than I did then. But one of the things that that did lead to, I guess that that shyness was just this um I c I suppose it's to a degree a little bit selfish, you just you kind of look after yourself, um, you bury yourself and immerse yourself in your own interests and hobbies. And so finding the strength again um to to get back up and and and go again, um it for me everything I've done in my life has been I've not been a natural at anything and my it's only my determination and that has got has helped me get through some of that lack of natural ability. Um and so I'm a determined little shit um when I when I put my mind to it and that's and that's the that's what I guess drives me. Um you know, and even when it comes to it, I don't apart from I've got some great friends from running. Um and um I've met some you know some of them are best friends actually through running. Um but I still prefer to run on my own most of the time. Yeah, and that's uh that's I find that a little strange, um, but there's just something for me about running on my own. Um doing doing it by myself. Um I have no doubt I'd be a better runner if I let more people in and ran with more people. I think I'd be a better runner, but I just there's something about running on on my own um for me that um that you know just I don't know, it's just a feeling. Um I I just enjoy my own my own space. Um and uh you know, I I find um I find that you know for the first if I'm doing a sort of a 10k run or something like that for the first 5k I'm usually processing the day or the week or whatever, but after that it's just becomes you know, uh you're just on the run, you your mind clears all of a sudden. It's uh it's uh you know, it's a great stress release. Um but it just I might it's there's only two things that I've ever done that I can say are kind of like meditation. Um one's running at sort of that f after about 5k when your mind starts to just go, I'm just gonna run, I'm just gonna focus on the breathing. And the other thing is surfing, just surfing, sitting out on the water. Um you don't even have to be catching waves, but just sitting out in the ocean, bobbing up on the water is something else that um seems to calm and quell my mind and stops it from working because otherwise my mind is going a million miles an hour.

Joshie:

It's interesting, um and by the way, I think you're selling yourself short with saying that you're not you don't have natural talents. Um I think you probably have that and the internal fortitude and drive to to achieve, which is fantastic. And with what you've gone through, and whether it's running or your recovery from heart surgery, most people would really struggle to do that on their own. So for example, um I prefer running with people because sometimes it helps with those you know negative voices that creep into your head, and it can be hard to switch that off, but you seem to be totally at peace with that. Whether or not you you have those voices that try and you know talk you out of something, I I don't know, but you if you do, you must do a pretty good job of telling them to shut the hell up.

Andy:

Yeah, yeah. I guess uh um yeah, I I don't um yeah, I try not to listen to those voices too much and I don't really get them um too much. Uh as I said, I I I often process some stuff um while I'm running. Could I have done this differently, could I done this better, what how what happened at work today, but that only happens for the first you know four or five K and then it goes. So for me it's then just a it's almost a meditation. Um yeah. So but I'm not a very disciplined runner. Um I don't um you know if it if it wasn't the wasn't for for Jen who Jen's quite disciplined and she'll if I get up in the morning and and I go, Oh, I don't feel like running, if I was on my own, I wouldn't go. Um whereas Jen's Jen would say she if she's made up her mind to to to go for a run, um doesn't matter how she feels in the morning when she wakes up, she'll she'll get up and go. So things like um the the training groups and park run um I actually need those things, even though I said I'm determined, I'm also I can be very easily um go, oh I don't feel like it today, and if I don't feel like it I can but park run and in training um for me are are good in that they're the two times a week that that I actually have to go, so I make myself go. Um and then you know I run other times I try to run if I feel like it. There are some days you just absolutely feel like a run. Come home from work and the afternoon looks beautiful and you go, Oh, I just want to run today.

Joshie:

You seem Andy to be at peace one way or another. For some people that it's almost an obsession and they they have to run, whereas for you it seems like you're you see it as an opportunity and you want to grab that opportunity if it's there, but you're also totally okay if if it doesn't eventuate.

Andy:

Yeah, yeah, I I'm I'm pretty uh good uh at that. Um I do enjoy running when uh most of the time, but yeah, once I get make the effort to get out and do it, um it's um and I am totally at peace with look, I'm not training for anything and and you know it's a different story if you're training for uh something in in particular, you you've got it you've got a uh you've got to put in the yards and um and um you know um you know I heard uh mighty mark talk about the one per one percenters and things like that and and very very important one percenters if you're looking for you know great performance and and whatever and and so it depends on what you accept or want or happy to accept. Um so uh for me it's it's yeah I I've had don't get me wrong, and there's there's I'm very competitive with myself and sometimes I I'm absolutely wanting to beat times and and then other days I just want to get out and have a run and enjoy it. Um so uh you know, and the two the two runs that I remember most and probably uh my two favoured runs were completely different in how I went about both of them.

Joshie:

Okay. You know, Andy, most people that I've spoken to when they've had an extended absence from running, whether it's due to a physical injury or um a health scare, in fact, you've had both of those of like they talk about the struggle to overcome the I guess the um mentally to overcome what they've been through rather than physically. It seems to me that you really haven't found it difficult to get back into running mentally, but physically it's sort of that's what you've um found more of an obstacle.

Andy:

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Um mentally I I was ready to run, like I I I just wanted to run. Um and I couldn't wait to get back to it after the hearts. Well, I mean, I'd been out for 12 months, you know, and I'd run a f been doing events, different events, trail series, half marathons, um 10Ks, um, in that previous year. Um and um I was just keen to get back out there and and you know I was uh you know, I enjoyed the swimming when I could do it, but I just wanted to um I just felt like I wanted to run. You know, plus I think one of the other drivers is the friends that you know you do still socialise with them outside of running, but um but you but there's something about uh even though I said I run a I run I'll often run alone um and on my own, but there's a there's uh your friends are running park runs, you go for coffee afterwards, there's there's all there's all this sort of um community part, which a lot of you guys have spoken about, which is um really how um how uh I guess a part of it as well that that's very enjoyable.

