From the September 2012 issue of Runner’s World

2010 Miss Universe Australia, model and TV personality, 21, Sydney, New South Wales

Interview by Sabrina Rogers-Anderson
Photo courtesy ASICS

I’ve been running since I was a teenager. Growing up on the Gold Coast, I was always outdoors. We lived near a river, so mum and I ran around it three times a week. I still run three times a week – between 5K and 15K each time. A 15K run is a big one for me, but I try to do it at least once a fortnight.

I recently ran my first half-marathon at the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. I had the best weekend and came away so incredibly inspired. It was what I needed because I’d been starting to feel stagnant. I’d been working a lot, which can get to you after a while, but that weekend really injected me with new inspiration and motivation after being surrounded by so many incredible people.

I love to run the Tan [Track] in the Botanic Gardens in Melbourne. When I’m on the Gold Coast, I run around the Nerang River. In Sydney, I mainly run on the treadmill in the gym, but I try to get out and run around Bondi.

I run mainly because I enjoy it and it benefits me mentally. I go to a place in my head where I’m totally removed from the world and my everyday life, and I can let all my stresses and worries go. It’s a bit of an escape.

I’m a morning runner – I find that I have to get it over and done with. That’s my favourite time of day because it’s really quiet. I had to do a few 4am starts in the lead-up to the half-marathon before taking an early flight. It’s hard in winter, especially when you’re in Melbourne and it’s two degrees! It’s hard to breathe when it’s that cold.

I can’t run without music – it’s really inspiring and motivating for me. My Celebrity Apprentice co-star Didier Cohen is a DJ, and he made me an incredible mix. I like to run to what I describe as dirty hip-hop, like Kanye West and Jay-Z. I like something with a bit of grunt.

I usually run alone only because there aren’t many volunteers to run at 6am! All of a sudden, your friends disappear. I did a few training sessions with Andrew Reid from Bondi Rescue, who ran the full marathon at the Gold Coast. He’s a great athlete – he’s really fit and inspiring, so it was great to get a few sessions in with him.

I went through a stage where I absolutely hated running. I despised it every time I went out and I couldn’t run for more than 20 minutes. But now I love the feeling – it’s exhilarating! There’s something nice about setting out to run 15K and doing it. It’s like you’re achieving mini goals every week. It’s a really good feeling.

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