May
2019
Bronwyn Lee
Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself.
A: I've played piccolo in a radical marching band, worked in a chocolate shop in Quebec City, and now I'm a sociology grad student at BU. I'm a terrible coffee snob, but in my defense, it's part of my cultural identity as an Australian, especially having lived in Sydney's inner west. My favourite vegetables are broccoli and brussels sprouts and my favourite colour is orange.
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Q: How long have you been running and how did you get started?
A: I used to run with my dad before school. I remember that my first run was around the block from our house. I found a childhood diary where I wrote, "I run with my dad every day. We started yesterday".
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Q: Would you rather run with a group or alone?
A: Group
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Q: What is your favorite distance or race?
A: That's like asking a parent to choose a favourite child, right?!
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Q: How do you stay motivated when you don’t want to run?
A: I always want to run! Motivation to do all the "extra" bits, like strength exercises and stretching is much harder. I remind myself that doing these things will help me meet my running goals... and think up some reward for when I'm done. I love how simple it [running] is. There's no debate about whether I hit my goal or not, it's a clear "yes" or "no". It's so nice to finish my uni work for the day, and do something like run in a circle 10 times at this pace, or run easy for 6 miles.
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Q: What is your favorite running memory and any goals for the future?
A: I have an accumulation of special memories from years of running Sydney's City to Surf with my dad. This was always our annual training target. It's a hugely popular, 14km, hilly race from the inner city to Bondi Beach. It feels like about half of Sydney runs it, and the other half line the course, cheering or enjoying the live music along the way. I remember getting there super early to get a good spot in the years before they fine-tuned the corral system. I remember finishing under 90 minutes, and then under 80 minutes. Most of all, I remember feeling completely triumphant each time I crossed the finish line. It's definitely the race that got me hooked on running. I want to set more PRs! My biggest goal is to run 3:30 for the marathon and qualify for Boston.
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Q: Who inspires you most?
A: I found myself thinking of Jess Trengrove during my last tough track session. Jess is one of Australia's top marathon runners, and a physiotherapist. She's obviously super impressive in general! I read her race report after the Commonwealth Games marathon last year. She talked about how she focused her mind on the finish and pushed through the pain. I'm sure that's what every marathon runner does, but the way she wrote about it inspired me to dig deep and do my best.
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Q: What advice do you have for new runners?
A: Find a group to run with, and be consistent.
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Running Strong for over
50 years (1971-2021)