Matty:

Um totally, yeah.

Andy:

Yeah I mean I met obviously met you guys through running and I've met um you know uh there's another another group that I kept seeing at Park Run at Chermside and you know they'd sort of look at me and say hi as you go past. And anyway, one one day I went past them and it and they made there was a comment made they were talking about and it just lent itself to some smart ass comment, and of course I offered up that smart ass comment, and um and I got uh I got asked to come to coffee with them, and we've been friends ever since. So um there you go.

Matty:

Yeah, there you go.

Andy:

A smart ass comment. It can can sometimes get you uh get you five, get your places.

Joshie:

I think even if you didn't get your places, Andy, you'd still come up with those smart ass comments.

Andy:

Once in a while, once in a while, pick more audience.

Joshie:

Um, given you're not on Strava, um how are you going at the moment? Are you running much? Um what's on the horizon for you?

Andy:

Um look, um not running as much. I was running more earlier in the year.

Matty:

Um it's getting hot.

Andy:

Yep, and uh in fact I was running more up up till probably May, and I had some, you know, I was starting to improve. It's been a little in terms of a pace, uh, I haven't been anywhere near my my pace uh that I was before the the the the big layoff. Um and I've sort of adjusted my goals a little bit there for the moment um and just it it was a long um the first probably six months after the heart surgery was really tough because even even it was in the middle of summer, it was November when I was able to start running again. It was a stinking hot summer, really humid, every day was just horrible.

Matty:

Yeah.

Andy:

Um and I can remember um that you know I um the the the easy runs that were supposed to be easy, they were just hard. Um so um I've probably gone off track of the question, Josh. I've forgotten what it was now, but um yeah.

Joshie:

Oh I was yeah, I guess asking about you know, you're not on Strava, so it is hard to keep track of where you're at and what you're working towards. Um does running sort of feature in your plan for for next year, so yeah, one thing we tend to ask uh people before we finish up is you know, what what what's on the agenda in particular for 2026?

Andy:

Look, at this stage there's no set um goals. We've actually chosen um to have a bit a little bit of a break from events. Um we'll still continue to run park runs. Uh um look, I wouldn't it'd be unusual if I missed Jetty to Jetty. It's yeah, half marathon. I it's it's one event that I just I for some reason I love it. Um I think it part of that stems because it was my first ever event outside of the bridge to Brisbane. Um my first ever half marathon.

Joshie:

Okay.

Andy:

Um back in just in the COVID days. So that was the year they ran it in October 2020. It was my first uh first ever uh half marathon event. And it to this day you you talk to people about the runners high, and and I had I never it had never experienced it until that Jedi to Jetty run, that first one. And that I was I just felt so strong that day. Um it's still my fastest ever half marathon. It was my first one. Oh wow. Um I've never come I haven't really come close to it since. Um but I felt even at the end, uh I just felt I could keep running. I just that was the runner's high for me, and and one day I hope to experience it again because I don't think I've ever experienced it since that day. Um so that's incredible, yeah. Yeah, so that's one of the things I'm I'm targeting. So Jetty to Jetty is always uh is always a um it's one of my favorite events. It's my if you were to ask me what my two favourite events are, it's for two different reasons. One was that first ever Jetty to Jetty. Um and so I'll I guess that sort of keeps me me uh dragging me back um to Jetty to Jetty. Um plus it's uh it's uh I guess our run club um tends to support that one quite strongly, so it's nice to be there with with all the all the all the guys from the club.

Matty:

Yeah.

Andy:

So other than that, no, um we'll just keep running when we can and uh yeah.

Joshie:

Well um yeah, look, Andy, thanks so much for joining us on Run Believable. You truly are an awesome human and we've had a blast of speaking to you today.

Andy:

No worries, it's uh been a pleasure, guys. Um not often you get asked to be part of a podcast. Yeah first time for me.

Matty:

Well your story's great, mate, and yeah, really good to hear it and understand you a bit bit more. So thank you.

Joshie:

All right, guys. Thanks a lot. See ya, see ya, bye. Well, Maddie, what'd you think?

Matty:

Yeah, incredible story. Um, you know, especially with the open heart surgery and getting back into running. Um I personally believe that that that was a short time frame, so really good to hear. Um and yeah, just great to hear Andy's story. Um, it's very inspirational.

Joshie:

Yeah, yeah, it really was. I mean, can you imagine a life where running isn't your number one? Like Andy seems to like, you know, it's like, yeah, if I have time I'll run. If I don't, I won't. How do you think how do you think you'd go without Strava, Maddie?

Matty:

Um, I think I'd be alright without Strava, to be honest with you. But but but I would use I would use something else like Garmin Connect. And before that, I actually had a spreadsheet where I recorded everything.

Joshie:

I don't know, Maddie Lost Strava. You even record your poos on there. Try to save that you don't anyway. Um look, that's it for today. Um if you've got a Run Believable story of your own, we'd love to hear it. And if you'd like to be a guest on the show, hit us up. And finally, this podcast relies on your continued support. So please, if you can take the time to follow, rate, and share this podcast with your running mates. We would really appreciate it. See you for the next Run Believable Adventure.