November 4, 2025 • 55 mins
Episode Description
Some runners live for data. Andy Reddiex isn’t one of them.
The chicken-breeding, surfing, DIY-loving accountant has battled abdominal injuries, ankle problems, and even heart surgery; yet somehow keeps running with quiet determination and minimal fanfare. Not on Strava, not chasing medals, just running for the love of it.
In this grounded and inspiring episode of Runbelievable, Joshie and Matty sit down with Andy to talk about resilience, perspective, and how running fits around a full life... not the other way around.
In this episode:
- Overcoming complex foot/ankle injuries
- Returning to running after heart surgery
- Finding purpose beyond Strava and PBs
- Balancing work, projects, and training
- Why sometimes running less can mean living more
Runbelievable: real runners, unreal stories.
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rnblv_official/
Got a Runbelievable story or interested in being a guest on the show? Hit us up on socials or email us at joshua@runbelievable.au
🎧 New episodes drop fortnightly; hit follow so you don’t miss a lap!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Andy (00:07):
U I I did see a specialist um about that and it was I
think she misdiagnosed it in theend.
She basically told me at thetime that I was just uh too weak
on on that side of my body.
Uh weak glutes on that side,weak glutes all around,
actually.
Joshie (00:25):
And tell you what, if someone told me that I had a
weakness, I'd be accusing themof misdiagnosis as well.
Hello everybody and welcome toRun Believable, the podcast
where everyday runners sharetheir not-so-everyday stories.
I'm your host, Josh Christian,and I'm here to bring you
stories of grit, glory, andovercoming adversity.
(00:47):
Each episode we'll dive deepinto what first got people
running and what kept themlacing up day after day.
From the laughs and the lessonsto unnecessary ambulance calls,
Maddie, we're here to sharewhat makes running a truly human
experience.
And later in this episode,you'll meet a runner who reckons
it's driver is for losers andwould rather ask someone face to
(01:09):
face how their run went.
What?
In all seriousness, he is asuperhuman and has a comeback
story that must be heard to bebelieved.
Maddie, welcome back.
How are you doing?
Matty (01:20):
Yeah, thanks, Justy.
Yeah, good, good.
Um I you may not have realised,but I've I did end up taking
three days off running thisweek, um, which is the longest
break I've had in probably 12months.
Um so I'll get back into ittomorrow.
But I'm feeling quiterefreshed.
It was quite empowering makingthe decision just to have a
couple of days off to recover.
Joshie (01:40):
I can only assume that someone locked the house from
the outside.
I can't imagine.
You don't get out for a run.
Quite incredible.
Matty (01:47):
Yeah, yeah.
So I'm I'll meet you for it,trust me.
Joshie (01:52):
And just when you have thought you're about to get out
for a run, you jump onto a callwith me and uh guest that's
waiting.
Gosh, way to hold you up evenlonger.
Matty (02:02):
That's good fun.
Joshie (02:03):
It is indeed.
Now, look, let's get into theunbelievable rundown.
And just a reminder, this iswhere we share highlights,
mishaps, and little wins, thekind of stuff that Strava simply
can't capture.
Now, Maddie, as you know, I'vereally been struggling for
running motivation of late so Idecided to take it to our
community and I posted a pollabout motivation.
(02:26):
Just to see if anyone elsestruggles to get themselves out
onto the running track from timeto time, and I was actually
incredibly surprised.
I thought that it might beclose to a 50-50 split, but we
had about 89% of people thatresponded saying that they also
find it tough from time to timeto the to get the motivation to
(02:46):
run.
Um which camp would you fallinto?
Matty (02:50):
Um I I don't have that issue in terms of motivation,
and I think um it's somethingthat I I did initially going
back when I first startedrunning.
Um because you know, when youwhen you first start running, it
it's a tough sport, it's ithurts.
Um it's like physical being inQueensland as well, it can be
quite hot.
Um so it can, yeah, that thatmotivation, lack of motivation
(03:14):
can be there.
But I just went off the rule ofconsistency, um, consistency
breach habit.
So um I don't have any problemnow.
Even when um like we come tothis part of the year where all
the major events are over um andit's coming into the warmer
months.
I I don't need something towork towards to actually go out
there and run.
(03:34):
Um you know, it's a bit moreunstructured, but um I'm
motivated to do it most days.
So yeah.
Joshie (03:43):
You always look so chipper whenever we get out
there for a run, you're supermotivated, and you're also
you're also pretty good at ummotivating those around you.
Um yeah, in particular, inparticular your your kids, uh
from from what I know, you'rethere going, We are the perries,
we never quit.
I need your ad gifts.
Matty (04:07):
It becomes real.
Joshie (04:09):
From what Nat was telling me, I think he said
something a lot along the linesof what would Ned Brockman do?
Matty (04:14):
Like, Yeah, yeah.
I I think that was a parkrunmorning where they just didn't
want to go to parkrun, so I juststarted chanting.
Joshie (04:21):
Um Well, Maddie, I'm sure you're more than happy to
offer your services to anyonethat's listening now.
Look, if you've got anythingthat you'd like to contribute to
the Runbelievable rundown, thensend it our way.
Okay, Maddie, we have a brandnew game today, and for this
you'll need, I really shouldhave given you a heads up, a pen
(04:42):
and paper.
Matty (04:44):
Lucky I'm organized, Josh.
I've got that.
Joshie (04:46):
I have no doubt, and I'm sure you've got some kind of um
folio set up for different tabsfor one for the quiz, one for
the Run Believable, write downone for our guests.
Um, yes, if anyone's listeningand wants to play along, I do
suggest having a pen and paperhandy or just an incredibly good
working memory.
So take your pick.
Today's game is calledSoulmates.
(05:08):
Now, Maddie, what I'm going toneed you to do is write down two
separate lists.
At the moment, they'reunrelated.
So list one is an athlete.
And list two will be shoesponsor.
I'm sure you can see where thisis going.
Write down the following namesunder the athletes list.
(05:30):
And added us.
(06:23):
Now what you need to do is pairthe runner with their soulmate.
Got it?
Yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
Now, whilst Maddie's feverishlygoogling, I'd like to give a
shout out to a handful oflisteners that we have in the
US.
Now, having had a sneak peek atour data, we have a few
(06:47):
listeners in the states ofVirginia and Minnesota.
So if you are indeed tuning infrom that part of the world, we
would love to hear from you.
So hit us up on Instagram andlet us know that you're out
there, and we'll even give you ashout-out on the show.
Now, how are you going there,Maddie?
(07:07):
Did you need a little bit moretime?
So what I'll do is I'll readout those names again and you
tell me who you got as thesponsor.
Matty (07:22):
Jess Halloween.
And there was no Googlingeither, by the way.
Joshie (07:30):
Jess Hell and I'm Genevieve Gregson.
You don't want to be AndyBuchanan.
Lisa Waiteman.
Matty (07:41):
Puma?
Joshie (07:43):
Gow gout.
Ellie Pashley.
Leaning.
You got three from six, Maddie.
So the ones that you got wrongwere Genevieve Gregson, she's
sponsored by Puma.
Matty (07:58):
Okay.
Joshie (07:58):
Lisa Waiteman is Leaning.
And that's a relatively newdeal that I believe only started
a couple of months ago.
And Ellie Pashley is sponsoredby New Balance.
Matty (08:09):
Okay.
Joshie (08:10):
What did you think?
Matty (08:11):
Yeah, I got them back to front.
I knew it was in terms of Pumaand New Balance.
I knew it was either GenevieveGregson or did I have who was
the other one?
Anyway, yeah, I I I kind ofknew it was one or the other.
But I just went for the wrongone.
So and the reason I knew is Iknow that one of them has been
(08:33):
on another podcast and wastalking about um becoming a new
mother and coming back that thatsponsor had stuck by her the
whole time.
So um yeah.
Joshie (08:44):
I don't think I like how proud of myself.
I love tripping off aninterest.
This is your happen often.
Matty (08:51):
It's not gonna happen.
That's why you keep changingthe games.
Joshie (08:53):
Of course, because I know that what you do in the
meantime is you bone up onwhatever it is that the topic.
I'm like, no, I'm not gonnamake it that easy for you.
Uh I'll be honest, I hadn'theard of leaning.
Like when I um was doing myresearch and I found out that
Lisa Waiteman was sponsored byLeaning, I was like, I have not
even heard of them.
Matty (09:11):
Yeah, yeah, I've heard of them.
They've been around for it,they've been around for a bit.
Um there's a cup there's acouple of brands out there that
you probably like they're notbrands that we would ever come
across that I'm aware of thatthat are bringing out racing
shoes.
So it's interesting.
It is.
Joshie (09:29):
So just a quick recap, Maddie got three out of six for
our brand new game, Soulmates.
How did you go at home?
Feel free to let us know.
Today's guest is Loki, perhapsAustralia's greatest
overachiever.
A truly versatile human, he'snot obsessed by running, but
he's darn good at it though.
Despite battling complexinjuries and one hell of a
(09:51):
health scare recently, hecontinues to show what's
possible with quietdetermination.
Now, he's not someone to make asong and dance about his life,
so we're gonna do that for him.
Please let's welcome thechicken breeding surfing
building running accountant,Andy Rediex.
Andy (10:08):
Andy, welcome.
Thank you guys.
I'm really happy to be part ofyour program as I've listened to
a few of your guests so far anduh been some amazing stories
come out of it.
Joshie (10:18):
Oh, cool.
Did I miss anything in theintro with you with your with
your multi multifaceted traits?
Andy (10:26):
I think well, I don't think you missed anything about
the multifaceted traits.
I think you might have beefedthem up just a little bit more
than they actually are.
But anyway, I'll take it.
I'll take it.
Joshie (10:36):
I did say that he wasn't one to make a song and dance
about his life.
Um but look, uh, let's kickthings off, and you know that we
like to get a bit cheeky.
How's the marathon prep going?
Andy (10:45):
Oh yes, yes.
Look, it's uh it's a long,long, long, long road for me
because uh I haven't even got amarathon in my uh in my uh
foreseeable future.
Joshie (10:56):
But you realise that's like a it's a not so subtle way
of trying to convince people togive it a go.
You just say, How's the prepgoing?
Or um if you had to do amarathon, which one would it be?
Andy (11:07):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I heard you guys with Ashleyand uh I probably should
probably stay away from thatthat type of question.
But um no look, um honestly, umI never ever thought I'd ever
run a marathon.
It's been a fleeting um thoughtonce in a while, but then I
have a look at how much work'sinvolved and how much
(11:28):
discipline's involved and um thenutrition that's that's
required.
And um you know, I guess if Iever going to if I'm ever going
to do one, it would have to I'dhave to be ready.
And and right right now, umit's it's not in my it's not in
my future.
Um doesn't mean that it neverwill be, but um I think it's
(11:49):
also good to just point out thatum you know for people that um
your listeners maybe thatmarathons although they're
regarded as the pinnacle,they're not everything in
running, you you don't have toum you don't have to jump in and
and and run marathons.
If 5k is all you've got in youand all you ever want to do,
then that's fabulous.
Matty (12:09):
Yeah, I t I totally agree with that, and I think you have
to you have to be in the rightmindset in terms of yes, I want
to go and run a marathon,because as you mentioned, that
commitment with training,nutrition, um it's a massive
commitment um and can be veryhard to sort of fit around your
your your daily life um you knowresponsibilities.
So yeah, yeah, I I agree.
Andy (12:32):
You know, I think um and I would have a very supportive
partner, obviously Jen um isvery supportive of everything I
do, um and and more more so thanthan than I would think most
people are uh but at this atthis point it's just it's not
part of my uh not part of myimmediate future, let's just say
(12:52):
that.
