Runbelievable: Real Runners, Unreal Stories

Ep 10: Point to Pinnacle, Run the Clock, and Running Through Life’s Storms with Eva Bertram

• Josh Rischin • Season 1 • Episode 10

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Running isn’t always about pushing harder; sometimes, it’s about knowing when to pull back.

For Melbourne-based runner Eva Bertram, running has always been about joy: no Strava, no data, no watch... just the feeling of getting out the door. From conquering Point to Pinnacle (the world’s "toughest half marathon"), to a New Year’s Eve “Run the Clock” adventure at the You Yangs complete with fireworks, a wine necklace, and a gashed knee, Eva’s stories capture exactly why everyday runners are extraordinary.

But this season of life looks different. As Eva and her partner navigate the realities of IVF, she’s been forced to step back from running... a challenge that’s tested her patience, identity, and balance more than any hill ever could.

In this episode:

  • Running without Strava, watches, or pace pressure
  • Point to Pinnacle: 1,276m of pure uphill grit
  • The unforgettable You Yangs NYE “Run the Clock” event
  • Navigating safety after being chased mid-run
  • The emotional challenge of stepping back from running during IVF
  • Finding support and shared understanding through a running partner

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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Eva:

This obviously heavily intoxicated drug-affected person came behind me and was just swinging this massive umbrella, had like a spike at the top of it, and was just calling obscene things, chasing after me. Oh my god, I was so scared.

Joshie:

Hello, everybody, and welcome to Run Believable. The podcast for everyday runners share a not-so-everyday story. I'm a hosting bringing these stories a quick story overcoming events. From the last election to ramping up too quickly, we need to share what makes money a truly human experience. And coming up in a moment, you'll meet a runner who's taken on some incredibly unique challenges with finish line characters that anyone would want to add to their digital CRISPR, and I can't wait to chat with her. Maddie, welcome back. Firstly, how's the knee going?

Matty:

Yeah, not too bad. Thanks, Joshie. Um I don't know. Yesterday it hurt a bit, but today it feels alright. So I'm going to test it tonight. So see here we go.

Joshie:

Yeah. Now it makes sense. Now it makes sense why you're rushing me through this uh issue to itchy to get out. So the listeners have a bit of context. I'll probably sound a little bit different. We've had some audio issues, and my goodness, uh look, we've had a good run so far, Maddie. That's just part and parcel of an amateur amateur production such as ours. Um now, look, uh Maddie, you know that we like poking a little bit of fun at you, and you're a really, really good sport. But um we actually we actually did a poll, I don't know if you saw it, about um your eye injury and whether or not it was indeed ambulance worthy. And I am just and I am just going to double check the live results. In fact, the poll has just closed. Now, we had a really, really good response to this one, dude. And good. Yeah. Now, to my amazement, what do you reckon the results were in terms of whether it was ambulance?

Matty:

It should have been a triple zero call.

Joshie:

Well, the majority of people agree with you. We had 57% that said yes, 43% that said no.

Matty:

There you go, there you go.

Joshie:

Perhaps perhaps the most amusing part of the poll was um your your lovely wife, she's connected with us on on uh Instagram. I know that she follows the Run Papable account, but she to date has not engaged with any of the polls that we've had until this one to get her no vote in there.

Matty:

So yeah, I it's uh I'll never leave it down. I'll never live it down. But the thing is, when you see the pictures, it it does look pretty bad, but it's actually quite a minor it's a minor injury.

Joshie:

Um, turns out the majority of people agree with you. They also would have been picking up the phone. Now, look, let's get stuck 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, today is a day of celebration. Now, whilst I've been quite fortunate when it comes to having uh black toenails, I did get a horrendously bad one at uh just after the Gold Coast marathon. Now, as you know, I uh I I paced Natty for her first uh marathon, which was just a fantastic um experience. Yeah, but I made that fatal mistake of buying and wearing brand new socks. You did. Yeah, you did. Yeah. Oh geez, how were comfortable though, Maddie? Geez, they're so plush and comfortable.

Matty:

They're always comfortable before you before you run.

