RUNNING for Natasha Andrews is all about willpower, not speed.
Endurance events are her favourite, a time to tune out from life's problems for a bit.
Listening to the meditative sound of pounding feet. Breathing.
About 10 months ago, doctors told Andrews she was unlikely to run again.
She was hospitalised with an infected pelvic bone and no cure.
Her half-marathon win in Coburg last weekend was a huge psychological milestone.
"It was great for me to finally see my running coming good again," Andrews said.
"I was devastated when I thought I'd never run another half-marathon again.
"Running is sort of like therapy for me - you can sort out all your life's hassles.
"It's strangely addictive and it's amazing what you are capable of."
The journey back to running has been tough.
Andrews, 21, said doctors frowned when she vowed to pull her trainers back on.
She started slowly.
Small half-hour jogs were a painful beginning, but a base she could build on.
Andrews has gradually worked her way up to four hard running sessions a week with plenty of cross-training in between.
Her focus has been to strengthen all her other muscles to help reach her goals.
She rejoined her training group with the Ballarat Harriers.
The only lingering problem left, Andrews said, was a twinge in her pelvis when she ran too hard or too far.
When she finished second in a half-marathon at Williamstown earlier in the year, Andrews knew her time of one hour, 27 minutes, three seconds was a mammoth personal feat.
She felt confident when she arrived at Coburg, despite the challenging winter elements.
"The race started at 9am and it had been raining all night. The ground had all these sharp undulations and was quite firm," Andrews said.
"There were about 100 runners and some good runners in the field, too.
"I ran my race and it was just great for me."
She clocked an impressive time of 1:29.22 over the 21 kilometres.
Andrews is aiming to slowly build up to full marathons by next year, providing her body can take it comfortably.
Her ultimate dream is the Great Ocean Road marathon but she is prepared to wait.
The winding course, Lorne to Apollo Bay, includes gruelling climbs and is three kilometres longer than a regular 42-kilometre marathon.
"I'm looking forward to maybe trying the half-marathon there next year but I want to just try a marathon first," Andrews said.
"This one's just that bit longer but I've heard the ocean views are amazing."
Her next mission is a half-marathon in Portland later this year, a race where Andrews' mum and sister were previous winners and the town where she had her own first win in racing.
In between racing, Andrews will be back negotiating Ballarat terrain - long runs through Canadian and Nerrina, speed sessions around Lake Wendouree and hill repeats alongside Sovereign Hill.
This is her way of just chilling out.
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