December 2, 2025 • 52 mins
She walked every school sports event. Struggled with asthma. Hated anything remotely physical. Yet somehow... became an ultra-runner.
Crystal Barnes has one of the most unexpected running journeys you’ll hear. From joining a run club at 21, to smashing out a half marathon, full marathon, and then an ultra just weeks later, Crystal’s rise was fast, determined, and fuelled by a love of community as much as the sport itself.
But the last few years have been tough. Hamstring tendinopathy, big life changes, balancing running with parenting, and the frustration of going from extremely active to barely able to run at all. Through it all, Crystal has remained grounded, philosophical, and motivated by a huge goal she’s set for 2027....
In this episode:
- Growing up hating sport and navigating childhood asthma
- How a search for “free activities” led to discovering running
- The rapid rise: club runs → half → full → ultra in two years
- Balancing running with parenthood and shifting identity
- Hamstring tendinopathy and the GC10K PB she probably shouldn’t have run
- The 42-for-42 goal driving her forward
- The full-circle moment of meeting a former teacher (this, you gotta hear!)
Runbelievable: real runners, unreal stories.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Crystal (00:07):
I remember we were running along the beach.
Um, I started struggling withinlike 50 metres.
He was running backwards on thesand, going, come on, come on,
you can do it.
And I got in a fight with himbecause I was just like, you
asshole.
Joshie (00:27):
Hello everybody, and welcome to Run Believable, the
podcast where everyday runnersshare their not-to-everyday
stories.
I'm your host, Josh Christian,and I'm here to bring you
stories of grit, glory, andovercoming adversity.
Each episode, we'll dive deepinto what first got people
running and what keeps themlacing up day after day.
From the last couple of lessonsto new shoes going on sale
(00:48):
literally the day after you paidfull price, we're here to share
what makes running a trulyhuman experience.
I'm still not over it, Maddie.
Coming up in a few moments, um,you'll meet a runner who has
overcome adversity in anextraordinary way.
I really can't wait to chatwith her.
Maddie, welcome back.
Now, we're still on a newpodcast.
(01:09):
Um, yeah, my question, myfriend.
Um, and look, I'd actually liketo shout out our early Legion
of Loyal fans.
Now, look, some of them weknow, many of them we don't
know.
Uh, dare I say that some don'tlisten and definitely should.
Um I've actually I've beenthinking, I could ask you,
Maddie, um, does your familytune in?
Do you know?
Matty (01:29):
They do, yeah.
So um my mum does, definitely,and my sister does.
Um Sarah, my wife, does.
Um I sent them to my dad, buthe um cannot figure out Spotify
or any technological um app tolisten to them on.
So he's yeah, he's yeah, he'sanother one.
Joshie (01:53):
We should burn them onto a we'll burn them onto a VHS
for him or something.
Matty (01:59):
Yeah, yeah.
So um he wants to listen, buthe hasn't yet.
So yeah, most of my family dolisten to it, which is really
good.
What what about yours?
Joshie (02:07):
Uh, look, I think so.
Um they told me they do.
Look, I'll be honest, dude, I'mnot entirely convinced.
So I actually thought, oh man,I'm gonna regret this.
Let's have a bit of fun,Maddie.
Um I'm either I'm either gonnabe killed or potentially
withdrawn from the will forthis.
But um, mum and dad, shout outto you if you're tuning in.
And if you are, just drop me ashort text with the following
(02:30):
password.
How much should we transfer?
I'll feel much more reassuredthat you're tuning in, and I
promise to send you a response.
So, that's gonna come back tobuy me, I just know it.
Let's get stuck into theunbelievable rundown.
Maddie, the other day you sentme a photo of yourself doing the
lawns.
(02:50):
Um, no doubt just to show offthose incredible pins of yours,
and of course brag, brag aboutthe fact that you were in fact
doing the lawns for once, but Idid happen to notice in that
photo that you were tacklingyour gardening pursuits in a
pair of Pro 4s.
Is that correct?
Yeah, that's correct.
Matty (03:07):
So I don't know.
As you kind of nicely pointedout there, Josh, I don't mow the
lawn that much.
Um my wife actually loves doingit, so I'd leave it leave it to
her.
Joshie (03:18):
But it had to be stick around here.
Matty (03:21):
It had to be done the other day, um, and she's been
too busy with work, so I waslike, right, I'm gonna do it.
But I had no shoes.
Um, I have no like backyard orgardening or old shoes.
Um, so I do often tend to keepmy um my retired running shoes,
um, my racing shoes, and I had apair of yeah, the Pro 4s, out
(03:44):
of us Pro 4s there.
So I strapped them on and gotto it.
Um It wasn't actually thateasy, to be honest, with the um
the racing shoes.
Um but it got the job done.
Joshie (03:58):
Well, there we go.
I mean, I wasn't sure if itwould make you get the launch
done in half the time orsomething like that.
Matty (04:03):
Well, that that was my whole intention.
I thought that must might bethe case.
Joshie (04:07):
Yeah.
Well, there we go.
Lesson learned do not wear apair of race shoes in the
garden.
So, look, this actually got methinking because in oh, Maddie,
it's no secret that youabsolutely love the Adidas Pro
4s.
So today's quiz is called AreYou a Pro?
Okay.
So, with Maddie havingofficially owned, and that
(04:30):
includes current pairs, I thinkfive pairs of Pro 4s plus
another uh three pairs thatSarah doesn't know about.
Let's see how you go with AreYou a Pro?
Question number one.
To the nearest gram, how muchdoes each Adidas Pro 4 weigh to
the nearest gram?
Matty (04:51):
To the nearest gram.
Joshie (04:53):
And I'm not gonna give you a threshold.
Actually, I'll give you a smallthreshold.
I'll tell you what, if you canget it within five grams, then
we'll say that you're correct.
Matty (04:59):
Okay.
162 grams.
Joshie (05:02):
Incorrect.
200 grams, believe it or not.
Matty (05:05):
Oh, okay.
I thought they were lighterthan that.
Joshie (05:09):
Question number two.
To the nearest millimeter, whatis the shoe's stack height at
the heel?
39.
Unbelievable, my friend.
Bang on the money.
39 mils.
And I think it's got a six mildrop, so 33 at the four foot.
Matty (05:26):
Yeah.
Joshie (05:27):
Um, I'm impressed.
Jeez, he's back.
He's back, late everyone.
Question number three.
Now, there's a website calledRun Repeat, and they publish
this um cut-in-half um shoediagnostic thing.
It is the most detailedtechnical thing you can imagine.
To the nearest 5%.
What percent energy return doesthe shoe produce?
Matty (05:51):
Oh god.
I have no idea, but maybe let'ssay 85?
Joshie (06:00):
Oh, you bastard.
80.4.
Yes.
Matty (06:04):
Oh, that's pretty good, yeah.
Joshie (06:06):
I'm impressed.
It's at the very high end, bythe way, of shoe return of
energy return for shoes.
I think the average sits aroundsort of 55-60%.
Uh geez, I'll tell you what.
For a butt pluck, that waspretty impressive, my friend.
Had you all go at home, pleaselet us know.
Today's guest has one of themost unlikely running stories
you'll hear, having gone fromhating anything remotely
(06:30):
physical as a kid to runningultra marathons all within the
space of a few years.
However, the last few yearshaven't quite gone to plan with
injury and big life shifts, butshe stayed grounded, determined,
and still somehow squeezing outpersonal bests in the process.
She's also the first celebritywe featured on Unbelievable,
(06:51):
having featured in a GC RunningFestival promo photo.
Can we please welcome CrystalBarnes?
Woo! Welcome, Crystal.
Crystal (07:01):
Me and my bestie.
Yeah, we were still waiting forthe payment, and I totally take
payment as just race entry.
I just want free race entrybecause it's expensive.
Joshie (07:12):
I'm surprised they didn't offer you that as a
courtesy.
That was such an awesome photo.
Did you know it had been taken?
Crystal (07:18):
No, well, I knew it was taken, and I bought the bloody
photo.
And then it was plasteredeverywhere.
I'm like, what?
Matty (07:28):
You tick a box, you tick a box when you enter to say that
they can use anything um aspromo.
Yeah.
Joshie (07:34):
But that's but that's but that's cheeky.
Um making you pay for a photothat they use as promotional
material.
But anyway.
Crystal (07:41):
I know.
Oh well.
It was a great photo.
So I get it.
Joshie (07:47):
Now look, Crystal, um, you and I had a chat before
today, uh, and you mentionedthat as a kid you hated anything
remotely physical.
I think you said that evenwalking 400 meters felt like a
marathon.
Crystal (07:59):
Oh yeah.
Joshie (08:00):
What what do you remember about those school
years and the lack of um histools, tools and support around
recreational activity?
Crystal (08:08):
Yeah, I hate, well, yeah, I I just I hated any kind
of like athletics, carnival, allthose things.
I was always dead, like deadlast.
I was so last, in fact, that mybest friend and my mum ran the
last part of probably only likea 400-meter run.
Like I was struggling.
Turns out I am asthmatic, andthis is probably why it was just
(08:32):
always so hard for me, but itjust it never clicked back then
that there was something in likeactually potentially wrong.
Matty (08:41):
Um I still am.
Crystal (08:46):
I realized since then that it's not always about the
pace and the actually likerunning fast, it's just the
doing it for the enjoyment.
But back at school, it's youknow, you're in front of your
friends, your people that arenot friends, you know, it's
embarrassing, it's yeah, it'sand it's not conductive or um
(09:10):
then having a life of beingactive and being healthy either,
which yeah, is a it's a realbugbear for me in regards to it
also drive drives you away,doesn't it?
Matty (09:22):
Drives you away from that, and you get a bit of a and
I'm not saying this is you, butpeople would get a complex in
terms of and a fear almost thatno, I don't want to do that.
Crystal (09:32):
Oh, and that's exactly what happened, and just it gave
me anxiety to have to be in anyof this.
And they kind of going to the Iwent to a couple of private
schools on the Gold Coast, andthey just always like forced you
into doing all these carnivals,even when you were terrible.
It's like you gotta do it forthe points for your house.
And they're like trying to beinclusive, but at the same time,
(09:55):
and you were like so last.
Yeah it's yeah, I remember eventhe swimming carnival, it was
like me and this other girl whowere both actually asthmatic,
thinking looking back.
Um, we were in the D divisionof the swimming, uh, and but it
was good because we would sharethe firsts and seconds because
it was just us.
So we're like I have swimmingribbons, but it was because we
(10:20):
were the only two people in thisround.
Joshie (10:24):
So you don't you don't have to be the best, just the
best that turns up.
Yeah, that's right.
Crystal (10:29):
But yeah, no, I just yeah, I just remember even
feeling ugly that thing.
Now now it's like I love itwhen my kid runs with me at the
end, or yeah, um, all thatstuff, but oh god, yeah,
horrible.
And then even I did a crosscountry um in my la, I think it
was in grade 12, and me andthese girls, we just walked it
(10:52):
the entire time.
Like I walked pretty much everycross country ever, but this
one I particularly rememberbecause it was a group of us,
all the the non-fit remote, likenerdy girls.
And um, I remember a teacheryelling at us, going, It's not
just a race for you girls.
Matty (11:08):
Like worst.
Crystal (11:11):
That that teacher was not even remotely fit.