Joshie:

Yeah, oh look, even oh, look, it was probably at about 10k as I knew something wasn't quite right. But yeah, look, I pressed on. Now, the reason I'm saying that today's a day of celebration, we're what nearly five months on or getting close to, and the toe, the black toe has almost completely grown out now. So I was worried it was gonna fall off. Uh, but yes, today's a day of celebration. No, no. Although I did hear it uh tell you this, I was um uh taking off some socks and I accidentally got the like some thread caught under the sock. And as I pulled, I heard the toenail crack, and I went, oh geez, that's not a good sign, but it uh yeah, it didn't fall off somehow. Um but yeah, it's um certainly something to celebrate. And I'm gonna be honest, um, when you talked to me about your uh your black uh toenails, I was quite skeptical until we went barefoot bowls. And oh geez, my goodness, dude, those little those little toes of yours look like something from a horror film.

Matty:

I've had three drop off, three drop off, and I've got one that's still connected.

Joshie:

So well, there we go. So this actually got me thinking about a quiz idea. This one is all about toenails, and I've called it Toe the Line. Now, uh just a quick disclaimer for listeners if you're just sitting down to dinner, I suggest uh pausing this podcast or letting your food digest before listening on. So uh we might lose a few listeners in the process, Maddie, but that's okay. That's what churn is all about. Yeah, look, let's see how we go. So, question number one for you, my friend. And by the way, this is an A, B, or C model.

Matty:

Okay, A, B or C.

Joshie:

Now, the common term for uh blackened toenails, as you probably know, is runners' toenails, and that's fine. Which of the following is the correct medical term? Is it a subungrual hematoma? So that's the one uh sorry, that's uh one answer, subungral hematoma. Is it B sublingual hematoma or C submucosal hematoma?

Matty:

B submucosal.

Joshie:

Incorrect. It is actually a subungral hematoma, which means underneath.

Matty:

Yeah, okay.

Joshie:

So sublingual, so sublingual, as you may know, is under the tongue. Not something you want to be doing with blackened toenails, and C submucosal is a layer of tissue under the mucosa. So the correct answer was A. Question number two which grows faster? A, toenails, B, fingernails, or C, they grow at the same rate.

Matty:

Your toenails grow faster.

Joshie:

It is incorrect. The fingernails grow faster and biking.

Matty:

My daughter told me last week that toenails grow faster.

Joshie:

Well, you might have to um sanction her um because she I'll tell you what, Anita's a smart cookie. I'm surprised that she'd get something like that uh incorrect. But uh probably didn't, mate. I did. I probably got it wrong. Jeez, hopefully that doesn't put a dent in her uh ambitions of becoming a school captain. Um so uh just for for listeners, the um the fingernails grow at a rate of roughly 3.5 millimeters per month, whereas the toenails are 1.6 millimeters per month. So pretty much double the pace is what your fingernails grow at. Um okay, question number three. The white part of a nail that you cut off is called which of the following? A free edge, b free entry, or c free range. Free edge. Yep, that's correct. Yeah. I thought I was making it reasonably obvious. Yeah, that wasn't there. Um anyway, so how'd you go at home? Please let us know. We're having a lot of fun with this. Today's guest knows a thing or two about balance, not just in life, but on the trails, the hills, and, dare I say it, the unpredictable streets of Melbourne. Her running journey is one that unfolds quietly, no fanfare, just the genuine love of getting out the door for a run a few times a week. Between shifting routines and some truly unforgettable adventures, her story is the epitome of running on your own terms. Can we please all welcome Eva Bertram? Welcome, Eva.

Eva:

Yeah, welcome, Eva. Thank you for having me, guys. I'm very excited to be on um the podcast with both of you and look forward to talking about um one of our loves, running.

Joshie:

Yeah, yeah. Awesome. Great to have you. Now, look, Eva, you've had such a broad mix of running experiences over the years, and it certainly predates the running boom. Um, what can you tell us about what first sparked your interest in the sport?

Eva:

Yeah, I suppose it was the initial initial response to wanting to be mentally okay and um just getting out and getting some fresh air, and then that love turned into running wanting to run an event. I've never had run an event before. Um, and I suppose the first run that I did was run for the kids, and that was when you can run through the bolties. So, this is in Melbourne.

