Four Warrnambool runners will join an expected field of over 30,000 as they compete in the Changchun Marathon in China on September 1.
As a sister city of Warrnambool, Changchun extended the invitation for four Warrnambool runners to take part, with Michael Obst, Ollie Westwick, Gerard Atkinson and Tess Mammone chosen via an Expression of Interest process.
Gerard will tackle the full marathon while Michael, Ollie and Tess will compete in the half-marathon.
Warrnambool City Councillor Debbie Arnott said that she was happy to see cultural exchanges begin to resume post-pandemic, with a delegation from Warrnambool's Japanese sister city, Miura, also visiting last week.
"It's just about getting that relationship back on track since COVID," she said.
"Our relationship with China has been good business-wise, economically, socially and culturally.
"A huge congratulations to (the runners) on representing Warrnambool. That's just great on an international stage."
Changchun is the capital of the Jilin Province in North East China, with a metropolitan population of about 4.6 million.
Warrnambool has been a sister city of Changchun since 2012.
The organising committee of the Changchun Marathon will cover food, accommodation and travel expenses within Changchun, including airport transfers for the duration of two nights. The runners are responsible for paying their own airfares, travel insurance, and any other expenses.
From Couch to 5k to China
Tess Mammone started running two and a half years ago and said that she has definitely caught the bug.
"I noticed I couldn't keep up with my daughter on her bike and I still had a little toddler, so I thought I'm going to have to do something here," she said.
"I wanted to be a positive role model for them. I wanted to show them how to be healthy, so I thought I'd start running.
"I did the Couch to 5k, then caught the bug and kept going.
"I've just done my first full marathon, so that's been a while in the making.
"To get a chance to experience another culture, it's going to be pretty cool."
"Not in a million years." New runner excited to compete in Changchun
Michael Obst is another recent convert to the sport, and said that if you told him a year ago that not only would he be running, but that he'd be competing in China, he wouldn't have believed you.
"Probably even three or four weeks ago I probably wouldn't have believed that, so I was incredibly surprised to see that Warrnambool had been invited by Changchun to do this, and I thought, why not put my name in the hat," he said.
"I started running last year, and it's something I took up because I was a cyclist and I really had trouble riding in the winter. Too dark. Too cold," he said.
"And I liked running. It was a bit more flexible.
"I did my first marathon last year in Melbourne.
"I've been enjoying it so I signed up to another one this year in Sydney which is in a couple more weeks time.
"When this opportunity came up, it fitted in nicely with my training."
Sister helps to get Ollie back on marathon pace
A keen runner generally, Ollie Westwick was out of training when the opportunity to compete in Changchun arrived, but with some help, that quickly changed.
"I was sort of out of training actually. I hadn't run for probably a couple of months," he said.
"Luckily my sister is a personal trainer.
"I've been in contact with her and she's set up a running plan for me.
"It's a good opportunity to go somewhere you wouldn't normally go and experience a different culture, and the bonus is I get to run a half marathon, so why not.
"I'm feeling good and I feel like I can do it."
Gerard's friends say this is "on brand"
Those who have taken part in the Flaggy 5 series might recognise Gerard from his role as race director, or perhaps not.
"I turned up to every race in a penguin suit just to encourage the kids and have a bit of fun, and that's what running is about for me," he said.
"Just getting out there and having a crack at it."
And while he said he'd be wearing regular running gear for the event, it wasn't the first time he'd headed overseas to get involved in sport.
"In fact my friends have said it's pretty much on brand for me to just duck away to a foreign country for a weekend to participate in a sporting event.
"I once went all the way to Dallas, Texas just to play a game of rugby."
Gerard was happy to be in peak shape when the chance to run in Changchun at short notice came his way.
"When the opportunity presented itself I was already at a high level of fitness. I'd just recently done the Peaks and Trails Ultra Marathon in Dunkeld, so that was 52km all up."
