Room For All - S2 E27 - The Long Run To Inclusion - Enrique Suana

The Long Run to Inclusion: An Epic Journey for Disability Awareness

In this episode of the 'Inclusion in Hospitality' podcast, hosts Andrea and Saraya kick off the new year with exciting updates and developments in their 2026 journey. They are joined by special guest Enrique Suana, a seasoned runner and community ambassador, to discuss the 'Long Run to Inclusion' initiative. The episode covers the expansion of Hotel Etico's operations and partnerships, the creation of new academies for people with disabilities, and the upcoming 400km run from Mount Victoria to Canberra aimed at raising awareness and funds for disability inclusion. They delve into Enrique's background, his involvement with Achilles International, and his role in promoting the initiative within the running community. The conversation highlights the importance of community support, the challenges and logistics of the run, and the broader goal of fostering a more inclusive society.

00:00 Welcome Back to the Studio

02:08 Exciting Developments at Hotel

03:51 New Partnerships and Expansions

05:53 Setting Up the New Academy in Canberra

10:03 Introducing Our Special Guest: Enrique Suana

10:55 Enrique's Journey: From Peru to Running

17:01 Achilles: Promoting Inclusion Through Running

20:22 The Long Run to Inclusion Initiative

23:11 The Journey Begins: Setting Off for Canberra

23:30 Planning the Route: From Leura to Canberra

24:20 Challenges and Logistics: Designing a Safe Course

25:48 Join the Run: Participation and Virtual Engagement

29:27 The Final Leg: Reaching Canberra and Celebrations

30:46 Fundraising Goals: $400,000 for Inclusion

32:59 Training and Preparation: Personal Stories

34:48 Community and Support: The Running Network

38:15 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

https://raceroster.com/events/2026/111900/long-run-to-inclusion-2026

Transcript

Speaker: [00:01:00] Let's go. Well, we're in the studio again back for another episode. Welcome back, Saraya. Happy New Year. Happy New Year to you. 

Speaker 2: We are in the studio, as we call it, or the library of hotel, um, uh, the studio for room for all the Inclusion in Hospitality Podcast. We are back for another year. 

Speaker: 2026. 

Speaker 2: 2026. We are what, a couple of weeks into two or [00:02:00] three weeks?

Into two. Two weeks into 2026. Yeah. And this episode will probably be recorded today and go out tomorrow. 

Speaker: That's probably our fastest turnaround 

Speaker 2: so far. 'cause we have some very good, um, developments, uh, that have been happening over the last few months for hotel. 

Speaker: It's been big. Yeah. 

Speaker 2: It's been big. So first of all, for those that are watching, we have in the studio a very special guest.

But before we officially introduce him, we'll just do a little bit of a, um, 

Speaker: update 

Speaker 2: of an update on what we've been up to because we've been a bit silent about what. About room for all. Room for all. And we've been a bit silent about hotel apart from our social media. 

Speaker: Yeah. Well, I mean, we haven't, uh, recorded in a little while.

That's right. We're a little bit rusty, so there's probably gonna be a lot more bloopers. 

Speaker 2: Yes. Um, so why, what have we been doing, Saraya? 

Speaker: It's been busy. I think December was probably, sorry. Um, yeah, it's been busy. Uh, December, you know, usually people wind down, but we just seem to ramp up. Um. I reflecting back on December, we've [00:03:00] done a lot, um, even before December actually.

So maybe you can give the, 

Speaker 2: it's been a year. Um, but you know, it all culminated in, in Yes. October, November, December, yeah. Of the months where we have been able to execute effectively the new strategy that we set up throughout the year. 

Speaker: Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Which now see hotel let go on a very, very. Fast path to expansion.

Speaker: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Speaker 2: And so we've, we've. We continue to operate our beautiful hotel in Mount Victoria, um, as we have a little bit 

Speaker: chilly 

Speaker 2: today. I will say it's meant to be 

Speaker: summer, 

Speaker 2: but Oh, it's weather is be crazy. Um, but, um, yes, so hotel continues to operate with, uh, some of our trainees and definitely our graduates.

Speaker: Yeah. 

Speaker 2: But we have now developed a very, very strong partnership with, um, some. Um, [00:04:00] very well known operators and owners of hotels in the country. Uh, specifically Jerry Schwartz, family company who owns, um, quite a number of beautiful hotels around the country and, and 

Speaker: I will say was our very first partner.

Speaker 2: Very first partner who employed our very first 

Speaker: graduate 

Speaker 2: Yeah. Graduates in at the Fairmont Resort and continues to employ, um, uh, graduates of Fairmont Resort. Quite a number of them. But, um, he also works with Trilogy Hotels, uh, Scott Boyes, Grant Alchin. Um, and they, um, uh, Tony Ryan and they operate some of, um, Jerry's hotels, Jerry's hotels, and so on the back of a very strong relationship that we have with both of them.

We have now come up with a very innovative partnership in the hotel industry where we embed academies of independence inside their hotels. 

Speaker: Yeah, so the first one, um. Which we moved in October. Mm-hmm. 

Speaker 2: It 

Speaker: was October. [00:05:00] So we started an Academy of Independence in Leura Gardens Resort in October, which continues to really thrive.

Um, it's a beautiful property. Gardens are beautiful and, you know, full support from all the staff. 

Speaker 2: Yes. Great. Amazing garden. A swimming pool that I've seen guests and our trainees using over the last, last few days when the, the, when the weather was hot enough, um, and much larger property with a lot more work opportunities.

Yeah. Both in housekeeping and in breakfast service. They have a new restaurant Fairways that have just opened that. Um, so lots and lots of things happening there. 

Speaker: Yeah. Really good food too. 

Speaker 2: Yes, yes. It's a fusion of um, uh, Filipino and Italian and other international flavors, which is really, really good, like sharing plates.

So encourage people to go and actually eat there 'cause it's really, really nice. 

Speaker: And they'll see our trainees working. 

Speaker 2: So that's, you know. Not only we've transferred part of our operations there and our academy there, but we, while we [00:06:00] continue to run this, but at the same time we've also opened or we're about to open next week.

Literally next week a new academy 

Speaker: Yes. Canberra in Mercure Canberra. Yeah. Which 

Speaker 2: is another hotel owned, owned by Jerry, and operated by Trilogy and beautiful historical property that is very well known in Canberra. Uh, the old Ainsley Hotel, um, or Olims in the past as well. Um, and yes, uh, many more rooms, restaurants, bar, um, uh, conference spaces.

And again, um, we've, we've set up a new academy there. And so what have we been doing over the last few days? Saraya? Of weeks anyway. 

Speaker: Uh, a few weeks. So yeah, I think, you know, December was quite big. We recruited all of the staff, um, all of the support workers. We have the team in place. We have a new academy coordinator, we have a new trainer, um, which is very exciting, expanding and inducting new staff into Hotel Etico.