Matty:

Oh, cool, yeah.

Eva:

Yeah, so that was awesome. And I actually had a a mentor, and she was the one who inspired me to start running, to run for an event. So I actually started training with her for that first run, and unfortunately, she got an injury midway through our training, and I thought, how am I gonna do this without her? But obviously, I love a routine, so I just kept on at it, and um, I did my first run, run for the kids. So that was brilliant 2016. So a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to running. Um, growing up, I wasn't really a sports-oriented kind of gal. Um, I did netball through school and um and then not really too much after that.

Matty:

So you didn't you didn't run at school?

Eva:

No, I was I'm quite small, as in stature, as in lots of other things. So I was quite um I was fast at sprinting, but um then that I suppose that sort of died off as I got to my teenage years, um, being a girl and things sort of like wobbling around. I was just um took a back seat and didn't really run as much. Um didn't really do lots of sport until obviously um my later 20s, early 30s, and that's when I sort of, yeah, the love of running sparked then. And then from that initial run I then worked towards doing a half marathon, um, did a marathon and um moved to Western Australia where I lived in Broome, and that was really interesting. Um speaking of community, I actually joined a running community up there, and they even like sparked my love for trail running, and that's probably where trail running began for me.

Joshie:

What what was it like running in the heat? I didn't know you lived in Broome. What was it like running in the heat and the humidity up there? Yeah, because it's hot.

Eva:

Oh, it is hot, so I suppose everywhere you have to run with a camelback, even if it's like you know, five kilometers.

Joshie:

Wow.

Eva:

So we'd get up really early, like 4 30 in the morning. Probably that's not early for some people, but I suppose you have to beat the heat there. Dry season was a lot better to run in, just wet season, yeah, you definitely have to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Um, but we'd stop off at places along the way we needed to gather more water. And um the running group started off only like there were six of us, and then by the time I sort of left the room and just expanded, they started to make their own t-shirts, and it was just oh cool, yeah, a really beautiful community. And because I moved up there to do teaching, I didn't know anyone, and that was my sort of sense of family um and support network there.

Joshie:

Okay.

Eva:

So so they sparked different kinds of running which I'd never sort of thought about, and um yeah, and I'm still friends with a lot of them, and we don't see each other as often, unfortunately, but we're still in contact with like what events are happening and things like that. So, yeah, without them, I don't know what I would have done. And having running as a passion for all of us, I think, sort of made us connect together.

Matty:

Yeah. Like my cool, yeah, definitely, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Joshie:

It's amazing. The more people I talk to that I mean, I've only taken up running in the last few years, and so all I really know is the local running scene, the Brisbane community. But it seems as though there's running communities pretty much everywhere, even in relatively small regional centres, which I think's fantastic. Um a truly universal activity, I think probably nothing competes with running.

Matty:

And I think it it it it's a beautiful thing in terms of the like those groups and those communities, everyone within them um is doing it for similar or different reasons, but there's always reasons. Um it's not just to run, it it's more than that.

Eva:

Yeah, definitely. And I suppose that's like commonality, and then you find other interests, like you know, you'll be running for a long amount of time, so you'll just run and chat, and you find other things that align, then you start to do, especially Broom is a very small community, so you start to do things together. So, yeah, it does become a bit more like a family network.

Matty:

It is, yeah.

Joshie:

Now, either you're someone who runs without Strava, you don't have a watch, not really fussed on data, or I think you have run key things, which is so you can keep some kind of track of it. Yeah, I know. Um what what impact has that had on how you connect with running this, you know, truly sort of um, you know, if I can call it naked running?

