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Sandy Barwick, welcome to my podcast. >> Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to
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be here. I'm actually wondering why you've got me here. >> What do you mean?
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>> Well, why did you get me on to your program? What's prompted that? >> Well, someone um sent me a a message on
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Instagram saying um Sandy Barwick would be a good person to have on. And um growing up in the late ' 80s and the
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early 90s u from a running family, I was familiar with Sandy Barick and I thought
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I wonder I wonder if she's even alive first of all. I wonder where she is. Um
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I feel like you're you you've you've done so much and your achievements are
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just eye watering. Um and a lot of New Zealanders probably don't even know who
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you are. >> Not today, but in the days that I was running it was it was quite hard to walk
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down Milford. Yeah. So, you know, Okay. So, you when was Peak Sandy Bar? Like early 90s.
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>> Um, yes. 90s. I did all those big races. 9192. Yes. >> So, who were the other big like female
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celebrities in New Zealand like Barbara Kendall? Susan Devoy. >> Um, yes. Cuz I we did promotional work
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with Susan Deo and um Barbara Kendall of course, but there's Allison Row and um
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Oh, what are the girls that were running with Allison at that time? Yes. Oh, like
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an ordain from the Takapuna Harriers Club, you see. >> Yes, cuz I was a member of that.
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>> Yeah, but I I don't know. I I feel like maybe um you're sort of overlooked by
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mainstream just because it's such a niche sport. It was more of it's it's
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more mainstream now, like ultra running, but it was it's still kind of niche now,
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but >> it's so new. >> Yeah. >> I I've probably put it on the map in New
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Zealand then. >> Oh, 100%. >> Nobody knew. And it was it just got an
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audience. And I know when I first went for sponsorship and they said why why would we sponsor her you know she's
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never done anything my first Sydney de Mo so I fronted the money myself $16,000 you have to have eight crew two campers
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accommodation and I think I got a little bit of money from Kiwi's um Kiwi Laga or
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not money I got beer for the boys and >> yeah there's some photos of you running
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with that like the Kiwi >> the Kiwi Laga logo on your shirt and it's like a very very odd combination.
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>> Yeah. And that was only because um I knew who the top man and >> DB then was and he said yes, we'll give
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the boys some beer, but we'll you give you some of that some which was just good to get some help.
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>> The boys loved it. >> There's I bet they did. There's um yeah,
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so much to um unpack and discuss with the Sandy Barwick story. Um >> it's great. What are these What's the
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paper in front of you? What have you got? You got notes there. Uh just things that are important to me. They're very
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important actually. And probably just prompt me if I need it cuz I'm nervous.
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>> Okay. What like just points that you want to get across on the podcast?
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>> Yeah. The way um you know what what's important to me to put out there is, you
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know, why why would I do this >> and why would I push myself? And I know I repeatedly
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put myself through a lot of pain. um with mentally and physically and but I still believe it is shaped the person
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for today. >> Yeah, 100%. You're you're we had this chat on the phone and I
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asked you your age and you told me off for it that you were in you're in your
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mid70s and I I I I say this as a positive thing because um you're looking immaculate. You're looking really fit
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and really healthy and um you rocked up in your car today. Can I say what your personalized plate is?
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>> Yes. First nice plate, Sandy B. Um, and you're still working. >> Yep.
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>> You're flying around the world. Yes. So, you were um Yeah. In your in your
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running days, you were like a pharmaceut pharmaceutical rep. >> That was a huge part after my running
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that I want what I wanted to do. And that's why I'm saying how it shaped me
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to do what I wanted to do because I was determined enough to and I went to I applied for a job with Neatus. I wanted
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to do farmer work and the CEO said to me, he said, "I do not know why I'm
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going to do this, Sandy, but I'm going to employ you." And I said, "I'll prove
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to you in two years I'll be your top rep." >> And we still talk today. In fact, it's
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his birthday today and I've just wished him a happy birthday. >> But he and I went just I knew I will
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push myself. I'll work hard and I prove myself over these two decades. >> Yeah. and um coming top rep Australasia
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and and that sort of thing. But it was the love of the work and I still believe you have to love what you're doing and
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that's exactly what I did in my running. >> You I I tracked you down at your um
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retirement village. Um and >> it's actually a lifestyle village. >> What What's the difference?
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>> I don't like the word retirement. >> Okay, >> I'm being honest.
