Sisters to take on the Great Ocean Road Running Festival

TORQUAY’S Emily Checinski is hoping for a personal best in the Great Ocean Road Running Festival next weekend – and if she finishes in front of her sister Rachel, that’d be good too.

The sisters have been training together for the half-marathon in this year’s festival, sponsored by RACV Solar, which will draw runners from across Australia to take on distances ranging from 1.5km to 60km on courses between Lorne and Apollo Bay.

Ms Checinski said she had always played sport since her school days, but had really got back into running over the past 18 months, including entering the Rapid Ascent Trail Running Series alongside her sister.

“This time last year I’d never run more than 10km in one go, so one of those trail runs was the first time I’d done that, and I loved it so much that I just kept going and did most of the runs in the series.”

She kept expanding her distances and entered the half-marathon, also alongside Rachel, in the 2XU Wellness Run in Melbourne in December – “That was a very hot day, so I took it easy, and I thoroughly enjoyed it,” she said – and plans to complete a few more half marathons this year with the ultimate aim of eventually taking on the full 42km of a marathon.

She said the fun aspect was just as important as the fitness for her.

“My sister is similar to me, we’re both very busy with work, she’s got kids and I don’t, but it’s also a good opportunity for us to spend time together, and get that discipline and get it in the diary.

“We’re pretty competitive with each other, so it’s something for us to continue bonding over and to keep having fun. But it’ll be first to the finish line on the Sunday!

“I definitely want a personal best time – I have got to the point in my training that I’m running the 23km, so for me it’s a PB and to continue to improve. Second to that is to enjoy it and possibly meet like-minded people… I’d love to see more local running clubs.”

She said the return of big numbers to large-scale running events such as the Great Ocean Road Running Festival was welcome after the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s also encouraging for people who aren’t runners – although it’s technically a competition, it isn’t really marketed as something that’s a competition; it’s just a run. And usually these events have some kind of family aspect – a 5km or a walk.

“It’s lovely to see that it’s really inclusive, and that’s what’s attractive to more and more people.”

Starting in Apollo Bay on May 20, participants can take part in the Cocobella 14km Paradise Run, Sri Lankan Airlines 6km Run and 1.5km Great Ocean Road Real Estate Holiday Kids Gallop.

Distances on May 21 are the Ultra Marathon (60km), RACV Solar Marathon (44km), 12km and 6.5km Trail Runs and the 5-10km Great Ocean Road Walk, which all start in Lorne; and the Brooks Half Marathon (23km), which will start in Kennett River.

For more information or to enter, head to greatoceanroadrunfest.com.au