Eva:

Yeah, I I haven't I'm not up to with all the tech and everything, which I should be. My probably age bracket, I should be all over it. But I just find when I'm running, I'm running for me, I'm running for clarity. Like I feel the best in the morning when I'm going out for a run. And yes, I do want to keep certain times and I do want to do better, but I also want to just know that my head is clear for that day. So um when I was doing obviously like my half marathons and marathons, I would watch the time, but I think now it's sort of tapered off time. I just want to get out there, and at least if I can, you know, run three to five times a week, I'm happy. Yeah, I'm not really pushing for pace. So I think um, Josh, when I spoke to you before, in regards to you, I've had Run Keeper, that's the only app that I've had since 2016, and um, so that's got all my runs on it. I did have a running watch, but then something happened and it broke, and I was like, well, I didn't really need that, you know. So um I do track the time when I obviously I hit on Runkeeper, and I do briefly look at like my splits at you know, if I'm going incline, okay, how did I go there and things like that? But to analyze it, yeah, I just love running.

Matty:

So I think that's gonna become a thing, you know. People that are like they have it in terms of like surfers, like soul surfers. Um they're gonna be these soul runners that just run without any uh device on them to track it, track anything. It's interesting, I can actually see that happening as a as a movement.

Eva:

Yeah, definitely. And where I am, sometimes it's not the safest to run, like you know, if you're distracted by something. So I've never run with music, like I think maybe a few times I have, but I just I sort of know the streets and I can hear what type of birds are chirping at what time. So I know if a bird is chirping like like in front of me, I know that there's someone up there. So like I think that is my indicator as well when I'm trying to be safe early in the morning.

Matty:

That's that's really that's really in tune. That's amaz that's amazing.

Eva:

Yeah, so I suppose you appreciate it even more, and yeah, it's yeah.

Joshie:

So yeah, like Maddie said, that's that's a level of being attuned to your surroundings in your environment that I've I've not heard of before. That's uh and maybe that's because I take my safety for granted, but um that's incredible even. It sounds like you've had a couple of incidents of late that's you know probably heightened your like a sense of awareness.

Eva:

Yes. Um, yeah, there was an incident um a few months ago that I was running around the streets. And if I run early in the morning, I tend to run where there's street lights. Like I won't we are so fortunate we live right across the Marabanong River, and I love running along the river, but I won't do it when it's early in the morning because there's no lights.

Joshie:

Yeah.

Eva:

But um, this other time I was just running my normal route um around near the street lights, and um, yeah, this obviously heavily intoxicated drug-affected person came behind me and was just swinging this massive umbrella, had like a spike at the the top of it, and was just calling obscene things, chasing after me. Oh my god, I was so scared. Yeah, I ran. Luckily, there was a cafe that was open at that hour on the corner. I ran to that cafe and I just stayed in there. I just waited in there until um my partner came and I was just, yeah, my heart was racing, but I knew I'd be safe in there. Um, yeah. So I just have to be careful about where I run and therefore, obviously, you know, not running. As I said, I don't run with music and I haven't for a very, very long time, if ever, like a handful of times. But yeah, just to be mindful because it's unfortunate that that is the world we live in, but it's not gonna take away our love for running.

Matty:

Totally agree.

Joshie:

I'm sorry to hear that eva. That's awful. Um I can't imagine going through something like that. No.

Eva:

No, but uh yeah, we do we do it, and then shit happens and you get over it and you go for another run another time.

Matty:

But that shit shouldn't happen. Like, you know, I I you you can go back like 20 years, 30 years ago. You used to leave your front door unlocked. You leave it open. Like, where are those days gone? Yeah, it shouldn't happen, it shouldn't be happening.

Joshie:

No, just an unfortunate reality. I mean, as much as we'd like to say that these things shouldn't happen, it does. And so, you know, um, I think it's sensible to take precautions, it's just uh it's just one hell of an unfortunate reality. That's right. Um look, uh shifting gears somewhat, you were running well and uh well and truly before the post-COVID boom, as I mentioned before, um, having sort of been running since 2015 or 16. Um one adventure that you and I um chatted about before uh before today that I really want to hear more about is Point to Pinnacle, which was only held just recently. Um I'd never heard of it, by the way, until you mentioned it to me. Um that uh yeah, actually a friend of mine was just down in in uh actually I won't spoil where it is, I'll let you talk about uh about the event.

Eva:

Thanks, Josh.

Joshie:

Yep.