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>> Oh, no. Yeah, when I was growing up they were called they were called like I
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think they were called like rest homes like my my grandmates were in a rest home and it's um it's a very different
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vibe now isn't it? The whole um >> the whole is it a Ryman one? The Ryman
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ones seem >> it's very new. It's a hoppers. Yes, it's Hopper development.
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>> Oh yeah. >> And I mean we don't even have the facilities finished or anything. It's
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very new. >> We've got a wonderful street of girls in it >> that have a lot of fun
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>> and couples but um we're all very close. But it's it's super for me because it's
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a lock up and leave >> and I I did that when CO was on. >> Um >> yeah, cuz when I track you down, you're
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overseas. So you you go overseas for your work now. What What are you doing? You're like a you're like a a
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international courier for is it plasma? No. >> No. Well, it is plasma as well. Um when
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I was in pharma they asked me would I help them um collect stem cells and I was got I was in the cancer area for the
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last well two years from being GP and then went into hospital once I proved myself to the CEO of Nevada and I just
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loved it transplant and cancer area and I um had the top drug for myoma and I pushed that to number one in the world
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per capita and then um Australia and New Zealand. So they said, "Would I be
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interested in doing a trip for them?" And I said, "Yeah, it's because I knew
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what it was all about, what you have to get, and had done all the work to prove myself." And um so I started then, so
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it's probably 12 or 13 years I've been doing it. And then CO came, of course,
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and then it shut down because nobody was testing. And and we only started back last year. And well, and I've done one
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four in in the last four months >> and they're so busy and I one a month
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you can only do but I've traveled seven in a year just to collect and it's
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actually collecting stem cells or plasma bone marrow um for patients back in New Zealand and
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they're they're a match which they're lucky to get a match but of course it
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always happens in Germany I just did Madrid the other month um um the states um because they got more people that are
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giving blood. >> So you're like a stem cell trafficker. >> I am. And I bring them back. You bring
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it back fresh, >> right? >> I I go in and collect it and make sure it's correct or everything we're
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collecting and get it all packed up, have the bricks all frozen at the right temperature, and bring it home as
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quickly as possible. >> I find that super inspiring. Oh, it it's just so great to do to give back.
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>> Yeah, >> it is. From the time I had in hospital, it was it's fabulous.
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>> You do feel good about doing >> My mom's a couple of years younger than
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you. She she um she still runs and she still um like you, he takes pride in her appearance and how she looks, but um
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I've traveled with her. She gets like very stressed at a heathrow in big airports. Like she was she'll stand in
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the middle of an airport and just burst into tears because she's overwhelmed.
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But you're obviously okay with it. >> Yes. It is scary though you especially
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when you got to get get into Frankfurt and then you've got to go and get a train and um but you get used to it
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after a while and also I just think well I can ask >> most people speak a bit of English and%
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yeah and but you you know you do have some stressful moments >> it's not especially when your plane gets
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cancelled or it's iced up on the >> tarmac and you've got to find another
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one and get home as quickly as possible. >> Yeah. >> Yes. So, uh, you made me buy this book, uh,
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when we had a chat on the phone. You teased me and said, um, have you read my book, which came out in 93? 1993.
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>> Yep. It was about when I finished the last thousand mile race. >> Yeah. So, for those of you listening to
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the podcast, rather than watching it, I'm holding it now. Um, it's called
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Unstoppable. I tracked it down at a secondhand bookshop. This one's um, autographed. It says, "To Jennifer, best
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wishes, Sandy Barick." So, Jennifer obviously flogged it off. >> Flogged it off. Yes. and that's the only
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way you get them today. >> Um, so Sandy Barwick, uh, for anyone that doesn't know, let's run through
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some of the stats. Um, she set a world record in 1990 for covering 559 miles in six days, doing laps of a 400 meter
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track. Um, and that record was only broken last year, 2024. >> 20 24. Yes.
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>> Yeah. Um, other world records you set, um, records for 1,000 km, 2,000 km,
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1,000 miles, 1,300 miles. That took you just under 18 days. Uh, first woman to complete a 1,300 mile race. Um, what
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what world records do you still have? Do any of them still stand? >> Yes, they do. My thousand mile is still
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there, and that's probably 34 35 years old. Um, like my sixth day was 34, which
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I lost last year. >> Pretty angry about losing that now. >> Well, yes, because Max, my manager, um,
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he was angry at me at the time because I had another four hours to go at least on
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the track and all I did was play around cuz I'd broken the world record. And he
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said, "Keep going, Sandy. Keep going." I said, "Oh, it's not worth it. I've got
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there's enough fat there, you know." and he said, "But you could do 900."