Matty (11:14):
Like he swept you've damaged me for 12 years.
Like, give me a break.
Crystal (11:19):
Yeah, I guess that's a thing that we are just moving in
the classroom.
So he was yeah.
But like, yeah, he was not fit.
Joshie (11:28):
You know, it's something that I guess we don't realise
at the time, and probably theteaching fraternity don't
realise is the potentiallong-term damage that can happen
if they're if students thatfall behind in any in something,
uh in this case recreationalactivity, uh left behind.
Um I mean, do you feel that theschool were just completely
absent when it came to providingsupport for those that I guess
(11:50):
just weren't naturally um uhphysically gifted?
Crystal (11:55):
Yeah, completely.
It was for it was always justyou were in a competition, or
even you know, when you did PE,you'd be graded.
Like, I'm sorry, I'm notnaturally gifted at high jump,
like that I'm you know, it's notnatural um or not naturally
(12:15):
gifted at shot put.
Oh, I got a D in shot put.
Like, I just I even think thatthe grading back then was I
don't know if it's differentnow, it was just like effort,
which would make more sense, butat the same time, I don't know,
just yeah, no, that there wastough.
Joshie (12:33):
Um I guess it doesn't really promote the growth
mindset, does it?
Just to be a s assist on theoutcome rather than the input
and the effort you you put in.
Um it's uh I don't know aboutyourself, Crystal, but when you
sort of watch people and the thethe work that they put into a
marathon, I mean for me that'sthe thing that's worth
applauding is the journey to getthere.
It doesn't really matter whatthe time is 100%.
Crystal (12:55):
And yeah, and as if you'd ever told my teenage self
that I would have that I willrun a marathon, I would have
laughed hysterically at you.
What what happens to me?
Like what that you werecompletely wrong.
I yeah, I I no way, shape, orthought like way, shape or form
(13:19):
I would ever be able to do it.
And that's why I tell peopleall the time that if I can do
it, anyone can.
Yeah, you just need to it'stime, yeah.
Yeah, you you can definitely doit.
Joshie (13:32):
You know, um you you mentioned before that you had uh
asthma as a kid, uh, which youknow would presented quite the
obstacle when it came toexercise, and I imagine that's
something that you've had tolearn to live with rather than
try to fight against.
Um how have you gone aboutworking with asthma in your
(13:53):
exercise and running pursuits?
Crystal (13:55):
Well, it's funny, I take a daily inhaler now, so
that's good.
Um but uh there's a funny storyabout like the first time I
ever kind of as an adult, I waslike 20, 22 or 21, um, giving
running a crack.
Uh, because I love food.
I love food a lot.
Um and I thought I needed tolike maybe balance that out with
(14:16):
some because I'm very much lifeis all about balance.
Um, and my partner at the time,um, he was just pretty fit.
Um, he surfed, he was so he wasso much cooler than I was.
Um and he, I remember we wererunning along the beach.
Um, I started struggling withinlike 50 meters.
He was running backwards on thesand, going, come on, come on,
(14:39):
you can do it.
And I got in a fight with himbecause I was like, you are so
that was like my first runningexperiences as an adult and like
getting in a fight because hewas running backwards on the
beach.
And I'm like, why am Istruggling?
Like my it was so hard for me.
And um then even we we brokeup, um, not because of that, but
(15:07):
many other reasons, but um itmight have had something to do
with it.
Um, but even trying to sort ofget the time.
This was before couch to 5K andanything of um online about how
to start running and buildingup that endurance.
So I just was like, why is italways so hard for me to get up
(15:30):
to long distance?
I was like, you know, gassedafter a K and um yeah, didn't
know that you could run slow oryou know, run intervals,
anything.
It was just and it wasdisheartening, but I just kind
of kept going because I couldn'tafford a gym or anything, so it
just kind of persevered on.
Um, and then yeah, later on,because I used to get um just my
(15:54):
asthma really comes on duringwinter, and I especially get
lots of chest like chestinfections and stuff like that.
Um and yeah, doctor finallyclicked that he's like, I think
you have asthma.
And I was like, Well, I didhave I did get diagnosed as like
a kid, like as a five-year-old,pretty much, but nothing was
ever done about it.
(16:15):
Um so yeah, started the dailyinhaler and it's so much better.
Um, I don't get sick as muchand don't have the sort of um
yeah, sometimes the yeah, thepain in the the the chest.
I call it like um it's like anitching.
Matty (16:31):
Yeah, like a wheezy type thing.
Crystal (16:34):
Yeah, and it's hate that feeling.
Um and yeah, that's pretty muchlike died off.
I still get it a little bit,especially in winter.
Matty (16:43):
Okay.
Crystal (16:44):
Um, but yeah, that the daily inhaler really makes a
massive difference.
Um and also just for I've nowrun well since I was 22 and I'm
40, so like 18 years.
Um and if I do the asthma liketest, the little spirilizer
thing, I think that's cool.
You can't even really tell thatmy my lungs are asthmatic,
(17:07):
they're really good.
I actually just blew up uh 112balloons for my mum's birthday,
in fact, um last week.
Joshie (17:17):
Yeah, yeah.
Crystal (17:18):
So the lungs are good, just they like to get inflamed
actually.
Joshie (17:24):
You mentioned that you started running at 21.
Um correct me if I'm wrong, youwere just purely looking for an
exercise that was free.
Um it's not free in my country.
I was gonna ask, what was itthat uh drew you to to running?
But it sounds like it was assimple as it was a free
(17:45):
activity.
Crystal (17:46):
Yeah, and I ran on the beach, so I didn't have like um
I didn't have shoes.
I just ran back.
Um then I remember buying apair of shoes finally, and
realistically like they were thewrong size.
Um because I also started, so Iwas like, oh, I need to do more
stuff, and I had some friendsdoing netball, so I thought, oh
(18:08):
yeah, give that a go.
Because I wasn't able to do anybasketball or netball either in
my teens because I've gotscoliosis.
So stop start sports.
Um were ruled out um fairlyearly in my teenage years
because my knees were trackingwrong and everything was just
out of whack as I was going.
(18:29):
Um, but I was like, uh, it'llbe fine.
I can strap my knees, I'll giveit a go.
Um and yeah, I bought theseshoes for for both kind of
things.
And I didn't last long in Netpoum either.
Um, this the stopping andstarting.
I ended up, it's the only timeI've lost a toe now.
Um because yeah, those shoeswere too small.
(18:53):
Yeah, I'm lucky I've yet notlost one toe now running.
Um would like to continue thatbecause yeah, I only lost it
during bad netball when I when Idid Netball.
Um, but yeah, those so so thoseshoes were not great.
Um because even back then therejust wasn't, you know, now the
(19:13):
the selection of running shoesis insane.
Matty (19:16):
Yeah.
Joshie (19:16):
Um, it's incredible.
Because I was actually going tosay, Crystal, I mean you you
joined a run club in 2014, um,from what you mentioned before,
what well before the um thepost-COVID running boom.
Um you then did a half marathonin 2015, a full marathon in
2016.
Um what was what was therunning community like back
(19:38):
then, before all the the boomand the hysteria we have now?
Crystal (19:42):
It was it was still awesome.
Like because this was on theGold Coast, so I feel the Gold
Coast has always been a bit moreof a like an active community.
Um, even when I lived inSurface Paradise, you always saw
people running and walkingalong the Esplanade.
(20:03):
Um it was either you were drunkin the the dunes um at 5 a.m.
or you're out running at 5 a.m.
Either either.
Um but yeah, it was alwaysseems to be a bit of an active
thing.
And there used to be an amazingmagazine um called Women's
Running Magazine.
Um and yeah, it was the girl umwell, the woman that was the
(20:30):
editor, um, she also did a runclub on the Gold Coast.
Uh and um just it was women'srunning club, um, run girls.
And I was so nervous when Irocked up for them the first
time.
Um, it took a lot of talkingmyself into it.
Yeah.
I was used to always running bymyself and just because they
(20:54):
did track work every Tuesdaymorning, and I just thought I've
been running sort of longenough, maybe I'll give a
running club a go.
And she spruced running clubsin general in this magazine.
It was like an article on it, Ithink.
And I was like, oh, maybe Ishould.
Um, and yeah, found theseamazing ladies, and you know
what, they are all um, I waslike the young whippersnapper at
(21:17):
age 30.
Matty (21:19):
Okay, yeah.
Crystal (21:20):
Um, and well, like 29.
Um, these ladies, you know,were often like 10, 15 years
older than me.
Um, I trained for the fullmarathon with a lady who I think
she's 63 now, but late 50s whenshe we did the the full
(21:42):
together after we were training.
Um so they they gave me a anamazing example of how if you
keep active, like how muchbetter you are.
You could not tell that theseladies were in their 50s, late
40s, 60s.
Still can't.
(22:02):
I still catch up with them umwhen I'm on the Gold Coast and I
have a park run or um yeah, Ican do some events with them and
catch up.
But yeah, they are incredibleand it was so supportive, and
then that's how it escalated.
Like joining any group, you'relike, oh, maybe I could do that
(22:24):
half marathon.
Yeah, oh, someone's doing this.
Joshie (22:28):
You certainly kept raising the bar higher and
higher, having sort of, I thinkit was what, six weeks after you
ran your first marathon, youran an ultra.
Um wow, yeah.
Matty (22:38):
Yeah.
Joshie (22:38):
Um what Tom, what motivated you to just yeah, keep
like I say, keep raising thatbar, Crystal?
Crystal (22:44):
Uh it's just I guess seeing if I could.
Um because I think that's whatchanges too.
It's not a oh, I I want to comefirst, I need to come a place,
I need to it for me.
It's just I wonder if I can dothat.
Matty (23:01):
Yeah, yeah, and and see if see if you can push your body
outside that, you know, thatwhat you I guess within your
head, what you think you can do.
Um but can I do more?
I wonder.
Maybe I should try.
Crystal (23:15):
Yeah, 100%.
Um, and like the fact that I'das soon as I'd cross that, like,
I think I'm even the half,because I remember being fully
nervous for that.
And I never thought that Icould do a half.
And and doing it, I was like,maybe I can't like do something
more.
Um, and having the support ofthat running group as well, um,
(23:38):
and and having friends to trainwith because you know the those
long runs, um, you know, zonetwo.
Well, back then we didn't havecall it a zone two, it was just
a long run.
Matty (23:49):
Yeah.
Crystal (23:49):
Um and we were literally doing it at
conversational pace because wewere chatting the entire way.
Um but you know, it was umhaving yeah, having that
community as well that made itthat little bit easier.
Um, and then yeah, once I didit, I'm like, holy crap, what I
can push on and doing help.
(24:10):
I also get really bad FOMO.
Joshie (24:12):
So Well, you sort of um switched gears somewhat in terms
of life uh focus and lifechallenges recently, um, having
introduced little Luca into theworld who I think's what two
years old now?
Crystal (24:25):
Yeah, almost three now.
Joshie (24:27):
Wow.
Crystal (24:28):
Almost three in five.
Joshie (24:30):
So, how how have you gone about making, I guess,
those adjustments, like stillfinding time for you for
exercise whilst also being avery sort of proactive hands-on
parent?
Crystal (24:40):
Oh, it's yeah, it's it's tough.
And the guilt is massive,especially like when I started
wanting to run the distancesagain and um having to do those
long runs on a Sunday, and Ifelt real guilty with even
taking that two hours for thatlonger run.