And 

Speaker 2: I have to say, they have hit the ground running, 

Speaker: I'll say. Yeah. There is one thing in true Hotel 

Speaker 2: Etico [00:07:00] spirit 

Speaker: hit the ground running for sure. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. 

Speaker: Um, this week we have been in Canberra for five. Five days. Yeah. Four 

Speaker 2: days. Five

Speaker: days. Four, five days. Um, building furniture, flat packs from Ikea and lounges and, um, yeah, it's been, it's been a big week, exhausting week, but I think, you know, it's been, it's been fun.

Yes. I think it's the fun thing and everyone's pulled together as a team. We had Lexie down there. Um, we've had Raymond down there. We've had the new team, even 

Speaker 2: your daughter helping 

Speaker: my daughter on a drill, 

Speaker 2: electric drill. And 

Speaker: it was all hands on deck. 

Speaker 2: Yes. 

Speaker: Yes. Um, which has been really exciting. A few final touches to go in on Tuesday and our trainees starting on Wednesday.

Speaker 2: What would you say the biggest challenge was for us to do, while we were there? 

Speaker: Um, fitting the fridge into the fridge hole, so we measured it four times. Mind you. Well, we went to the good guys and it 

Speaker 2: was the right size. 

Speaker: It was the right size, sure. But the door didn't open. 

Speaker 2: So the door was [00:08:00] obviously on one side, but you could swap it.

And so we had to swap it around to be able to, to do it. 

Speaker: Use the fridge. So, 

Speaker 2: easy job. 

Speaker: Easy job. Yeah. 10 minutes. The good guys. said. Uh, it takes them 10 minutes to do it. So in true. 

Speaker 2: But they also wanted to be paid extra 

Speaker: for that. Yeah, a lot, A lot extra. But in true Andrea style, he goes 10 minutes easy. It was not 10 minutes, it was a few hours.

Speaker 2: Two or three hours. 

Speaker: Two or three hours to change a fridge door over. But you know, we got there in the end and that's probably one of 

Speaker 2: the, we did it. 

Speaker: Biggest competition. 

Speaker 2: It's the biggest win of the week. And 

Speaker: the lounge. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. I know how to swap a, a door 

Speaker: and build a lounge. Lounge, 

Speaker 2: yeah. Build a lounge, 

Speaker: dining table, 

Speaker 2: everything else.

Yeah. So it looks beautiful. It's amazing. It's ready to go. Uh, we just need to homify it a little bit, but it's uh, 

Speaker: I mean, and also like I, I'm just gonna put it out there. Donations for game boards and stuff like 

Speaker 2: Yes. 

Speaker: Board games.

Speaker 2: Yes. If anyone is a cushions. Got connections, uh, around the board game playing, uh, community.

Um, definitely we will need some board games there. Definitely, definitely 

Speaker: need some board games. Yeah, for sure. Um, but yeah, they start on Wednesday. We've, you know, we've got trainees ready to go. 

Speaker 2: [00:09:00] Exciting. 

Speaker: They, we had, they, they were met a 

Speaker 2: few already. 

Speaker: We've met a few. They came in while we were setting up furniture and stuff.

So it's been, it's been a really good week. Yes. Very exciting. I'll say my chiropractor earned, um, his keep this morning for sure. Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Very exciting. And. Um, and this leads us the fact that we are expanding and we're opening in Canberra as well, leads us to one of the main reasons why we have our special guest here today, um, because we're about to embark in a very exciting, very big, very big, uh, challenging 

Speaker: fundraising 

Speaker 2: initiative, fundraising initiative that will see us join the dots between our hotels from Mount Victoria.

To Canberra. And so how are we gonna join the dots? So 

Speaker: Mount Victoria, Leura, and then Canberra. That's right. 'cause there's three sites 

Speaker 2: and everything in between. So. And I'm talking about the Long Run To Inclusion that you can see for those that are watching on, on our shirts. 

Speaker: Um, 

Speaker 2: some shirts. [00:10:00] Um, and so this is the time to introduce our special guest.

Our special guest is Enrique Suana. Welcome Enrique. 

Speaker 3: Thank you very much Andrea. It's really good to be here. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, it's great to have you. Now. Enrique and I go back a long time. Um, 

Speaker: so I'm probably gonna be out of the loop in this. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, probably This is gonna be more like, it's, 

Speaker: it's a running conversation.

Speaker 3: It's gonna be a journey of, um, 

Speaker 2: that's right. 

Speaker 3: Getting to that rekindling and whatnot of, of, uh, 

Speaker 2: Andrea. And we will explain a little bit why Enrique's involved. But before we do that, we just wanna get to know Enrique and we want our, um, listeners to get to know Enrique a little bit if they don't know him already.

Um, 

Speaker: we do 

Speaker 2: have 

one 

Speaker: question where we ask 

Speaker 2: is, yeah, like, who, who is Enrique? Who is Enrique, you know, beyond your professional, but also personally now. Who are you? What's your background? Where you come from? What, what, what is Enrique? 

Speaker 3: What, so I can answer this in more than just one word? Yes. Oh, awesome. Cool.

Yes. Look, to give you some background on myself, um, I was born in Peru, in South America. I [00:11:00] came to Australia when I was two years old, so I've been here for 40 years. We can connect the dots there. Um, so I've been here for a while. Um, oh look, gosh, um, I discovered. 18 years ago, 19 years ago. Look, I'm gonna lean into the wrong side of things.

Yeah. Here. Um, yeah, I was quite unhealthy, quite overweight, and I, um, I wanted to, um, get healthier, I guess you could say. So I, um, I walked home from a friend's house. Actually, I couldn't get a taxi one night. Right. And, um, I walked from, um, north Ryde to Hornsby because I just couldn't get a taxi along the way.

Right. That's a 

Speaker: big walk. 

Speaker 3: It was a long walk. It was about, oh gosh. 13, 14 K. Right. Something along those lines. But the next day I thought that's kind of cool. I mean, if, if I can do that, I wanna try to go for a run. And in my cupboard, the only pair of shoes I had was a pair of Nike tns, which are right. Your gangster shoes.

Right. Anyway, you used 

Speaker: Don't run in Nike tns. 

Speaker 3: Well, I, I didn't know any better. Anyway, I put these guys on, I went for, I lasted about a hundred meters. I kid you not, and then I was out of breath and I said to myself. I don't know how people can run. I can't do it. I went back the next day and the day after and as [00:12:00] they say, the rest is history.

Yeah, it, it just became quite, quite easy to do. And eventually I was actually running from the upper North Shore to, um, Macquarie Park where I worked at the time, um, a couple of days a week, and I just thought, wow, this is great, you know, and. Yeah. It's just evolved from there. Nice. Just the love of the sport.