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>> That's okay. >> Nick minute as in 40 years later. Um, and I don't know I don't know if this is
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this is true or just like an urban legend that's grown over time, but in some of these runs um uh apparently
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you'd stop near the finish and you'd like freshen up, maybe get some new
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clothes on or do your hair, get some makeup on so you look good for the finish. >> Yes. In the beginning, yes, I was very
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particular about in fact and you know I've had crews and they in my races and
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you they are number one. They have to be on the ball with what Sandy Barick wants
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and how she wants to feel. They knew me back to front and my manager did. He knew what upset me. He knew how to get
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me going. And I mean I the LA second Sydney to Melbourne I did well the first one he didn't manage that but we went
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off quite green. We didn't even have sponsorship but Eleanor Adam who was running it and she's a wonderful person
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and she was at the race and I was just mindled just listening to her talk and she came over to me and she said well
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who are you and I said I'm Sandy Barrett from New Zealand. She said, "What have
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you done? Have you done a six day?" And I said, "No." She said, "Have you done a
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48 hour?" And I said, "No." She said, "Well, what have you done?" I said,
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"I've done a 24-hour." She said, "God help you." And I said, "Well, I really
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hope he does." And um and he did. >> Walked away. And um and I was like,
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"You'll keep." And she became my idol. And you've got to have an idol, someone
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to work on. And from that day on, I went for her records. >> Was she Was she quite nasty about it?
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>> Yeah, it was quite well. I thought that was a nasty comment. I'm a bit soft
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inside and I get a little bit upset when I hear things, you know, like um when I
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feel I have got a right to be here, I I mean, I run out of choice. Yes, it's not
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necessity. And she didn't give me a chance. Also, you would think at at that
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time, I mean, um it's still the ultra community. I still I guess it's still
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like a male dominated community, but there's definitely more female participants now than what there was
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then. >> Like, you'd think if you're um a female at one of these events and you see
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another female, you'd be like, "This is amazing." >> Yeah. Yeah. And today, you do, but it
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was just too new then. And I was just so green and probably >> um you know but what happened after that
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is um we just just kept picking off the records and doing that to her and if you
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read the whole book but you know it took three six days for me to do that. Um and
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I took her British all comers off. >> Oh three six day three attempts at six
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day events. Okay. Yeah. the that race you're talking about um Sydney to Melbourne. How fast how far is that in
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terms of >> that was,00 or 11? Hey, so near,00 kilometers. >> Oh, so easy jog. Easy jog.
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>> Easy jog. >> Easy jog. Yeah. Um >> All right. >> Yes.
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>> Okay. Do you do you ever wonder um because you still follow the sport now,
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eh? >> Oh, definitely. >> Do you um like do you ever wonder now how different your life would look if
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you were competing now? like in terms of social media and sponsors and the fame and
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>> yes it would be >> yeah it does a bit but you know it's I still think um
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the girls come back to me and say how did you do it and I still talk to them and I tell them what what Max and I
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worked on for my schedule and I said you know I had my what worked for me and it's got to work for you too some people
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don't want to work and were run 20 hours a day and that was my schedule and it
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was strict 10 hours on 2 hours off 10 hours on 2 hours off and those were the only breaks I was to have unless
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something went wrong and then we worked on it and most of my runs at the end um I would go three days non-stop and Max
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understood that and he always said she can do it she's done it before she'll do
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22 hours a today because Sandy will not stop and I don't say can't cuz that's a description of
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your behavior not your capabilities. >> So that always came into my head and
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it's not all about me. I have a crew. I have sponsorship. People following my race. And it's just
00:15:05
so important that you give them what they want because you know, you know very well that they say, "Oh, she's
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going to give up." And you you hear that all the time. Oh, she's going to give
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up. She's going to pull out. And I hated that. I >> like that. Haters haters. Haters as
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motivators. >> Hate it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And they've said that many times.
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But nope. She picks herself up and goes again. Because the problem when someone says
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that like, "Oh, she won't do it." If if if you do that, then you just prove them
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right. So then they go, "See, told you." >> So you're giving them the satisfaction.
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So the best thing you can do in terms of the middle finger is to prove them wrong.
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>> I never gave them the middle finger. >> But you do prove them wrong. And you
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know, everybody on the track cuz you make a lot of friends once you do a few ultras, you you know the crowd out there
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and they say, "She'll do it. She won't stop. She won't stop. She'll keep going.