Um, but I'm lucky I have anamazing, supportive, wonderful
(25:04):
partner who is the best dad.
I couldn't ask for a betterhuman to do this journey with.
Uh, and he yeah, he supports.
He knows also like mentally Ihave to run.
When I'm not running, yeah, I'mI start losing it.
And he knows what I wentthrough with my pregnancy
because I always envisionedmyself as being one of those
(25:27):
people and like friends that I'dseen do it, running throughout
their pregnancy.
Um, and that unfortunately,that journey ended, I think it
was like week 14, just becauseI'd had um oh wow um bleeds back
then from another thing.
And then so I just startedwalking and doing very mild
(25:48):
exercise.
Um and then by week 28, I well,I got diagnosed with placenta
previa.
Um, so it's just where theplacenta um embeds itself
basically on the exit.
So a lot of the time it doesoften move as it all grows.
Fortunately, mine did not, andum it um yeah, caused lots of
(26:15):
bleeding in the end.
So I was put on bed rest forsince about week week 29.
Joshie (26:22):
Wow, wow.
So did you go did you end upgoing f full term or have a
planned season, I imagine?
Crystal (26:28):
Um yeah, so um we went uh I had a planned Caesar at
week 38.
So I got a lot there.
Matty (26:37):
So not yeah, got too yeah.
Joshie (26:39):
Oh, that's a long time to be on bed rest though, isn't
it?
Matty (26:42):
Oh yeah.
For someone that was act likeis active Oh you'd go crazy.
Crystal (26:48):
And even before that, it was difficult because of all
the the um the fatigue and justnausea, nauseous, and I I still
say there's no fatigue like Ifelt in really it was just I
remember in bed lying there withmy work phone and my personal
phone and just kind of trying towork between the two because it
(27:11):
was just too hard.
And what sucked is that by theweek 28, I was in the last
couple of weeks that I wasstarting to feel myself again.
I'd had energy, I was good.
I didn't even visit one, I'dgone to a festival, but um,
yeah, then on to my my partnerbought me a um uh a lazy boy
(27:33):
chair.
Oh yeah, and that's where Istayed until week 38.
I was it did move at week 35.
I had a really, really badbleed, um, and they were like
putting in the bloody big IVdrip and thinking they're gonna
be getting it out.
Matty (27:52):
Oh, okay.
Crystal (27:54):
But it ended up the bleed stopped.
Um, because I had uh sixhospital visits, five hospital
stays um in that time.
Joshie (28:04):
Oh how did you go um, I guess mentally adjusting to I
guess going from living a veryactive lifestyle, physically
active lifestyle, to not beingable to do anything at all?
Crystal (28:17):
It was rough, and I'm glad I'm a gamer.
Like I just do games for theentire time and drove my mum
insane, actually.
What was your favorite?
Joshie (28:27):
What was your what was your go-to?
Crystal (28:29):
Uh cyberpunk.
So I was running around beingthis like gangster girl.
Um, and my mum was like, whatis this?
Um and then I I ended upplaying, oh, it was like one of
the Lord of the Rings games, butI think my blood pressure
spiked a bit with that one.
Matty (28:46):
I've never played a computer game, so I I just I
cannot see the attraction or thethe joy that people get out of
them.
I it's just not me at all.
Crystal (28:56):
Yeah, well, if you ever put on bed rest, uh you might
you might need it.
Because it was like then Icould forget that I was lying
there and it's in the in the inmy get my chair, and I was still
my brain was still active.
Matty (29:12):
Yeah.
Crystal (29:12):
So um, in it, you know, when I was and then I was in
hospital, I was just reading alot.
Um so yeah, but it isdefinitely it was it was still
rough.
Joshie (29:24):
Um well you certainly um bounced back since then, uh
Crystal.
Not that it's been uh easy, youcertainly had your fair share,
more than your fair share of uhinjuries and illness in the last
couple of years.
Um I don't even know where tostart.
You've had so much going on,you've had a um hamstring
tendinopathy, I think thatyou're managing.
You somehow ran a park run PBwith it, and I think your first
(29:48):
sub one hour 10K as well.
Crystal (29:50):
Yes, yeah, well, like in an official event.
I'd done it in training for theBrisbane and Gold Coast half.
Um that was like all the 10kevents that I'd done, I'd always
done just over an hour, and Iwas like, I've gotta get it, not
that I've Done a lot of 10kevents, but I was just like,
gonna get it.
And I managed to, yeah, managedto just do it, even though my
(30:13):
hands were in my sore the entiretime.
Matty (30:15):
What event was that?
Crystal (30:17):
Um that was the GC50.
Matty (30:19):
Oh yeah, okay.
Joshie (30:21):
So when you say when you say you just snuck under, what
was your time?
Can you remember?
Crystal (30:26):
Oh um like we talked in seconds.
Now I'm like, what did Iactually do?
If I was at my normal desk, Iactually have a um I have a
little chalkboard with um withmy PBs on there.
Joshie (30:41):
Some people are doing it on their Instagram profiles.
Um in fact I saw someone thatthey run it Yeah, they'd run a
PB, I think, at the MelbourneMarathon, and they created like
a reel of them editing their outtheir old PB and putting in
their new one.
Crystal (30:57):
Oh yeah, that's cool.
Joshie (30:59):
It it had effect.
Um I think it's amazing,Crystal, with navigating a
hamstring tendinopathy thatyou'd still be able to reel out
a couple of um PBs.
Um now you've got your site seton something even bigger.
I think you mentioned that umnot next year, but 2027.
You've got I think it's 42 for42, so you're looking to get
(31:21):
back to running marathondistance for your 42nd birthday.
Crystal (31:24):
Yeah, yeah.
Joshie (31:25):
My first my first my first question is are we
invited?
Crystal (31:28):
Uh yeah.
I'm thinking it's gonna be theGold Coast because I like it
because it's nice and flat.
Yeah, um it's such a vibe thatone, and it's uh Yeah, it's
awesome.
Yeah, it's yeah, unlike theBrisbane, that is uh like where
you have to do two laps.
I'm like, oh yeah.
Matty (31:47):
Anything with a lap situation, I'm like, You see all
the half marathons finish, andyou're like, oh I I haven't I
haven't done the full there orany full, but um you'd be you'd
be looking at the half marathonas going, I wish I was you.
Crystal (32:02):
That's what I thought when I because I did the half
this year.
It was my first time doing theBrisbane half.
Yeah, say and um yeah, and thenhow like they they go off and
start their lap again.
I was like, yeah, nah, stuffthat like that would drive me
insane.
Yeah, no, thank you.
Even um I thought about doingthe 30Ks at the GC 30, but
(32:22):
that's also a lap situation.
I will never say never, butyeah, don't don't like things
that require laps.
Too much of a head.
Matty (32:33):
Yeah, I agree.
Crystal (32:35):
So a marathon distance would that that that is huge to
be having to do a thing, a lapagain.
And that I didn't like how umthe Brisbane one was also there
was a lot of people, of course.
Granted, probably by the fullit would be would have dwelled
down.
Matty (32:51):
It was quite hilly too, I feel like I live in Stafford
Heights, so yeah, yeah.
Crystal (32:56):
Hills, hills are my general area if I want to get
down to the beauty that isCredden Brook of nice and flat.
Matty (33:04):
Yeah.
Crystal (33:04):
Um, but yeah, I have to go by us a couple of hills
first.
Unfortunately, it's usually atthe end coming back also to the
hills, which is never fun.
Matty (33:13):
I'm not far, but I drive down there and then run the
flat.
Crystal (33:17):
Oh, yeah, there's been definitely some days when I'm
like, I'm just gonna do it.
But the traffic gets so bad.
Matty (33:21):
So I'm gonna matter.
It doesn't matter, I'm notrunning there.
Joshie (33:26):
You know, uh Maddie, I think, lives about 800 metres
from my place, and we've gonefor runs together.
He's driven to my house.
Sorry, we've digressed.
Um getting back on track now,Krista, the last couple of years
um haven't quite gone accordingto plan, but you seem really um
philosophical uh about havingto compromise on your running
(33:48):
goals.
What's kept you grounded, Iguess, throughout that time?
Crystal (33:53):
Um I just always know that things get better.
Um and I just I've gone throughso much.
Like even coming back, socoming off bed rest, finally
like, yay, I'm in the world,I've got my kid, go back to
parkrun.
Um, I tore my meniscus, gettingoff the ground with my little
(34:15):
love.
Um my body was so weak, all mytendons are still probably
cactus thanks to relaxing.
Um and I just I know that I'vealready like persevered so much
that I can it can happen.
I can I can do it again, I canget back up there.
Um and even now I think it'samazing.
(34:37):
I'm running, well, I wasn'ttill my hand my hamstring, um,
but I was running faster than Iever have.
Um so the day I did myhamstring, um, it's because I I
overdid it.
I did like my lift session onthe Friday, and then I did
Olympic lifting on the on theFriday night, because I was
(34:59):
like, oh, that looks like Idon't know, I just was like, oh,
that looks like fun.
Like I've never done it before.
I've never lifted anythinguntil I joined Fit Stop.
And I was actually quiteoverwhelmed the first time I
ever went.
Like, and it wasn't, if itwasn't for Dav, um, the gym
owner at the time, I I probablywouldn't have kept going.
But she reached out and becauseI gave I gave my class a
(35:21):
three-star um because I'd justfelt really overwhelmed.
And I think the instructor atthe time didn't realize that I
had never really done any kindof proper lifting ever.
Um, and this was all andthere's also postpartum.
I was just feeling overwhelmedin general getting back into the
(35:42):
world.
Um and I managed, and yeah, Davreached out and she's like, oh
no, I stand by my gym.
And it's like, you know, here'stwo weeks free.
Um please um, you know, you ifyou don't, um sorry, my videos
actually gonna so my mic mightend up dropping off soon.
(36:04):
Um that's okay, we can hearyou.
Yeah, if yeah, she she reachedout and she's like, I stand by
my gym.
Um please use two weeks free.
Um, I also here's a um a freesession to a physio, um and a
free session with my my brother,who's an amazing PT, um, who
(36:26):
was amazing at um editing kindof the exercises so that I would
strengthen my knees.
Um I'd ever heard any of this,which was funny because I think
about all my ailments with mywith my back and all these
things growing up, um, that I'dnever really heard of doing
(36:47):
strength work for.
And even yeah, even with thefull marathon and then doing the
ultra, uh, because I didn't doany strength work, I had my ice
band um flared up.
Um, so I actually I only raneight kilometers of the the um
ultra and then I hobbled therest.
(37:08):
I still managed to finish in 10hours.
Um but the checkpoint was sofar in, it was sort of like,
well, the neurofen had kickedin.
I'm like, nah, I can definitelyhobble the remainder.
Oh, because I think it was atlike 20 kilometers in.
So I was like, Oh wow.
Matty (37:24):
So you stopped at eight and you had to hobble for the
how far was it?
Was it 50 kilometers?
Crystal (37:29):
Yeah, 50 kilometers.
Matty (37:30):
So you hobbled for 42 kilometers.
Oh my gosh.
Crystal (37:39):
And you know, so it's lots of hills.
I actually relished going upthe hills because the IT band
didn't hurt when I was walkingup the hills, but it was the
downhill hill bit that I'd kindof have to do this like crab
shuffle down.