Eva:

Um yeah, Point to Pinnacle, oh my god, what an amazing run! So it actually starts at the base in Hobart and you run right up Matt Wellington.

Joshie:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Eva:

So um, yeah, that's just a really cool run because obviously you get to the top, and then once you get to the top, you've reached your half marathon, and then the bus is waiting for you, and the bus takes you down. So um all hill. All hill, Matt.

Matty:

So the training for that was of course I'd love it. Uh I'd embrace it. Maybe it can't even walk up his front steps.

Joshie:

There you go.

Eva:

All right, November next year. That's when the next run is.

Joshie:

Yeah, yeah.

Eva:

Yeah.

Joshie:

They just they just had it um recently. Uh do yourselves a favor, guys, um, and anyone who's listening, and I think it's still there, have a look at the website and the elevation map. It's in reverse. When you look at the elevation map from left to right, it looks like it descends, but that's not the way you can run. No, no. So it's quite comical. And I saw it, I went, oh, this looks pretty darn easy. Just run downhill for 1300 meters. Um, but uh no, it's uh 13 1300 meters of climbing and uh good on your attack. Yeah, can you can you remember what your time was?

Eva:

Oh god, to be honest, no. Oh, it would have been like two hours two and a half hours or something.

Matty:

But that's that's a sort of event I can that's a sort of event that you're just um it's about finishing. Yeah, yeah.

Eva:

Oh definitely, yeah. Because I was like, I just want to accomplish this. And I think I'll say it to you, Josh, as well, there was people beside me that were running with someone in the pram, pushing it up, and I'm like, oh my god, I I am like struggling here, but they just look make it look so easy. And I was like, kudos to them. So, you know, it just goes to show as well mind. The mind does amazing things, our bodies will follow that it acts our mind that just says, keep going. Don't worry about that sore foot, just keep going.

Matty:

Well, in in terms of that, like your training, like was there lots of training involved within um like like to prepare for that? And and it's uh if so, was it lots of hills, lots of hill runs?

Eva:

Yes. So where um I used to live in Back Smarch, I don't know if you sort of know the area, but it is there's not really any flat areas there. So that's the best for training. So I'd just do like hill runs, training, um, and then would alternate that between, you know, sort of a distance run, dancing hills, and I had a partner as well training for the same event, so that made it a lot easier, and um, we regularly trained together. So without her, like I couldn't have done it, she couldn't have done it. Um so but definitely it was yeah, it was one great event that I'm so happy that I've done. Uh would I do that again? Probably not, no. Um, whereas other runs I have definitely redone like time and time again. So, but um, yeah, definitely a run to remember once you get up there, the view, and obviously because it gets so cold once you get closer to the top and you're sweating, and so that was another challenge as well. Yeah, so we knew that that was going to happen. Um and then by then you just okay, once you reach the top, just want a cold drink, I want something to eat, I want a shower, but it's also those endorphins be like, hey, we actually did this, yeah, you know.

Joshie:

Yeah. So you know, either uh most people most people who are in their sort of um twenties and thirties when it comes to New Year's Eve, they sort of you know find what local party scene there is. Uh you decided to bring in uh a New Year's in a very unique way. Uh can you tell us about Run the Clock?

Eva:

Yeah, so Run the Clock um was an event out in the Yu Yangs. So in like national park area, just probably an hour's drive from Melbourne, and it's a beautiful area. It's one of my happy places because they've got so many different tracks there. You can hike there, you can BMX there, you can run there. Um, and one year, it was 2018, they had a New Year's where you run into New Year's. So, and there is got so many different like um elevations. There's it's like trail running, but there's boulders that you have to go over.

Joshie:

Oh, cool.

