Back in the running after COVID pandemic

A young Perth woman is channelling her anxiety into a gruelling athletic feat.

Emma Williamson, a 24-year-old who grew up in Floreat, said during the COVID-19 pandemic she became increasingly anxious.

And so she turned to running.

“I was just really struggling in 2020 with getting the news of what was changing every day with COVID because there was just so much information,” Ms Williamson said.

“Plus I was just finishing up at uni and was feeling deflated about what I was doing and what I was aspiring to do.

“I was just at a loss and needed a reflective space.”

Ms Williamson began running 5km every weekend, which she would slowly increase as time went by.

After successfully taking on 80km at the Margaret River Ultra Marathon in May, Ms Williamson is now heading to the Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival in October to complete an epic six-leg run.

She is a self-confessed chronic overthinker and told PerthNow running took her to a meditative space, enabling her to reconnect with her breathing and unpack her thoughts, as well as get fit.

“Running has taught me that I just needed to step back and tell myself that at no point in time did I ever have control over the world, which is an illusion we often have,” Ms Williamson said.

“What I’ve realised as a runner is that all you can control in a marathon is your attitude, your energy and your actions.

“And the more I work towards endurance and speed, I continued to become really empowered with what my body could do.

“When I talk to people about running, they often say ‘oh I could never do that’, but you just have to get up, start trying and really have a balance of self-compassion and discipline.”

Ms Williamson will be mentored during the Melbourne marathon on October 2 by her coach, marathon prodigy Lucy Bartholomew.

The pair will run alongside Ms Williamson’s brother Jake.

Visit melbournemarathon.com.au/ for more information.