Matty (37:54):
Wow.
Crystal (37:55):
Um and even then like apple tree stairs, which is if
you ever want, yeah, uh aworkout, those stairs are, I
think, higher than the Q1.
Um you hit them just before 42kilometers, and it's it's a
doozy.
Um, and you've been goinguphill that entire time.
Um, but I I actually didn'tmind all these bits because it
(38:17):
didn't hurt my IT band.
I just couldn't run, I could,but I could walk it.
But then the other downhillbits I'd do this like little
crab shuffle.
Joshie (38:25):
Um what what kind of what kind of shape were you in
after that, Crystal?
Crystal (38:31):
So there's a reason why I didn't do a lot of events
come 2017.
Um just because I was a bit, Iwas a bit knackered, um, to be
honest.
And I also I broke up with myboyfriend, I moved to Brisbane,
um, so it was just a bit of achange.
I lost my sort of like myrunning group um down there, um,
(38:53):
moving to Brisbane, and I justkind of I I went into a um a
sharehouse situation that was alot of fun, and I met my best
friend out of it, one of my bestfriends, uh Jane, and she is
why I run now at Winham a lot,um for park runs and and met
(39:14):
some amazing other mum runnersout there.
Cool.
Um so yeah, it's funny howthings all come about, but um,
yeah, I think I like a few, ahandful of park runs that year,
and I think I did one one 10kevent.
Um, but yeah, I kind ofdwindled a little bit.
(39:36):
Um and just I still ran, butnot I didn't do a lot of events
until probably about 2021, maybeI think, yeah.
I and I it's so funny, I got sooverwhelmed.
I also because I'd had lots ofinjuries um just like one thing
(39:58):
after another.
Um, I had some kind of hipflexor thing, it never got fully
diagnosed.
Um so I still don't I it'sstill a bit of a mystery what
happened there, but um yeah, hadkind of hip problems and all
this stuff that if I'd just donesome strength work properly, I
I did go to good life, um, but Ijust loved doing like the
(40:22):
cardio classes.
So um yeah, I didn't do theright things, and now I am doing
all the right things, so Ithink that's why I've definitely
improved in my times and beenable to heal up from injuries a
bit better.
Joshie (40:39):
Yeah.
So given your experience, um,you know, you've gone from
having managed uh you knowchildhood asthma and you know
lots of injuries of late.
Is that something that has madeyou I guess hyper vigilant with
Luca?
I mean, are you sort of lookingout for everything with him to
make sure that he sort of growsup without you know, um with the
(41:01):
tools and the support that youdidn't have?
Crystal (41:03):
Yeah, definitely.
Um I I'm like such a mum whereI where like every cough he has,
I'm like, oh my god, is itasthma?
Like his cough, but it's alsolike he goes to daycare, so it's
like he's just every and everytime I think he's had a cough
for a bit long and then hedoesn't cough for ages, and then
yeah, it's it's uh yeah, wellkids and daycare.
(41:27):
Um but yeah, I I definitelywant to make sure that he's
supportive.
If he does have asthma and andI want him to be active, he's
probably I'm ADHD and top ofeverything, um and he is most
likely going to be the same.
So I I I definitely want tohelp show him as well that he
(41:50):
can do all these things and run.
And um my partner is an avidbasketballer, um, even through
um his injuries, like he um heactually had a I think it was
like a a couple of slip discs.
Um at times he's actually notbeen able to walk properly.
(42:11):
So, you know, but through thepower of exercise and physio
that he can function quitenormal.
Um but yeah, he has to keep hisexercises up.
Matty (42:25):
There's been so much advancement though, over like
from when we were young, um, interms of like you mentioned
scoliosis, and it's you know,you've got this, you can't do
this and this, but with likemedical advancements and those
types of things that that areout there now, um, there's ways
to treat those types of thingsso that they aren't um
inhibiting, you know, things youwant to do.
(42:46):
I think it's changed, it'schanged so much over the years.
Crystal (42:49):
100%.
And well, even you know,growing up, there wasn't gyms
everywhere like there is now,you know, the running clubs or
everything, it just wasn't likethat.
Um I remember my mum did go tothere was one gym in our general
vicinity, and it was part oflike a it was like one of those
lifestyle club things at Sexo.
It's fancy.
(43:10):
I did swimming lessons there,absolute wasted money, but I
remember loving the um raspberrylemonade.
Uh it was delicious.
That's that was all I reallyremember from my swimming
lessons.
Um and yeah, there was like aslight gym there, and I think
there was one out at a rundownclub.
(43:31):
It wasn't prolific and youknow, there wasn't yeah, it just
wasn't a such of a thing.
And I just remember being toldum by a chiropractor that I was
pretty much gonna be a cripple.
Matty (43:43):
Um wow.
Crystal (43:44):
Yeah, I used to get bad sciatic pain as well, um, which
running and doing exercise hasand core core work.
Um I used to do Pilates a fairbit.
Um I yeah, that has helped.
Matty (44:00):
Core work makes a massive difference when you've got back
problems.
Crystal (44:04):
Oh, it's yeah, pretty chintilacoana.
Um, yeah, it's uh yeah, I Ican't I tell people all the time
when I've got some back each,I'm like, dude, get that core
going.
And that's primarily what mypartner does with his back, is
he um does a crap ton of corework and he even he after seeing
how um I was doing it fit stopand um because it's a very like
(44:29):
talking about like being a timepoor parent, it's just so in and
out, 45 minutes, three classesa week, and I'm getting I've got
biceps now for the first timeever.
Joshie (44:39):
Like I'm not sure how that um how I wish how I wish
the video was working right now.
Crystal (44:46):
Yeah, yeah, bicep like yeah, and I just it yeah, it's
I'm so grateful that now it'sit's becoming more to the
forefront.
And I'm really hoping that thatalso translates with kids and
schooling, yeah, after what Iwent through as a kid and how
(45:07):
much I hated working out andbeing active.
And when we know we've got sucha crisis with people's health,
and even though for every personthat I know that is a is a
runner and I see how amazingpeople are in their 40s, 50s,
60s, 70s, still running orworking out, it doesn't have to
(45:28):
be running, it can just bewalking anything compared to
even um you know my own parents.
Um like maybe I won't listento, won't let won't show this
one.
No, but like I would love tosee them all lifting.
Um I mean my mum has had somehealth issues um that that
aren't really her fault, butyeah, I would just I see yeah, I
(45:50):
see people that are the sameage doing marathons.
Um I just you know and youknow, those people also didn't
start because I think in theirhead, because that generation,
um, they think that all thosepeople probably started running
in their, you know, as asteenagers, they've been running
all their life.
But a lot of them, and this iswhat I loved about this running
(46:12):
club on um the Gold Coast, wasthat a lot of them started late
in their 40s, you know, whenthey started or 30s, um, and
show and they were smoking me,they were so fast compared to
me, still are like um you know,and they're just yeah, there's
one lady, um, she does a crazyamount of marathons.
(46:34):
I think she's done she's partof the 10 club.
Um at the Gold Coast wherethey've done more than 10
marathons.
Joshie (46:44):
Yeah, be like a Spartan from Melbourne.
Crystal (46:47):
And they yeah, she's done her, I think her and her
partner both have part of this.
They've done 10 Gold Coastmarathons.
Um, and she's just constantlydoing them.
Um and I think, yeah, I don't Idon't want to get her age wrong
though, but yeah, she's I mean,yeah, just in case she listens.
Joshie (47:06):
Um, yeah, you're mentioning before uh Crystal um
about the um yeah, the hopefullythe the lessons that you've
learned and you know that theway that the schools uh provide
support to children has inimproved.
Now the there's one thing Iwouldn't mind exploring with
you.
There was an interesting twistof fate when you uh crossed
(47:27):
paths with one of your teachersin recent years.
What was that moment like foryou, especially given what you
went through as a as a child?
Crystal (47:38):
Yeah, I think it's um it's like proof in the pudding
when I bumped into my gradeseven teacher picking up my um
Gold Coast half number thisyear.
Um he he's also one of myfavorite teachers.
He was amazing and definitely areal mentor to me as a a child.
Um, but he was like, hmm, longdistance running.
(48:02):
I never picked you for that.
Like some people, oh, that'sme.
And I'm like, no, I don't thinkyou understand.
Like as a kid, I was notathletic in any way, shape, or
form.
Um, so his reaction to that iscompletely normal if you'd not
seen me for however many years.
Um, and yeah, I was like, ohyeah, no, I've been doing like
(48:24):
probably like I did my firsthalf in 20 um 15.
Like, no way.
Um, and I think that was, yeah,it was pretty validating.
He he was then picking up hisown.
Matty (48:36):
That's awesome.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Crystal (48:40):
Yeah.
No.
Joshie (48:42):
I love that.
What what a beautiful moment tobe able to it's almost like
re-revisiting your childhood.
Um, and like we all have thosethose things we fantasize about
with being back at school andtelling these teachers either
where to go or showing them, andyou you actually had a chance
to do that, which I think isawesome.
Matty (49:00):
Yeah.
Joshie (49:03):
Yeah.
Um look, before we finish up, Imean you've spoken about what's
um on the horizon for 2027.
What about next year, 2026?
Um, is there anythingrunning-wise that you've got
your site set on?
Crystal (49:15):
Um, yeah, so I really, really want to do an under
two-hour half marathon.
That is my prime goal.
Matty (49:25):
Wow.
Crystal (49:26):
So I think I I could have done it at Gold Coast, um,
but I few I failed my fuelingmassively.
Um just because it was just areally busy day on the Friday.
Um, picking up the race number.
Um, I was on the road workingbefore that, and it was just
chaos, and I just did not eatenough.
(49:47):
Plus, I was staying at mymum's.
It was all I was all out ofwhack.
Um, so halfway through the racewas feeling amazing, and then
just that bonk happened.
Yeah.
Um, and it felt like I wasrunning through swamp um
concrete with concrete legs.
Yeah, it was um and yeah, so II think if I feel correctly, um,
(50:12):
I should be able to do it.
So we'll see, with the the ham,and hopefully the hamstring
doesn't laugh.
I know that I I can't, I've gotto stop overdoing it, and
sometimes you just can't doeverything as much as my brain's
like, ooh, do all the things.
Joshie (50:28):
Um you know, one one thing I think we can be assured
of, Crystal, is that umnotwithstanding the physical
challenges that mentally uhyou're well and truly strong
enough to get uh over the line.
Um yeah, we've we've we'vewe've had a ball speaking with
you, uh Crystal.
Thanks so much for joining uson Run Believable.
You really are a superstar, andwe wish you all the very best
(50:51):
of luck with your future runningand life endeavours.
Thanks you.
Thank you for your time.
Matty (50:55):
Thanks, Crystal.
Joshie (50:56):
Thanks, Crystal.
Well, Maddie, Crystal's storywas truly incredible.
What were you like at schoolsport?
Matty (51:02):
Yeah, not good, mate.
Not good at all.
Um, no ability, no talent.
Um, I'm willing to participatenow and then, but yeah, it was
not my thing.
Joshie (51:13):
You know, I love that Crystal had that little poetic
moment with a teacher later onin life.
What would you say to one ofyour cynical teachers if you saw
them now?
Matty (51:22):
No, I'd love to see them in an event and fly past them.
