Megan Hedges has a new lease on life. 39445
By Casey Neill
BELGRAVE woman Megan Hedges is running towards a brighter future.
The 32-year-old will next week compete in the 15-kilometre Great Australian Run after discovering exercise as the key to tackling her depression.
Ms Hedges has suffered the illness for more than 10 years.
“It made me not very motivated, and not able to get out there and do things that most people do,” she said.
“It was like a big black cloud hanging over my head.”
She tried various treatments before a work colleague recommended she join her at an exercise class just a few months ago.
“It’s helped me give a new direction in life, a more positive future,” she said.
“Doing this is helping me be more positive, and getting fit and more energetic.”
Ms Hedges is no longer taking any medication to control her illness.
“I never really thought that getting out there and getting active would have such a major impact on how I’m feeling,” she said.
“It’s sort of addictive now too.”
She completed the 5km Melbourne Marathon last month.
“I thought if I can do five, I may as well do 15,” she said.
“I’ll give it a go and it will be something I’ll be very proud of myself to achieve.”
Ms Hedges has been training at nearby Birdsland Reserve and Upper Ferntree Gully’s 1000 Steps but was nervous about making the distance.
“You get to a point where your mind tells you you want to give up, but you just have to push through that and try not to listen to those negative thoughts,” she said.
She’s looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m really excited about it. I never thought I’d be excited about running,” she said.
“I used to see people running all the time. As you’re driving past you think they’re crazy, at 6 o’clock in the morning, and now it’s me doing it.”
Ms Hedges has motivated nine-year-old daughter Ainslie to get moving.
“I’m a better person for my daughter, and she can see me getting active and I think I’m a good role model for her now too,” she said.
“She’s like ‘you’re a skinny mum, you’re not like the other mums’. She’s pretty proud of me I think.”
Ms Hedges wants to encourage other people in her life to get active.
“Hopefully I’m inspiring other people,” she said.
“It’s like a new lease on life.”
Ms Hedges will compete alongside Olympic marathon champions Kenyan Samuel Wanjiru and Italian Stefano Baldini.
Aussie distance runner Craig Mottram and 400-metre champion Cathy Freeman will also hit the Albert Park track.
The Great Australian Run starts and finishes at Albert Park on Sunday 29 November and is open to runners, joggers and walkers of all abilities.
The Junior Great Australian Run and Great Australian Family Run are aimed at kids and will be held at Albert Park on Saturday 28 November.
Readers can visit www.greataustralianrun. com.au to enter the events.
