Yass Runners and Walkers group members achieve milestones

Pete Edwards, who first attended in January 2013, received his 100-run certificate, David Ault with his 200 and Tanya Henshaw, who joined in October 2012, with her 125 certificate.

Henshaw has recently established and taken ownership of coordinating and recording the Saturday 8am events, which have had slow but persistent attendance by several members – many of whom are happy just to walk the course, some bringing babies in prams or their children for an outing with their bikes.

Over the winter months, there is often a decline in attendees to their regular Monday evening, when time and daylight are in short supply.

The informal and community minded group was initially established in June 2012 by a couple of locals – including Andrew Douglas, Anthony O’Connell, Heath Wade and past Yass Tribune journalist Oliver Watson.

Since then, more than 200 people have participated on one or more occasions with the Monday evening activities.

Local multi-sports person David Ault joined the group in November 2012 after running a half marathon in the US.

Ault said that he did not expect to be leading the Monday event’s participation tally, but being the record keeper for the events has meant he has had to attend anyway to see who else turns up.

Having recovered from recent heart surgery and been giving the ‘okay’ by his cardiologist, he is now keen to extend his running legs at the Canberra Bush Capital Marathon weekend on October 21–23.

He has the 21km and 16km events in his sights.

Fellow runner Pete Edwards, his wife, Sue, and others of the Edwards clan are also looking at both the run and walking options in this event.

Ault and Edwards plan on backing up these challenges with the Stromlo Running Festival on November 26.

Ault has done the 30km event the past three years while Edwards and family have done several of the 10km challenges.

Gunning resident Peta Luck comes along to most of the Monday evening winter runs this year as a “time-filler” while her son was at football training at Walker Park.

She participated in Run with the Wind at Bungendore last Sunday.

Dalton resident and Boorowa school teacher John Duncan tries to make the time to attend the Saturday events.

Local rural residents Mark Bosma and Elizabeth Goodfellow find the timeslot on Saturdays fits in nicely for them to stretch their legs, before they go around the corner to the local Yass Rotary Community markets.

Other members Maree Doyle and Robin Fieldhouse ran the 22km course option of last weekend’s Hume and Hovel multi-distance events at Tumbarumba.

During Maree’s post-event recovery, she will consider options for other significant events remaining in the last 3 months of the Australian Running Calendar. She is also keen to get back into her triathlon participation.​

Henshaw, Ault, Edwards and Douglas encourage residents to come along to one or both of the group’s activities, which start at Riverbank Park – near the playgrounds – Monday at 6.15pm and Saturday at 8am.

For more information, David can be contacted on 0488 21 55 33.