Speaker 2: So it's interesting that, you know, as we ask who you are, apart from your cultural identity, you pretty much straightaway went to I'm a runner, 

Speaker 3: went into running. That's, I'm, that's all I, I look pay the bills somehow as well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Of course. Keep busy as well. Of course. Um, a uh, my partner, she lives in Brisbane.

We live in Brisbane together. February. Great state. Yeah. Yeah. Great state. That's right. 

Speaker 2: Ika used to be a Sydneysider for a long time. First. 

Speaker: I mean, you always go to Queensland. 

Speaker 3: Yeah. But you can take the boy from Sydney, but you'll never take the Sydney from the boy. That's how it goes around. Yeah, that's right.

Speaker: See, I do it the opposite. You can take the Queensland out of me, but you can never take the

Speaker 3: Queensland. Oh gosh. So lemme guess. Origin time, it gets a little bit hairy, is that right? 

Speaker: Yes. I once sat in the blue section of Origin down here and got a hotdog thrown at my head like, 'cause I was in Maroon. 

Speaker 3: And, and I live right in the city in Brisbane.

Right. So local felons brewing, Kern go down there. I get heckled as well, you know, in my blues gear. But these things happen, 

Speaker: right. I'm so [00:13:00] proud. Yeah. If I get heckled and you get heckled, 

Speaker 3: all is fair. Oh, you get heckled. Yeah. But um, but yeah, no, um, I live in Brisbane, but come down to Sydney a fair bit. Yes.

Have a lot of family. Um, a lot of friends here, a lot of running communities that I work in closely. I guess, which is probably one of the reasons as to why, why I am here today as well. 

Speaker 2: Yes, yes. Before we go there, you mentioned Peru. Like you probably don't dunno, I don't know if you've seen, but I, I went to Peru.

I 

Speaker 3: think I did 

Speaker 2: about three months ago. I think I did, I did Ma Picchu with my daughter. 

Speaker 3: There you go. I was in 

Speaker 2: and I saw that you were, when did you, when did you go? 

Speaker 3: In April. In April In, um, I was in Peru for the first time ever. I've never been back to Peru 

Speaker 2: after Oh, 

Speaker 3: right. Since coming. Since coming here originally with my parents.

You loved it. So it was, it was amazing. I've been to other parts of the world. Yeah. So we have a lot of family all over the world. In, in Switzerland predominantly. Yeah. So I've been Zurich many times to Europe many times, but never actually been back to um Ah, per was 

Speaker 2: amazing. 

Speaker 3: It was stunning. 

Speaker 2: Peru was amazing.

How did you deal with the altitude? 

Speaker 3: I had the tablets. Uh, I was able to go for a run on the second day in Cusco. Oh, nice. I actually thought, alright, 

Speaker 2: Cusco is beautiful. 

Speaker 3: But I hear this rumor and someone [00:14:00] educated me on this, that if you are born in Peru, you have a certain type of. Lung capacity. I don't know if that's true or Right.

Maybe. 

Speaker 2: Maybe. 

Speaker 3: Or you built, go with it for the altitude 

Speaker 2: and did you do the Inca Trail or this, or you got, 

Speaker 3: did you? Yeah. Well it's a funny story actually. You mentioned the Inca Trail. So what happened was, um, we originally booked the Inca Trail. So this is, this is my partner Jody's, um, bucket list life aspiration to do.

Right. The Inca Trail, the OG in Inca Trail. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. 

Speaker 3: Unfortunately there was, it was raining, so it was bad weather. Okay. That one got canned. They put us onto another one, 

Speaker 2: Salkantay?

Speaker 3: Uh, yes. They put us on Salkantay. Yeah. But then that got canned as well. 

Speaker 2: Ah. 

Speaker 3: So then we were on the Lares Trek, which was still a three day hike.

Okay. But it ended somewhere differently to, uh Ah, okay. It didn't in Machu Picchu, so we had to get the train there. We didn't get to walk through the Sun Gate, but you know what consolation was? We still got there. We still got to see the absolute Oh, it's 

Speaker 2: incredible. 

Speaker 3: Marvel of Machu Picchu. It's 

Speaker 2: incredible.

Speaker 3: After going there. I don't know. I'm confused with all the theories. Did aliens make Machu Picchu? I dunno, but well see. It's amazing. 

Speaker 2: This is, [00:15:00] this is from there. This is the, the Inca start. 

Speaker: I, um, Andrea. 

Speaker 2: Cross. I mean, 

Speaker: yeah. Andrea sent me quite a lot of photos and I'm very scared of That's beautiful Heights.

Speaker 3: Oh, 

Speaker 2: oh yeah. 'cause I went up to, did the, I went to the Picchu. 

Speaker 3: Oh, you you climbed the other one? 

Speaker 2: Yeah. Behind Machu Picchu. Yeah. Oh my God. I'll show you photos later. It's like so steep. But we did the Salkantay Trail, which is the more nature based trail instead of the history based trail. A bit longer, like 80 kilometers.

Speaker 3: Yeah, it is. It is 

Speaker 2: amazing. Sleepy. Sleeping under the stars in like glass domes. And 

Speaker 3: so you already knew that this was gonna come, that's why you did the longest run, right? That's right. Run was 

Speaker 2: gonna happen. That's right. That's right. So yeah. Beautiful. Amazing. Um, 

Speaker 3: but I won't, I won't lie. So Machu Picchu was amazing, but my bucket list item on that trip that we did was to go to Easter Island.

I don't know if anyone I saw saw you 

Speaker 2: said that. Yeah. 

Speaker 3: That was amazing. The, the statues, the history, the mystery, everything about that place is just. Beautiful sunrise. Doesn't happen until eight o'clock in the morning as well, by the way. [00:16:00]

Speaker: Ooh. 

Speaker 3: Hello. Eight, nine o'clock. Catch really late. I'll catch. Maybe 

Speaker: I'll catch a sunrise if I go there.

Speaker 2: Um, so why are you here? Um. We talked about the runner, we talked about the, 

Speaker: let's talk about how you met. 

Speaker 2: That's why we, I think 

Speaker: that's the most important 

Speaker 2: thing. How did we meet? We met, um, well, I actually forgot what the first, when the first time was. I can remember 

Speaker 3: I have, 

Speaker 2: you can 

Speaker 3: a called elephant memory.

Speaker 2: Right. Okay. 

Speaker 3: We did a run with Sydney Striders in April, 2000 and. 14, I think it was, or Wow. No, no, it was 14 or FIF or 15, I can't remember. Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Which is when I started running. 

Speaker 3: Really? Yeah. Yeah. I remember we did a Strider star together and we were just in the same group and I was like, I recognize this, this.

