This Portrait Gallery showcases many of our runners. It will be added to as time permits. Click on each heading for a relevant link!
Join us any time, at any training session, or at any training run. You will feel most welcome. All training and running events are completely free.
**Fly Goose Fly**
Jen is an enthusiastic member of the speedygeese, promoting the group to others and encouraging us all at every opportunity. These days Jen thrives on the long Sunday morning training runs, and can also be found doing off road racing as well as parkruns, mainly Tuggeranong. And if she wants to skip a run any day, her son Isaac makes sure that doesn't happen by dragging her along. Catch her on Facebook Messenger, via the link above, she's always there!.
William runs parkruns. While doing that he may be pushing a stroller and running parkrun. Or he may be making a video while running parkrun. Or he may be flying a drone to make a video while running parkrun. Or all of the above. William is versatile. I thought I had found a photo of him just running parkrun, but no, he has a video camera in his hand.
Narelle is a long distance runner who rarely misses the Sunday morning long run. She is engaged to another Sunday runner, Graeme Smyth. They became engaged after joining the speedgeese, but we cannot claim we brought them together as they had been an item before they joined us. The photo by Peter Brown shows the great views seen on our long runs; who wouldn't stop and take a few photos of Canberra, its runners, and its trails?
Dave progressed from treadmill to track, and races frequently, often straight after training. Dave has consistently improved over 5k and if he ever tapers for an event he will improve even more.
Dave looks at his watch a lot. That's because he runs a lot. I had to include again this 2017 photo, it is a classic!
Mhairi, famous for her notable Scottish accent, is a regular starter on Sunday morning trail runs. Mhairi would run about 21 minutes for parkrun if she were to do one, but is seen instead on the toughest and longest courses, usually well ahead and often on course. She doesn't mind the odd creek crossing, either. Nor the cold, she's used to Glasgow weather.
Pieta and Andrew Smith
Pieta sets an example with her regular speedy training sessions, both interval sessions and trail runs. She is a big improver, as evidenced by her 21:43 PB at Tuggeranong 5k parkrun in September 2018. And by her New York marathon in 3:57. Husband Andrew is also sporty and does parkruns, and they are raising sporty speedygoslings too.
Ewen is a long-time member of the speedygeese, my right hand man. Ewen's PBs include a 17:33 5k and a 36:33 10k. A 2:15 800m is not too shabby either. Ewen's best Half Marathon is 1:21.38 and Marathon 3:11.02. He also likes the High Jump which he practises towards the end of most races, and he has run the Six Foot Track.
Lisa has discovered the joy of running after joining the speedygeese last year. Despite having two young children, Lisa manages to train with us weekly and also competes in parkrun each Saturday morning, often at Gungahlin. Lisa was our most improved goose in 2018, what will 2019 bring?
Sarah-Jayne did speed work with us here then moved to Albury and flourished as a trail runner. Returning to Canberra, she enjoyed her trail runs here, particularly on a Sunday mornning with the rest of the geese. And now she has left us again.. for North Queensland.. but she'll be back! Sarah-Jayne is fast over long distances, and only a few years ago represented Australia in Sky Running.
Rae was a member of Females In Training (FIT) who joined us to work on her running. She races the Sydney City to Surf, she cycles, she has competed in triathlons, she goes skiing. Rae is a very fit athlete for her age!
Amanda Cook (“Cookie”)
Cookie is another fit mum who runs distances at an awesome pace and is a regular at the hilliest parkrun in the region, Queanbeyan. She often runs speedygeese sessions by herself, or hurtles along with her two year old in a stroller. She was a top women’s AFL player and is now enjoying the challenge of a new career in distance running.
Peter Thomson a.k.a "Thommo", is a first class distance runner who joined us to get some speed into his legs, and is fully at home on our long speedygeese Sunday morning runs. Thommo is a recent "Griffins" co-ordinator (a Griffin is anyone who has completed ten or more Canberra marathons), and is also a recent YCRC President.
Susan is speedy over short distances and does very well indeed racing longer ones. She has run a few Bush Capital 16k races, and completed in international marathons. Susan can be seen at or near the Ginninderra parkrun, usually with Paul, pushing a stroller, and she also enjoys the long Sunday morning trail runs with the speedygeese. For real speedwork, Susan attends Monday evening sessions at Parliament House.
Where's Helen? There she is. Helen is a Canberra celebrity who has joined the speedygeese. My guess is she is combining all her talents here of music, dance, acting, running, and general talentedness. Helen is an integral part of the action on a Sunday morning, either present, or, "Where's Helen?"
To be continued...
| Mondays | 5:30pm | Interval training @ Parliament House. |
| Thursdays | 5:30pm | Interval training @ Parliament House. |
| Sundays | 8:00am | Weekly long runs. See speedygeese FB page. |
| https://www.facebook.com/groups/speedygeese/ | ||
| This Sunday | 23rd | Mt Rob Roy |
