I didn’t train for this half-marathon. There was no structured build-up, no strict schedule or progressive long runs. I’ve been in a different season lately — one where my energy has been focused on growing my online business, showing up for community through the Bumbria Arts & Culture Program, and most importantly, being the best mum I can be to my beautiful girl who’s almost six now, and my amazing partner who continues to support and love me through all my craziness. 

So this run wasn’t about a personal best or chasing numbers. It was about curiosity — about seeing what my body could do when I trusted it. After a night of heavy, heavy rain, I knew it was going to be a challenge. Through the rain, Mother Earth cleanses herself, and as water flows, it invites us to release and purify the emotions we carry within.

I slept in. I set my alarm for 4:30pm instead of A.M! I had just 15 minutes to get up, throw something on, smash my porridge and banana, hydrate and drive 21 kilometres into town sipping on my black coffee. And when I arrived, I got a call from my mate asking whether I had seen the Facebook post that it’d been cancelled.. I was ready to run! 

Now, I could’ve taken that as a sign to tap out. But I couldn’t just let it go like that. I’d committed to something, and even though the race wasn’t happening, the run was still there for me. So I drove back home, pulled into Attunga, and started moving.

The first six kilometres were noisy — not with traffic or people, but with my own thoughts. All the mental clutter, self-doubt, overthinking, my breath was straining, and distractions took their time to clear. Then I found a rhythm. I settled into my breath, my pace, my body. That middle third of the run felt like a sweet spot — not easy, but steady, like I could hold on.

Then came the last third.

That’s when I had to dig deep. Real deep. I entered the pain cave, it was dark, and heavy. I knew it would come….it’s more than just a physical space. It’s a portal. It’s where all the suppressed stuff lives — the emotions you didn’t have time to feel, the old wounds you thought were healed, the doubts and fears that still linger.

And in that final eight kilometres, it all came up.

But there’s something sacred about meeting yourself in that space. There’s something powerful about running on Country — sacred land that holds our stories, our ancestors, our truths. I felt Gunimaa, our Great Mother with me. I felt my Nan and Pop, the babies I’ve lost, I felt the water running through the creeks, the wind brushing my skin, the birds singing songs of guidance. I felt held. And I let go.

Tears rolled down my cheeks…..

Then, out of nowhere, a golden retriever appeared beside me and started running. I don’t know where he came from or who sent him, but his presence lifted my spirit. He stayed with me for two kilometres — I named him Barry — and in that time, it felt like he showed up just to bring me comfort. To let me know that it’s all gonna be ok….

All that heaviness — the stress, the guilt, the overwhelm, the questions about whether I’m doing enough, being enough — I handed it over to Spirit.

Because sometimes life doesn’t go to plan. And that’s okay.

Sometimes the race gets cancelled. Sometimes you sleep in. But the path is still there. Spirit still shows up. And you’ve just got to keep running — with faith, with breath, with heart — knowing that what’s waiting on the other side is something far greater than you could ever plan for.

For me, running has always been a spiritual practice. It’s how I connect back to myself, to Gomeroi Country, to the land and water and skies that breathe life into us. It’s how I remember that emotion is just energy in motion. You can choose to let it weigh you down, or you can choose to move through it — to run with it, to transform it, to rise from it.

So on Sunday, I ran not for a medal or a finish line — but for truth, for healing, for peace.

And I’ll keep running — on Country, with breath, with Spirit — because this path is sacred. And I trust where it’s leading me.

Loads of love and epic vibes,

Charlie xo