Eva:

So um, two girlfriends and I, so the three of us, we signed up for it, and we'll just be like, you know, we'll try it. What's the worst that's gonna happen? So um we started, I think they started around seven, and then you have obviously you had until midnight to do it. We finished probably like say 9:30, it got a little bit dark in there. Um, but that was just so cool because it was such a small event. I don't know how many people would have even been in it. I think like 30, maybe 40, because the track is not it's not a very big track. And it I don't know how I found it. I found it on some website, but it wasn't a well-known one. And maybe because they didn't have insurance out of them. Um because all they had at the top, like when you sort of finished, was just like a couple of gazebos, um, some like strobe lights, and um that was it. But people got dressed up, and there was people wearing costumes and things like that. So that was a really cool event. And at the end, you got a little like necklace, and on your necklace, like your lanyard, you had a uh thing of bubbles. So that was your post into the new year. Cool. So um yeah, that was a really cool half event, a half marathon, and then they were saying to Josh in the last one kilometer, because like obviously there's so many things you have to run over, jump over, climb over. The last kilometer, I scraped my I fell down and I had this big gush on my knee, and it's only until like obviously you finished you sort of stopped and like, oh, what was that wet thing? Oh gush on my knee, yeah. Um but that was it, definitely one to remember, and I'm very lucky that I had so the person that I did um my the Tassie run with, and then another girl that I did um hanging rock run, I sort of like it was the three of us. So they didn't know each other, and then we all then we came together and we had oh, this is cool, you know. We have a package for running. So then we were able to do some other vents together.

Matty:

That's really cool.

Joshie:

So did you tell me I think it's the Yu Yangs, you said they're about it's about an hour from Melbourne. I think you can see the lights of both Geelong and Melbourne from the top. Did you say that you could like see the fireworks from both cities?

Eva:

Yes, yes. So at the top, when you get to the top, you can see a view from um Geelong, so also like along the foreshore, and then you can see Melbourne. So it's a pretty cool space. So if anyone can get over to, you know, if they come visit Melbourne, it's always a good place to go to for a run, hike, bike, whatever, picnic, anything.

Joshie:

Wow. Yeah, I grew up in Melbourne and I can't even remember visiting. Oh, really? Josh. Yeah, no, but I I know I went to Geelong, you know, many times, but I sort of think, you know, that the my visits to Geelong were to watch a game of um football. Yes, the hawks pretty much always always lost there, and yeah, dad was pretty darn keen to get home after that.

Eva:

Yeah. He didn't want to stump off the U Yangs.

Joshie:

Yeah, I don't know. I think after it, yeah, after being belted by Geelong, you're pretty keen just to get home now. Yeah, to juggle um life routine and uh finding balance lately, um, you know, make some some quite big adjustments. Um, what would you say has been the hardest part about not running as much as you'd like to?

Eva:

Um, I suppose not having an event to look forward to. Like I think it's taken a back seat, which it it won't be forever, it's just for now. So um as you get to a certain age, and then you know, you want to have your fan a family of your own. So the last three years we've been trying to have a family of our own, and we've obviously had to have extra support through IVF. So um running has sort of taken a backseat. It's always there in the background, like I'm still a part of my routine. However, um, it's not like oh, I have an event, like I'll I'll go and do this, you know, I'll train for this, I'll push my body because just tests that I've done and everything have said that I'm over-exerting uh my body, therefore, it's not a like not a place that I can have a child in my body. I don't know, I don't know the technical terms, but yeah. So um, yeah, therefore trying to balance um all of these medications, you know, injections, hormones, and all of that without um yeah, without still having that whole removal of running, but still including it. So therefore my runs are obviously a lot shorter. I can't get to a certain body temperature, so there and runs are slower, slower pace. So that's where I suppose the adjustments are for now, not forever, but until we sort of get our family started.

Joshie:

Yeah. So I'm going to I guess show how naive I am when it comes to IVF. I mean, are these adjustments that you've only recently made, or has that been from the start of your journey three years ago that you basically had to uh pull right back on your running commitments?

Eva:

Yeah, at the start probably did because it was the focus had shifted more onto okay, well I need to look after my body. However, I was running a lot more lot more kilometres more frequently, but probably in the last six months because I've had to have like a fertility dietitian, um, had multiple tests, and yes, in they've said like my body's under a certain amount of stress, and maybe I'm not fueling it properly. Um I can still run. So I said to my optetrician, like, obviously, I've been a runner for a long time. He's like, you can still run, you just can't run to exert, you know, a certain percentage of your fuel and output and things like that. So um, but trying to compensate that as well, so to have running, and also I do like Pilode Pilodis. That's a new one. Yoga and Pilates, Pilotis. Um Pilates and yoga as well, to try and still maintain that flexibility. Um and yeah, so I probably didn't even answer your question, sorry.