Joshie (12:52):
Yeah.
It's certainly not somethingyou want to go into lightly.
Uh I know a lot of people thatit's been a one and done, and to
the point where they actuallyhaven't run ever again.
There's uh two or three peopleI know of that ran either Gold
Coast, uh actually no, they ranBrisbane Marathon, and I thought
that they were just joking.
(13:13):
They finished the race, theythrew their shoes in the
Brisbane River and basically runagain.
Yeah, yeah.
Two two people I know very wellum had that as their
experience.
And so yeah, you certainlydon't want to um want to take it
lightly.
Um now, Andy, when did runningfirst feature in your life?
Uh are you a new runner or haveyou run since your youth?
Andy (13:35):
Look, look, it um I'm gonna it's relatively new.
Um when I say that I used toenjoy uh cross countries at
school.
Right.
Um and and the odd track event,I wasn't fast.
I used to run the 800 or tryout for the 800 metres.
Most of the time I didn't makeit.
Um and when I ran the crosscountry at school, I didn't make
(13:59):
the the the school craftscompany team a cross country
team either, but um but I two ofmy mates did and the coach
allowed me to train to trainwith them at lunchtime.
Um and in the end he ended uptaking me to one of the
interschool uh cross countriesand um I really enjoyed it.
It wasn't too far away, it wasat Bunyaville, State Forest.
Matty (14:20):
Okay.
Andy (14:20):
Um and I ended up um beating two of the guys that
made the team officially um andand I s and the third of the six
there were six of us all up,and the third guy was only not
far in front of me.
So it was a fairly uh it was areally good experience.
Um but uh fast forward um Idon't remember doing any running
(14:42):
then after school um at all umuntil uh it was 40 I was in my
mid-40s in 2011 um and I wasworking with uh a company who
decided to enter a team in theBridge to Brisbane in 2011.
Matty (14:58):
Okay.
Andy (14:59):
Um and that they actually hired a coach to come in, I
think it was twice a week, andon a Tuesday and a Thursday for
uh maybe uh the best part ofthree months in the lead up to
Bridge to Brisbane.
And I kind of signed up to bepart of that, and um after the
first training session, I wish Ididn't.
(15:20):
I have never been so sore, andthis is honest God truth.
I have never been so sore inall my life after that first
training session, and I didn'tthink it was anything hard.
Um I I guess um I had um Ialways thought I was active, but
but I didn't really wasn't intoany real sport.
(15:41):
I had the kids at the time, andyou know, they were the focus,
and um you know uh so I didn'tthink I'd be as bad as I was,
and I didn't actually think thesession was that hard.
He had a few runs, a fewexercises, a few other drills,
and that night I got home and II could already feel my legs
starting to seize up by the nextby the next morning.
(16:03):
Every muscle in my body was wasfrozen, and I had a I ended up
having a hot bath and I'mthinking I was laying in the
bath and I'm going I don't knowwhether I can get out of this
bath.
Um how how bad would it be if Ijust let myself slip under the
water and just go out peacefullybecause I was in so much agony.
(16:24):
So I I definitely missed thenext training session because I
could hardly walk, but I endedup going the next one after that
the following week.
So uh that was that sort of gotme back into running, but not
um not in a uh uh I guess um away of but where it became part
(16:46):
of my life um as a in a in a bigway.
Um I ended up um uh doing a lotmore hiking.
I got in with a group offriends who loved hiking and um
and we did a lot of hikes.
Um I did the odd run here andthere, but I and I did an odd
unofficial park run.
Um and I uh I did I think Iofficially joined Parkrun in
(17:10):
2016 and I did but again I wasjust very sporadic.
I I would um go one week andthen not go for six and
depending on whether we werehiking or not.
Um and we were actually we'dmade the commitment to um train
for the Kokoda Challenge on theGold Coast I'd love to do that
(17:31):
in 2018, so we were just hikingweekends, weeknights, um uh and
just uh trying to get our bodiesready for that 98 kilometers.
And um and I guess it was atthe end of that after we
completed that um hike I Idecided that I wanted to keep
(17:51):
that fitness up.
Um and that's probably when Ijumped back into running on a
more regular basis.
Um I started running park runsa lot more um lot more
frequently and regularly.
Um and um I guess it sort ofwent from there.
So um 2011 sort of got me backin, but it was 20 and 2016 I did
(18:14):
my first park run, but actuallyit was not until 2018 that I
became a regular runner.
Joshie (18:20):
Okay.
So does that mean you ran a uh10k before a five then?
So did you was that oh wow.
So what so how did you end upgoing in uh 2011 at Bridge to
Brisbane?
Andy (18:30):
Uh look, I I think I went fairly well.
Uh I I and it was a I think Iended up doing f just under 54
minutes, I think fifty-three,fifty-one was the time.
I don't know why I rememberthat, but I do.
Um so um, you know, I didn'tthink that was and I ran all the
way um with sort of you knowthat that 12 weeks of training.
(18:52):
Um so I was pretty pleased withit, and uh, you know,
obviously, you know, it was a itwas a big achievement at the
time.
Um you know, I'm I don't uh I'mnot the fastest runner in the
world, but I I don't like tostop if I can avoid it.
Um I like to accept on trails,that's a different story, but um
but I I pretty determined totry to to uh you know to to not
(19:14):
not have to walk um if I can.
I not that there's anythingwrong with that, it's just
that's just that my psyche, Ijust I prefer to run really slow
than walk.
Matty (19:24):
I think I think one of the other things too that people
may not realise, or especiallypeople um like ourselves who run
quite regularly, um 10k is notan easy feat.
Um you know, even 5k and and itsort of brought me me home when
you look at all the people thatare training for um using couch
to 5k, um it's a massiveachievement to run 5k.
(19:46):
Um and that can't be that can'tbe sort of overlooked.
That has to I try to keep thatin my mind all the time because
you know it's it's not easy.
Andy (19:55):
No, and it 100% right, and there's a I think that Couch to
5k was is a great program, andand I I've met a few people who
have started running that way.
Um so you know it's a reallygood uh a good initiative um to
get people you know, at leastsampling the sport.
Um as you guys know, running'snot for everybody, and it it
(20:16):
does come with its fair share ofchallenges and injuries,
particularly if you try to gotoo hard too soon and things
like that.
But um, you know, the the 5k umis is a is a hard event, um
irrespective.
Um so yeah, I think uh youknow, I think anyone who can
just get out and start to and doa bit of bit of running it,
(20:37):
it's uh it's just better for it.
Joshie (20:40):
Yeah.
You mentioned injury and youcertainly had uh your fair share
of late.
It was only, I think, maybethree or four years ago that you
were battling quite a complexabdominal injury and that was
followed not long after by afoot injury.
Um what can you tell us aboutthat time?
Andy (21:00):
Uh look, it was um the the first um the the abdominal
injury didn't really affect myrunning per se.
Um but I it was actually veryuh uncomfortable at times if I I
would off if I sneezed, and Ithink Josh, you've had some
issues as well with withabdominal uh issues, but um you
(21:23):
know sometimes I could justsneeze and and my this this it
was just like a massive crampwould lock on and uh it was
happened at the most uminconvenient times while you
were driving.
You didn't have to sneeze, thatwas just one of the things that
seemed to trigger it.
Um if I was I used to surf alittle bit, I couldn't even lay
on the surfboard and try to propfrom from the the the laying
(21:46):
position to the standingposition without without that um
stomach just sort of lockingup.
Um it's quite painful and ittakes a while to let go.
Um you've really got to breathethrough it.
Um so that that um I I I didsee a specialist um about that
and it was I think shemisdiagnosed it in the end, but
(22:08):
uh well she did misdiagnose it,I I believe, but um she
basically told me at the timethat I was just uh too weak on
on that side of my body.
Uh weak glutes on that side,weak glutes all around actually.
Joshie (22:24):
And I tell you what, if someone told me that I had a
weakness, I'd be accusing themof misdiagnosis as well.
Andy (22:29):
That's right.
Well, the funny thing is Iactually she got me doing and I
don't not um regret going toher, um she got me doing some
some unilateral exercises so Icould work on, you know, single
leg stuff and and um other corework.
But in the end it didn't makeany difference to the to the
(22:50):
stomach.
Um and I ended up uh had anultrasound done sometimes.
She had she had sent me for anultrasound, but she had her had
herself convinced that the issuewas in my lower back.
And I kept saying it's not inmy lower back, it's in my it's
in it's definitely in my lowerabdominal region.
(23:10):
And so when I went for theoriginal ultrasound, they didn't
actually scan that area and itcame up with nothing.
Uh and then I went back to a GPoh look maybe 12 months later
because I was still having someproblems, and I said, I just
need another I need a scan.
I want to get a scan um becauseI was still having some issues.
And it turned out it was uh aninjury that I'd done some quite
(23:33):
some time ago, but it was atear, and what had happened was
I'd been it it was a a a tearthat would then heel then tear
again, then heel then tearagain, then heel and tear again.
And that's why it was sort of alittle bit intermittent.
Um, but he could see there wasa lot of evidence of scar tissue
around um around that.
Um thankfully I've I seem tohave overcome that in the main.
(23:55):
Um having said that I did havea little a little hit the other
day, um, which was probably thefirst one for a while, but um I
ha I've been doing a lot ofstrength, other strength work as
well.
Uh I had been, and um I'd kindof let that slip in the last
three months.
So I put it I put it down to tothat um because it was do I was
(24:16):
doing a lot of core work um andnow I've been lazy for three
months and it's gonna come backand bite me, so I need to go
back to the gym.
Joshie (24:24):
Gosh.
And so no sooner had you uhmanaged to work through the that
abdominal complaint that youhad, uh from what I know is
quite a complex foot issue.
Um serves correctly, you you'reeither seeing a specialist or
potentially even booked in forsurgery when you went, No, I'm
actually going to find an evenmore extreme reason to take a a
(24:48):
break from from running umrunning.
What what what do you rememberabout um sort of when you f when
you fell short of breath thattime?
I think you mentioned to me itwas you're at work or yeah.
Andy (24:59):
Yeah, look, it was um I I guess it was a it was a
double-edged sword to a degree.
Um I'd had a a plantar fasciaissue on my left foot, which a
lot of runners get.
Um and um you know it it wasn'ttoo bad, but it wasn't going
away, and and uh you know, afterI I didn't feel it while I ran
(25:20):
or anything like that, but thenext morning it was really hard
to walk.
Um and uh I was getting sometreatment for that and the the
podiatrist kind of said, Look,you the treatment's not it's not
really it's working, but not soI gave up running for four
months.
That was that was a plant offascia on the left foot.
(25:41):
So I stopped running for fourmonths and I and I went swimming
uh instead um just to try andkeep some sort of cardio going.
And I and at that stage Ididn't I wasn't real a big fan
of swimming.
Um I'm not a good swimmer, butI actually started to enjoy
swimming.
I I hated it as a kid, but Istarted to enjoy it in more
recent times.
So so I so and yep, I Iactually recovered completely
(26:06):
from the left foot and got backinto running and I seem to hit
get up back up to speed quitequickly.
Um I'd been swimming four timesa week, so I think the cardio
was was there.
I just needed to get a bit ofuh I guess muscle memory back in
the legs.
Um and then in uh was it justover just over or not last year,
(26:29):
20 what are we in now?
2023, 20 at the end of 22, I'dhad a really good year of
running and I uh I noticed myleft foot.
Um sorry, the plantar fasciawas originally in my right foot,
and then I noticed a verysimilar feeling in my left foot,
in fact it was worse.
Matty (26:48):
Oh no.