Right. I recognize him from somewhere. And you had been a volunteer of Achilles, I think then as. That was 2000, no, it was 2015 or 16. I, 

Speaker 2: yeah. 

Speaker 3: Okay. I, I take it back. My memory's not okay, but 

Speaker 2: that's when, sort of when I started running, 

Speaker 3: that's when we first crossed paths. 

Speaker 2: And so you mentioned Achilles, so yes.

Let's talk about Achilles. Yeah. What's what it is? Yeah. Uh, [00:17:00] and and what's your 

Speaker 3: involvement? Absolutely. So Achilles was a, uh, is an organization that predominantly helps people with disabilities, predominantly vision impairment. Mm-hmm. But also, um, wheelchair sports as well, which was founded in New York City.

Um, the organization has spread all over the world. Mm-hmm. So there's chapters in. Look, literally, you can name a country. There's probably an Achilles chapter there, if that makes sense. Um, in Australia, there's chapters in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra. Yeah. And there's, there's been a couple, uh, there's in Adelaide as well.

Sorry, that's a really new and upcoming chapter. There's also one starting in Perth. 

Speaker 2: Nice. 

Speaker 3: But, um, it's all about. Inclusion and making sure that everybody gets the opportunity to enjoy this great sport that you and I, 

Speaker 2: and so runners experienced, runners run alongside, often tethered with a tether, with a string to a person with vision impairment, either fully vision impaired or partially impaired or or other disability that need guidance.

And you've run with some pretty amazing vision impaired runners running around the world. Yeah. [00:18:00] Um. Like Boston Marathon, New York, and all sorts of places. 

Speaker 3: It's been a couple and there's also been some athletes who I, I must say, are very inspirational. I actually find a lot of, of the runners that are on very inspirational, 

Speaker 2: incredible, 

Speaker 3: uh, athletes trying to do 90 minute half marathons.

Um, 

Speaker 2: yeah, 

Speaker 3: like we had, um, we had someone who had to run with somebody who's just. Enabled runner had to run a two hour and 20 minute marathon because they were trying to run a three hour marathon. Yeah. Wow. They're completely blind. So it's an absolutely inspirational thing. 

Speaker 2: Think about running and running without being able to see anything for 42 kilometers in the middle of lots of lots of people.

It's full trust in, I was gonna 

Speaker: say, it would be like I'm scared of running in general. I can't. Imagine running without being able to see. Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. But also it opens up other 

Speaker: senses, 

Speaker 2: right? Realize. Yeah. So I remember when we were in, I was initially being inducted, how. They were showing us that, you know, by the, the rebounding of the sound, they know what's [00:19:00] around.

It's just incredible. Yeah. 

Speaker 3: And, and I think just with, look, I did a, I did a short stint at Vision Australia as well, so I did some work and got to witness how the occupational therapists, the orientation and mobility specialists and technology people all work as well. And I think there's such an element associated with, it's, it's a fascinating industry.

I actually personally find it very fascinating how Yeah. Um. It gets put together in relation to plans like with Canes, with with Guide dogs. Oh yeah. Assistive 

Speaker: technology. Correct. Is unbelievable. Yeah. 

Speaker 3: Where we are now. Yes. 

Speaker: Yeah. I went into, um, a Vision Australia Expo once. 

Speaker 3: Oh yeah. 

Speaker: And I was like, because I'm a really curious person, especially with disability, like, I mean, I'm mate.

Mostly intellectual disability I work in. Mm-hmm. Okay. Um, and not so much vision impaired, but I went to this expo and I was like, you know, it's things that you don't even think of, like getting dressed in the morning. Yeah, absolutely. Like I wear really bright colors usually, but they can't see the color that they're wearing.

So like this one, um, assistive technology device is a pen. Yeah. And so you label it and then it tells you what it is. Yeah. Incredible. So you just scan, [00:20:00] you know, and it's telling you what it is, so you don't need people to put, you know. Yeah. Technology is definitely 

Speaker 2: helping a 

Speaker: lot, um, to be. Independent with the vision impairment is a lot easier with the assistive technology that we have.

And 

Speaker 2: so we know absolutely. Enrique, the Peruvian, Enrique the runner, Enrique, the, the inclusion person in interested in disability inclusion merged with with running. So I've reached out to Enrique because, um, of the long run to inclusion and, and let's talk about the long run to inclusion for which Enrique will be as of.

Today, effectively 

Speaker 3: right now,

Speaker 2: starts now first the community ambassador. Um, so Enrique has got amazing connections within the running community and the disability community, and so we thought it was the right person to spread the word. So do you want to tell us what your understanding of the long run to inclusion is?

Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely. I can, and just, let's see where this goes, the background. So, um, for me, um, most recently I've done some work with Sydney Marathon, so being a community ambassador there as well. [00:21:00] I've worked with, um, other brands like ASIC as community ambassadors as well, where it's really about. Um, igniting and engaging our communities to get involved.

Um, inspiring and motivating people, having conversations with people about sports and, and running. There's, there's a lot of stigmas associated sometimes with, uh, I don't wanna start running, it's not for me. I'm not interested. But then showing people that that look, and I don't want to throw this around by saying if I can do it, anyone can, but it's more about.

Speaker: You, you haven't seen me run yet. 

Speaker 3: It's more about, um, I guess in inspiring and, and getting people on that journey. 

Speaker 2: It's a very social, 

Speaker 3: it is, 

Speaker 2: um, community as well, which 

Speaker: is interesting. Mm-hmm. Because you say it's a very social and engaging community. Mm-hmm. But most of the time you're running alone. 

Speaker 2: I do often, and I actually like the running alone and the meditation element of it.

The concentration and the clearing of the mind. 

Speaker 3: Yeah. 

Speaker 2: But then there are days where I love, you know, you run for 20, 30 kilometers with a group of friends and it feels like you haven't done anything because you [00:22:00] just talk. 

Speaker 3: Absolutely. We're in a running boom at the moment, to be honest with you, when it comes to running and running clubs.

So. The way that's happening. It, it's been a, it's been a boom for the last few years. Yeah. Where run clubs have popped up everywhere. Sydney. Yes. Yes. It been Melbourne capital cities in country areas and there's never been a better time to get involved, um, with a local running community. Yes. Um, because the social element of as well is just fantastic.

So before and after sometimes runs start in, in places. Pubs or breweries, for example, right. Um, cafe that I can get behind. Yeah, cafe, you know, in the morning people go for pastries after runs. That's right. Um, oh gosh. There's sometimes a, a cheeky wine or a beer after a run. Do you know what I mean? It's, it's just really inclusive.

So if, you 

Speaker 2: know there's a marathon in France. 

Speaker 3: Oh gosh. Did this in 

22. 

