We asked our audience on Instagram to nominate local runners in their community have a positive impact on those around them. It was exciting to watch the many nominations roll in, including Rhiannon Rowbotham.
Thanks for chatting to us Rhiannon, we’re so excited to shine a light on your sense of fun and your value of inclusion.
I’m a Runner Q&A
What’s your favourite type of run?
I love all running – from the track, to trails to social recreational running – especially where I can get more people involved and getting active.
Do you run solo or with friends?
A bit of both. I work at home recording voiceovers so I need to get out of the studio and get my legs moving, clear my head, then catch up with mates. From meeting friends at the track to heading out beyond with a @Trail_Bus crew, I’m also one of the run leaders at #BRBRunClub at @BridgeRoadBrunswick, I help to organise the @AussieBeerMile runs, and I’m a sighted guide for people with vision impairment and often run with friends from @AchillesMelbourne.
Favourite post run food?
A beer! Does that count haha!? And a Bridge Road Pretzel!
What do you love most about running?
Encouraging others to get active, to see them set goals and achieve them, and to celebrate those achievements when we catch up at social runs. I love a good chatty run!
What/who is your running inspiration?
I think the most prominent inspo is my dad. He’s led an adventurous life, in between driving a wheelchair taxi. Seeing him at work and interacting with some of the people he’d pick up – he treated everyone equally and with kindness. I think that formed my drive to be inclusive of people of all abilities or motivation. But he has been diagnosed with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (PPMS). He’s now in a wheelchair himself, and often reminisces about his younger life surfing and riding motorbikes around the trails. All those memories are motivational to keep me going.
Do you have a running mantra?
Some wisdom learned the hard way after a few injuries is: do what you need to do to keep doing what you love. Obviously I love running and socialising, so to be able to keep doing that, I also do Pilates a few times a week. It keeps me strong and mindful of how my body is feeling, so I stay aware of avoiding injuries. When you do strength and regular stretching, it’s all beneficial for the long run.
If you know a local runner who deserves a shout out, email amelia@solemotive.com or comment on our Instagram post!