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She'll keep going. She's having a bad time at the moment, but she'll keep
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going. And I hear that all the time. Yeah, >> there there's there's um Yeah, there's a
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lot to get into. Like I want to like try and deconstruct your success and get into that mind. Um let's go all the way
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back. So the the running started in 1981 with the marathon. >> Yes. >> So this is this sort of the start of the
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um like the the Liard um jogging phenomenon in New Zealand. >> Yes, it was. And I only started because
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um the person the group the girls in Morford I lost my mom and they said come and run with us. I was in a hole and so
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I started to run and um that's why I got out there and then I kept running and
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running and I he said to me um I said I want to do more and he said you can't
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because you're a woman. And when I said I'm going to run Sydney to Melbourne, he
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said, "Sandy, I always said to you, you can't, but you can." >> He said, "You can mentally." So,
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>> he always um he was the man that was behind me then. And then my Takapuna
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Harrier friends and everybody all got behind me. >> Um there was Richard Tout who um ran
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Sydney to Melbourne. He was just a great support. um and lots of other people that you know did the long long miles
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with me. >> I wasn't frightened of doing training. In fact, I did too much. But I was happy
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doing that. >> Yeah. So your mom passed away at the age of 35. >> 34 for Yeah. 34. 35. Yeah.
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>> Yeah. Yeah. How old were you at the time? >> I thought 34 or 35. Sorry.
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>> How how old was she? >> Um 59. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yes. She had bad heart. She had
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rohematic fever, but she was a great sports person before that all happened. >> Yeah.
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>> Yeah. >> She's That's young, eh? >> Too young. >> No, she was only They were just starting
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to have a life. Yeah. >> So, um >> but my dad was always there. >> Yeah. So, um you end up doing 14 You did
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that first marathon in 1981. Then you did 14 marathons. >> Um and you never particularly quick, eh?
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Like your fastest was like 3 hours 20. >> Yep. >> Which is nothing to scoff at.
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>> No. >> But it's it's not Yeah. I mean, um, Paula Redcliffe ran the Boston Marathon
00:18:07
the other day. She's she's 51, I think, and she did like 2 hours 50. >> So, um,
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>> so you weren't setting the world on fire in terms of your time. Why why did you
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then make the switch to ultra? >> So, ultra was like like running was huge. Marathons were just
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becoming a thing. 10ks were big, but ult were very very much a niche sport. >> Gary Rectine, actually, Gary Rectine was
00:18:31
a Takapuna Harrier. He was our um he was our ultr runner, you could call him in the club. And um he said to me, "You'd
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make a great ultrarunner. You never want to stop." And I said, "What's that?" And
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he said, "Well, it's anything over 50K." So he said, "We should go out and do
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one." I said, "Well, let's do one next weekend." So we went out and I even took
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a picnic for everybody, but I didn't stop. I did the 50k and that's where it
00:19:00
started. And then he said, "Well, you should do Kawa Kawa to pie here." And I
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that was about 80k or something. And then um he went on and he said, "There's
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a 24hour before that. Let's see if you can run 80k on that. Come up and do it
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on the track." And I said, "Oh, that's great." So I went up there. They said I
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treated like a fashion parade. And >> did you? >> Yes. Five sets of clothing. Didn't have
00:19:26
the right shoes on. Just the wrong sneakers. and um broke the Australasian record. I wouldn't pull out and I kept
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going and going and going and they said that's when I got hooked and then I said
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Sydney to Melbourne. >> So this this is 1988 now, right? >> Yeah. >> So So do you think um in hindsight so um
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you you just didn't have like natural speed but you just had this tenacity and
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>> to run. >> Yeah. Yeah. So you just tune on forever. >> I had a passion there and a vision and
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then it became a commitment. just my whole vision changed. But then I had to learn to do speed work if I wanted to
00:20:04
improve my times even in ultra >> and I did and that's what I started to
00:20:09
do 1k sprints down Shakespeare Road and and more speed work in the club and it didn't matter. It hurt. I mean I hate
00:20:18
running fast but you have to do that to to keep to to better your own records. And I proved that with the Sydney to
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Melbourne taking a whole day off it the second time and taking the record on it.
