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Meet your local run coach + a 1968 Go Go Dance

Welcome to The Nugget, a 24k gold newsletter about Castlemaine's people and events

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The Nugget
January 31, 2025

★ MEET YOUR LOCAL RUNNING COACH ★

Inez Deckers: Run coach, hair and makeup artist and reactive dog walker

A couple of years back, Inez Deckers did Run the Maine’s half-marathon and came 9th.

Unlike most people, she thought, "if I could be ninth, could I be second or third? I wanted to make a podium spot."

She made a note of the winning time from that year and trained towards that goal for the next Run the Maine.

"I was a little bit slower. In the end I was third. The first two runners were a lot quicker than me. Minutes, maybe, but minutes is a lot on a half marathon. But it was really exciting." 

In the leadup to the race, during a training run, an idea bubbled to the surface. 

"I thought it would be so nice to help other people to be able to run at all. People maybe who think they're not a runner or they can't run or they don't have the motivation to keep at it, or don't really know how to start."

Inez applied for a council Community Grant to create a "Couch to 5k Motivational Running Program" and got it. (Council is accepting Community Grant applications now through to 10 Feb., so let this be your encouragement to put in for one! It is possible!)

"And then I was like, okay, well, I've got this grant, so I have to do this thing now, which was really great, because there were many moments in the setup process where I would have maybe given up."

Inez managed to inspire 40 people to sign up for her first 3-month program, which culminated with Run the Maine. Twenty-five participants successfully completed Run the Maine's 5k race. 

"Some managed to hit their 5k time goal, some managed to get faster than their previous goal run, some managed to be able to run continuously," Inez said.

And everyone was able to feel the benefits and freedom of running.  

The participants cheered Inez on, too, as she again made a run for the podium, this time, in the 5k race. She finished 2nd. 

"It really is a group effort and we're all helping each other to be accountable for our own health, and to celebrate our achievements."

Run with Inez has rolled on from there, with many people re-enrolling. 

"I attract a lot of people who are scared of running or scared of running groups and think they'll always be at the back or think  they're slow or not good enough."

Who thinks they are aren't good enough to run? Middle-aged women, it turns out.

"Mostly, it's women, in their 40s through to 60s, though all genders are welcome and I do have some people in their 20s and 30s."

She tells her runners that ideas like "fast" and "good" are meaningless constructs. "All that matters is that you turn up every week and have a nice time." 

Many come for the group experience. It's more fun to run with others, you're more likely to go if Inez is expecting you. 

"If they're not there, I will check in with them and be like 'Um, you're not here, are you late or what's going on?' I really enjoy motivating people and holding them accountable. I think lots of people need that."

"I'm not too pushy, though. I am actually quite introverted. But I'm interested in people, I'm curious. And I care." 

And whew, Inez loves admin. If you are a runner on her list to motivate, you are going to get underlined and actioned like never before.

As her runners have become more experienced, she now designs personal programs for any goal that people want to chase. That could be simply getting out for a regular run, working up to 5k, getting faster or training for a race.

Participants train together at sites like the Botanical gardens, Kalimna Park or the Sunken Oval. Inez favours Castlemaine locations where she can keep eyes on everyone. You can expect her to jog alongside you at times during training to share tips and encouragement.

And at the end of Run the Maine, expect her to shower you with Champagne. Inez knows how to celebrate the journey and the achievements.

❀ CHEWTON POOL GO GO DANCE? ❀

This copy of the Castlemaine Mail from 11 Jan., 1968, landed in the Salvos’ donation bin.

Big props to the Salvos staffer who has shared this window into what people were up to in Castlemaine 50 years ago.

Do click through the Salvos’ post below and click straight on to the “Go Go Dance” item.

Please advise if you were there. Admission was 40c and “Popular Local Band” was playing. I need all the details.

♡˖ EVENTS ˖♡

𖥔 TALK TO MOI PLOISE 𖥔

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