Marathon effort from students for top cause

A team of third-year medical students from the School of Rural Health took part in the Sydney Morning Herald half marathon on May 16, running 21 kilometres through the streets and harbour side of Sydney.

Jacqui Fleetwood, who organised the students to participate in the run, said the marathon was a great opportunity for them to get together, have fun and raise money for a good cause.

“We raised money for breast cancer,” she said.

The students, who mainly come from Sydney, wore ‘I Love Dubbo’ t-shirts for the marathon as well.

Jacqui said their time in Dubbo had inspired them to start running.

“Since we moved here, it must be the country air but we all like to go out running,” she said.

The team from the School of Rural Health included Jacqui, Patrick Ruby, Tim Jones, Jamie Bewes, Alice Coe, Michael Potter and Rhett Morton.

Jacqui said everyone took the half marathon seriously making sure their fitness was u to scratch on the day.

“We all did some training,” she said.

“Michael Potter, who is more of a runner, helped train us. He had us running intervals and things like that.”

Michael was the fastest in the team on the day, finishing the 21-kilometre course in one hour and 35 minutes. The rest of the team wasn’t far behind with all of them finishing in less than two hours.

The medical students are in Dubbo on a one-year placement and Jacqui said they had more plans to participate in marathons in the region before returning to Sydney.

“There is a half marathon in Mudgee which we are planning on running in.”

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