Having achieved all she wanted to achieve in distance running, former event aficionado Shevahn Healy changed course in 2019 which culminated with a win in the Stawell and Ararat Cross Country Club's season finale, the five kilometre President's Handicap.
"I set myself new goals every year," the career nurse said.
"And now I'm content with just being a club runner, without the pressures of training as hard as I did when running marathons."
The last of these marathons, her fourth, was in New York last year, a dream opportunity that she shared with Sue Blizzard who happily finished second behind her club mate last Sunday.
And now I'm content with just being a club runner, without the pressures of training as hard as I did when running marathons
"I've changed jobs this year," Healy said.
"And really haven't had the time to train, but I haven't had the motivation either. It's actually been a relief not to have anything on the radar."
Behind her now are ten half marathons and a 13 kilometre City to Surf in Sydney on a schedule that comprised five running events in each of the last three years.
"It's all become a bit expensive, with entry fees, travel, paying for accommodation and everything else that's involved," Healy said.
"With this club, with good people, I can run in any race I choose for $5 go home and put my feet up without having to worry about the pressures of training 40 or more kilometres a week."
A reinvigorated Healy had gradually improved her fitness and stamina running 13 of the 20 races through the season and her winning time of 32.49 minutes was 4.27 minutes faster than her slowest five kilometres at the start of the year.
Fastest time in the race was the 39.26 minutes recorded by veteran Chris Barwick who finished seventh on handicap after conceding up to 14 minutes start to the slower front markers. Barwick's fifth fastest race time this season secured him the Club Championship for 2019.
