2020 Series Ambassadors – Hannah and Hilary
We put a call out for ambassadors for our 2020 series and had a tough decision deciding who to appoint (you were ALL SO GOOD!) but settled on Hannah and Hilary as our spokespeople for 2020. Welcome…
Hannah Madge
Hannah is a flamboyant, smiley runner who lives in East Doncaster but calls the Yarra Trails home. Her running journey started with 100m of jogging then 100m of walking + plenty of tears, but now she’s an accomplished mid-pack runner who has ticked off a couple of 56km ultras and plans her holidays around races and adventures with her partner Josh.
As for inspiration, this is why she does what she does – as quoted from her Q&A:
I run because I enjoy being outdoors and spending the weekend exploring new places with Josh. I run to prove to myself that I can accomplish something that I believed was impossible. I like to meet new people, reminisce, share my adventures and trail stories afterwards, and celebrate with cheese and wine! And who doesn’t love a runners high?!
Read more about Hannah in this fun Q&A and keep an eye out for her stories as the series progresses.
June – July update as Hannah (and the rest of Melbourne) handle lockdown version 2.0
Hilary McAllister
Hilary has a deep-down love for the environment and the landscapes that trail running takes her. One of her many goals for 2020 is to visit all 45 National Parks in Victoria and trail running allows her to see more and go on more adventures with the time she has.
When she is not out on the trails visiting new areas, plogging (picking up rubbish whilst running), or campaigning for the environment she is an Event Designer living in Melbourne with a massive running habit. When asked why she runs she replied:
Trail running has also become a tool for me to tackle longer trails such as overnight hikes, but as a day trip. There are so many amazing mountains, lakes, rivers and gorges that I want to visit and running allows me to take in more with the limited time I have to spend outdoors.
Read more about Hillary in her Q&A and keep an eye out for her stories as the series progresses.
Trail run exploring in the Sunset Country of Victoria’s NW – Hilary’s latest adventure and virtual race experiences.
Some words of inspiration from earlier ambassadors
“Setting increasingly difficult goals, putting in the work, achieving and celebrating them have given me so much focus and a motivation to look after myself. Mentally, the journey you go on over a trail race has built a lot of strength for me and has been a good lesson in perseverance and adaptation.” Mark Barger, Trail Running Series 2018 ambassador.
“I love the trails because of the freedom, the fresh air the scenery, but I love that I can keep my mind active on the technical ground and switchbacks, I love that I can talk myself through a tough climb and feel a huge achievement when I hit the top. You just don’t get any of that when your pounding the pavement, your mind wanders to places where it only goes when your board and your body hurts from the impact.”Renee Drysdale, Trail Running Series 2018 ambassador