00:20:32
It was the only way I could beat Arnold. >> Yeah. So >> So it sounds silly in an ultra race, but
00:20:39
you do need the speed work still. So, I've read and I I don't know if this
00:20:45
is just a an estimate or what, but um apparently over 10 years you ran the 10 years of your career, you ran like
00:20:51
90,000 kilometers, which if you average that out, if you you know times 10 uh divide 10 by 365, it's an average of
00:20:58
25ks per day, every day for 10 years. So, what did what did like an average training week look like in real teams? I
00:21:06
started off um and I always got told I did too much. 250k was when I was really in the in the in the time that I had to
00:21:16
prepare for a race and then I as I got clo into the middle of it I could go up to 350 and I would do a 10hour run every
00:21:25
Sunday. >> Yeah. And how how so a 10-hour run how many k 100k. Okay. >> Do a 100k all around Oakland. Right. had
00:21:32
lots of fun meeting up with people and getting my keeping my speed up. Glenn Eden would come out and the boys would
00:21:38
come and meet me and up at um St. Helers and run pick up my pace and that's that was my pace work picking it
00:21:48
up and those sort of things. So >> So you start when? What time? Um, I would get out and do three laps of t the
00:21:55
lake because it was dark before I went over the bridge and then Gary would meet me and he would come across the bridge
00:22:02
with me to Donut Road and then the service station would come out. So it would be 4:00 in the morning. I my
00:22:10
mornings were always early. Um I'd meet the paper man and he would talk to me in
00:22:15
the morning and run around the lake and yeah and a few of the tacker harries would come out later.
00:22:21
>> What was that like? Was it ever scary running on running on your own as a as a
00:22:25
as a solo uh female runner in New Zealand in the the late >> 80s? And that's where it had to be
00:22:31
looked at because I was confronted by a car and um very scary moment where I screamed and luckily I was near Woram's
00:22:41
gym and the boys heard me and they came screaming up the road um and of course the person went but yes very scary and
00:22:49
that's why the boys came out early in the end um to keep me company on those
00:22:54
some of those Sundays. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um, another thing to highlight just how um, incredible these feats were
00:23:02
back then versus now is I mean I've got a Garmin watch on right now and there's
00:23:06
probably more computer tech on this watch than you would have ever had access to in your entire running career.
00:23:12
>> Never wore a watch. >> Um, yeah. And also um, no phones, no no music.
00:23:16
>> No music. Didn't have like too dangerous. >> Didn't have a Walkman clipped on to
00:23:21
>> Too dangerous cuz I wouldn't hear the traffic. >> Yeah, >> I know. And I just never I didn't need
00:23:25
it. So no GPS, no um gels or electrolytes or anything fancy drinks? >> No, it's fine. Yeah, I had to do a lot
00:23:32
of groundwork find out and um Essex in the US sponsored me in the end because the Essex New Zealand didn't take me on
00:23:42
and then they came on board and sent me suitcases of clothes and I pick up shoes
00:23:48
on the way over going through the states and um but yes and the food that was the
00:23:55
big thing. Um >> what did you eat? What did you eat and drink? Oh, I'd plant cake behind the bus
00:24:02
shelter when I was so that I'd pick it up in the morning. I'd do silly things
00:24:07
like that, but you know, just to so there was something out there. I'm a very good at not wanting to eat. Um, but
00:24:16
it's little and often. And then I would tuck um tuck food in my belt and that and take
00:24:23
it just well the service station at Donark used to come out with cookie biscuits. Cookie time biscuits. I love
00:24:30
them. They lasted me ages actually cuz they're so hard >> and you just suck them away and you put
00:24:36
the food in. But yes, it was a big thing um in those early days to find out how I was going to survive and
00:24:46
and then we found Exceed from the States and they sponsored me and it's like a
00:24:53
drink and Max always called it my rocket fuel. >> Was it like an electrolyte drink?
00:24:58
>> Yeah, it's just like you know what they feed the old people in on in the homes.
00:25:03
Um, and it's about 200 calories. And he would go, "Yay, 200 calories." But they
00:25:10
they would put a straw in it and umbrellas to make it really exciting. Sy's having 200 calories today.
00:25:17
>> Yeah. Because >> I needed 9,000 calories. >> Yeah. I was just going to say for the
00:25:20
miles that you're doing, um, you just couldn't couldn't eat enough. Did you um
00:25:24
There's a guy, are you familiar with the name Dean Kazis? He he's he's
00:25:29
ultramarathon man and he sort of became famous um when he put his first book out
00:25:33
because his shik was running in the night and then he'd um >> give his coordinates of the street he
00:25:37
was at order a pizza and then roll the pizza up as a burrito and eat it. >> Did you Yeah. No,
00:25:42
>> I mean there was no but there were no Uber Eats or anything. >> No. No. My dad would come out with
00:25:47
sandwiches and that sort of thing and I'd always have an ice cream at the end.