Look at me now.
Joshie (51:31):
Give some choice words in the process, no doubt.
Um so look, if you've got a RunBelievable story of your own,
we'd love to hear it.
And if you're interested inbeing a guest on the show, then
please hit us up.
And finally, this podcastrelies on your continued
support.
So if you can please take thetime to follow Ray and share
this podcast with your runningmates, we'd really appreciate
(51:52):
it.
And we'll see you for the nextRun Believable Adventure.
Excellent! That's good.
Oh, what's that, Maddie?
Yeah, good, dude.
I remember we were running along the beach.
Um, I started struggling withinlike 50 metres.
He was running backwards on thesand, going, come on, come on,
you can do it.
And I got in a fight with himbecause I was just like, you
asshole.
Joshie (00:27):
Hello everybody, and welcome to Run Believable, the
podcast where everyday runnersshare their not-to-everyday
stories.
I'm your host, Josh Christian,and I'm here to bring you
stories of grit, glory, andovercoming adversity.
Each episode, we'll dive deepinto what first got people
running and what keeps themlacing up day after day.
From the last couple of lessonsto new shoes going on sale
(00:48):
literally the day after you paidfull price, we're here to share
what makes running a trulyhuman experience.
I'm still not over it, Maddie.
Coming up in a few moments, um,you'll meet a runner who has
overcome adversity in anextraordinary way.
I really can't wait to chatwith her.
Maddie, welcome back.
Now, we're still on a newpodcast.
(01:09):
Um, yeah, my question, myfriend.
Um, and look, I'd actually liketo shout out our early Legion
of Loyal fans.
Now, look, some of them weknow, many of them we don't
know.
Uh, dare I say that some don'tlisten and definitely should.
Um I've actually I've beenthinking, I could ask you,
Maddie, um, does your familytune in?
Do you know?
Matty (01:29):
They do, yeah.
So um my mum does, definitely,and my sister does.
Um Sarah, my wife, does.
Um I sent them to my dad, buthe um cannot figure out Spotify
or any technological um app tolisten to them on.
So he's yeah, he's yeah, he'sanother one.
Joshie (01:53):
We should burn them onto a we'll burn them onto a VHS
for him or something.
Matty (01:59):
Yeah, yeah.
So um he wants to listen, buthe hasn't yet.
So yeah, most of my family dolisten to it, which is really
good.
What what about yours?
Joshie (02:07):
Uh, look, I think so.
Um they told me they do.
Look, I'll be honest, dude, I'mnot entirely convinced.
So I actually thought, oh man,I'm gonna regret this.
Let's have a bit of fun,Maddie.
Um I'm either I'm either gonnabe killed or potentially
withdrawn from the will forthis.
But um, mum and dad, shout outto you if you're tuning in.
And if you are, just drop me ashort text with the following
(02:30):
password.
How much should we transfer?
I'll feel much more reassuredthat you're tuning in, and I
promise to send you a response.
So, that's gonna come back tobuy me, I just know it.
Let's get stuck into theunbelievable rundown.
Maddie, the other day you sentme a photo of yourself doing the
lawns.
(02:50):
Um, no doubt just to show offthose incredible pins of yours,
and of course brag, brag aboutthe fact that you were in fact
doing the lawns for once, but Idid happen to notice in that
photo that you were tacklingyour gardening pursuits in a
pair of Pro 4s.
Is that correct?
Yeah, that's correct.
Matty (03:07):
So I don't know.
As you kind of nicely pointedout there, Josh, I don't mow the
lawn that much.
Um my wife actually loves doingit, so I'd leave it leave it to
her.
Joshie (03:18):
But it had to be stick around here.
Matty (03:21):
It had to be done the other day, um, and she's been
too busy with work, so I waslike, right, I'm gonna do it.
But I had no shoes.
Um, I have no like backyard orgardening or old shoes.
Um, so I do often tend to keepmy um my retired running shoes,
um, my racing shoes, and I had apair of yeah, the Pro 4s, out
(03:44):
of us Pro 4s there.
So I strapped them on and gotto it.
Um It wasn't actually thateasy, to be honest, with the um
the racing shoes.
Um but it got the job done.
Joshie (03:58):
Well, there we go.
I mean, I wasn't sure if itwould make you get the launch
done in half the time orsomething like that.
Matty (04:03):
Well, that that was my whole intention.
I thought that must might bethe case.
Joshie (04:07):
Yeah.
Well, there we go.
Lesson learned do not wear apair of race shoes in the
garden.
So, look, this actually got methinking because in oh, Maddie,
it's no secret that youabsolutely love the Adidas Pro
4s.
So today's quiz is called AreYou a Pro?
Okay.
So, with Maddie havingofficially owned, and that
(04:30):
includes current pairs, I thinkfive pairs of Pro 4s plus
another uh three pairs thatSarah doesn't know about.
Let's see how you go with AreYou a Pro?
Question number one.
To the nearest gram, how muchdoes each Adidas Pro 4 weigh to
the nearest gram?
Matty (04:51):
To the nearest gram.
Joshie (04:53):
And I'm not gonna give you a threshold.
Actually, I'll give you a smallthreshold.
I'll tell you what, if you canget it within five grams, then
we'll say that you're correct.
Matty (04:59):
Okay.
162 grams.
Joshie (05:02):
Incorrect.
200 grams, believe it or not.
Matty (05:05):
Oh, okay.
I thought they were lighterthan that.
Joshie (05:09):
Question number two.
To the nearest millimeter, whatis the shoe's stack height at
the heel?
39.
Unbelievable, my friend.
Bang on the money.
39 mils.
And I think it's got a six mildrop, so 33 at the four foot.
Matty (05:26):
Yeah.
Joshie (05:27):
Um, I'm impressed.
Jeez, he's back.
He's back, late everyone.
Question number three.
Now, there's a website calledRun Repeat, and they publish
this um cut-in-half um shoediagnostic thing.
It is the most detailedtechnical thing you can imagine.
To the nearest 5%.
What percent energy return doesthe shoe produce?
Matty (05:51):
Oh god.
I have no idea, but maybe let'ssay 85?
Joshie (06:00):
Oh, you bastard.
80.4.
Yes.
Matty (06:04):
Oh, that's pretty good, yeah.
Joshie (06:06):
I'm impressed.
It's at the very high end, bythe way, of shoe return of
energy return for shoes.
I think the average sits aroundsort of 55-60%.
Uh geez, I'll tell you what.
For a butt pluck, that waspretty impressive, my friend.
Had you all go at home, pleaselet us know.
Today's guest has one of themost unlikely running stories
you'll hear, having gone fromhating anything remotely
(06:30):
physical as a kid to runningultra marathons all within the
space of a few years.
However, the last few yearshaven't quite gone to plan with
injury and big life shifts, butshe stayed grounded, determined,
and still somehow squeezing outpersonal bests in the process.
She's also the first celebritywe featured on Unbelievable,
(06:51):
having featured in a GC RunningFestival promo photo.
Can we please welcome CrystalBarnes?
Woo! Welcome, Crystal.
Crystal (07:01):
Me and my bestie.
Yeah, we were still waiting forthe payment, and I totally take
payment as just race entry.
I just want free race entrybecause it's expensive.
Joshie (07:12):
I'm surprised they didn't offer you that as a
courtesy.
That was such an awesome photo.
Did you know it had been taken?
Crystal (07:18):
No, well, I knew it was taken, and I bought the bloody
photo.
And then it was plasteredeverywhere.
I'm like, what?
Matty (07:28):
You tick a box, you tick a box when you enter to say that
they can use anything um aspromo.
Yeah.
Joshie (07:34):
But that's but that's but that's cheeky.
Um making you pay for a photothat they use as promotional
material.
But anyway.
Crystal (07:41):
I know.
Oh well.
It was a great photo.
So I get it.
Joshie (07:47):
Now look, Crystal, um, you and I had a chat before
today, uh, and you mentionedthat as a kid you hated anything
remotely physical.
I think you said that evenwalking 400 meters felt like a
marathon.
Crystal (07:59):
Oh yeah.
Joshie (08:00):
What what do you remember about those school
years and the lack of um histools, tools and support around
recreational activity?
Crystal (08:08):
Yeah, I hate, well, yeah, I I just I hated any kind
of like athletics, carnival, allthose things.
I was always dead, like deadlast.
I was so last, in fact, that mybest friend and my mum ran the
last part of probably only likea 400-meter run.
Like I was struggling.
Turns out I am asthmatic, andthis is probably why it was just
(08:32):
always so hard for me, but itjust it never clicked back then
that there was something in likeactually potentially wrong.
Matty (08:41):
Um I still am.
Crystal (08:46):
I realized since then that it's not always about the
pace and the actually likerunning fast, it's just the
doing it for the enjoyment.
But back at school, it's youknow, you're in front of your
friends, your people that arenot friends, you know, it's
embarrassing, it's yeah, it'sand it's not conductive or um
(09:10):
then having a life of beingactive and being healthy either,
which yeah, is a it's a realbugbear for me in regards to it
also drive drives you away,doesn't it?
Matty (09:22):
Drives you away from that, and you get a bit of a and
I'm not saying this is you, butpeople would get a complex in
terms of and a fear almost thatno, I don't want to do that.
Crystal (09:32):
Oh, and that's exactly what happened, and just it gave
me anxiety to have to be in anyof this.
And they kind of going to the Iwent to a couple of private
schools on the Gold Coast, andthey just always like forced you
into doing all these carnivals,even when you were terrible.
It's like you gotta do it forthe points for your house.
And they're like trying to beinclusive, but at the same time,
(09:55):
and you were like so last.
Yeah it's yeah, I remember eventhe swimming carnival, it was
like me and this other girl whowere both actually asthmatic,
thinking looking back.
Um, we were in the D divisionof the swimming, uh, and but it
was good because we would sharethe firsts and seconds because
it was just us.
So we're like I have swimmingribbons, but it was because we
(10:20):
were the only two people in thisround.
Joshie (10:24):
So you don't you don't have to be the best, just the
best that turns up.
Yeah, that's right.
Crystal (10:29):
But yeah, no, I just yeah, I just remember even
feeling ugly that thing.
Now now it's like I love itwhen my kid runs with me at the
end, or yeah, um, all thatstuff, but oh god, yeah,
horrible.
And then even I did a crosscountry um in my la, I think it
was in grade 12, and me andthese girls, we just walked it
(10:52):
the entire time.
Like I walked pretty much everycross country ever, but this
one I particularly rememberbecause it was a group of us,
all the the non-fit remote, likenerdy girls.
And um, I remember a teacheryelling at us, going, It's not
just a race for you girls.
Matty (11:08):
Like worst.
Crystal (11:11):
That that teacher was not even remotely fit.
Matty (11:14):
Like he swept you've damaged me for 12 years.
Like, give me a break.
Crystal (11:19):
Yeah, I guess that's a thing that we are just moving in
the classroom.
So he was yeah.
But like, yeah, he was not fit.
Joshie (11:28):
You know, it's something that I guess we don't realise
at the time, and probably theteaching fraternity don't
realise is the potentiallong-term damage that can happen
if they're if students thatfall behind in any in something,
uh in this case recreationalactivity, uh left behind.
Um I mean, do you feel that theschool were just completely
absent when it came to providingsupport for those that I guess
(11:50):
just weren't naturally um uhphysically gifted?
