Our Inspirational Groovy Grandma this month is Maralan Southern from sunny Queensland. Maralan is a just-turned 60 year old marvel. In July this year she completed her 10th half marathon (that’s 21 kilometres – OMG!!!!) on the Gold Coast – amazing. What’s even more amazing is that she didn’t start running till she was 50. Cheered on by her ‘wonderful’ husband, David, and her personal trainer, Sacha, she completed the course (21 kilometres – OMG!!!) in 3 hours 2 minutes.

Maralan has an endearing sense of humour and that rare ability to laugh at herself. When asked about her running, her answer was:

“I know [running a half marathon] may conjure up a picture of a lithe fit groovy granny but not the case. I am a 90kg+ runner who plods along but still finishes in front of the car picking up the cones marking the course and opening the road again to traffic.”

At the beginning of her training in November, she and David described her jog as ‘”the Cliff Young shuffle” but after six months of intensive training she was more prepared for the marathon than ever before.  

Not only is she a marathon runner, Maralan also fills her life with family, friends, a career and hobbies. She’s been married to her beloved David for 42 years in November and is the devoted mother of their two daughters, Kerrie-Anne and Jenni. While Jenni is a successful chef and lives nearby in Brisbane, Kerrie-Anne and her husband, David, (2 ‘Davids’ in the family – much confusion) and their 4 beautiful children (Thomas 8, Grace 7, Henry 5, and Ruby 3) live in Melbourne. Maralan and David manage to visit them once a year but keep in constant contact through Skype – very groovy.

With a nursing background, Maralan now works for a Division of General Practice in Brisbane as a program coordinator.  She loves her work and GPpartners workmates as well as reading and gardening. All this and running half marathons as well – a huge achievement.

What I love about Maralan the most is that, although she’s proud of herself and achieved something than most of us GG’s will never do, she is still thoroughly humble about it all.  In one email to me she wrote, “I don’t know how inspirational I am, but I am happy.” I think that even without the marathon running, Maralan is still a very inspirational woman.

And her last word is: “to all you Groovy Grandmas, never give up and reach for the stars - you can do it.” Thanks Maralan for inspiring us with your sense of fun and your never-give-up attitude.

To inspire the rest of us not-so-active Groovy Grandmas, we asked Maralan to keep a diary of her training leading up to the run. And here it is – it will make you smile and, if you’re bone lazy like me, it will make you green with envy.

Well here I go again my 10^th and last ½ marathon.

November 2008 (107.3kgs)

My goal for this month is to conquer the Shaw Road hill. By the end of November I would like to run the whole hill at least twice without stopping. So far I can only get half way before my lungs and legs give out.

I need to run on the treadmill for ½ hour nonstop at 6kms per hour for this month.

December 2008

Met my goal for the hill in fact I was able to run it 5 times (with Sacha pushing me in the middle of the back and yelling I really don’t like him sometimes!!!)

Can run on the treadmill for ½ hour nonstop and have increased my speed to 7kms per hour.

January 2009

Six months to go before the ½ Sacha is really pushing me boxing, running, and core work I need to really work on my core, I seem to collapse in the middle half way through the race and running is so hard.

Sacha is trying to mix up my training so I don’t get bored being bored is the least of my worries being able to breathe has become a priority, I keep reminding him I am nearly 60 give me  a break, he doesn’t.

February 2009

I don’t know where the time goes February already.

Have started running with Ann she is going to do the run as well she is younger fitter and faster than me but she keeps me motivated. We run every Saturday morning one week at Sandgate and the other at Wynnum there is something special about running near the water.

Running going well I manage to get to the park every afternoon for a run usually about 3 – 4kms it is getting easier. Training with Sacha every Friday night is not getting easier there are some days when the air is blue and a few tantrums happen but he is wonderful and I couldn’t do this without him.

March 2009

Still running and doing my Friday’s with Sacha also joined Curves gym it is just around the corner from work so easy to get to and provides some variety and resistance training it is good.