Andy (26:49):
Um and anyway, I went back to the podiatrist, we started
the shockwave therapy again,which and the treatment, which
actually helped with the rightfoot, but uh it wasn't doing
anything at all with the left.
Uh, and then I had some scanson that, and there were two
actual tears in the plantarfascia this time.
The other one was only athickening and a swelling, it
wasn't um it wasn't torn.
(27:10):
So uh that out of action again,and that was seven months, and
I was just starting to comegood.
I'd been to a specialist, asyou said, Josh.
I went to see a specialistabout that.
Um, and uh I guess long storyshort, basically he said all
they do is cut the tendon.
(27:31):
Um, and I'm going, really?
Is it is that all you say,yeah, just to take the pain
away.
And I'm thinking, but surelythe tendon serves some purpose.
You know, and he's just going,we just cut the tendon.
And I and by the time I got into see him, my foot was starting
to I felt it had turned acorner, we're just starting to
feel a bit better.
And and then he told me whatthe price of it was for the
(27:53):
operation.
I said, that's alright.
I'll I'm I'll give it anotherfew months and we'll be right.
And anyway, the the foot didcome good, and the physios and
that just said to you I couldstart running again.
Um but just before I startedrunning again, I'd I'd had a I
went for a I'd been swimming asI s again, um and I'd uh went
(28:16):
for a swim in the pool onenight.
It was in June, um um just overtwo years ago, and um I I in
the two weeks prior I'd done myfastest laps in the pool and I
was swimming you know one and ahalf Ks and I was and I felt
really good.
I got in the pool two weeksafter I'd done my fastest laps
(28:37):
and it was just hard.
Like it the first lap just feltlike I I felt a little bit of a
funny feeling down the lefthand side, but I I didn't take
much notice of it.
Um I just thought it had gotcold, the winter the the weather
had turned a little colder andso I uh I just got uh I thought
(28:57):
maybe something my body'sadjusting to the colder
temperature.
I I don't know, but but then umthe physios had said to me when
I to start running again, justto sort of run, you know,
hundred metres on, hundredmetres off, or just run four
hundred metres, just nothingmajor, just start putting a bit
of load on your foot.
And I think it was about uhabout two or three days after
(29:19):
I'd had that swim, I went for umum a run, or tried to go for a
run just around one lap aroundthe oval was what I wanted to do
near March and Park, and uh Igot I would say 150 metres into
that run and I just had thisracking pain down my left arm
and just shorter breath and andit sort of then started to make
(29:43):
sense about what happened in thepool.
Um and I'm sort of thinking,Oh, you know, this is a classic
symptom but I but you know whatI ignored it, and the reason and
it's and it's uh I kind of knewit all along, but I ignored it
for a while because I'd had alot of trouble with my neck, and
(30:03):
I was I kind of said, Oh, maybethere's a nerve being pinched
off.
Or something getting pinched inmy from my neck and that's
affecting giving me this paindown the left hand side.
Anyway, I I saw about I don'tknow, I went massage, I went to
um uh remedial uh therapists, Iwent to physios, uh I had an MRI
done on the neck, and probablytwo or three weeks later, or you
(30:27):
know, no more than a monthlater, the neck had come really
good, and I went for another runjust around home.
And uh I got 40 seconds intothe run.
Sorry guys.
Uh it's a little triggering.
Matty (30:49):
Yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure.
Andy (30:52):
And then it just racked me with pain again.
Um and I knew then.
Jen had a friend that she wentto boot camp with who who worked
for uh in the cardiologysection and Jen Ranger that
night.
And in the end I ended up goingto I couldn't get into my GP, I
just went and she recommendedanother guy who I got into and
(31:14):
and he's basically he said to mehe booked me in for a
specialist, um, he gave me um uha couple of I might have been
just taste start taking someaspirin.
Um but he said if you if youfeel anywhere you go straight to
the hospital, straight toemergency.
I managed to get into thespecialist fairly quickly.
(31:35):
Um and I guess um you know I II had a fairly healthy lifestyle
at that stage.
I was eating reasonably well,um active yeah, active um no
well I didn't think there wasany history of heart disease in
our family.
Um and even the the specialistjust he kind of after I told him
what was going on, he says it'sjust a classic angina symptom.
Matty (31:58):
Yeah, okay.
Andy (31:59):
Um they booked me in about three or four days later for an
angiogram.
Um I think they I was the lastone on the list.
I think they thought it wouldjust be an easy stent.
Um anyway, I the prep for theangiogram was longer than the
actual angiogram.
Um it was um I was only on thetable for I don't know, felt
like only about 30 seconds, andthey've they've called, you
(32:22):
know, someone else came in andbasically um uh they've after
that they've come out and said,Oh, this the heart surgeon will
be up to see you in a in a fewminutes.
Matty (32:32):
Wow, yeah.
Andy (32:33):
So I had a uh blockage in in the arteries in uh left aorta
um the left ventricle.
Um and it's it's an arterycalled the widowmaker.
Um my blockage was twofold.
There it the that uh particularartery splits into two.
(32:53):
Um one goes to the top of theheart and one goes to the
bottom, and I had a 90% blockagein the on the on the side going
to the bottom and a 70% blockum going to the top.
And I just couldn't believe itbecause up until up until uh you
know that few weeks before thatI I had no inkling and you know
(33:18):
nothing felt at all difficultor wrong.
I just sat one night I went tothe pool and and yeah, that it
that was it.
So um that was uh you know,within a couple of days I was in
surgery and um double bypassand yeah.
Joshie (33:33):
Wow, yeah.
Yeah it's what you're saying,um, you know, that you you've
lived a very healthy, activelifestyle as well.
So it would have c you know,you're doing all the right
things and yeah, I guess itreally caught you by surprise
that you would have foundyourself um suddenly on the on
the op table.
I mean, without any time toprepare and without really much
(33:53):
in the way of warning signs aswell.
Andy (33:55):
Yeah, yeah, no, that's um I mean I think that's the best
way for it to happen, to behonest.
I didn't want any time to thinkabout it.
Um so um the quicker it thebetter for me.
And uh I mean um uh as it turnsout my and I knew my um my um
grandfather on my father's side,um he died I never met him, he
(34:18):
died when my dad was only sixand it was an undiagnosed death.
Uh but but thinking about itnow was likely that he he had
heart um heart condition aswell.
Matty (34:29):
So um yeah.
Andy (34:32):
That's uh you know, so I guess in the end I was uh out of
running for another another uhthree or four months.
Um so in the in the end I itwas a it was actually a full
twelve months um off runningbetween the between the uh the
the tear the tears in theplanter and uh and the um and
the heart surgery.
(34:53):
So yeah.
Matty (34:54):
That's not that long though, really, when you think
about open heart surgery for acondition and then your other
injuries.
Um yeah, you came back I'd soI'd say that's quite quick.
Andy (35:07):
Funny, Maddie, that it's funny to think that the actual
plant of fascia injury or ortears took me out of running
longer than the heart surgerybecause I was back I had the
heart surgery in August.
Um I was back home out ofhospital in a week.
One of the things they tell youto do is to walk.
Matty (35:27):
Yeah, that's right.
Andy (35:33):
And I did their cardiac rehab program and I actually had
to be pulled back just a littlebit.
Um they put you on a treadmilland tell you to walk and then
they tell you to run, and youknow, I I was I was itching to
run again because I had been outfor so long, you know, so I'm
I'm getting into it.
And uh anyway, they they putthe the when it took my all
(35:53):
these um tests and it turned outthat um you know there was
still swelling around my heart,so the and so the the blood flow
my high my low blood pressurelevel was too high.
It wasn't it wasn't um itwasn't allowed.
I was because there was so muchpressure around the heart from
the swelling, it was pushing thethe blood pressure up.
(36:13):
So I had to back it off.
Um, you know, um back it offfor a while and just ease back.
Um for me I had no thought ofever giving up.
It was um uh my my thought wasjust I want to get back to
running.
Um it was a really big part ofmy life at that stage and um and
clearly running gave me a lot.
(36:35):
Um you know um I I obviouslymet my the love of my life, Jen,
through running, and um youknow, and so uh running means an
awful lot to me, um, eventhough I don't describe myself
as uh an avid uh I mean I don'tfollow uh you know, this is
gonna sound pretty bad, but Idon't follow running as a sport.
(36:57):
I don't I would you could tellme apart from gout gout, I
probably don't know too manyAustralian running athletes.
Um so um I mean I might know afew a couple, but but you know,
when when we go to training andand you know the coach mentions
so and so had a great run, I'mgoing, who's so-and-so?
You know, so I don't I don'tfollow it uh uh like like um as
(37:18):
an and so you know I don'tregard myself as a am I a
runner?
I run for for me, I suppose,rather than uh it's a it's an
enjoyment.
Matty (37:30):
You're definitely a runner.
I mean you uh you've you've runmany half marathons, you've run
many different events and youtrain and you run park run, it's
just you do it for you and youdo it you do it different to I I
guess everyone could possiblydo it a bit differently.
Um you know I read a lot, Iresearch a lot, that sort of
thing, but you know, it's uh uhI run for what running gives me
(37:52):
as well.
So that's the I think that'sthe really important point is it
gives everyone something.
Um you know, and it's differentfor each person.
Joshie (38:00):
Yeah, I mean lifting sorry, go on Josh.
I was just gonna say, um, youknow, you're you're not very
active on social meat socialmedia, so it's very difficult to
get a sense for for how you'regoing just through the I guess
what's um published um publicly.
Uh do you ever get sick ofpeople asking why you're not on
Strava?
Andy (38:18):
Uh no, not too many people ask me anymore.
I mean uh I obviously I obviousI have a joke with Jen every
once in a while and say, well,obviously I don't run because
I'm not on Strava.
Um so I can't be a runner, youknow.
Uh and I actually said to Jenuh a couple of times, oh I
suppose I should go on Strava,and she said, What for?
And I've gone, yeah, okay, whatfor?
Joshie (38:40):
A lot of people have you know that have been through
challenges in their lives thathave seen them take an extended
absence from running.
Like you have uh one of thefirst things they do is they get
back on Strava and because theyrely on that sort of community
support to help motivate them,you know, first run since heart
surgery or first walk sinceheart surgery.
But you've sort of gone aboutthis very quietly.
(39:03):
I mean, your determination andyour resilience uh has largely
come from within.
Um how have you found thestrength, Andy, to do that?
Andy (39:14):
Um Josh that it's um I was a loner when I was a teenager,
um, and so I wasn't particularlysocial.
It's not that I I was very shyactually.
Um and so I found um I guesssolace in hobbies um and and
interests.
(39:34):
And so uh, you know, I I hadtrouble talking to people.
I you know, I got I don't I Iwon't s I don't suffer from I
won't say I suffer from mentalhealth issues in any in any way,
shape, or form, certainly notlike a lot of people.
I did have a fairly high levelof anxiety when I was younger.
I still do, um but I youlearned I don't think it was a
(39:59):
debilitating form, so it wasjust, you know, I was shy and I
had to overcome a few things andand just trying to try and
change it, change your life asbut as I got older you you kind
of tend to I I managed to beable to sort of um overcome a
lot of that anxiety, still feelit, but but overcome and can
deal with it a lot better thanthan I did then.
(40:21):
But one of the things that thatdid lead to, I guess that that
shyness was just this um I c Isuppose it's to a degree a
little bit selfish, you just youkind of look after yourself,
um, you bury yourself andimmerse yourself in your own
interests and hobbies.
And so finding the strengthagain um to to get back up and
(40:44):
and and go again, um it for meeverything I've done in my life
has been I've not been a naturalat anything and my it's only my
determination and that has gothas helped me get through some
of that lack of natural ability.
