ALLISON Harvey has two very good reasons for running this year’s Great Ocean Road half-marathon on May 18 – twin sons William and Tom.
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The pair spent 10 days in the Royal Darwin Hospital’s neo-natal unit after their birth last November, with Ms Harvey herself losing two-and-a-half litres of blood and part of her eyesight.
“That 10 days felt like the longest 10 days in the world,” Ms Harvey said.
“And ours were probably the healthiest babies in there.”
Conscious that other parents were preparing themselves to travel to and from the hospital for several months, Ms Harvey decided to start pounding the pavement for premature babies.
All money raised from Ms Harvey running the half marathon will go to the Miracle Babies Foundation, which supports 45,000 babies annually who need help from a special care nursery or neonatal intensive care unit.
“The day the boys were born I felt lucky all three of us came out of it alive and okay,” she said.
“I’m giving thanks back for life smiling on us that day.”
Ms Harvey, who grew up in Ballarat and attended Sebastopol Technical College, said she was keen to return to running after the twins’ birth.
“I’ve always been a keen runner. The longest I’ve run in training is 12 kilometres but, in Darwin’s heat, that feels like 18 kilometres down there in Ballarat.”
To donate or for more information, go to http://thegreatoceanroadmarathon.gofundraise.com.au/page/HarveyAllison