Speaker 2: Every aid station is wine drinking 

Speaker 3: marathon, du medoc. It's a fantastic event. If anybody does it. Anybody wants to do it, I can highly, well, I mean, I could become 

Speaker: a runner just for that. 

Speaker 3: I can highly commend it. It's, it's a wonderful day.

Speaker 2: Um, and so, okay, so let me, let me say then, so the long run to inclusion Yes. Is a [00:23:00] fundraising initiative and a awareness initiative about, um, disability 

Speaker 3: mm-hmm. 

Speaker 2: That we've set up. To join the dots between our hotels. So starting 

Speaker: right here in Mount 

Speaker 2: Victoria. Yep. On the 8th of March, which is not far away. I think my watch tells me there's about 49 days or 50 days away.

Mm-hmm. Um, I will set off from here. Yep. Myself personally. 

Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker 2: And run slash walk a little bit. Trail running allows for walking, which is good. Um, from here all the way to Canberra. 

Speaker 3: Yep. 

Speaker 2: To the new academy via. The Leura Gardens Academy and via many other places along the way, over a period of 13 days, which is relatively generous.

Speaker: 13 days. 

Speaker 3: Yeah. 

Speaker: Uh, why did we go with the number 13? 

Speaker 2: Well, it's actually gonna be 12 days of running in one day of rest in the middle. But, um, the reason was that I wanted to start on a weekend. And I wanted to finish on a specific weekend. And so we will [00:24:00] finish in Canberra on World Down Syndrome Day, the 21st of March.

Speaker 3: I understand 

Speaker 2: we work with many people with Down Syndrome, and so I started from there and worked my way back. And so it was either one week, which I wouldn't have made it, or two weeks or three weeks, which was too long. Yeah. Okay. And so that's how it ended up happening. And also I had to design the course.

So that I would touch as many places as possible to spread the word. So I could have gone actually the other direction and gone through the bush and cut a hundred kilometers from the course. Yep. 

Speaker: I did make you out a hundred, I think. 

Speaker 2: But then, but then you said no, you need to go the longer way. 'cause you need to go and see them talk to the people.

It was actually your fault that, sorry. Um, and so then, so the, basically we'll be going from here to Leura to Penrith. Yep. Um. From Penrith to Western Sydney Airport, Camden Valley, Tahmoor Bowral, uh, Bundanoon. Marulan [00:25:00] Goulburn. 

Speaker 3: Yep. 

Speaker 2: Uh, Tarago, uh, Bungendore Queanbeyan. Then to Canberra, and each day is anything between, the minimum is 17 kilometers.

The maximum is uh, 45. 

Speaker 3: 45. When's the 45 stage of 

Speaker 2: this? The second day is from Leura to, it's actually 46 from Leura to Penrith. And there's a couple, couple That's 

Speaker: 46 kilometers. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, there's a couple. Well, because also I had to design it in a way that it was safe enough. And not running on the main road. And so, yeah, of course, as much as I can, I'll be running on trails or on paths that are sort of not sort of a safety concern.

Speaker: The Goulburn stretch is quite big as well, I believe. 

Speaker 2: 30? 

Speaker: Yes. 

Speaker 2: 40. I think it's 45. Yeah. Um, so, and it's all back to back. There's only one day or break. 

Speaker 3: Yep. 

Speaker 2: So people can join. Stage. Mm-hmm. Some of the stages. Some stages. I've actually closed them off because of safety and because of the course itself. Mm-hmm.

And so I'll be running on my own, which [00:26:00] would probably be interesting and Will, will allow me to walk a little bit more without shame. But really I don't want it to be, it's not Andrea's challenge, it's. The challenge is for people with disability to live a life of inclusion. And so this is just a metaphor.

Yes. And, and just a symbol. And so. Many of the many, a number of the stages, uh, they will, they're open for people to register. There's a whole platform on race roster that runners will know what it is about. Uh, and people can register and run that leg of the, of the, of the course. Yep. But also what we're pushing really, uh, significantly and what we, what Enrique will be pushing a lot is the virtual side of things.

Um, and so you can. Effectively you will be able to run to Canberra 

Speaker: mm-hmm. 

Speaker 2: On a map that you'll be able to see on screen and see your progress, um, over a little bit longer period. Actually, we are gonna open it up and [00:27:00] allow people to have a head start. Okay. Because not everyone is as good a runner as you are 

Speaker 3: as yourself, Andrea.

Oh, 

Speaker 2: yeah. Well, as much as all the stages. But you know, there are people that well probably. Be able to do 400 kilometers in a week, but there are people that will be or less, um, and there are people that will take two months to do it. 

Speaker 3: Well, that well, that's the beauty of this. The virtual run. 

Speaker 2: Correct. 

Speaker: With the virtual run.

Speaker 2: Yes. 

Speaker: It's walk, run. 

Speaker 2: Yes. Swim. I wanted to make the, put the bar very, very low to hours as many people so 

Speaker: I can 

Speaker 2: join to allow as many people as possible to join. So I say in all the communication we say. Run, walk, swim, bike, ride, uh, you know, roller blade. Ooh, I could roller blade. 

Speaker: I could 

Speaker 2: just 

Speaker: skateboard 

Speaker 2: for 400 kilometers if you can or go as far as you can, you might stop at Marulan.

You might stop at, you know, Bowral, doesn't matter on the map,

Speaker 3: that and that, 

Speaker 2: but you've. The, the more people there are that can sort of [00:28:00] make it worthwhile Yep. For me to take this challenge on behalf of our, the people that we help, of course. Um, the more worthwhile it will be. 

Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely. 

Speaker: Well, I mean, if you think about it, like people that exercise, like, I mean, majority of people that walk do about five kilometers a day.

Speaker 2: Yeah. Well, doctors say you should do 10,000 at steps or 10 10 kilometers a day. Which is about, which is a lot, but 

Speaker: Well, yeah. I thought it went down to eight, but Okay. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. Maybe eight. Eight. Maybe eight is what? Sort of, it's more, 

Speaker: I mean, majority of people that walk, I know every time I go for a walk in the afternoon, it's five kilometers.

Speaker 2: Yeah. You can count them and now most people have, you know, apple watches or watches that count your apps and stuff. Absolutely. So we'll be able to upload that type of stuff online and some they, for some apps and stuff, you can also automatically connect it. Um, and the objective is twofold. One is along the route.

Uh, we will be talking to as many people as possible. Mm-hmm. Running with us, but also at each stop. [00:29:00] At each, there will, there will be some activation aid stations along the way. We'll be able to, for example, on stage one, we'll go by Scenic World, which is one of our partners, and they are engaged with having an activation in there, a bit of an aid station and something happening in there, raising some funds and so on.