(41:05):
Um and so I'm a determinedlittle shit um when I when I put
my mind to it and that's andthat's the that's what I guess
drives me.
Um you know, and even when itcomes to it, I don't apart from
I've got some great friends fromrunning.
Um and um I've met some youknow some of them are best
(41:26):
friends actually throughrunning.
Um but I still prefer to run onmy own most of the time.
Yeah, and that's uh that's Ifind that a little strange, um,
but there's just something forme about running on my own.
Um doing doing it by myself.
Um I have no doubt I'd be abetter runner if I let more
(41:49):
people in and ran with morepeople.
I think I'd be a better runner,but I just there's something
about running on on my own umfor me that um that you know
just I don't know, it's just afeeling.
Um I I just enjoy my own my ownspace.
Um and uh you know, I I find umI find that you know for the
(42:12):
first if I'm doing a sort of a10k run or something like that
for the first 5k I'm usuallyprocessing the day or the week
or whatever, but after that it'sjust becomes you know, uh
you're just on the run, you yourmind clears all of a sudden.
It's uh it's uh you know, it'sa great stress release.
Um but it just I might it'sthere's only two things that
(42:34):
I've ever done that I can sayare kind of like meditation.
Um one's running at sort ofthat f after about 5k when your
mind starts to just go, I'm justgonna run, I'm just gonna focus
on the breathing.
And the other thing is surfing,just surfing, sitting out on
the water.
Um you don't even have to becatching waves, but just sitting
out in the ocean, bobbing up onthe water is something else
(42:57):
that um seems to calm and quellmy mind and stops it from
working because otherwise mymind is going a million miles an
hour.
Joshie (43:05):
It's interesting, um and by the way, I think you're
selling yourself short withsaying that you're not you don't
have natural talents.
Um I think you probably havethat and the internal fortitude
and drive to to achieve, whichis fantastic.
And with what you've gonethrough, and whether it's
running or your recovery fromheart surgery, most people would
(43:26):
really struggle to do that ontheir own.
So for example, um I preferrunning with people because
sometimes it helps with thoseyou know negative voices that
creep into your head, and it canbe hard to switch that off, but
you seem to be totally at peacewith that.
Whether or not you you havethose voices that try and you
know talk you out of something,I I don't know, but you if you
(43:48):
do, you must do a pretty goodjob of telling them to shut the
hell up.
Andy (43:55):
Yeah, yeah.
I guess uh um yeah, I I don'tum yeah, I try not to listen to
those voices too much and Idon't really get them um too
much.
Uh as I said, I I I oftenprocess some stuff um while I'm
running.
Could I have done thisdifferently, could I done this
better, what how what happenedat work today, but that only
(44:16):
happens for the first you knowfour or five K and then it goes.
So for me it's then just a it'salmost a meditation.
Um yeah.
So but I'm not a verydisciplined runner.
Um I don't um you know if it ifit wasn't the wasn't for for
Jen who Jen's quite disciplinedand she'll if I get up in the
(44:38):
morning and and I go, Oh, Idon't feel like running, if I
was on my own, I wouldn't go.
Um whereas Jen's Jen would sayshe if she's made up her mind to
to to go for a run, um doesn'tmatter how she feels in the
morning when she wakes up,she'll she'll get up and go.
So things like um the thetraining groups and park run um
(45:00):
I actually need those things,even though I said I'm
determined, I'm also I can bevery easily um go, oh I don't
feel like it today, and if Idon't feel like it I can but
park run and in training um forme are are good in that they're
the two times a week that that Iactually have to go, so I make
myself go.
Um and then you know I runother times I try to run if I
(45:23):
feel like it.
There are some days you justabsolutely feel like a run.
Come home from work and theafternoon looks beautiful and
you go, Oh, I just want to runtoday.
Joshie (45:33):
You seem Andy to be at peace one way or another.
For some people that it'salmost an obsession and they
they have to run, whereas foryou it seems like you're you see
it as an opportunity and youwant to grab that opportunity if
it's there, but you're alsototally okay if if it doesn't
eventuate.
Andy (45:50):
Yeah, yeah, I I'm I'm pretty uh good uh at that.
Um I do enjoy running when uhmost of the time, but yeah, once
I get make the effort to getout and do it, um it's um and I
am totally at peace with look,I'm not training for anything
and and you know it's adifferent story if you're
training for uh something in inparticular, you you've got it
(46:12):
you've got a uh you've got toput in the yards and um and um
you know um you know I heard uhmighty mark talk about the one
per one percenters and thingslike that and and very very
important one percenters ifyou're looking for you know
great performance and andwhatever and and so it depends
on what you accept or want orhappy to accept.
(46:34):
Um so uh for me it's it's yeahI I've had don't get me wrong,
and there's there's I'm verycompetitive with myself and
sometimes I I'm absolutelywanting to beat times and and
then other days I just want toget out and have a run and enjoy
it.
Um so uh you know, and the twothe two runs that I remember
(46:55):
most and probably uh my twofavoured runs were completely
different in how I went aboutboth of them.
Joshie (47:02):
Okay.
You know, Andy, most peoplethat I've spoken to when they've
had an extended absence fromrunning, whether it's due to a
physical injury or um a healthscare, in fact, you've had both
of those of like they talk aboutthe struggle to overcome the I
guess the um mentally toovercome what they've been
(47:26):
through rather than physically.
It seems to me that you reallyhaven't found it difficult to
get back into running mentally,but physically it's sort of
that's what you've um found moreof an obstacle.
Andy (47:40):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Um mentally I I was ready torun, like I I I just wanted to
run.
Um and I couldn't wait to getback to it after the hearts.
Well, I mean, I'd been out for12 months, you know, and I'd run
a f been doing events,different events, trail series,
half marathons, um 10Ks, um, inthat previous year.
(48:02):
Um and um I was just keen toget back out there and and you
know I was uh you know, Ienjoyed the swimming when I
could do it, but I just wantedto um I just felt like I wanted
to run.
You know, plus I think one ofthe other drivers is the friends
that you know you do stillsocialise with them outside of
(48:26):
running, but um but you butthere's something about uh even
though I said I run a I run I'lloften run alone um and on my
own, but there's a there's uhyour friends are running park
runs, you go for coffeeafterwards, there's there's all
there's all this sort of umcommunity part, which a lot of
you guys have spoken about,which is um really how um how uh
(48:50):
I guess a part of it as wellthat that's very enjoyable.
Matty (48:54):
Um totally, yeah.
Andy (48:56):
Yeah I mean I met obviously met you guys through
running and I've met um you knowuh there's another another
group that I kept seeing at ParkRun at Chermside and you know
they'd sort of look at me andsay hi as you go past.
And anyway, one one day I wentpast them and it and they made
there was a comment made theywere talking about and it just
lent itself to some smart asscomment, and of course I offered
(49:16):
up that smart ass comment, andum and I got uh I got asked to
come to coffee with them, andwe've been friends ever since.
So um there you go.
Matty (49:24):
Yeah, there you go.
Andy (49:25):
A smart ass comment.
It can can sometimes get you uhget you five, get your places.
Joshie (49:31):
I think even if you didn't get your places, Andy,
you'd still come up with thosesmart ass comments.
Andy (49:36):
Once in a while, once in a while, pick more audience.
Joshie (49:39):
Um, given you're not on Strava, um how are you going at
the moment?
Are you running much?
Um what's on the horizon foryou?
Andy (49:48):
Um look, um not running as much.
I was running more earlier inthe year.
Matty (49:52):
Um it's getting hot.
Andy (49:54):
Yep, and uh in fact I was running more up up till probably
May, and I had some, you know,I was starting to improve.
It's been a little in terms ofa pace, uh, I haven't been
anywhere near my my pace uh thatI was before the the the the
big layoff.
Um and I've sort of adjusted mygoals a little bit there for
(50:15):
the moment um and just it it wasa long um the first probably
six months after the heartsurgery was really tough because
even even it was in the middleof summer, it was November when
I was able to start runningagain.
It was a stinking hot summer,really humid, every day was just
horrible.
Matty (50:35):
Yeah.
Andy (50:35):
Um and I can remember um that you know I um the the the
easy runs that were supposed tobe easy, they were just hard.
Um so um I've probably gone offtrack of the question, Josh.
I've forgotten what it was now,but um yeah.
Joshie (50:54):
Oh I was yeah, I guess asking about you know, you're
not on Strava, so it is hard tokeep track of where you're at
and what you're working towards.
Um does running sort of featurein your plan for for next year,
so yeah, one thing we tend toask uh people before we finish
up is you know, what what what'son the agenda in particular for
2026?
Andy (51:14):
Look, at this stage there's no set um goals.
We've actually chosen um tohave a bit a little bit of a
break from events.
Um we'll still continue to runpark runs.
Uh um look, I wouldn't it'd beunusual if I missed Jetty to
Jetty.
It's yeah, half marathon.
(51:35):
I it's it's one event that Ijust I for some reason I love
it.
Um I think it part of thatstems because it was my first
ever event outside of the bridgeto Brisbane.
Um my first ever half marathon.
Joshie (51:50):
Okay.
Andy (51:50):
Um back in just in the COVID days.
So that was the year they ranit in October 2020.
It was my first uh first everuh half marathon event.
And it to this day you you talkto people about the runners
high, and and I had I never ithad never experienced it until
that Jedi to Jetty run, thatfirst one.
(52:11):
And that I was I just felt sostrong that day.
Um it's still my fastest everhalf marathon.
It was my first one.
Oh wow.
Um I've never come I haven'treally come close to it since.
Um but I felt even at the end,uh I just felt I could keep
running.
I just that was the runner'shigh for me, and and one day I
hope to experience it againbecause I don't think I've ever
(52:33):
experienced it since that day.
Um so that's incredible, yeah.
Yeah, so that's one of thethings I'm I'm targeting.
So Jetty to Jetty is always uhis always a um it's one of my
favorite events.
It's my if you were to ask mewhat my two favourite events
are, it's for two differentreasons.
One was that first ever Jettyto Jetty.
(52:53):
Um and so I'll I guess thatsort of keeps me me uh dragging
me back um to Jetty to Jetty.
Um plus it's uh it's uh I guessour run club um tends to
support that one quite strongly,so it's nice to be there with
with all the all the all theguys from the club.
Matty (53:11):
Yeah.
Andy (53:13):
So other than that, no, um we'll just keep running when we
can and uh yeah.
Joshie (53:20):
Well um yeah, look, Andy, thanks so much for joining
us on Run Believable.
You truly are an awesome humanand we've had a blast of
speaking to you today.
Andy (53:30):
No worries, it's uh been a pleasure, guys.
Um not often you get asked tobe part of a podcast.
Yeah first time for me.
Matty (53:39):
Well your story's great, mate, and yeah, really good to
hear it and understand you a bitbit more.
So thank you.
Joshie (53:45):
All right, guys.
Thanks a lot.
See ya, see ya, bye.
Well, Maddie, what'd you think?
Matty (53:50):
Yeah, incredible story.
Um, you know, especially withthe open heart surgery and
getting back into running.
Um I personally believe thatthat that was a short time
frame, so really good to hear.
Um and yeah, just great to hearAndy's story.
Um, it's very inspirational.
Joshie (54:07):
Yeah, yeah, it really was.
I mean, can you imagine a lifewhere running isn't your number
one?
Like Andy seems to like, youknow, it's like, yeah, if I have
time I'll run.
If I don't, I won't.
How do you think how do youthink you'd go without Strava,
Maddie?
Matty (54:22):
Um, I think I'd be alright without Strava, to be
honest with you.
But but but I would use I woulduse something else like Garmin
Connect.
And before that, I actually hada spreadsheet where I recorded
everything.