Crystal (11:55):
Yeah, completely.
It was for it was always justyou were in a competition, or
even you know, when you did PE,you'd be graded.
Like, I'm sorry, I'm notnaturally gifted at high jump,
like that I'm you know, it's notnatural um or not naturally
(12:15):
gifted at shot put.
Oh, I got a D in shot put.
Like, I just I even think thatthe grading back then was I
don't know if it's differentnow, it was just like effort,
which would make more sense, butat the same time, I don't know,
just yeah, no, that there wastough.
Joshie (12:33):
Um I guess it doesn't really promote the growth
mindset, does it?
Just to be a s assist on theoutcome rather than the input
and the effort you you put in.
Um it's uh I don't know aboutyourself, Crystal, but when you
sort of watch people and the thethe work that they put into a
marathon, I mean for me that'sthe thing that's worth
applauding is the journey to getthere.
It doesn't really matter whatthe time is 100%.
Crystal (12:55):
And yeah, and as if you'd ever told my teenage self
that I would have that I willrun a marathon, I would have
laughed hysterically at you.
What what happens to me?
Like what that you werecompletely wrong.
I yeah, I I no way, shape, orthought like way, shape or form
(13:19):
I would ever be able to do it.
And that's why I tell peopleall the time that if I can do
it, anyone can.
Yeah, you just need to it'stime, yeah.
Yeah, you you can definitely doit.
Joshie (13:32):
You know, um you you mentioned before that you had uh
asthma as a kid, uh, which youknow would presented quite the
obstacle when it came toexercise, and I imagine that's
something that you've had tolearn to live with rather than
try to fight against.
Um how have you gone aboutworking with asthma in your
(13:53):
exercise and running pursuits?
Crystal (13:55):
Well, it's funny, I take a daily inhaler now, so
that's good.
Um but uh there's a funny storyabout like the first time I
ever kind of as an adult, I waslike 20, 22 or 21, um, giving
running a crack.
Uh, because I love food.
I love food a lot.
Um and I thought I needed tolike maybe balance that out with
(14:16):
some because I'm very much lifeis all about balance.
Um, and my partner at the time,um, he was just pretty fit.
Um, he surfed, he was so he wasso much cooler than I was.
Um and he, I remember we wererunning along the beach.
Um, I started struggling withinlike 50 meters.
He was running backwards on thesand, going, come on, come on,
(14:39):
you can do it.
And I got in a fight with himbecause I was like, you are so
that was like my first runningexperiences as an adult and like
getting in a fight because hewas running backwards on the
beach.
And I'm like, why am Istruggling?
Like my it was so hard for me.
And um then even we we brokeup, um, not because of that, but
(15:07):
many other reasons, but um itmight have had something to do
with it.
Um, but even trying to sort ofget the time.
This was before couch to 5K andanything of um online about how
to start running and buildingup that endurance.
So I just was like, why is italways so hard for me to get up
(15:30):
to long distance?
I was like, you know, gassedafter a K and um yeah, didn't
know that you could run slow oryou know, run intervals,
anything.
It was just and it wasdisheartening, but I just kind
of kept going because I couldn'tafford a gym or anything, so it
just kind of persevered on.
Um, and then yeah, later on,because I used to get um just my
(15:54):
asthma really comes on duringwinter, and I especially get
lots of chest like chestinfections and stuff like that.
Um and yeah, doctor finallyclicked that he's like, I think
you have asthma.
And I was like, Well, I didhave I did get diagnosed as like
a kid, like as a five-year-old,pretty much, but nothing was
ever done about it.
(16:15):
Um so yeah, started the dailyinhaler and it's so much better.
Um, I don't get sick as muchand don't have the sort of um
yeah, sometimes the yeah, thepain in the the the chest.
I call it like um it's like anitching.
Matty (16:31):
Yeah, like a wheezy type thing.
Crystal (16:34):
Yeah, and it's hate that feeling.
Um and yeah, that's pretty muchlike died off.
I still get it a little bit,especially in winter.
Matty (16:43):
Okay.
Crystal (16:44):
Um, but yeah, that the daily inhaler really makes a
massive difference.
Um and also just for I've nowrun well since I was 22 and I'm
40, so like 18 years.
Um and if I do the asthma liketest, the little spirilizer
thing, I think that's cool.
You can't even really tell thatmy my lungs are asthmatic,
(17:07):
they're really good.
I actually just blew up uh 112balloons for my mum's birthday,
in fact, um last week.
Joshie (17:17):
Yeah, yeah.
Crystal (17:18):
So the lungs are good, just they like to get inflamed
actually.
Joshie (17:24):
You mentioned that you started running at 21.
Um correct me if I'm wrong, youwere just purely looking for an
exercise that was free.
Um it's not free in my country.
I was gonna ask, what was itthat uh drew you to to running?
But it sounds like it was assimple as it was a free
(17:45):
activity.
Crystal (17:46):
Yeah, and I ran on the beach, so I didn't have like um
I didn't have shoes.
I just ran back.
Um then I remember buying apair of shoes finally, and
realistically like they were thewrong size.
Um because I also started, so Iwas like, oh, I need to do more
stuff, and I had some friendsdoing netball, so I thought, oh
(18:08):
yeah, give that a go.
Because I wasn't able to do anybasketball or netball either in
my teens because I've gotscoliosis.
So stop start sports.
Um were ruled out um fairlyearly in my teenage years
because my knees were trackingwrong and everything was just
out of whack as I was going.
(18:29):
Um, but I was like, uh, it'llbe fine.
I can strap my knees, I'll giveit a go.
Um and yeah, I bought theseshoes for for both kind of
things.
And I didn't last long in Netpoum either.
Um, this the stopping andstarting.
I ended up, it's the only timeI've lost a toe now.
Um because yeah, those shoeswere too small.
(18:53):
Yeah, I'm lucky I've yet notlost one toe now running.
Um would like to continue thatbecause yeah, I only lost it
during bad netball when I when Idid Netball.
Um, but yeah, those so so thoseshoes were not great.
Um because even back then therejust wasn't, you know, now the
(19:13):
the selection of running shoesis insane.
Matty (19:16):
Yeah.
Joshie (19:16):
Um, it's incredible.
Because I was actually going tosay, Crystal, I mean you you
joined a run club in 2014, um,from what you mentioned before,
what well before the um thepost-COVID running boom.
Um you then did a half marathonin 2015, a full marathon in
2016.
Um what was what was therunning community like back
(19:38):
then, before all the the boomand the hysteria we have now?
Crystal (19:42):
It was it was still awesome.
Like because this was on theGold Coast, so I feel the Gold
Coast has always been a bit moreof a like an active community.
Um, even when I lived inSurface Paradise, you always saw
people running and walkingalong the Esplanade.
(20:03):
Um it was either you were drunkin the the dunes um at 5 a.m.
or you're out running at 5 a.m.
Either either.
Um but yeah, it was alwaysseems to be a bit of an active
thing.
And there used to be an amazingmagazine um called Women's
Running Magazine.
Um and yeah, it was the girl umwell, the woman that was the
(20:30):
editor, um, she also did a runclub on the Gold Coast.
Uh and um just it was women'srunning club, um, run girls.
And I was so nervous when Irocked up for them the first
time.
Um, it took a lot of talkingmyself into it.
Yeah.
I was used to always running bymyself and just because they
(20:54):
did track work every Tuesdaymorning, and I just thought I've
been running sort of longenough, maybe I'll give a
running club a go.
And she spruced running clubsin general in this magazine.
It was like an article on it, Ithink.
And I was like, oh, maybe Ishould.
Um, and yeah, found theseamazing ladies, and you know
what, they are all um, I waslike the young whippersnapper at
(21:17):
age 30.
Matty (21:19):
Okay, yeah.
Crystal (21:20):
Um, and well, like 29.
Um, these ladies, you know,were often like 10, 15 years
older than me.
Um, I trained for the fullmarathon with a lady who I think
she's 63 now, but late 50s whenshe we did the the full
(21:42):
together after we were training.
Um so they they gave me a anamazing example of how if you
keep active, like how muchbetter you are.
You could not tell that theseladies were in their 50s, late
40s, 60s.
Still can't.
(22:02):
I still catch up with them umwhen I'm on the Gold Coast and I
have a park run or um yeah, Ican do some events with them and
catch up.
But yeah, they are incredibleand it was so supportive, and
then that's how it escalated.
Like joining any group, you'relike, oh, maybe I could do that
(22:24):
half marathon.
Yeah, oh, someone's doing this.
Joshie (22:28):
You certainly kept raising the bar higher and
higher, having sort of, I thinkit was what, six weeks after you
ran your first marathon, youran an ultra.
Um wow, yeah.
Matty (22:38):
Yeah.
Joshie (22:38):
Um what Tom, what motivated you to just yeah, keep
like I say, keep raising thatbar, Crystal?
Crystal (22:44):
Uh it's just I guess seeing if I could.
Um because I think that's whatchanges too.
It's not a oh, I I want to comefirst, I need to come a place,
I need to it for me.
It's just I wonder if I can dothat.
Matty (23:01):
Yeah, yeah, and and see if see if you can push your body
outside that, you know, thatwhat you I guess within your
head, what you think you can do.
Um but can I do more?
I wonder.
Maybe I should try.
Crystal (23:15):
Yeah, 100%.
Um, and like the fact that I'das soon as I'd cross that, like,
I think I'm even the half,because I remember being fully
nervous for that.
And I never thought that Icould do a half.
And and doing it, I was like,maybe I can't like do something
more.
Um, and having the support ofthat running group as well, um,
(23:38):
and and having friends to trainwith because you know the those
long runs, um, you know, zonetwo.
Well, back then we didn't havecall it a zone two, it was just
a long run.
Matty (23:49):
Yeah.
Crystal (23:49):
Um and we were literally doing it at
conversational pace because wewere chatting the entire way.
Um but you know, it was umhaving yeah, having that
community as well that made itthat little bit easier.
Um, and then yeah, once I didit, I'm like, holy crap, what I
can push on and doing help.
(24:10):
I also get really bad FOMO.
Joshie (24:12):
So Well, you sort of um switched gears somewhat in terms
of life uh focus and lifechallenges recently, um, having
introduced little Luca into theworld who I think's what two
years old now?
Crystal (24:25):
Yeah, almost three now.
Joshie (24:27):
Wow.
Crystal (24:28):
Almost three in five.
Joshie (24:30):
So, how how have you gone about making, I guess,
those adjustments, like stillfinding time for you for
exercise whilst also being avery sort of proactive hands-on
parent?
Crystal (24:40):
Oh, it's yeah, it's it's tough.
And the guilt is massive,especially like when I started
wanting to run the distancesagain and um having to do those
long runs on a Sunday, and Ifelt real guilty with even
taking that two hours for thatlonger run.
Um, but I'm lucky I have anamazing, supportive, wonderful
(25:04):
partner who is the best dad.
I couldn't ask for a betterhuman to do this journey with.
Uh, and he yeah, he supports.
He knows also like mentally Ihave to run.
When I'm not running, yeah, I'mI start losing it.
And he knows what I wentthrough with my pregnancy
because I always envisionedmyself as being one of those
(25:27):
people and like friends that I'dseen do it, running throughout
their pregnancy.