Otherwise, at the end of each one, we, we are planning, um, panels or talking to people, barbecues and things like that. And we wanna try and do as much as possible. And I 

Speaker 3: gotta ask Andrea, in the final stage at the very end, is there, is there, is there the champagne popping ceremony or, 

Speaker 2: well, there's, there's actually more than champagne because when, '

Speaker 3: cause I plan to be in Canberra, by the way.

Yes, of course. Do your last leg with you as well. 

Speaker 2: So 

Speaker: are you gonna do the Queanbeyan and to Canberra? 

Speaker 3: Possibly I'm gonna, I'm gonna do a couple of these legs Andrea. 

Speaker 2: Yes. That 

Speaker 3: was 

Speaker 2: obviously 

Speaker 3: surprise. 

Speaker 2: You didn't

Speaker 3: say surprise. 

Speaker 2: Um, so the, the last. This, it's actually the second last leg, but the, let's call it, the last running leg is from Queanbeyan to Parliament House.

Yes. Um, on, [00:30:00] and so we finish on the lawns of Parliament House on the 21st of March. Mm-hmm. But after we gather there and we hope to attract hundreds of people, as many people as possible will there, and we'll have some, you know, talking and sort of celebrating all, but we will be walking 

Speaker 3: mm-hmm. 

Speaker 2: Together, really just marching to.

Canberra, which is the site of the new academy. Mm-hmm. Once we get there. That day they actually close the street for Beer Fest. 

Speaker 3: Oh wow. 

Speaker: Yeah. 

Speaker 2: There's Beer Fest Oh, wow. At Mercure Canberra. So there'll be plenty of beer flowing for those And runners like Beer Runner. That's right. Yes. So, so that's, that's what, what going 

Speaker 3: beer.

There'll be all the types of beer. 

Speaker 2: So that's what's going to happen. And, um. Yeah. So that's, that's the plan. And we aiming to raise funds. Uh, the story that I've sort of come up with is that it's 400 kilometers, roughly. A dollar a step will raise $400,000. You know, a step you [00:31:00] consider a meter, maybe less, maybe a little more depending on how fast you go.

Uh, but they, um, 

Speaker: 400,000, 

Speaker 2: 400,000 steps. $400,000. And why $400,000? Because every $10,000 we raise. Effectively allows us to employ a trainee for the year. It seems like low, but they're paid full award wages from day one. Mm-hmm. They're paid every time they're here, but they work with us. Um, eight hours a week mm-hmm.

In formal work. And then the rest is training, training session independent living course. And so they're with us for about 40 hours a week. 

Speaker: 44. 

Speaker 2: 44. Including, including sleepovers and, you know, cooking and all this other stuff for themselves. But they do two shifts a week. And so if you then translate what they get paid for the eight hours for the year, about $10,000 covers the employment costs for us.

I understand. And so. 400,000 will allow us to employ 40 people and by [00:32:00] being employed and being part of the Hotel Etico program. Mm-hmm. We change their lives, we transform their lives, they gain skills, they gain, um, they hospitality skills. They gain independent living skills, life skills, and they gain the confidence of them being able to work in the hotel industry.

Absolutely. And our evidence shows, as we said many times on our podcast, that you know, more than 80% of our graduates are able to secure employment. And so the more people we can employ, the more lives we can change, and the more we can encourage Australia to be more inclusive. I love. And so we are using the excuse of running to push our message and our vision.

Speaker: And do you think you'll do this every year? 

Speaker 2: No. 

Speaker: For four, 400 kilometers? 

Speaker 2: No way. We've got a little bit of, uh, this is a once in the 

Speaker: lifetime. 

Speaker 2: Well, we've got a little bit of a surprise that we will announce on, on the 21st of March at the end about what we then intend to do going forward. But I will definitely running meant 400 kilometers.

Speaker: Just, would you run 400 kilometers every year? Or maybe you get other people to do 

Speaker 2: it? How many [00:33:00] kilometers you run in a year? 

Speaker 3: Just the last year I did about 2,800. So under 3000, sometimes 

Speaker 2: 3000 is a good number generally for someone that runs quite a lot. Um, there's people that run. What's 

Speaker: the longest run you've ever done?

Speaker 3: Uh, 40. Oh, actually I ran overnight once. Um, 

Speaker: oh, that 

Speaker 3: would be quite, I think it's Narrabeen all nighter. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. Okay. 

Speaker 3: I can't remember how many I did, but that was the longest run I've done. But the longest other than that is one that. We both love, which is in the mountains. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. Six 

Speaker 3: foot track, foot track, marathon 45 kilomet, 

Speaker 2: which is actually the weekend that we get to Canberra.

Interestingly. Yes. So that will exclude some of the runners, but hope maybe they can join the virtual run and use that to count the kilometers. 

Speaker: Absolutely. Is the six foot track fixed? Like it was closed? 

Speaker 3: There was one. What's What's broken is the Jenolan Cave, you 

Speaker 2: can't go to Jenolan Cave, 

Speaker 3: you can't drive there. So it's yeah, in the cabin.

So it's only for the cabin. Yeah. It finishes somewhere for about five years now. 

Speaker: That's okay.

Speaker 2: So you wouldn't maybe know the difference, but in running terms, there are roadies and there are trail runners. Enrique is a little bit more of a roadie. 

Speaker 3: [00:34:00] Uh, look, I used to love trail running. Um, and I'll do it, it's really 

Speaker: hard on your ankles and knees, right?

Trail running. No, 

Speaker 3: once you rolled your ankle, it's really, uh, it's really flexible. Let's go with that. 

Speaker 2: But he gets on trail 

Speaker 3: for the six foot track. I'll be trails. I haven't done six foot for two years. I had a little mishap two years ago. I fell over, I cracked a rib and I dislocated my shoulder, but I still finished.

So on 

Speaker: six foot track. 

Speaker 3: Yeah. On six foot. Yeah. But, but that was my clumsiness. It was, 

Speaker 2: yeah. 

Speaker 3: It actually happened on the flattest part of the course. That's the irony of, that's when you relax. Yeah, that's right. It was on the flattest part and there was a stone that was popping out. Accident. Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Typical 

Speaker 3: low step.

'cause your legs 

Speaker: are tiny crunch. See, I'm very, very clumsy. Like I have a giant bruise currently on my leg that, you know, everyone keeps like, it's huge and it's black. And that was just my own 

Speaker 2: clumsiness. I literally 

Speaker: ran into a 

Speaker 2: desk. I wouldn't recommend you being on trails. No. Yes. 

Speaker: I mean, roads too, 

Speaker 2: and also Enrique is a faster runner and so he, he runs more on the fast side.

Up to a marathon distance generally. Yeah. Rather than doing many ultra [00:35:00] marathons, 

Speaker 3: my favorite distance is the half marathon. Yeah. 'cause you get the best of both worlds here. You know, you, you're not going the full, the whole hog of the full marathon, but the half then you can really focus in, there's a bit of endurance, 

Speaker 2: but there's 

Speaker 3: also a bit of pace.