Joshie (54:32):
I don't know, Maddie Lost Strava.
You even record your poos onthere.
Try to save that you don'tanyway.
Um look, that's it for today.
Um if you've got a RunBelievable story of your own,
we'd love to hear it.
And if you'd like to be a gueston the show, hit us up.
And finally, this podcastrelies on your continued
support.
(54:52):
So please, if you can take thetime to follow, rate, and share
this podcast with your runningmates.
We would really appreciate it.
See you for the next RunBelievable Adventure.
U I I did see a specialist um about that and it was I
think she misdiagnosed it in theend.
She basically told me at thetime that I was just uh too weak
on on that side of my body.
Uh weak glutes on that side,weak glutes all around,
actually.
Joshie (00:25):
And tell you what, if someone told me that I had a
weakness, I'd be accusing themof misdiagnosis as well.
Hello everybody and welcome toRun Believable, the podcast
where everyday runners sharetheir not-so-everyday stories.
I'm your host, Josh Christian,and I'm here to bring you
stories of grit, glory, andovercoming adversity.
(00:47):
Each episode we'll dive deepinto what first got people
running and what kept themlacing up day after day.
From the laughs and the lessonsto unnecessary ambulance calls,
Maddie, we're here to sharewhat makes running a truly human
experience.
And later in this episode,you'll meet a runner who reckons
it's driver is for losers andwould rather ask someone face to
(01:09):
face how their run went.
What?
In all seriousness, he is asuperhuman and has a comeback
story that must be heard to bebelieved.
Maddie, welcome back.
How are you doing?
Matty (01:20):
Yeah, thanks, Justy.
Yeah, good, good.
Um I you may not have realised,but I've I did end up taking
three days off running thisweek, um, which is the longest
break I've had in probably 12months.
Um so I'll get back into ittomorrow.
But I'm feeling quiterefreshed.
It was quite empowering makingthe decision just to have a
couple of days off to recover.
Joshie (01:40):
I can only assume that someone locked the house from
the outside.
I can't imagine.
You don't get out for a run.
Quite incredible.
Matty (01:47):
Yeah, yeah.
So I'm I'll meet you for it,trust me.
Joshie (01:52):
And just when you have thought you're about to get out
for a run, you jump onto a callwith me and uh guest that's
waiting.
Gosh, way to hold you up evenlonger.
Matty (02:02):
That's good fun.
Joshie (02:03):
It is indeed.
Now, look, let's get into theunbelievable rundown.
And just a reminder, this iswhere we share highlights,
mishaps, and little wins, thekind of stuff that Strava simply
can't capture.
Now, Maddie, as you know, I'vereally been struggling for
running motivation of late so Idecided to take it to our
community and I posted a pollabout motivation.
(02:26):
Just to see if anyone elsestruggles to get themselves out
onto the running track from timeto time, and I was actually
incredibly surprised.
I thought that it might beclose to a 50-50 split, but we
had about 89% of people thatresponded saying that they also
find it tough from time to timeto the to get the motivation to
(02:46):
run.
Um which camp would you fallinto?
Matty (02:50):
Um I I don't have that issue in terms of motivation,
and I think um it's somethingthat I I did initially going
back when I first startedrunning.
Um because you know, when youwhen you first start running, it
it's a tough sport, it's ithurts.
Um it's like physical being inQueensland as well, it can be
quite hot.
Um so it can, yeah, that thatmotivation, lack of motivation
(03:14):
can be there.
But I just went off the rule ofconsistency, um, consistency
breach habit.
So um I don't have any problemnow.
Even when um like we come tothis part of the year where all
the major events are over um andit's coming into the warmer
months.
I I don't need something towork towards to actually go out
there and run.
(03:34):
Um you know, it's a bit moreunstructured, but um I'm
motivated to do it most days.
So yeah.
Joshie (03:43):
You always look so chipper whenever we get out
there for a run, you're supermotivated, and you're also
you're also pretty good at ummotivating those around you.
Um yeah, in particular, inparticular your your kids, uh
from from what I know, you'rethere going, We are the perries,
we never quit.
I need your ad gifts.
Matty (04:07):
It becomes real.
Joshie (04:09):
From what Nat was telling me, I think he said
something a lot along the linesof what would Ned Brockman do?
Matty (04:14):
Like, Yeah, yeah.
I I think that was a parkrunmorning where they just didn't
want to go to parkrun, so I juststarted chanting.
Joshie (04:21):
Um Well, Maddie, I'm sure you're more than happy to
offer your services to anyonethat's listening now.
Look, if you've got anythingthat you'd like to contribute to
the Runbelievable rundown, thensend it our way.
Okay, Maddie, we have a brandnew game today, and for this
you'll need, I really shouldhave given you a heads up, a pen
(04:42):
and paper.
Matty (04:44):
Lucky I'm organized, Josh.
I've got that.
Joshie (04:46):
I have no doubt, and I'm sure you've got some kind of um
folio set up for different tabsfor one for the quiz, one for
the Run Believable, write downone for our guests.
Um, yes, if anyone's listeningand wants to play along, I do
suggest having a pen and paperhandy or just an incredibly good
working memory.
So take your pick.
Today's game is calledSoulmates.
(05:08):
Now, Maddie, what I'm going toneed you to do is write down two
separate lists.
At the moment, they'reunrelated.
So list one is an athlete.
And list two will be shoesponsor.
I'm sure you can see where thisis going.
Write down the following namesunder the athletes list.
(05:30):
And added us.
(06:23):
Now what you need to do is pairthe runner with their soulmate.
Got it?
Yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
Now, whilst Maddie's feverishlygoogling, I'd like to give a
shout out to a handful oflisteners that we have in the
US.
Now, having had a sneak peek atour data, we have a few
(06:47):
listeners in the states ofVirginia and Minnesota.
So if you are indeed tuning infrom that part of the world, we
would love to hear from you.
So hit us up on Instagram andlet us know that you're out
there, and we'll even give you ashout-out on the show.
Now, how are you going there,Maddie?
(07:07):
Did you need a little bit moretime?
So what I'll do is I'll readout those names again and you
tell me who you got as thesponsor.
Matty (07:22):
Jess Halloween.
And there was no Googlingeither, by the way.
Joshie (07:30):
Jess Hell and I'm Genevieve Gregson.
You don't want to be AndyBuchanan.
Lisa Waiteman.
Matty (07:41):
Puma?
Joshie (07:43):
Gow gout.
Ellie Pashley.
Leaning.
You got three from six, Maddie.
So the ones that you got wrongwere Genevieve Gregson, she's
sponsored by Puma.
Matty (07:58):
Okay.
Joshie (07:58):
Lisa Waiteman is Leaning.
And that's a relatively newdeal that I believe only started
a couple of months ago.
And Ellie Pashley is sponsoredby New Balance.
Matty (08:09):
Okay.
Joshie (08:10):
What did you think?
Matty (08:11):
Yeah, I got them back to front.
I knew it was in terms of Pumaand New Balance.
I knew it was either GenevieveGregson or did I have who was
the other one?
Anyway, yeah, I I I kind ofknew it was one or the other.
But I just went for the wrongone.
So and the reason I knew is Iknow that one of them has been
(08:33):
on another podcast and wastalking about um becoming a new
mother and coming back that thatsponsor had stuck by her the
whole time.
So um yeah.
Joshie (08:44):
I don't think I like how proud of myself.
I love tripping off aninterest.
This is your happen often.
Matty (08:51):
It's not gonna happen.
That's why you keep changingthe games.
Joshie (08:53):
Of course, because I know that what you do in the
meantime is you bone up onwhatever it is that the topic.
I'm like, no, I'm not gonnamake it that easy for you.
Uh I'll be honest, I hadn'theard of leaning.
Like when I um was doing myresearch and I found out that
Lisa Waiteman was sponsored byLeaning, I was like, I have not
even heard of them.
Matty (09:11):
Yeah, yeah, I've heard of them.
They've been around for it,they've been around for a bit.
Um there's a cup there's acouple of brands out there that
you probably like they're notbrands that we would ever come
across that I'm aware of thatthat are bringing out racing
shoes.
So it's interesting.
It is.
Joshie (09:29):
So just a quick recap, Maddie got three out of six for
our brand new game, Soulmates.
How did you go at home?
Feel free to let us know.
Today's guest is Loki, perhapsAustralia's greatest
overachiever.
A truly versatile human, he'snot obsessed by running, but
he's darn good at it though.
Despite battling complexinjuries and one hell of a
(09:51):
health scare recently, hecontinues to show what's
possible with quietdetermination.
Now, he's not someone to make asong and dance about his life,
so we're gonna do that for him.
Please let's welcome thechicken breeding surfing
building running accountant,Andy Rediex.
Andy (10:08):
Andy, welcome.
Thank you guys.
I'm really happy to be part ofyour program as I've listened to
a few of your guests so far anduh been some amazing stories
come out of it.
Joshie (10:18):
Oh, cool.
Did I miss anything in theintro with you with your with
your multi multifaceted traits?
Andy (10:26):
I think well, I don't think you missed anything about
the multifaceted traits.
I think you might have beefedthem up just a little bit more
than they actually are.
But anyway, I'll take it.
I'll take it.
Joshie (10:36):
I did say that he wasn't one to make a song and dance
about his life.
Um but look, uh, let's kickthings off, and you know that we
like to get a bit cheeky.
How's the marathon prep going?
Andy (10:45):
Oh yes, yes.
Look, it's uh it's a long,long, long, long road for me
because uh I haven't even got amarathon in my uh in my uh
foreseeable future.
Joshie (10:56):
But you realise that's like a it's a not so subtle way
of trying to convince people togive it a go.
You just say, How's the prepgoing?
Or um if you had to do amarathon, which one would it be?
Andy (11:07):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I heard you guys with Ashleyand uh I probably should
probably stay away from thatthat type of question.
But um no look, um honestly, umI never ever thought I'd ever
run a marathon.
It's been a fleeting um thoughtonce in a while, but then I
have a look at how much work'sinvolved and how much
(11:28):
discipline's involved and um thenutrition that's that's
required.
And um you know, I guess if Iever going to if I'm ever going
to do one, it would have to I'dhave to be ready.
And and right right now, umit's it's not in my it's not in
my future.
Um doesn't mean that it neverwill be, but um I think it's
(11:49):
also good to just point out thatum you know for people that um
your listeners maybe thatmarathons although they're
regarded as the pinnacle,they're not everything in
running, you you don't have toum you don't have to jump in and
and and run marathons.
If 5k is all you've got in youand all you ever want to do,
then that's fabulous.
Matty (12:09):
Yeah, I t I totally agree with that, and I think you have
to you have to be in the rightmindset in terms of yes, I want
to go and run a marathon,because as you mentioned, that
commitment with training,nutrition, um it's a massive
commitment um and can be veryhard to sort of fit around your
your your daily life um you knowresponsibilities.
So yeah, yeah, I I agree.
Andy (12:32):
You know, I think um and I would have a very supportive
partner, obviously Jen um isvery supportive of everything I
do, um and and more more so thanthan than I would think most
people are uh but at this atthis point it's just it's not
part of my uh not part of myimmediate future, let's just say
(12:52):
that.
Joshie (12:52):
Yeah.
It's certainly not somethingyou want to go into lightly.
Uh I know a lot of people thatit's been a one and done, and to
the point where they actuallyhaven't run ever again.
There's uh two or three peopleI know of that ran either Gold
Coast, uh actually no, they ranBrisbane Marathon, and I thought
that they were just joking.
(13:13):
They finished the race, theythrew their shoes in the
Brisbane River and basically runagain.
Yeah, yeah.
Two two people I know very wellum had that as their
experience.
