Barooga runner Brooke Williams as she approached the Run Melbourne finish line on Sunday.
In the early cold mornings while most are sleeping, Barooga’s Brooke Williams is up running laps around the Finley Lake.
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The 32 year-old competitive runner has recently made a drastic change in her training regiment.
She has given up the long drive to Shepparton, which takes its toll, to train.
Instead, she has opted to train at Finley Lake.
Williams recently arrived back in Australia after a brief stint in Switzerland where she assisted in training her friend Calli Thackery, who has now been selected to run the 5km for Great Britain in the Commonwealth Games.
Williams is quite the experienced and decorated runner herself.
Last year she placed 13th at the Australian Championships/Commonwealth Games Trials and ran a personal best of 16:14.
Competing at as many state level races as she can, Williams took on the State Cross Country Championships at the weekend.
She placed 13th overall and second in the Victorian country division, and earned herself a spot on the Victoria team competing at the National Cross Country in Adelaide next month.
She followed up Saturday’s competition by taking part in Run Melbourne on Sunday, placing second.
A specific goal for Williams, who is trained by former Olympian Steve Moneghetti, is to qualify to represent Australia in the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst next year.
Brooke Williams training at Finley Lake.
Williams said as she’s often solo running Finley Lake, she’s sure some people think she is just some “crazy girl running around”.
But she said there are some key reasons she chose Finley Lake for training.
“The gravel surface is amazing for leg strength, and offers much more grip than local grass sporting ovals,” she said.
“And the sunrise in the early mornings is just beautiful over the Finley Lake’s water.”
19°C