Joshie:

Uh no, you you did. Um, okay. Uh so is that the same with I guess uh weights and um other forms of cross-training that you just really have to pull back on the um level of intensity.

Eva:

Yeah, and I obviously I love yoga and anything I can get a sweat up. So I was doing hot yoga. Oh yeah. You can't do that anymore. Um you can't go into a sauna anymore. Um, so those types of things that just love getting a sweat up. Obviously, like running is a good sweat up, but yeah, just have to pull back on those and therefore amend like my um fitness regime and um diet. So trying to um beef up a little bit um with in terms of like different like body fat and things like that. Um yeah, and hopefully still be able to run. I'm like obviously my body is still good, I can still run, just I can't um sign up for anything too much at the moment.

Joshie:

Um now you have a a partner that also runs, mind you, not quite as quick as you. Um, how important would you say that is having a shared understanding in a relationship when two people both want to use running as a as an outlet?

Eva:

Oh, definitely. Like he loves running, he just doesn't love running first thing in the morning, or he doesn't love running when it's cold. Whereas to me, it's like there's no bad weather, it's just bad clothing. So um when yeah, obviously, when we were first um obviously, yeah, knew that we both enjoyed running, then that was perfect. And it still is like I think I inspire him and he inspires me. So we both know how good it feels when we're running, and when we run together, it's actually it it is quite nice because that's a time when we can actually just have a chat and we might get things off our chest while we're running. Um, but because we're both doing that and we're both feeling great, it's a it's a good time to chat rather than you know, late at night when you both come home, you've had a busy day at work, and then you just want to bring up these things that you thought about, you know, just doing over two hours ago.

Joshie:

Yeah.

Eva:

So I think um, yeah, it that's that's why um probably one definitely positive thing that we have in our relationship, lots of other things that we do, but I think running is yeah, is definitely something that we're we love and we want to encourage each other to keep pursuing that.

Joshie:

Yeah. So can I ask a really provocative question? You'll be able to tell that I haven't prepared this one. Do you prefer to run with your partner or run without him? You can't prefer it.

Eva:

You should ask you to know the answer. Well, yeah, he will know. Um, preferably when the sun is out and when we're on a track going round, I'll run with him. But when we're running through the street and we have to go like across a busy road, then I run by myself. And you'll get the same response because he'll just, you know, dart through certain things, go in front of a car. Whereas I can still yeah, I can dart through cars, but I'll go down to a safer space to cross the road, and then I get you know frustrated with him, and he gets frustrated with me that I have to catch up. So, in those instances, I'm gonna sit on the fence here, I will run by myself, but when we're doing, like, you know, if we're doing laps around a track or something like that, then yeah, we'll run together. Or we actually went on a holiday um a few weeks ago. We actually came up to the Gold Coast and um yeah, so we did a couple of runs together, and that's so nice, you know, exploring different places together. And so that's yeah, I just when I'm running with him, I like to run on a path, um, not weeping through traffic.

Joshie:

Skyline. Uh, do you want to run with me? This is what we're doing. Um I think uh Eva, you've uh been fantastic today. I think the only thing I probably don't agree with is there not being such a thing as bad weather. I grew I grew up in the August. Uh I'm not sure that I agree with that. But certainly more than that. No, but it's not like the cold.

Eva:

Oh no. No, I don't like the cold.

Joshie:

Well then why are you living up here, dude? I mean, you like yeah you compla you complaining all the time about the hot weather and you have that like 11 months of the year.

Eva:

Yeah, you can't win. I don't know where's the ideal place to live, but um yeah.

Joshie:

Now, Eva, there is one adventure that you haven't mentioned, which I'm keen to explore, and that's your Kokoda experience. What can you tell us about that?