And so yeah, you certainlydon't want to um want to take it
lightly.
Um now, Andy, when did runningfirst feature in your life?
Uh are you a new runner or haveyou run since your youth?
Andy (13:35):
Look, look, it um I'm gonna it's relatively new.
Um when I say that I used toenjoy uh cross countries at
school.
Right.
Um and and the odd track event,I wasn't fast.
I used to run the 800 or tryout for the 800 metres.
Most of the time I didn't makeit.
Um and when I ran the crosscountry at school, I didn't make
(13:59):
the the the school craftscompany team a cross country
team either, but um but I two ofmy mates did and the coach
allowed me to train to trainwith them at lunchtime.
Um and in the end he ended uptaking me to one of the
interschool uh cross countriesand um I really enjoyed it.
It wasn't too far away, it wasat Bunyaville, State Forest.
Matty (14:20):
Okay.
Andy (14:20):
Um and I ended up um beating two of the guys that
made the team officially um andand I s and the third of the six
there were six of us all up,and the third guy was only not
far in front of me.
So it was a fairly uh it was areally good experience.
Um but uh fast forward um Idon't remember doing any running
(14:42):
then after school um at all umuntil uh it was 40 I was in my
mid-40s in 2011 um and I wasworking with uh a company who
decided to enter a team in theBridge to Brisbane in 2011.
Matty (14:58):
Okay.
Andy (14:59):
Um and that they actually hired a coach to come in, I
think it was twice a week, andon a Tuesday and a Thursday for
uh maybe uh the best part ofthree months in the lead up to
Bridge to Brisbane.
And I kind of signed up to bepart of that, and um after the
first training session, I wish Ididn't.
(15:20):
I have never been so sore, andthis is honest God truth.
I have never been so sore inall my life after that first
training session, and I didn'tthink it was anything hard.
Um I I guess um I had um Ialways thought I was active, but
but I didn't really wasn't intoany real sport.
(15:41):
I had the kids at the time, andyou know, they were the focus,
and um you know uh so I didn'tthink I'd be as bad as I was,
and I didn't actually think thesession was that hard.
He had a few runs, a fewexercises, a few other drills,
and that night I got home and II could already feel my legs
starting to seize up by the nextby the next morning.
(16:03):
Every muscle in my body was wasfrozen, and I had a I ended up
having a hot bath and I'mthinking I was laying in the
bath and I'm going I don't knowwhether I can get out of this
bath.
Um how how bad would it be if Ijust let myself slip under the
water and just go out peacefullybecause I was in so much agony.
(16:24):
So I I definitely missed thenext training session because I
could hardly walk, but I endedup going the next one after that
the following week.
So uh that was that sort of gotme back into running, but not
um not in a uh uh I guess um away of but where it became part
(16:46):
of my life um as a in a in a bigway.
Um I ended up um uh doing a lotmore hiking.
I got in with a group offriends who loved hiking and um
and we did a lot of hikes.
Um I did the odd run here andthere, but I and I did an odd
unofficial park run.
Um and I uh I did I think Iofficially joined Parkrun in
(17:10):
2016 and I did but again I wasjust very sporadic.
I I would um go one week andthen not go for six and
depending on whether we werehiking or not.
Um and we were actually we'dmade the commitment to um train
for the Kokoda Challenge on theGold Coast I'd love to do that
(17:31):
in 2018, so we were just hikingweekends, weeknights, um uh and
just uh trying to get our bodiesready for that 98 kilometers.
And um and I guess it was atthe end of that after we
completed that um hike I Idecided that I wanted to keep
(17:51):
that fitness up.
Um and that's probably when Ijumped back into running on a
more regular basis.
Um I started running park runsa lot more um lot more
frequently and regularly.
Um and um I guess it sort ofwent from there.
So um 2011 sort of got me backin, but it was 20 and 2016 I did
(18:14):
my first park run, but actuallyit was not until 2018 that I
became a regular runner.
Joshie (18:20):
Okay.
So does that mean you ran a uh10k before a five then?
So did you was that oh wow.
So what so how did you end upgoing in uh 2011 at Bridge to
Brisbane?
Andy (18:30):
Uh look, I I think I went fairly well.
Uh I I and it was a I think Iended up doing f just under 54
minutes, I think fifty-three,fifty-one was the time.
I don't know why I rememberthat, but I do.
Um so um, you know, I didn'tthink that was and I ran all the
way um with sort of you knowthat that 12 weeks of training.
(18:52):
Um so I was pretty pleased withit, and uh, you know,
obviously, you know, it was a itwas a big achievement at the
time.
Um you know, I'm I don't uh I'mnot the fastest runner in the
world, but I I don't like tostop if I can avoid it.
Um I like to accept on trails,that's a different story, but um
but I I pretty determined totry to to uh you know to to not
(19:14):
not have to walk um if I can.
I not that there's anythingwrong with that, it's just
that's just that my psyche, Ijust I prefer to run really slow
than walk.
Matty (19:24):
I think I think one of the other things too that people
may not realise, or especiallypeople um like ourselves who run
quite regularly, um 10k is notan easy feat.
Um you know, even 5k and and itsort of brought me me home when
you look at all the people thatare training for um using couch
to 5k, um it's a massiveachievement to run 5k.
(19:46):
Um and that can't be that can'tbe sort of overlooked.
That has to I try to keep thatin my mind all the time because
you know it's it's not easy.
Andy (19:55):
No, and it 100% right, and there's a I think that Couch to
5k was is a great program, andand I I've met a few people who
have started running that way.
Um so you know it's a reallygood uh a good initiative um to
get people you know, at leastsampling the sport.
Um as you guys know, running'snot for everybody, and it it
(20:16):
does come with its fair share ofchallenges and injuries,
particularly if you try to gotoo hard too soon and things
like that.
But um, you know, the the 5k umis is a is a hard event, um
irrespective.
Um so yeah, I think uh youknow, I think anyone who can
just get out and start to and doa bit of bit of running it,
(20:37):
it's uh it's just better for it.
Joshie (20:40):
Yeah.
You mentioned injury and youcertainly had uh your fair share
of late.
It was only, I think, maybethree or four years ago that you
were battling quite a complexabdominal injury and that was
followed not long after by afoot injury.
Um what can you tell us aboutthat time?
Andy (21:00):
Uh look, it was um the the first um the the abdominal
injury didn't really affect myrunning per se.
Um but I it was actually veryuh uncomfortable at times if I I
would off if I sneezed, and Ithink Josh, you've had some
issues as well with withabdominal uh issues, but um you
(21:23):
know sometimes I could justsneeze and and my this this it
was just like a massive crampwould lock on and uh it was
happened at the most uminconvenient times while you
were driving.
You didn't have to sneeze, thatwas just one of the things that
seemed to trigger it.
Um if I was I used to surf alittle bit, I couldn't even lay
on the surfboard and try to propfrom from the the the laying
(21:46):
position to the standingposition without without that um
stomach just sort of lockingup.
Um it's quite painful and ittakes a while to let go.
Um you've really got to breathethrough it.
Um so that that um I I I didsee a specialist um about that
and it was I think shemisdiagnosed it in the end, but
(22:08):
uh well she did misdiagnose it,I I believe, but um she
basically told me at the timethat I was just uh too weak on
on that side of my body.
Uh weak glutes on that side,weak glutes all around actually.
Joshie (22:24):
And I tell you what, if someone told me that I had a
weakness, I'd be accusing themof misdiagnosis as well.
Andy (22:29):
That's right.
Well, the funny thing is Iactually she got me doing and I
don't not um regret going toher, um she got me doing some
some unilateral exercises so Icould work on, you know, single
leg stuff and and um other corework.
But in the end it didn't makeany difference to the to the
(22:50):
stomach.
Um and I ended up uh had anultrasound done sometimes.
She had she had sent me for anultrasound, but she had her had
herself convinced that the issuewas in my lower back.
And I kept saying it's not inmy lower back, it's in my it's
in it's definitely in my lowerabdominal region.
(23:10):
And so when I went for theoriginal ultrasound, they didn't
actually scan that area and itcame up with nothing.
Uh and then I went back to a GPoh look maybe 12 months later
because I was still having someproblems, and I said, I just
need another I need a scan.
I want to get a scan um becauseI was still having some issues.
And it turned out it was uh aninjury that I'd done some quite
(23:33):
some time ago, but it was atear, and what had happened was
I'd been it it was a a a tearthat would then heel then tear
again, then heel then tearagain, then heel and tear again.
And that's why it was sort of alittle bit intermittent.
Um, but he could see there wasa lot of evidence of scar tissue
around um around that.
Um thankfully I've I seem tohave overcome that in the main.
(23:55):
Um having said that I did havea little a little hit the other
day, um, which was probably thefirst one for a while, but um I
ha I've been doing a lot ofstrength, other strength work as
well.
Uh I had been, and um I'd kindof let that slip in the last
three months.
So I put it I put it down to tothat um because it was do I was
(24:16):
doing a lot of core work um andnow I've been lazy for three
months and it's gonna come backand bite me, so I need to go
back to the gym.
Joshie (24:24):
Gosh.
And so no sooner had you uhmanaged to work through the that
abdominal complaint that youhad, uh from what I know is
quite a complex foot issue.
Um serves correctly, you you'reeither seeing a specialist or
potentially even booked in forsurgery when you went, No, I'm
actually going to find an evenmore extreme reason to take a a
(24:48):
break from from running umrunning.
What what what do you rememberabout um sort of when you f when
you fell short of breath thattime?
I think you mentioned to me itwas you're at work or yeah.
Andy (24:59):
Yeah, look, it was um I I guess it was a it was a
double-edged sword to a degree.
Um I'd had a a plantar fasciaissue on my left foot, which a
lot of runners get.
Um and um you know it it wasn'ttoo bad, but it wasn't going
away, and and uh you know, afterI I didn't feel it while I ran
(25:20):
or anything like that, but thenext morning it was really hard
to walk.
Um and uh I was getting sometreatment for that and the the
podiatrist kind of said, Look,you the treatment's not it's not
really it's working, but not soI gave up running for four
months.
That was that was a plant offascia on the left foot.
(25:41):
So I stopped running for fourmonths and I and I went swimming
uh instead um just to try andkeep some sort of cardio going.
And I and at that stage Ididn't I wasn't real a big fan
of swimming.
Um I'm not a good swimmer, butI actually started to enjoy
swimming.
I I hated it as a kid, but Istarted to enjoy it in more
recent times.
So so I so and yep, I Iactually recovered completely
(26:06):
from the left foot and got backinto running and I seem to hit
get up back up to speed quitequickly.
Um I'd been swimming four timesa week, so I think the cardio
was was there.
I just needed to get a bit ofuh I guess muscle memory back in
the legs.
Um and then in uh was it justover just over or not last year,
(26:29):
20 what are we in now?
2023, 20 at the end of 22, I'dhad a really good year of
running and I uh I noticed myleft foot.
Um sorry, the plantar fasciawas originally in my right foot,
and then I noticed a verysimilar feeling in my left foot,
in fact it was worse.
Matty (26:48):
Oh no.
Andy (26:49):
Um and anyway, I went back to the podiatrist, we started
the shockwave therapy again,which and the treatment, which
actually helped with the rightfoot, but uh it wasn't doing
anything at all with the left.
Uh, and then I had some scanson that, and there were two
actual tears in the plantarfascia this time.
The other one was only athickening and a swelling, it
wasn't um it wasn't torn.
(27:10):
So uh that out of action again,and that was seven months, and
I was just starting to comegood.
I'd been to a specialist, asyou said, Josh.
I went to see a specialistabout that.
Um, and uh I guess long storyshort, basically he said all
they do is cut the tendon.