April 2009

Disaster just read the brochure for the Gold Coast run, for the first time they are putting cut off times on the race. Every other year it has been a very social thing with lots of people doing the ½ marathon and full marathon for a lot of different reasons. To put cut off times in and for marshals to be able to pull people off the course if they don’t make the time points sucks. People walk the ½ marathon and a lot of people like me sort of jog it just to do it and have the satisfaction of meeting a challenge. I have emailed the organisers explaining it will be my 10^th the day before my 60^th birthday and if I don’t make the cut off time of 3 hours will I qualify for my 10 year club shirt? The answer NO. I asked if they wanted to open the roads can we walk it in on the footpath again NO the reason being the Marathon is the big ticket event and they don’t want the marathon runners impeded by the stragglers in the ½ rubbish it has never been a problem in the past what are they trying to do I am glad this is my last but why couldn’t they have waited until next year to make cut off times, I usually finish in about 3 hours 20 mins give or take 10 mins. To find out I have to get under 3 hours with only 3 months to go I can’t do it. I let Sacha know he is annoyed but has confidence in me well that makes one of us.

My training is really suffering I am so upset about this time thing it is doing my head in. I get a big talk from Sacha telling me to get over it I can do it and I will do it.

OK stop whining and get on with it. I really hit the treadmill now I have worked out what times I have to do for each km to make the time I keep running and checking my times some days it is OK others it is rubbish. Sacha keeps holding me together.

May 2009

I am starting to feel a bit more confident still peed off but I can only do my best.

It is getting so close now and the panic is starting to set in. My running with Ann is going really well. If I can just get it together and stop being so fixated on the time things will be better.

Things are going along OK at the moment Sacha is happy (sort of) with my progress but he still pushes me for all he is worth we have some interesting!!!! Discussions.

June 2009

Well here we are 1 month to go where has the last six months gone? Why didn’t I put more into my training blah blah blah etc etc

Not much I can do now except have confidence in my training and my resolve.

July 2009 (96kgs)

Well it is Saturday 4^th July my 60^th birthday no celebrating though running tomorrow, scared why am I doing this. Birthday phone calls from Sacha, my brother in India, my daughters and grand children. Enjoying a birthday red wine with David, Ann and Terry, Sacha not impressed tells me to start drinking lots of water.

Sunday 5^th July 4am

Alarm has gone off time to go. Get dressed and Anne and I have a cup of tea and make our way out of the apartment to the Gold Coast Convention Centre where the bus picks us up to take us to the start line in Surfer’s Paradise. Have a couple of quick nervous pees and walk around trying to keep warm it is about 6°. They call us up to the start it is a bit warmer in the crush on the start line. Then off goes the gun and away we go. Ann runs on ahead and I am on my own. I am feeling pretty good I have written my km time on a strip of sticking plaster on my arm and go though the first 5 kms pretty well on time. Reach the turnaround at 11kms and heading for home things are looking OK, some guy on a motor bike rides along telling everyone to get a move on or we won’t make the cut off I try to go faster.  16kms Oh MY God it hits I can’t keep going I stop and try walking for a km will my legs keep going I feel awful. Keep going you can do it. Get passed by a little Japanese woman she must be at least 80 I feel ashamed start running again. 19kms almost home I think I am still on time there isn’t anyone on the side of the road looking to pull me off the course. 20kms only 1km to go don’t care about the time just want to finish. Finally get into the finish shute keep going around corners where is the finish line is this some sick joke it must be here. Finally there it is and the time clock says 3hours 2 mins will they let me finish. I stagger over the line and the official tells me to go and hand in my timing chip and get my finishers medal and tee shirt I HAVE DONE IT. I missed the 10 year club presentation but collected my shirt and certificate. My wonderful husband was waiting at the finish and so was my wonderful trainer and his family. The tears flowed, the relief was immense. It is over.

Finally got back to the apartment felt really good legs OK some rubbing from my sports bra and a few black toenails but no major damage. Now finally I can celebrate my birthday.  What a relief, what a challenge, what an achievement. I have made it to 60 and I have run my 10^th half marathon look out world here I come.

By Virginia Scott