AFTER struggling with his weight all his life, Greg Osborn decided it was time to take control of his health.
‘‘It got to a point where I started to think that the one day when I wouldn’t be here any more might not be too far away,’’ he says.
‘‘So every day I started running. I would get to 100 metres or so and feel like I was about to die, but slowly I began to increase the distance. Then I was running around the whole block and, before I knew it, I was training for the Melbourne half-marathon.’’
The 62-year-old Taylors Lakes resident has spent most of his adult life weighing more than 130 kilograms. But since he began running four years ago, he has lost more than 45 kilograms.
He’s using his fitness experience to improve the lives of others and has begun running in charity events.
Next month, he will take part in the annual Stadium Stomp.
The gruelling stair-climb challenge requires participants to run up 7343 steps at the MCG and encourages them to donate money to their chosen charity. Osborn has completed the Eureka Tower climb twice and has run in the past four Melbourne Marathons. This year he took part in the Paris Marathon.
‘‘I am forever asking people to donate money to the causes I’m running for, so for the Stadium Stomp event I decided to make my own donation to the Cancer Council,” he says.
‘‘I think not only is it about raising money for your charity, but it’s also about raising awareness of the event through participation so more people get involved in the coming years. Looking after your health and wellbeing [is important], too.’’
Earlier this year the father of three discovered he had a scoliosis, a degenerative condition in which a person’s spine is curved abnormally.
‘‘I started to have really bad pain in my legs, and after having some tests done I found out I had had this condition for all my life but never realised,” he says.
“I stopped running immediately, but what I found was that the pain worsened. And so, with the advice of a physiotherapist, I began running again. I’ve realised the time when the pain stops is when I’m at my most active, so for me running is a great source of pain management.’’
Osborn will train every day to ensure he is in peak fitness for the June 16 Stadium Stomp.
‘‘My family has always been extremely supportive of me but I never thought they would be proud of my physically,” he says.
‘‘When I look at myself in the mirror I really can’t believe how far I’ve come … I think if I can do it, anybody can.’’
More details: www.stadiumstomp.com.au
