– Paige Penrose

Words by Paige Penrose

Photos by The Eventurers, Sportograf (provided by Paige Penrose)

It’s a tough time for everyone, no matter who we are. Life still goes on. We still need to work, to study, to run, to live. But how are we doing so? This is Paige Penrose, a friend I met at the NSW 5K Championships earlier this year. I haven't had the chance to talk and run with her in person, but she is always doing incredible things on the trail and sharing inspiring words on Instagram. And this time, I asked Paige to give us a glimpse of what it is like to be a uni student studying remotely and as a trail runner living along the coastline. I hope this will bring new perspectives and inspire you to reflect on where’s your ‘balance point’.

My name is Paige Penrose. I live in Stanwell Park, just south of the Royal National Park. After hating running with a passion as a kid, I figured out I was actually not bad at it in 2018 during a gap year with the Royal Australian Air Force. Ever since then, it’s been a big part of my life. I race on the road, track and trail and I’m not too sure what direction I’m headed with running yet but I’m excited about it.

I had planned to have a good crack at this XC season but that went out the window with lockdown beginning the day of the intended NSW champs and the subsequent unrelenting postponement. Over the next few months I had a tonne of mountain running planned, a lot of which was in the Victorian Alps. Then it was probably back to the track for the summer. I have got absolutely no clue what’ll happen now but running is still on and I’m loving it.

A Day in my Life

I usually wake up a bit before six, when the birds outside decide it’s time to get rolling. After grabbing a jacket, I head down to let chooks into the nesting box - they’re keen to get started too. Then I’ll have a bowl of cereal and a banana with peanut butter before heading out for the day’s training. Straight after that it’s a big bowl of oats and an hour or so of uni work. 

By then I’m busting to get outside again and I’ll take the dog for a lap of Stanny. When I get back there’s usually a wet load of washing in the machine so that goes on the line. If I’ve got more time until midday, I might draw, do lego or kick a ball or something like that until I make some lunch and sit down for some more study. 

In the afternoon I’ll do half an hour or so of strength work and help Dad out in the yard or with whatever building project we’ve got going on. Up next, you guessed it, more food and some more study. Then Dad and I (and Mum if work is finished) will walk about 5 min down to the beach to stick our feet in the sand and just watch the waves roll in for a bit. 

At the moment, the sun starts to set a bit before five so we start to pack everything up - close the chook coop, top-up their water, feed the dog, shut the house up to keep some of the day’s warmth in. Then it’s onto dinner prep and we almost always eat together at the table. To finish up the night I might do some foam rolling, little bits of uni I didn’t finish, call my sister and eventually have a shower before the last meal of the day (peanut butter, apple oats and chocolate) and some reading and sudoku before bed at about 9:30.

I’ll plow through a jar of peanut butter every week.

This Lockdown

For my whole life, I have always settled very comfortably into routines. I’ve always enjoyed traveling but love being at home too. For the first time, this part of me decided to up and leave just as we went into lockdown. I all of a sudden enjoyed being in a state of flux, not knowing where we’d be staying the next week. The feeling of restriction came hard and fast and was a challenge I hadn’t felt so strongly in any previous lockdown in the past 18 months. I’ve had, and still have, a really hard time at some point in the day on most days.

Fortunately, this period of no racing and doing almost all of my training solo has confirmed my prior suspicion that I don’t run to race. I love racing - this year I was meant to go to the world youth sky running championships in Italy and a running camp called Footprints in Colorado with Dakota Jones. I cannot wait for them to return but I would be happy to continue training even if I were to never race again. The biggest thing for me about events is the people and connection. That is what I miss most.

The current restrictions quite intentionally make it difficult to accidentally just bump into someone. Without being diligent in organizing social interaction (within the rules) and the repetitive nature of each and every day, I find myself realising it's been a week or two and I haven’t seen anyone outside of my family apart from the assistant at the supermarket checkout.

I’m not going to pretend to have this all figured out. I still struggle everyday. I lack a sense of purpose or direction. I feel like this is a time in my life where I should be expanding my connections - in running, in my academics, in building a career, in life. I should be out exploring when I can, figuring out what I like doing, what feelings, people and places I want to chase. 

The concepts of resilience and grit are thrown around a lot when it comes to running and to covid. Whilst I believe this to be an essential attribute, it will not get you through without forgiveness and compassion. We are constantly fed the message to do more, take on another job, extra hours, faster runs, longer runs...you should be able to handle it all...with grace. But what do perfect scores count for if you're not smiling inside? Finding the balance point between striving, asking more of yourself and nurturing yourself, and then walking that edge is the tricky bit. 

We won’t grow without a stimulus and a bit of overreaching but you won’t adapt if you’ve spent all of your resources.

Expect ups and downs within each day.

Be ok with it.

Be ok with waiting.

Be ok with pushing yourself.

Be ok with stepping back.

Look in, look up, look out.

Like I said, I haven’t figured out how to get this right but I’m trying. So if anyone has, let me know.

Fun Facts

• I can ride a unicycle and walk on a slackline

• I really really dislike asparagus

• I love mowing the lawn - something about those straight lines

• I started school in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains before we moved to the coast

• I’ve got about four pieces of oyster shell in my knee from a cut when I was 11yrs