(27:31):
Um, and I'm going, really?
Is it is that all you say,yeah, just to take the pain
away.
And I'm thinking, but surelythe tendon serves some purpose.
You know, and he's just going,we just cut the tendon.
And I and by the time I got into see him, my foot was starting
to I felt it had turned acorner, we're just starting to
feel a bit better.
And and then he told me whatthe price of it was for the
(27:53):
operation.
I said, that's alright.
I'll I'm I'll give it anotherfew months and we'll be right.
And anyway, the the foot didcome good, and the physios and
that just said to you I couldstart running again.
Um but just before I startedrunning again, I'd I'd had a I
went for a I'd been swimming asI s again, um and I'd uh went
(28:16):
for a swim in the pool onenight.
It was in June, um um just overtwo years ago, and um I I in
the two weeks prior I'd done myfastest laps in the pool and I
was swimming you know one and ahalf Ks and I was and I felt
really good.
I got in the pool two weeksafter I'd done my fastest laps
(28:37):
and it was just hard.
Like it the first lap just feltlike I I felt a little bit of a
funny feeling down the lefthand side, but I I didn't take
much notice of it.
Um I just thought it had gotcold, the winter the the weather
had turned a little colder andso I uh I just got uh I thought
(28:57):
maybe something my body'sadjusting to the colder
temperature.
I I don't know, but but then umthe physios had said to me when
I to start running again, justto sort of run, you know,
hundred metres on, hundredmetres off, or just run four
hundred metres, just nothingmajor, just start putting a bit
of load on your foot.
And I think it was about uhabout two or three days after
(29:19):
I'd had that swim, I went for umum a run, or tried to go for a
run just around one lap aroundthe oval was what I wanted to do
near March and Park, and uh Igot I would say 150 metres into
that run and I just had thisracking pain down my left arm
and just shorter breath and andit sort of then started to make
(29:43):
sense about what happened in thepool.
Um and I'm sort of thinking,Oh, you know, this is a classic
symptom but I but you know whatI ignored it, and the reason and
it's and it's uh I kind of knewit all along, but I ignored it
for a while because I'd had alot of trouble with my neck, and
(30:03):
I was I kind of said, Oh, maybethere's a nerve being pinched
off.
Or something getting pinched inmy from my neck and that's
affecting giving me this paindown the left hand side.
Anyway, I I saw about I don'tknow, I went massage, I went to
um uh remedial uh therapists, Iwent to physios, uh I had an MRI
done on the neck, and probablytwo or three weeks later, or you
(30:27):
know, no more than a monthlater, the neck had come really
good, and I went for another runjust around home.
And uh I got 40 seconds intothe run.
Sorry guys.
Uh it's a little triggering.
Matty (30:49):
Yeah, I'm sure, I'm sure.
Andy (30:52):
And then it just racked me with pain again.
Um and I knew then.
Jen had a friend that she wentto boot camp with who who worked
for uh in the cardiologysection and Jen Ranger that
night.
And in the end I ended up goingto I couldn't get into my GP, I
just went and she recommendedanother guy who I got into and
(31:14):
and he's basically he said to mehe booked me in for a
specialist, um, he gave me um uha couple of I might have been
just taste start taking someaspirin.
Um but he said if you if youfeel anywhere you go straight to
the hospital, straight toemergency.
I managed to get into thespecialist fairly quickly.
(31:35):
Um and I guess um you know I II had a fairly healthy lifestyle
at that stage.
I was eating reasonably well,um active yeah, active um no
well I didn't think there wasany history of heart disease in
our family.
Um and even the the specialistjust he kind of after I told him
what was going on, he says it'sjust a classic angina symptom.
Matty (31:58):
Yeah, okay.
Andy (31:59):
Um they booked me in about three or four days later for an
angiogram.
Um I think they I was the lastone on the list.
I think they thought it wouldjust be an easy stent.
Um anyway, I the prep for theangiogram was longer than the
actual angiogram.
Um it was um I was only on thetable for I don't know, felt
like only about 30 seconds, andthey've they've called, you
(32:22):
know, someone else came in andbasically um uh they've after
that they've come out and said,Oh, this the heart surgeon will
be up to see you in a in a fewminutes.
Matty (32:32):
Wow, yeah.
Andy (32:33):
So I had a uh blockage in in the arteries in uh left aorta
um the left ventricle.
Um and it's it's an arterycalled the widowmaker.
Um my blockage was twofold.
There it the that uh particularartery splits into two.
(32:53):
Um one goes to the top of theheart and one goes to the
bottom, and I had a 90% blockagein the on the on the side going
to the bottom and a 70% blockum going to the top.
And I just couldn't believe itbecause up until up until uh you
know that few weeks before thatI I had no inkling and you know
(33:18):
nothing felt at all difficultor wrong.
I just sat one night I went tothe pool and and yeah, that it
that was it.
So um that was uh you know,within a couple of days I was in
surgery and um double bypassand yeah.
Joshie (33:33):
Wow, yeah.
Yeah it's what you're saying,um, you know, that you you've
lived a very healthy, activelifestyle as well.
So it would have c you know,you're doing all the right
things and yeah, I guess itreally caught you by surprise
that you would have foundyourself um suddenly on the on
the op table.
I mean, without any time toprepare and without really much
(33:53):
in the way of warning signs aswell.
Andy (33:55):
Yeah, yeah, no, that's um I mean I think that's the best
way for it to happen, to behonest.
I didn't want any time to thinkabout it.
Um so um the quicker it thebetter for me.
And uh I mean um uh as it turnsout my and I knew my um my um
grandfather on my father's side,um he died I never met him, he
(34:18):
died when my dad was only sixand it was an undiagnosed death.
Uh but but thinking about itnow was likely that he he had
heart um heart condition aswell.
Matty (34:29):
So um yeah.
Andy (34:32):
That's uh you know, so I guess in the end I was uh out of
running for another another uhthree or four months.
Um so in the in the end I itwas a it was actually a full
twelve months um off runningbetween the between the uh the
the tear the tears in theplanter and uh and the um and
the heart surgery.
(34:53):
So yeah.
Matty (34:54):
That's not that long though, really, when you think
about open heart surgery for acondition and then your other
injuries.
Um yeah, you came back I'd soI'd say that's quite quick.
Andy (35:07):
Funny, Maddie, that it's funny to think that the actual
plant of fascia injury or ortears took me out of running
longer than the heart surgerybecause I was back I had the
heart surgery in August.
Um I was back home out ofhospital in a week.
One of the things they tell youto do is to walk.
Matty (35:27):
Yeah, that's right.
Andy (35:33):
And I did their cardiac rehab program and I actually had
to be pulled back just a littlebit.
Um they put you on a treadmilland tell you to walk and then
they tell you to run, and youknow, I I was I was itching to
run again because I had been outfor so long, you know, so I'm
I'm getting into it.
And uh anyway, they they putthe the when it took my all
(35:53):
these um tests and it turned outthat um you know there was
still swelling around my heart,so the and so the the blood flow
my high my low blood pressurelevel was too high.
It wasn't it wasn't um itwasn't allowed.
I was because there was so muchpressure around the heart from
the swelling, it was pushing thethe blood pressure up.
(36:13):
So I had to back it off.
Um, you know, um back it offfor a while and just ease back.
Um for me I had no thought ofever giving up.
It was um uh my my thought wasjust I want to get back to
running.
Um it was a really big part ofmy life at that stage and um and
clearly running gave me a lot.
(36:35):
Um you know um I I obviouslymet my the love of my life, Jen,
through running, and um youknow, and so uh running means an
awful lot to me, um, eventhough I don't describe myself
as uh an avid uh I mean I don'tfollow uh you know, this is
gonna sound pretty bad, but Idon't follow running as a sport.
(36:57):
I don't I would you could tellme apart from gout gout, I
probably don't know too manyAustralian running athletes.
Um so um I mean I might know afew a couple, but but you know,
when when we go to training andand you know the coach mentions
so and so had a great run, I'mgoing, who's so-and-so?
You know, so I don't I don'tfollow it uh uh like like um as
(37:18):
an and so you know I don'tregard myself as a am I a
runner?
I run for for me, I suppose,rather than uh it's a it's an
enjoyment.
Matty (37:30):
You're definitely a runner.
I mean you uh you've you've runmany half marathons, you've run
many different events and youtrain and you run park run, it's
just you do it for you and youdo it you do it different to I I
guess everyone could possiblydo it a bit differently.
Um you know I read a lot, Iresearch a lot, that sort of
thing, but you know, it's uh uhI run for what running gives me
(37:52):
as well.
So that's the I think that'sthe really important point is it
gives everyone something.
Um you know, and it's differentfor each person.
Joshie (38:00):
Yeah, I mean lifting sorry, go on Josh.
I was just gonna say, um, youknow, you're you're not very
active on social meat socialmedia, so it's very difficult to
get a sense for for how you'regoing just through the I guess
what's um published um publicly.
Uh do you ever get sick ofpeople asking why you're not on
Strava?
Andy (38:18):
Uh no, not too many people ask me anymore.
I mean uh I obviously I obviousI have a joke with Jen every
once in a while and say, well,obviously I don't run because
I'm not on Strava.
Um so I can't be a runner, youknow.
Uh and I actually said to Jenuh a couple of times, oh I
suppose I should go on Strava,and she said, What for?
And I've gone, yeah, okay, whatfor?
Joshie (38:40):
A lot of people have you know that have been through
challenges in their lives thathave seen them take an extended
absence from running.
Like you have uh one of thefirst things they do is they get
back on Strava and because theyrely on that sort of community
support to help motivate them,you know, first run since heart
surgery or first walk sinceheart surgery.
But you've sort of gone aboutthis very quietly.
(39:03):
I mean, your determination andyour resilience uh has largely
come from within.
Um how have you found thestrength, Andy, to do that?
Andy (39:14):
Um Josh that it's um I was a loner when I was a teenager,
um, and so I wasn't particularlysocial.
It's not that I I was very shyactually.
Um and so I found um I guesssolace in hobbies um and and
interests.
(39:34):
And so uh, you know, I I hadtrouble talking to people.
I you know, I got I don't I Iwon't s I don't suffer from I
won't say I suffer from mentalhealth issues in any in any way,
shape, or form, certainly notlike a lot of people.
I did have a fairly high levelof anxiety when I was younger.
I still do, um but I youlearned I don't think it was a
(39:59):
debilitating form, so it wasjust, you know, I was shy and I
had to overcome a few things andand just trying to try and
change it, change your life asbut as I got older you you kind
of tend to I I managed to beable to sort of um overcome a
lot of that anxiety, still feelit, but but overcome and can
deal with it a lot better thanthan I did then.
(40:21):
But one of the things that thatdid lead to, I guess that that
shyness was just this um I c Isuppose it's to a degree a
little bit selfish, you just youkind of look after yourself,
um, you bury yourself andimmerse yourself in your own
interests and hobbies.
And so finding the strengthagain um to to get back up and
(40:44):
and and go again, um it for meeverything I've done in my life
has been I've not been a naturalat anything and my it's only my
determination and that has gothas helped me get through some
of that lack of natural ability.
(41:05):
Um and so I'm a determinedlittle shit um when I when I put
my mind to it and that's andthat's the that's what I guess
drives me.
Um you know, and even when itcomes to it, I don't apart from
I've got some great friends fromrunning.
Um and um I've met some youknow some of them are best
(41:26):
friends actually throughrunning.
Um but I still prefer to run onmy own most of the time.
Yeah, and that's uh that's Ifind that a little strange, um,
but there's just something forme about running on my own.
Um doing doing it by myself.
