By Jonty Ralphsmith
Dandenong North runner Hayley D’Argent is preparing herself to run her second half marathon at the Nike Melbourne Marathon on 2 October.
D’Argent, also a local softballer, has always maintained fitness and has completed one previous half marathon, but this one carries extra significance.
A week after she looks forward to crossing the finish line on the MCG, D’Argent will turn 40-years-old – and it is her first run since the pandemic.
“That was a motivator for me,” D’Argent said of the milestone.
It has always been, if mentally things are weighing a bit heavy and if I go for a run, I know my worries and fears will be replaced with a calm and belief.”
Given her active lifestyle, and four training sessions per week, D’Argent backs her physical preparation.
She has completed several ‘Runs for the Kids’ and ‘Puffing Billy runs’ so knows she has the capacity.
It is the mental preparation which she is currently focusing on.
Regardless of what is going on in D’Argent’s personal life, running has always been a meditative soother.
“I lost a little bit of trust during lockdown and started asking myself ‘can I do this again – am I up for the challenge?’
“So now it is about building that confidence and assessing whether the barriers are real or imaginary.
“It is so important to have that release, purpose, goal and achievement,” D’Argent said.
“Getting into that zone and pushing through all those barriers which life in general stops you from doing is where I love getting to.
“Once you’re there, it is mind over matter. I go into this zone where you can just keep pushing on.”
On Sunday 2 October, the Melbourne marathon will be the 44th run, with more than $1.2 million raised in 2021.