Yeah. Yeah. And a 10 k. Of a 10 k. But, but in saying that, you know, a marathon's great too. You know, there's, there's many marathons done. 

Speaker 2: How many have you run? 

Speaker 3: Uh, 54 now. And generally that's a lot. We do a lot of pacing. So how can people achieve their goals? Where you've got a big flag on the back, which has a time, and a 

Speaker: marathon is how many kilometers?

Speaker 3: 42, 

Speaker 2: 42. 

Speaker 3: 42.2 

Speaker 2: 95 meters.

Speaker: You're running, you are running longer than a marathon 

Speaker 3: on 

Speaker 2: twice. Oh, yes. Sorry. You're really showing that you don't know anything about running. 

Speaker: Well, I do. I'm, I'm like on two of the courses in 

Speaker 2: one day. Officially anything more than 42 is an ultra marathon. Correct. Uh, but you know, generally ultra marathon, like 50 Ks.

A hundred Ks 150 Ks, I've run 50 that I know. Yeah. I've You've done 

Speaker: 150 Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Um, around the Mont Blanc, but, um, was that the 

Speaker: best experience of your life? 

Speaker 2: Yes. 

Speaker 3: Really? 

Speaker 2: Yes. It was amazing until 

Speaker 3: he hasn't done medoc yet, but anyway, yeah, 

Speaker 2: [00:36:00] hasn't done what it was. It was an amazing experience. 

Speaker 3: medoc, the one with the wine 

Speaker 2: the wine 

Speaker 3: experience, 

Speaker 2: it was an amazing experience.

But yeah, the problem is that over the last couple of years, I haven't really done much because I've been a little bit distracted by Hotel Etico, and so I, I was starting from a very low. Base and training has been, yeah, so look, it's a challenge. It's fine. 

Speaker: Oh, luckily you're very competitive and love a challenge. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

But I won't run fast. So Enrique will be doing lots of. Talking. Lots of networking, lots of activations, lots of 

Speaker 3: look, a lot of awareness driving. Yes. In my community, in my circles and with my influence, I guess I can say, I can try my best to have, you know, so I think, I think it's a great cause. It's fantastic and I think there's an opportunity for runners and people to get, to get involved behind it.

The virtual event. Yeah, the virtual. I will be doing 

Speaker: virtual, 

Speaker 3: yeah. 

Speaker: Um, I've registered a virtual team. 

Speaker 2: Great. 

Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. We're going to do a bit of a competition 

Speaker 3: time when we talk virtual, but I had some interest from, for [00:37:00] example, uh, a lot of friends in Brisbane, they're like, why don't we get together at the park and actually do a virtual activity like all together?

Do you know what I mean? So like, we've got certain courses that we can do where you're out and backs, you know? So 

Speaker 2: you can skin it as, as you like. 

Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. Yes. So we're probably gonna do something like that as well, just fantastic. And then get awareness of the cause where we can, whatever I can get.

Yeah, 

Speaker: like I, I have run. Prior when I was fitter. Um, and I've run around with Brisbane. Um, I actually did it with you once Yeah. And ran around Brisbane. Yeah. Um, the river and stuff. I like running in Brisbane. 

Speaker 3: There's some nice run. It's, it's really flat. That's the, that's you run along the river. It's a bit 

Speaker 2: hot, but 

Speaker 3: it's a bit warm.

Yeah. Yeah. But look, like I tell everyone, if you can train in Brisbane Yeah. You can race anywhere. Yeah, yeah, 

Speaker 2: yeah. 

It's 

Speaker 3: so warm and humid. Yeah, absolutely. When you come back, when I was down here on my first day, and when I got here on Thursday, I went for around at lunchtime. Is amazing. It's so easy because it's so cool, you know?

Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. Maybe I should have been running around Cusco for 

Speaker 3: two or 

Speaker 2: three 

Speaker 3: months. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. 

Speaker 3: I found on Strava an eight K loop because [00:38:00] I was staying in the near the big main square area. Yeah. And I was running around. But what gets you, it's not the altitude, it's the smog of the car. You know, the traffic, because it's always busy, you know?

Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Speaker 3: But either way. Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Great. Um, I think. We've covered everything we wanted to cover and then you'll see a lot of, 

Speaker: is there, do you have any questions for us? 

Speaker 3: Oh, look, I think, um, uh, I mean, for me, um, let me think. Oh gosh, I always have questions, you know, but 

Speaker: I always like to put people on the 

Speaker 3: spot too.

No, no, no, absolutely. No, no, no. Andrea, what, how do I put this? Um, this is obviously something that's been brewing and this is something that you're, that you really passionate about and I'm very happy and delighted to be here to share that passion as well. What do you see, um, for you, I guess you've said that you're feeling really fresh and whatnot.

Other than the fitness, do you see any other, I guess, challenges or do you see yourself being able to go ahead and execute this with, without any hitches? Do you have any contingency plans? Do you have any, like, are you gonna drop in someone as a, as a, 

Speaker 2: as [00:39:00] as a replacement 

Speaker 3: substitute? Andrea Parachute? 

Speaker 2: I hope it's not needed.

Speaker 3: No, 

Speaker 2: but that could be a way of doing it. I mean, really, um, uh, I, I want to challenge myself because I, I see. How much of a challenge it is for young people with disability mm-hmm. To be included in, in society 

Speaker 3: Yep. 

Speaker: And employment. 

Speaker 2: And so really running 400 kilometers compared to the challenges that they go through every single day of their life, um, is nothing.

Speaker 3: Yeah. 

Speaker 2: And so, uh, you know, like it's, um, again, it's an excuse, it's a metaphor, and, um, it. I am a very good troubleshooter. 

Speaker 3: Mm-hmm. 

Speaker 2: Uh, and problem solver, I use the metaphor of running at work almost every single day. How many times have I been talking about resilience and troubleshooting and planning? And it's not a 

Speaker 3: sprint, it's a marathon.

Speaker 2: That's right. You know, like, and having, you know, the finish line, but break, break it down by aid [00:40:00] station, you know, and stuff like that. By stages. Sure. So. Hopefully nothing will go wrong physically that I think the body will hold together. I'll 

Speaker: Yeah. But we will have a contingency plan for sure. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. Well I will have support crews going, coming around and 

Speaker: I'm not the contingency 

Speaker 3: plan, not contingency off the back of this.

Andrea, I did wanna ask, have you got a, have you got a run club set up at Hotel Etico for the staff and B, are there any staff members taking part in the event? As in 

Speaker: Okay, so. I mean, the staff don't even know this yet 'cause I haven't, um, put it to them. But, uh, we will run a little bit of a com virtual competition.