Um, and that unfortunately,that journey ended, I think it
was like week 14, just becauseI'd had um oh wow um bleeds back
then from another thing.
And then so I just startedwalking and doing very mild
(25:48):
exercise.
Um and then by week 28, I well,I got diagnosed with placenta
previa.
Um, so it's just where theplacenta um embeds itself
basically on the exit.
So a lot of the time it doesoften move as it all grows.
Fortunately, mine did not, andum it um yeah, caused lots of
(26:15):
bleeding in the end.
So I was put on bed rest forsince about week week 29.
Joshie (26:22):
Wow, wow.
So did you go did you end upgoing f full term or have a
planned season, I imagine?
Crystal (26:28):
Um yeah, so um we went uh I had a planned Caesar at
week 38.
So I got a lot there.
Matty (26:37):
So not yeah, got too yeah.
Joshie (26:39):
Oh, that's a long time to be on bed rest though, isn't
it?
Matty (26:42):
Oh yeah.
For someone that was act likeis active Oh you'd go crazy.
Crystal (26:48):
And even before that, it was difficult because of all
the the um the fatigue and justnausea, nauseous, and I I still
say there's no fatigue like Ifelt in really it was just I
remember in bed lying there withmy work phone and my personal
phone and just kind of trying towork between the two because it
(27:11):
was just too hard.
And what sucked is that by theweek 28, I was in the last
couple of weeks that I wasstarting to feel myself again.
I'd had energy, I was good.
I didn't even visit one, I'dgone to a festival, but um,
yeah, then on to my my partnerbought me a um uh a lazy boy
(27:33):
chair.
Oh yeah, and that's where Istayed until week 38.
I was it did move at week 35.
I had a really, really badbleed, um, and they were like
putting in the bloody big IVdrip and thinking they're gonna
be getting it out.
Matty (27:52):
Oh, okay.
Crystal (27:54):
But it ended up the bleed stopped.
Um, because I had uh sixhospital visits, five hospital
stays um in that time.
Joshie (28:04):
Oh how did you go um, I guess mentally adjusting to I
guess going from living a veryactive lifestyle, physically
active lifestyle, to not beingable to do anything at all?
Crystal (28:17):
It was rough, and I'm glad I'm a gamer.
Like I just do games for theentire time and drove my mum
insane, actually.
What was your favorite?
Joshie (28:27):
What was your what was your go-to?
Crystal (28:29):
Uh cyberpunk.
So I was running around beingthis like gangster girl.
Um, and my mum was like, whatis this?
Um and then I I ended upplaying, oh, it was like one of
the Lord of the Rings games, butI think my blood pressure
spiked a bit with that one.
Matty (28:46):
I've never played a computer game, so I I just I
cannot see the attraction or thethe joy that people get out of
them.
I it's just not me at all.
Crystal (28:56):
Yeah, well, if you ever put on bed rest, uh you might
you might need it.
Because it was like then Icould forget that I was lying
there and it's in the in the inmy get my chair, and I was still
my brain was still active.
Matty (29:12):
Yeah.
Crystal (29:12):
So um, in it, you know, when I was and then I was in
hospital, I was just reading alot.
Um so yeah, but it isdefinitely it was it was still
rough.
Joshie (29:24):
Um well you certainly um bounced back since then, uh
Crystal.
Not that it's been uh easy, youcertainly had your fair share,
more than your fair share of uhinjuries and illness in the last
couple of years.
Um I don't even know where tostart.
You've had so much going on,you've had a um hamstring
tendinopathy, I think thatyou're managing.
You somehow ran a park run PBwith it, and I think your first
(29:48):
sub one hour 10K as well.
Crystal (29:50):
Yes, yeah, well, like in an official event.
I'd done it in training for theBrisbane and Gold Coast half.
Um that was like all the 10kevents that I'd done, I'd always
done just over an hour, and Iwas like, I've gotta get it, not
that I've Done a lot of 10kevents, but I was just like,
gonna get it.
And I managed to, yeah, managedto just do it, even though my
(30:13):
hands were in my sore the entiretime.
Matty (30:15):
What event was that?
Crystal (30:17):
Um that was the GC50.
Matty (30:19):
Oh yeah, okay.
Joshie (30:21):
So when you say when you say you just snuck under, what
was your time?
Can you remember?
Crystal (30:26):
Oh um like we talked in seconds.
Now I'm like, what did Iactually do?
If I was at my normal desk, Iactually have a um I have a
little chalkboard with um withmy PBs on there.
Joshie (30:41):
Some people are doing it on their Instagram profiles.
Um in fact I saw someone thatthey run it Yeah, they'd run a
PB, I think, at the MelbourneMarathon, and they created like
a reel of them editing their outtheir old PB and putting in
their new one.
Crystal (30:57):
Oh yeah, that's cool.
Joshie (30:59):
It it had effect.
Um I think it's amazing,Crystal, with navigating a
hamstring tendinopathy thatyou'd still be able to reel out
a couple of um PBs.
Um now you've got your site seton something even bigger.
I think you mentioned that umnot next year, but 2027.
You've got I think it's 42 for42, so you're looking to get
(31:21):
back to running marathondistance for your 42nd birthday.
Crystal (31:24):
Yeah, yeah.
Joshie (31:25):
My first my first my first question is are we
invited?
Crystal (31:28):
Uh yeah.
I'm thinking it's gonna be theGold Coast because I like it
because it's nice and flat.
Yeah, um it's such a vibe thatone, and it's uh Yeah, it's
awesome.
Yeah, it's yeah, unlike theBrisbane, that is uh like where
you have to do two laps.
I'm like, oh yeah.
Matty (31:47):
Anything with a lap situation, I'm like, You see all
the half marathons finish, andyou're like, oh I I haven't I
haven't done the full there orany full, but um you'd be you'd
be looking at the half marathonas going, I wish I was you.
Crystal (32:02):
That's what I thought when I because I did the half
this year.
It was my first time doing theBrisbane half.
Yeah, say and um yeah, and thenhow like they they go off and
start their lap again.
I was like, yeah, nah, stuffthat like that would drive me
insane.
Yeah, no, thank you.
Even um I thought about doingthe 30Ks at the GC 30, but
(32:22):
that's also a lap situation.
I will never say never, butyeah, don't don't like things
that require laps.
Too much of a head.
Matty (32:33):
Yeah, I agree.
Crystal (32:35):
So a marathon distance would that that that is huge to
be having to do a thing, a lapagain.
And that I didn't like how umthe Brisbane one was also there
was a lot of people, of course.
Granted, probably by the fullit would be would have dwelled
down.
Matty (32:51):
It was quite hilly too, I feel like I live in Stafford
Heights, so yeah, yeah.
Crystal (32:56):
Hills, hills are my general area if I want to get
down to the beauty that isCredden Brook of nice and flat.
Matty (33:04):
Yeah.
Crystal (33:04):
Um, but yeah, I have to go by us a couple of hills
first.
Unfortunately, it's usually atthe end coming back also to the
hills, which is never fun.
Matty (33:13):
I'm not far, but I drive down there and then run the
flat.
Crystal (33:17):
Oh, yeah, there's been definitely some days when I'm
like, I'm just gonna do it.
But the traffic gets so bad.
Matty (33:21):
So I'm gonna matter.
It doesn't matter, I'm notrunning there.
Joshie (33:26):
You know, uh Maddie, I think, lives about 800 metres
from my place, and we've gonefor runs together.
He's driven to my house.
Sorry, we've digressed.
Um getting back on track now,Krista, the last couple of years
um haven't quite gone accordingto plan, but you seem really um
philosophical uh about havingto compromise on your running
(33:48):
goals.
What's kept you grounded, Iguess, throughout that time?
Crystal (33:53):
Um I just always know that things get better.
Um and I just I've gone throughso much.
Like even coming back, socoming off bed rest, finally
like, yay, I'm in the world,I've got my kid, go back to
parkrun.
Um, I tore my meniscus, gettingoff the ground with my little
(34:15):
love.
Um my body was so weak, all mytendons are still probably
cactus thanks to relaxing.
Um and I just I know that I'vealready like persevered so much
that I can it can happen.
I can I can do it again, I canget back up there.
Um and even now I think it'samazing.
(34:37):
I'm running, well, I wasn'ttill my hand my hamstring, um,
but I was running faster than Iever have.
Um so the day I did myhamstring, um, it's because I I
overdid it.
I did like my lift session onthe Friday, and then I did
Olympic lifting on the on theFriday night, because I was
(34:59):
like, oh, that looks like Idon't know, I just was like, oh,
that looks like fun.
Like I've never done it before.
I've never lifted anythinguntil I joined Fit Stop.
And I was actually quiteoverwhelmed the first time I
ever went.
Like, and it wasn't, if itwasn't for Dav, um, the gym
owner at the time, I I probablywouldn't have kept going.
But she reached out and becauseI gave I gave my class a
(35:21):
three-star um because I'd justfelt really overwhelmed.
And I think the instructor atthe time didn't realize that I
had never really done any kindof proper lifting ever.
Um, and this was all andthere's also postpartum.
I was just feeling overwhelmedin general getting back into the
(35:42):
world.
Um and I managed, and yeah, Davreached out and she's like, oh
no, I stand by my gym.
And it's like, you know, here'stwo weeks free.
Um please um, you know, you ifyou don't, um sorry, my videos
actually gonna so my mic mightend up dropping off soon.
(36:04):
Um that's okay, we can hearyou.
Yeah, if yeah, she she reachedout and she's like, I stand by
my gym.
Um please use two weeks free.
Um, I also here's a um a freesession to a physio, um and a
free session with my my brother,who's an amazing PT, um, who
(36:26):
was amazing at um editing kindof the exercises so that I would
strengthen my knees.
Um I'd ever heard any of this,which was funny because I think
about all my ailments with mywith my back and all these
things growing up, um, that I'dnever really heard of doing
(36:47):
strength work for.
And even yeah, even with thefull marathon and then doing the
ultra, uh, because I didn't doany strength work, I had my ice
band um flared up.
Um, so I actually I only raneight kilometers of the the um
ultra and then I hobbled therest.
(37:08):
I still managed to finish in 10hours.
Um but the checkpoint was sofar in, it was sort of like,
well, the neurofen had kickedin.
I'm like, nah, I can definitelyhobble the remainder.
Oh, because I think it was atlike 20 kilometers in.
So I was like, Oh wow.
Matty (37:24):
So you stopped at eight and you had to hobble for the
how far was it?
Was it 50 kilometers?
Crystal (37:29):
Yeah, 50 kilometers.
Matty (37:30):
So you hobbled for 42 kilometers.
Oh my gosh.
Crystal (37:39):
And you know, so it's lots of hills.
I actually relished going upthe hills because the IT band
didn't hurt when I was walkingup the hills, but it was the
downhill hill bit that I'd kindof have to do this like crab
shuffle down.
Matty (37:54):
Wow.
Crystal (37:55):
Um and even then like apple tree stairs, which is if
you ever want, yeah, uh aworkout, those stairs are, I
think, higher than the Q1.
Um you hit them just before 42kilometers, and it's it's a
doozy.
Um, and you've been goinguphill that entire time.
Um, but I I actually didn'tmind all these bits because it
(38:17):
didn't hurt my IT band.
I just couldn't run, I could,but I could walk it.
But then the other downhillbits I'd do this like little
crab shuffle.