Um I have no doubt I'd be abetter runner if I let more
(41:49):
people in and ran with morepeople.
I think I'd be a better runner,but I just there's something
about running on on my own umfor me that um that you know
just I don't know, it's just afeeling.
Um I I just enjoy my own my ownspace.
Um and uh you know, I I find umI find that you know for the
(42:12):
first if I'm doing a sort of a10k run or something like that
for the first 5k I'm usuallyprocessing the day or the week
or whatever, but after that it'sjust becomes you know, uh
you're just on the run, you yourmind clears all of a sudden.
It's uh it's uh you know, it'sa great stress release.
Um but it just I might it'sthere's only two things that
(42:34):
I've ever done that I can sayare kind of like meditation.
Um one's running at sort ofthat f after about 5k when your
mind starts to just go, I'm justgonna run, I'm just gonna focus
on the breathing.
And the other thing is surfing,just surfing, sitting out on
the water.
Um you don't even have to becatching waves, but just sitting
out in the ocean, bobbing up onthe water is something else
(42:57):
that um seems to calm and quellmy mind and stops it from
working because otherwise mymind is going a million miles an
hour.
Joshie (43:05):
It's interesting, um and by the way, I think you're
selling yourself short withsaying that you're not you don't
have natural talents.
Um I think you probably havethat and the internal fortitude
and drive to to achieve, whichis fantastic.
And with what you've gonethrough, and whether it's
running or your recovery fromheart surgery, most people would
(43:26):
really struggle to do that ontheir own.
So for example, um I preferrunning with people because
sometimes it helps with thoseyou know negative voices that
creep into your head, and it canbe hard to switch that off, but
you seem to be totally at peacewith that.
Whether or not you you havethose voices that try and you
know talk you out of something,I I don't know, but you if you
(43:48):
do, you must do a pretty goodjob of telling them to shut the
hell up.
Andy (43:55):
Yeah, yeah.
I guess uh um yeah, I I don'tum yeah, I try not to listen to
those voices too much and Idon't really get them um too
much.
Uh as I said, I I I oftenprocess some stuff um while I'm
running.
Could I have done thisdifferently, could I done this
better, what how what happenedat work today, but that only
(44:16):
happens for the first you knowfour or five K and then it goes.
So for me it's then just a it'salmost a meditation.
Um yeah.
So but I'm not a verydisciplined runner.
Um I don't um you know if it ifit wasn't the wasn't for for
Jen who Jen's quite disciplinedand she'll if I get up in the
(44:38):
morning and and I go, Oh, Idon't feel like running, if I
was on my own, I wouldn't go.
Um whereas Jen's Jen would sayshe if she's made up her mind to
to to go for a run, um doesn'tmatter how she feels in the
morning when she wakes up,she'll she'll get up and go.
So things like um the thetraining groups and park run um
(45:00):
I actually need those things,even though I said I'm
determined, I'm also I can bevery easily um go, oh I don't
feel like it today, and if Idon't feel like it I can but
park run and in training um forme are are good in that they're
the two times a week that that Iactually have to go, so I make
myself go.
Um and then you know I runother times I try to run if I
(45:23):
feel like it.
There are some days you justabsolutely feel like a run.
Come home from work and theafternoon looks beautiful and
you go, Oh, I just want to runtoday.
Joshie (45:33):
You seem Andy to be at peace one way or another.
For some people that it'salmost an obsession and they
they have to run, whereas foryou it seems like you're you see
it as an opportunity and youwant to grab that opportunity if
it's there, but you're alsototally okay if if it doesn't
eventuate.
Andy (45:50):
Yeah, yeah, I I'm I'm pretty uh good uh at that.
Um I do enjoy running when uhmost of the time, but yeah, once
I get make the effort to getout and do it, um it's um and I
am totally at peace with look,I'm not training for anything
and and you know it's adifferent story if you're
training for uh something in inparticular, you you've got it
(46:12):
you've got a uh you've got toput in the yards and um and um
you know um you know I heard uhmighty mark talk about the one
per one percenters and thingslike that and and very very
important one percenters ifyou're looking for you know
great performance and andwhatever and and so it depends
on what you accept or want orhappy to accept.
(46:34):
Um so uh for me it's it's yeahI I've had don't get me wrong,
and there's there's I'm verycompetitive with myself and
sometimes I I'm absolutelywanting to beat times and and
then other days I just want toget out and have a run and enjoy
it.
Um so uh you know, and the twothe two runs that I remember
(46:55):
most and probably uh my twofavoured runs were completely
different in how I went aboutboth of them.
Joshie (47:02):
Okay.
You know, Andy, most peoplethat I've spoken to when they've
had an extended absence fromrunning, whether it's due to a
physical injury or um a healthscare, in fact, you've had both
of those of like they talk aboutthe struggle to overcome the I
guess the um mentally toovercome what they've been
(47:26):
through rather than physically.
It seems to me that you reallyhaven't found it difficult to
get back into running mentally,but physically it's sort of
that's what you've um found moreof an obstacle.
Andy (47:40):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Um mentally I I was ready torun, like I I I just wanted to
run.
Um and I couldn't wait to getback to it after the hearts.
Well, I mean, I'd been out for12 months, you know, and I'd run
a f been doing events,different events, trail series,
half marathons, um 10Ks, um, inthat previous year.
(48:02):
Um and um I was just keen toget back out there and and you
know I was uh you know, Ienjoyed the swimming when I
could do it, but I just wantedto um I just felt like I wanted
to run.
You know, plus I think one ofthe other drivers is the friends
that you know you do stillsocialise with them outside of
(48:26):
running, but um but you butthere's something about uh even
though I said I run a I run I'lloften run alone um and on my
own, but there's a there's uhyour friends are running park
runs, you go for coffeeafterwards, there's there's all
there's all this sort of umcommunity part, which a lot of
you guys have spoken about,which is um really how um how uh
(48:50):
I guess a part of it as wellthat that's very enjoyable.
Matty (48:54):
Um totally, yeah.
Andy (48:56):
Yeah I mean I met obviously met you guys through
running and I've met um you knowuh there's another another
group that I kept seeing at ParkRun at Chermside and you know
they'd sort of look at me andsay hi as you go past.
And anyway, one one day I wentpast them and it and they made
there was a comment made theywere talking about and it just
lent itself to some smart asscomment, and of course I offered
(49:16):
up that smart ass comment, andum and I got uh I got asked to
come to coffee with them, andwe've been friends ever since.
So um there you go.
Matty (49:24):
Yeah, there you go.
Andy (49:25):
A smart ass comment.
It can can sometimes get you uhget you five, get your places.
Joshie (49:31):
I think even if you didn't get your places, Andy,
you'd still come up with thosesmart ass comments.
Andy (49:36):
Once in a while, once in a while, pick more audience.
Joshie (49:39):
Um, given you're not on Strava, um how are you going at
the moment?
Are you running much?
Um what's on the horizon foryou?
Andy (49:48):
Um look, um not running as much.
I was running more earlier inthe year.
Matty (49:52):
Um it's getting hot.
Andy (49:54):
Yep, and uh in fact I was running more up up till probably
May, and I had some, you know,I was starting to improve.
It's been a little in terms ofa pace, uh, I haven't been
anywhere near my my pace uh thatI was before the the the the
big layoff.
Um and I've sort of adjusted mygoals a little bit there for
(50:15):
the moment um and just it it wasa long um the first probably
six months after the heartsurgery was really tough because
even even it was in the middleof summer, it was November when
I was able to start runningagain.
It was a stinking hot summer,really humid, every day was just
horrible.
Matty (50:35):
Yeah.
Andy (50:35):
Um and I can remember um that you know I um the the the
easy runs that were supposed tobe easy, they were just hard.
Um so um I've probably gone offtrack of the question, Josh.
I've forgotten what it was now,but um yeah.
Joshie (50:54):
Oh I was yeah, I guess asking about you know, you're
not on Strava, so it is hard tokeep track of where you're at
and what you're working towards.
Um does running sort of featurein your plan for for next year,
so yeah, one thing we tend toask uh people before we finish
up is you know, what what what'son the agenda in particular for
2026?
Andy (51:14):
Look, at this stage there's no set um goals.
We've actually chosen um tohave a bit a little bit of a
break from events.
Um we'll still continue to runpark runs.
Uh um look, I wouldn't it'd beunusual if I missed Jetty to
Jetty.
It's yeah, half marathon.
(51:35):
I it's it's one event that Ijust I for some reason I love
it.
Um I think it part of thatstems because it was my first
ever event outside of the bridgeto Brisbane.
Um my first ever half marathon.
Joshie (51:50):
Okay.
Andy (51:50):
Um back in just in the COVID days.
So that was the year they ranit in October 2020.
It was my first uh first everuh half marathon event.
And it to this day you you talkto people about the runners
high, and and I had I never ithad never experienced it until
that Jedi to Jetty run, thatfirst one.
(52:11):
And that I was I just felt sostrong that day.
Um it's still my fastest everhalf marathon.
It was my first one.
Oh wow.
Um I've never come I haven'treally come close to it since.
Um but I felt even at the end,uh I just felt I could keep
running.
I just that was the runner'shigh for me, and and one day I
hope to experience it againbecause I don't think I've ever
(52:33):
experienced it since that day.
Um so that's incredible, yeah.
Yeah, so that's one of thethings I'm I'm targeting.
So Jetty to Jetty is always uhis always a um it's one of my
favorite events.
It's my if you were to ask mewhat my two favourite events
are, it's for two differentreasons.
One was that first ever Jettyto Jetty.
(52:53):
Um and so I'll I guess thatsort of keeps me me uh dragging
me back um to Jetty to Jetty.
Um plus it's uh it's uh I guessour run club um tends to
support that one quite strongly,so it's nice to be there with
with all the all the all theguys from the club.
Matty (53:11):
Yeah.
Andy (53:13):
So other than that, no, um we'll just keep running when we
can and uh yeah.
Joshie (53:20):
Well um yeah, look, Andy, thanks so much for joining
us on Run Believable.
You truly are an awesome humanand we've had a blast of
speaking to you today.
Andy (53:30):
No worries, it's uh been a pleasure, guys.
Um not often you get asked tobe part of a podcast.
Yeah first time for me.
Matty (53:39):
Well your story's great, mate, and yeah, really good to
hear it and understand you a bitbit more.
So thank you.
Joshie (53:45):
All right, guys.
Thanks a lot.
See ya, see ya, bye.
Well, Maddie, what'd you think?
Matty (53:50):
Yeah, incredible story.
Um, you know, especially withthe open heart surgery and
getting back into running.
Um I personally believe thatthat that was a short time
frame, so really good to hear.
Um and yeah, just great to hearAndy's story.
Um, it's very inspirational.
Joshie (54:07):
Yeah, yeah, it really was.
I mean, can you imagine a lifewhere running isn't your number
one?
Like Andy seems to like, youknow, it's like, yeah, if I have
time I'll run.
If I don't, I won't.
How do you think how do youthink you'd go without Strava,
Maddie?
Matty (54:22):
Um, I think I'd be alright without Strava, to be
honest with you.
But but but I would use I woulduse something else like Garmin
Connect.
And before that, I actually hada spreadsheet where I recorded
everything.
Joshie (54:32):
I don't know, Maddie Lost Strava.
You even record your poos onthere.
Try to save that you don'tanyway.
Um look, that's it for today.
Um if you've got a RunBelievable story of your own,
we'd love to hear it.
And if you'd like to be a gueston the show, hit us up.
And finally, this podcastrelies on your continued
support.
(54:52):
So please, if you can take thetime to follow, rate, and share
this podcast with your runningmates.
We would really appreciate it.
See you for the next RunBelievable Adventure.
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