Everyone’s a winner

POSTED: September 09, 2009

Everyone’s a winner

Stuart Carlile had plenty to smile about when he broke through the City to Surf finishing line to raise more than $2,600 for Activ.

He completed his first 12-kilometre race in 71 minutes, an outstanding achievement for someone who said that last year he couldn’t walk a single kilometre without taking a break.

“I was pretty pleased with that result because I was in the top 50 per cent of runners for my age. It was bit chilly when we set off in the morning, but we soon warmed up!” said Stuart.

Just a few days before the race, the senior maintenance consultant was told his fundraising tally was on target to be the highest amount pledged to an individual runner in this year’s challenge.

Stuart’s latest achievement comes hot on the heels of another personal success; earlier this year he turned his life around through weight loss and exercise.

The fly in/fly out worker said the wake-up call came when a colleague, also in his early 40s, had a heart attack.

With the help of his family and employer Assetivity (Iron Ore contractor), Stuart shed more than 40 kilos in 12 months and increased his fitness routine from long walks to jogging up to eight kilometres a day.

He was looking around for his next big challenge when he heard about the City to Surf challenge and when a team entry fell by the wayside, he entered as an individual.

“Initially my fundraising target was $500, but everyone got behind the challenge and people were amazingly generous and supportive. All I have to do now is find my next big challenge and keep the momentum going,” he said.

Runners and walkers slapped on their sunscreen to compete in a “satellite” City to Surf event in the Pilbara.

A confident team from the newly-established Mesa A expansion project site travelled the 55 kilometres to join 70 families in Pannawonica for a run or walk around the town.

“We’re pretty enthusiastic about exercise at Mesa A and our 10-strong team did us proud on the day by winning the 12 kilometre and 4 kilometre events,” said Simon Poole, Mesa A site representative.

David Ayo was the winner of the 12 kilometre race, while Nathan Brophy and Dennis Blewitt tied first in the 4 kilometre run and Gilbert Webster took out the 4 kilometre walk.

The final City to Surf Perth line-up

Pilbara Health

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Everyone’s a winner

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