Nice. Um, between teams, I think now that we've got, you know, Leura, we've got Canberra and we've got Mount Vic, I think it's, um, and we'll, we'll put some prizes to it. 

Speaker 2: There's not many runners on 

Speaker: staff. 

Speaker 2: There's no runners. There's, well, there's a couple of people that are more active than others, but, you know, generally, but there's it, you know, they're, because hospitality, you are always on your feet.

Speaker 3: Yeah, of course. 

Speaker 2: There's a lot of step count. Mm-hmm. A lot. And, you know, there's a lot of trails. 

Speaker: Well, my step count last week was unbelievable. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. So, so there's a bit of a, [00:41:00] of that initiative coming up. 

Speaker: I have noticed, not just in the last week, but even the week before and, um, our Christmas party that we did in.

We did it in January, I've noticed that people are quite competitive. Mm-hmm. And so I'm gonna lean into that because they like to beat each other and even though they don't admit they're competitive, um, so we're gonna make it a bit bit of a competition, um, with steps and kilometers and stuff. But 

Speaker 2: definitely, definitely some of the staff have signed up for some of the stages.

Yeah. Especially the final one, the from Queanbeyan to Canberra and the finale. Yep. Um, and the whole team will be the first one. So, 

Speaker: and I think those that. In the staff that will do the last five kilometer walk, will do the last five kilometer walk. Um, especially the Canberra team. 

Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we want families to be there.

We want the trainees to be there. Those that can do it all family wants, you know, we want, we want, um, uh, as many people as possible to, to hear while we do what we do and to see the results that we achieve. And it's a good opportunity to go and see Mercure Canberra and have a beer. 

Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely. 

Speaker: Um, yeah, that was a [00:42:00] total fluke too.

BFS. 

Speaker 2: Yes, that's right. So, could have planned 

Speaker: it better. 

Speaker 3: I think you'll earned a beer or two after this, Andrea. So, you know, I think, um, I think, you know, you gotta earn those, you gotta burn those calories, 

Speaker 2: those drip, it'll be on 

Speaker 3: Drip. Yeah. 

Speaker: 8th of March is fast approach, 

Speaker 2: you know, eighth the March fast approaching.

Yes. So after this, in fact, Enrique and I are probably gonna go out and for a little bit of a, of a jog and some filming in the, in the rain. In 

the 

Speaker 3: rain. If, if, if it, if it's, if it's not raining. Yeah. Yeah. But we'll, we'll do something. 

Speaker 2: You don't like running in the rain, 

Speaker 3: huh? I don't mind it, but it's 

Speaker 2: a filming 

Speaker 3: the problem.

Perfect. Yeah, that's right. I think. Look, you know, but that's okay. We'll figure something out. 

Speaker 2: We'll see.

Speaker 3: We'll figure out. 

Speaker: You though, love running. 

Speaker 2: I love running in the rain. Yes. I feel like 

Speaker 3: a superhero running great, but it's just when you know you want to craft some camera, like water gets on the 

Speaker: lens.

You 

Speaker 3: know what I mean? That's right. 

Speaker: Does it? I will say this. What happens if the weather between the eight? Oh, that's a great question and oh, 

Speaker 2: it doesn't matter. 

Speaker: 21st of March, you're going all in. You're running anyway. Oh 

Speaker 2: yeah. I 

Speaker: hope it rains. Rain, hail, or shine. 

Speaker 2: Well, yeah. Yeah. 

Speaker: Hail. 

Speaker 2: I hope it's cold rather than, [00:43:00]

Speaker: yeah, 

Speaker 2: yeah, yeah, of course.

I mean, unless there's a electrical Stormer, you need to wait and whatever. Yeah. Weather, it's not an issue when you run. 

Speaker: Yeah. 

Speaker 2: Unless there's fires and you know, things like that, but you need to change. Don't 

Speaker: jinx that one. 

Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. So well. Enrique, thank you very much for being part of today, but more importantly, being, um, uh, a community ambassador and joining 

Speaker 3: you for being me part of the team.

I'm really happy to, 

Speaker: to be here. Maybe we, we will do in, at the end, uh, ah, 

Speaker 2: yeah, 

Speaker: just a recount podcast. 

Speaker 2: We'll also doing things along the way. Anyway, we would 

Speaker 3: love to and 

Speaker: yeah, I, I would like to know what you've learned from the run. 

Speaker 2: Great. Okay. Well, thank you very much. 

Speaker 3: Andrea's knees are pumped. They can't wait.

Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Uh, it's not just the knees, it's the whole body's like 

Speaker: he bought himself a sauna for it. 

Speaker 3: A sauna, 

Speaker: yeah. 

Speaker 3: You need, you need to also get a physio, like on the pole 

Speaker 2: 20. I do, I do. I go to the body mechanic almost once a week. Is Mark Green 

Speaker 3: in Milson's Point point or, 

Speaker 2: uh, he up here? 'cause he lives, Mark lives in the mountains.

Does he 

Speaker 3: really? 

Speaker 2: So he sees people up in the mountains. So shout out to Mark [00:44:00] Green Body Mechanic. My physio, you're 

Speaker 3: gonna fix this, man. He's 

Speaker 2: gonna be, uh, ah, he's been working on me for a while. Um, and, uh, yeah, but I'm also connected to a lot of other runners in the mountains and, um, you know, um, blue, blue Mountains Marathon Clinic and, and, and Tony Williams as well.

Blue Mountains Fitness. This is part of the run. 

Speaker 3: This is the power of the runner 

Speaker 2: running 

Speaker: community. Right. 

Speaker 3: But this part of the world is the 

Speaker 2: mecca of trial 

Speaker 3: running. You 

Speaker 2: know, fact, the problem, my biggest fear is that I'm slowing them down. 'cause I'm gonna have to pace myself and they're gonna want to whiz between here.

That 

doesn't 

Speaker: matter. 

Speaker 3: This isn't about, 

Speaker: but that doesn't matter. They can run ahead of you. 

Speaker 3: Yeah. 

Speaker: Mr. Competitive. 

Speaker 2: No, they can. They can. But I wanna talk to them about disability and all this stuff. Okay. Anyway, all good, Enrique, thank you very much. Thank you. Um, thank you Saraya. Thank you. And, uh, yeah, again, 

Speaker: happy 2026.

Speaker 2: I felt a little bit rusty running this today, but, um, 

Speaker: we get back to look. I think we'll get back into it. We've just had a lot going on and I think we'll plan the next room for all episode pretty soon. 

Speaker 2: Yes, 

Speaker: we've got some great guests that want to come on, [00:45:00] so, 

Speaker 2: and, uh, as always, we close with, uh, um, let's make room for all 

Speaker: and keep fighting for inclusion.

Speaker 2: Thank you.