For Christy Lambert every single run has a story and proud moment.
The 41-year-old Romsey mother of three has made a triumphant return to the track after rediscovering her passion almost two decades on.
Since 2019, Christy has made podium finishes at Gold Rush Trail Run, Two Bays Trail Run and Sri Chinmoy Marathon.
She is also the 2021 Lancefield and Woodend Parkrun female record holder.
“Every single run has a story behind it that I’m so proud of,” Christy said.
“It’s a real journey to get to race day – a lot of blood sweat and tears. I love pushing myself to the absolute limit. I seem to get emotional towards the end of a race knowing that I’ve given everything that I’ve got and it’s the end of all the weeks and months of training that got me to that point.”
Christy grew up in Kyneton and began training through Little Athletics at age 14 before taking on Senior Athletics in South Bendigo.
By the time she was 15, she wanted to improve her strength and began training with Pam Ryan. From a young age she was competing at a state and national level.
But Christy put running on pause after graduating high school.
“When I finished high school and started university I really struggled and lost my way,” she said.
“I dropped out of uni and started working in a horse racing stable – I took 12 months off from running and found that I really missed it, and the training and my coach.”
Christy returned to training for six months before learning she was pregnant with her son.
“I did try to go back to training,” she recalled.
“I had a wonderful family, friends and coach support me but I felt guilty for leaving my son with them so that I could run – so I stopped.”
Hitting the track again
Some years later Christy married Trevor, a passionate golfer, and their family grew with two more children.
Christy said she watched Trevor enjoy golf and craved hitting the track again.
“So one day I did!” she said. “I put my runners on and went for a run – I felt free and at peace with myself.
“When you love something so much you don’t need much motivation.”
Christy’s friend Erin Hansford introduced her to the Macedon Ranges Running Club.
She returned to competition running with Run the Rock in 2019 where she finished second. There have been many more since.
Now her training makes up about 85kms each week including MRRC runs, Tuesday Track Club and her own long trails.
Christy said she felt “so lucky” to have her parents, husband and children cheering her on.
“I’m truly grateful for all the people who have come into my life because of running and have even more gratitude and appreciation for all the volunteers/ marshals who make all the events possible,” she said.
“I joke around often with my running family on how lucky we are to see, feel, hear and experience so many beautiful things, that when we are all old living in a nursing home we will be able to look back and know that we truly lived and didn’t waste our lives.”