Joshie (38:25):
Um what what kind of what kind of shape were you in
after that, Crystal?
Crystal (38:31):
So there's a reason why I didn't do a lot of events
come 2017.
Um just because I was a bit, Iwas a bit knackered, um, to be
honest.
And I also I broke up with myboyfriend, I moved to Brisbane,
um, so it was just a bit of achange.
I lost my sort of like myrunning group um down there, um,
(38:53):
moving to Brisbane, and I justkind of I I went into a um a
sharehouse situation that was alot of fun, and I met my best
friend out of it, one of my bestfriends, uh Jane, and she is
why I run now at Winham a lot,um for park runs and and met
(39:14):
some amazing other mum runnersout there.
Cool.
Um so yeah, it's funny howthings all come about, but um,
yeah, I think I like a few, ahandful of park runs that year,
and I think I did one one 10kevent.
Um, but yeah, I kind ofdwindled a little bit.
(39:36):
Um and just I still ran, butnot I didn't do a lot of events
until probably about 2021, maybeI think, yeah.
I and I it's so funny, I got sooverwhelmed.
I also because I'd had lots ofinjuries um just like one thing
(39:58):
after another.
Um, I had some kind of hipflexor thing, it never got fully
diagnosed.
Um so I still don't I it'sstill a bit of a mystery what
happened there, but um yeah, hadkind of hip problems and all
this stuff that if I'd just donesome strength work properly, I
I did go to good life, um, but Ijust loved doing like the
(40:22):
cardio classes.
So um yeah, I didn't do theright things, and now I am doing
all the right things, so Ithink that's why I've definitely
improved in my times and beenable to heal up from injuries a
bit better.
Joshie (40:39):
Yeah.
So given your experience, um,you know, you've gone from
having managed uh you knowchildhood asthma and you know
lots of injuries of late.
Is that something that has madeyou I guess hyper vigilant with
Luca?
I mean, are you sort of lookingout for everything with him to
make sure that he sort of growsup without you know, um with the
(41:01):
tools and the support that youdidn't have?
Crystal (41:03):
Yeah, definitely.
Um I I'm like such a mum whereI where like every cough he has,
I'm like, oh my god, is itasthma?
Like his cough, but it's alsolike he goes to daycare, so it's
like he's just every and everytime I think he's had a cough
for a bit long and then hedoesn't cough for ages, and then
yeah, it's it's uh yeah, wellkids and daycare.
(41:27):
Um but yeah, I I definitelywant to make sure that he's
supportive.
If he does have asthma and andI want him to be active, he's
probably I'm ADHD and top ofeverything, um and he is most
likely going to be the same.
So I I I definitely want tohelp show him as well that he
(41:50):
can do all these things and run.
And um my partner is an avidbasketballer, um, even through
um his injuries, like he um heactually had a I think it was
like a a couple of slip discs.
Um at times he's actually notbeen able to walk properly.
(42:11):
So, you know, but through thepower of exercise and physio
that he can function quitenormal.
Um but yeah, he has to keep hisexercises up.
Matty (42:25):
There's been so much advancement though, over like
from when we were young, um, interms of like you mentioned
scoliosis, and it's you know,you've got this, you can't do
this and this, but with likemedical advancements and those
types of things that that areout there now, um, there's ways
to treat those types of thingsso that they aren't um
inhibiting, you know, things youwant to do.
(42:46):
I think it's changed, it'schanged so much over the years.
Crystal (42:49):
100%.
And well, even you know,growing up, there wasn't gyms
everywhere like there is now,you know, the running clubs or
everything, it just wasn't likethat.
Um I remember my mum did go tothere was one gym in our general
vicinity, and it was part oflike a it was like one of those
lifestyle club things at Sexo.
It's fancy.
(43:10):
I did swimming lessons there,absolute wasted money, but I
remember loving the um raspberrylemonade.
Uh it was delicious.
That's that was all I reallyremember from my swimming
lessons.
Um and yeah, there was like aslight gym there, and I think
there was one out at a rundownclub.
(43:31):
It wasn't prolific and youknow, there wasn't yeah, it just
wasn't a such of a thing.
And I just remember being toldum by a chiropractor that I was
pretty much gonna be a cripple.
Matty (43:43):
Um wow.
Crystal (43:44):
Yeah, I used to get bad sciatic pain as well, um, which
running and doing exercise hasand core core work.
Um I used to do Pilates a fairbit.
Um I yeah, that has helped.
Matty (44:00):
Core work makes a massive difference when you've got back
problems.
Crystal (44:04):
Oh, it's yeah, pretty chintilacoana.
Um, yeah, it's uh yeah, I Ican't I tell people all the time
when I've got some back each,I'm like, dude, get that core
going.
And that's primarily what mypartner does with his back, is
he um does a crap ton of corework and he even he after seeing
how um I was doing it fit stopand um because it's a very like
(44:29):
talking about like being a timepoor parent, it's just so in and
out, 45 minutes, three classesa week, and I'm getting I've got
biceps now for the first timeever.
Joshie (44:39):
Like I'm not sure how that um how I wish how I wish
the video was working right now.
Crystal (44:46):
Yeah, yeah, bicep like yeah, and I just it yeah, it's
I'm so grateful that now it'sit's becoming more to the
forefront.
And I'm really hoping that thatalso translates with kids and
schooling, yeah, after what Iwent through as a kid and how
(45:07):
much I hated working out andbeing active.
And when we know we've got sucha crisis with people's health,
and even though for every personthat I know that is a is a
runner and I see how amazingpeople are in their 40s, 50s,
60s, 70s, still running orworking out, it doesn't have to
(45:28):
be running, it can just bewalking anything compared to
even um you know my own parents.
Um like maybe I won't listento, won't let won't show this
one.
No, but like I would love tosee them all lifting.
Um I mean my mum has had somehealth issues um that that
aren't really her fault, butyeah, I would just I see yeah, I
(45:50):
see people that are the sameage doing marathons.
Um I just you know and youknow, those people also didn't
start because I think in theirhead, because that generation,
um, they think that all thosepeople probably started running
in their, you know, as asteenagers, they've been running
all their life.
But a lot of them, and this iswhat I loved about this running
(46:12):
club on um the Gold Coast, wasthat a lot of them started late
in their 40s, you know, whenthey started or 30s, um, and
show and they were smoking me,they were so fast compared to
me, still are like um you know,and they're just yeah, there's
one lady, um, she does a crazyamount of marathons.
(46:34):
I think she's done she's partof the 10 club.
Um at the Gold Coast wherethey've done more than 10
marathons.
Joshie (46:44):
Yeah, be like a Spartan from Melbourne.
Crystal (46:47):
And they yeah, she's done her, I think her and her
partner both have part of this.
They've done 10 Gold Coastmarathons.
Um, and she's just constantlydoing them.
Um and I think, yeah, I don't Idon't want to get her age wrong
though, but yeah, she's I mean,yeah, just in case she listens.
Joshie (47:06):
Um, yeah, you're mentioning before uh Crystal um
about the um yeah, the hopefullythe the lessons that you've
learned and you know that theway that the schools uh provide
support to children has inimproved.
Now the there's one thing Iwouldn't mind exploring with
you.
There was an interesting twistof fate when you uh crossed
(47:27):
paths with one of your teachersin recent years.
What was that moment like foryou, especially given what you
went through as a as a child?
Crystal (47:38):
Yeah, I think it's um it's like proof in the pudding
when I bumped into my gradeseven teacher picking up my um
Gold Coast half number thisyear.
Um he he's also one of myfavorite teachers.
He was amazing and definitely areal mentor to me as a a child.
Um, but he was like, hmm, longdistance running.
(48:02):
I never picked you for that.
Like some people, oh, that'sme.
And I'm like, no, I don't thinkyou understand.
Like as a kid, I was notathletic in any way, shape, or
form.
Um, so his reaction to that iscompletely normal if you'd not
seen me for however many years.
Um, and yeah, I was like, ohyeah, no, I've been doing like
(48:24):
probably like I did my firsthalf in 20 um 15.
Like, no way.
Um, and I think that was, yeah,it was pretty validating.
He he was then picking up hisown.
Matty (48:36):
That's awesome.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Crystal (48:40):
Yeah.
No.
Joshie (48:42):
I love that.
What what a beautiful moment tobe able to it's almost like
re-revisiting your childhood.
Um, and like we all have thosethose things we fantasize about
with being back at school andtelling these teachers either
where to go or showing them, andyou you actually had a chance
to do that, which I think isawesome.
Matty (49:00):
Yeah.
Joshie (49:03):
Yeah.
Um look, before we finish up, Imean you've spoken about what's
um on the horizon for 2027.
What about next year, 2026?
Um, is there anythingrunning-wise that you've got
your site set on?
Crystal (49:15):
Um, yeah, so I really, really want to do an under
two-hour half marathon.
That is my prime goal.
Matty (49:25):
Wow.
Crystal (49:26):
So I think I I could have done it at Gold Coast, um,
but I few I failed my fuelingmassively.
Um just because it was just areally busy day on the Friday.
Um, picking up the race number.
Um, I was on the road workingbefore that, and it was just
chaos, and I just did not eatenough.
(49:47):
Plus, I was staying at mymum's.
It was all I was all out ofwhack.
Um, so halfway through the racewas feeling amazing, and then
just that bonk happened.
Yeah.
Um, and it felt like I wasrunning through swamp um
concrete with concrete legs.
Yeah, it was um and yeah, so II think if I feel correctly, um,
(50:12):
I should be able to do it.
So we'll see, with the the ham,and hopefully the hamstring
doesn't laugh.
I know that I I can't, I've gotto stop overdoing it, and
sometimes you just can't doeverything as much as my brain's
like, ooh, do all the things.
Joshie (50:28):
Um you know, one one thing I think we can be assured
of, Crystal, is that umnotwithstanding the physical
challenges that mentally uhyou're well and truly strong
enough to get uh over the line.
Um yeah, we've we've we'vewe've had a ball speaking with
you, uh Crystal.
Thanks so much for joining uson Run Believable.
You really are a superstar, andwe wish you all the very best
(50:51):
of luck with your future runningand life endeavours.
Thanks you.
Thank you for your time.
Matty (50:55):
Thanks, Crystal.
Joshie (50:56):
Thanks, Crystal.
Well, Maddie, Crystal's storywas truly incredible.
What were you like at schoolsport?
Matty (51:02):
Yeah, not good, mate.
Not good at all.
Um, no ability, no talent.
Um, I'm willing to participatenow and then, but yeah, it was
not my thing.
Joshie (51:13):
You know, I love that Crystal had that little poetic
moment with a teacher later onin life.
What would you say to one ofyour cynical teachers if you saw
them now?
Matty (51:22):
No, I'd love to see them in an event and fly past them.
Look at me now.
Joshie (51:31):
Give some choice words in the process, no doubt.
Um so look, if you've got a RunBelievable story of your own,
we'd love to hear it.
And if you're interested inbeing a guest on the show, then
please hit us up.
And finally, this podcastrelies on your continued
support.
So if you can please take thetime to follow Ray and share
this podcast with your runningmates, we'd really appreciate
(51:52):
it.
And we'll see you for the nextRun Believable Adventure.
Excellent! That's good.
Oh, what's that, Maddie?
Yeah, good, dude.
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