Eva:

Yeah, this came probably when I got back from Broome. Like I wanted to do another marathon. Um, and I looked at either doing Feral Pig, which is over in WA. And then someone suggested to me, have you ever thought of hiking? And I thought, hmm, that's like a slow version of running.

Joshie:

That's a bit that should be boring.

Eva:

And I'm like, oh yeah, I I do like being out in nature, like that's one of my things. And then I thought, oh, then someone suggested, have you thought of Kakoda? And because I loved the community that I met over in Broom, and I love the fact that you're running with the community, you're meeting the community. So then um I had six months and I signed up to do Kokoda, and it was one of the best experiences ever, I suppose. Um, I had the fitness level because I had been running, so it was fine to you know do the tracks and things like that, but I think it's more about the people that you met along the way. The eldest was um John, he was 67, and the youngest was 16. So what they do is they get a scholarship, so there were four children to go um and do code art.

Matty:

And it's 96 96 kilometers, isn't it?

Eva:

Yeah, oh god, I can't can't even remember now.

Joshie:

Yeah, it's um over what time frame do you do you run it? Do you like it? Like I was asking over what uh time period.

Eva:

Uh it was 10 days. So it's a 10 day. So you hike, I think roughly like the longest stay we did was like 18 kilometers a day. But it's just I suppose people get to camp when they get to camp. Like some people get there first. You sort of want to be one of the first people to get there first because then you can set up your tent, um, you can, you know, go and have a shower in the in the creek, have a wash in the creek, um, have something to drink, and then just enjoy people's company, like we played cards and things like that. Um, so yeah, so when I took a break or just changed it up a little bit, that's what I did, and um, I met some awesome people along the way.

Matty:

And do you walk all day every day for those 10 days?

Eva:

Yes. So some days that you get up at like 3 a.m. There obviously you need the the torch, the headlamp. Um and it's quite wet, nothing dries because it's humid, you're sweating, so we would have a fire at nighttime, and everyone put their boots and socks hanging out, and um, but then in the morning you just put them back on and it's still quite damp. Um, and then you pretty much just recycle a couple pairs of like leggings, some tights, a couple of tops, and um yeah, you get along your merry way and you keep going and they stop at certain spots and we reflect on the history of the place. Yeah, and uh yeah, but um that's uh yeah, that was great, and I'm glad that I got to be a part of that. Um so that's yeah, change from running, um, and then I came back and got back into running again. But hiking's always a nice, you know, intermittent thing, I suppose. You're still out with nature and exploring.

Joshie:

Eva, we could we could talk to you all day, we really could. Um we'd like to truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to speak with us today. Um, and we really hope that you and your partner are successful with your um with IBS. Um yeah, look, your honor, your uh honor your honesty, humour, and love for running for the sake of running is um is why why the sport matters. It's um been an absolute joy speaking with you. Thanks so much for once again.

Eva:

Thank you both for having me.

Matty:

No, thanks for being a part of it. It's yeah, it was really good.

Eva:

Oh, well, you come back after talking about running, you know, you just feel like you want to take on the next event. So thanks for sharing that passion.

Joshie:

Yeah, definitely. Thank you, Eva.

Eva:

Thanks, guys.

Joshie:

Thank you. See ya. My goodness, Maddie, what an inspiration Eva is. I love her experiences. I had no idea about Kakoda. Um, run the clock. Run the clock was amazing. Uh getting a wine-filled necklace um as your medal when you get to the top. Um, yeah, I mean, you know me, Maddie, I don't mind a drink from time to time, but I think I'd want to drink a bit more than a small bottle of wine. I think I'd want a one liter one liter bottle of gin waiting for me to be slung across my neck. But you know, drink Maddie, what what would incentivize you would be chocolates, lollies, maybe chocolates.

Matty:

I normally after after an event um that I've done, you know, people obviously go back and go to the pub and have a few beers. Well, I go and buy chocolate and eat chocolate.

Joshie:

What about honey grates of cashews? You'd love that as well.

Matty:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they're always good before.

Joshie:

Yeah, it's working you'd love. Imagine they flying a pair of added that's property cost of it. It's another thing. Uh today, you've got to run the latest four stories of your own weekly.