00:25:50
My failing but um but never you know before before I started. I found out but because um my diet wasn't that good and
00:26:01
then I found out that I was hypoglycemic. So one of my marathons I collapsed in and we didn't know why and
00:26:10
burner James he was my massur and he said I know what it is and it he was right it was sugar and he said you can't
00:26:19
run on sugar so you've got to drop all that. So all that went out of the diet
00:26:25
and um yeah made it history then I I could go on different food. Yeah. >> What about cross trainining like
00:26:33
strength and conditioning or >> Yep. Definitely. I was um did a lot of work in gym. Um upper body especially
00:26:40
not legs because my legs were so muscly they were big enough. And also I I was doing enough with them. um it was just
00:26:49
definitely upper body and here I run very straight. I walk very straight generally and people said that's habit
00:26:58
from where you learned to let the oxygen go in and um cuz you know you can stoop
00:27:05
when you get tired >> and it was always a thing for me to keep straight. Yeah.
00:27:10
>> By the way, how are you? You were real nervous when we started. You all right
00:27:12
now? >> Yeah, I'm fine. Settled in. Yes. It's funny kept talking about it all and all
00:27:17
the things that you go through. You think, my gosh, you know, it was hard working it all out. It was hard. I mean,
00:27:23
it was hard for my crew. They didn't know. Um, and then, you know, we learned
00:27:28
so much after the first Sydney to Melbourne and everything else. The second one was just perfect.
00:27:34
>> And there's there's just so much information and knowledge available
00:27:38
online now. Like you go into chat GPT and say, I want to run a 1300 mile race. Can you do a program? Back then it was
00:27:44
like just the blind leading the blind in a way, wasn't it? >> Oh, of course it is. Yes. And I'm, you
00:27:49
know, I'm sorry that it's I'm not running in those times today. I mean,
00:27:55
what would have it been like, you know, what would have happened? >> Just imagine, imagine you in a pair of
00:27:59
Nike Vapor Flies. Like the shoe the shoe tech. I know you mentioned um you had a deal with AS6
00:28:06
before, but the shoes have come such a long way. >> Oh, yes. And I paid like $350 for a pair
00:28:11
of shoes then. And you were lucky to get the right ones, but I still swear by them. They're still the best.
00:28:17
>> Um, I also did self- hypnosis. >> Oh, I was going to ask you about this.
00:28:22
Yes. So, there's a guy called um Brian Head. Brian. Who's Who's Brian Head?
00:28:26
>> Brian Head in those days. Somebody put put him I he said, well, I don't know if
00:28:30
he came to me or them now. I can't remember. But he said, "I'd like to talk
00:28:35
to you to help you through the pain levels and that sort of thing." And I said, "Oh, I don't think you can help
00:28:41
me." And I I went I went along anyway. And I said, "Oh, you're not going to do
00:28:46
that. I won't go out." And he I said, "I'm not going to balance between two
00:28:51
chairs." I said, "There's no way you can do that to me." I said, "I'm too strong
00:28:56
mentally, you know, to let you do it." Well, guess who was the first person to
00:29:01
go? >> So, yeah. So, self hypnosis, like what is what does that mean exactly?
00:29:06
>> It's total relaxation. And I practiced it every day when I was running. And I would every lunchtime
00:29:16
wherever I could, I would sit down and do it. And because my life, I had two children and I had to keep going. I'd be
00:29:25
up like 4:00 in the morning. And so there was I just had to relax. And when lunchtime came along, I would do my self
00:29:34
hypnosis. And all it is is counting down. He did tapes for me too which were brilliant which I took away with me and
00:29:42
I put on when my breaks. He So my first thousand mile race which was six weeks after my first Sydney to
00:29:51
Melbourne. I mean everybody said I was mad going I mean Ziggy Bower said what right did a Milford housewife have to go
00:30:00
to that? And I mean he had the record um for New Zealand. >> Did Ziggy say that? Did he
00:30:06
>> Ziggy said that >> was um >> it got printed in the New York Times.
00:30:10
>> Yeah. Ziggy Bell, one of the one of the greats of endurance running, >> but he wasn't invited. I was
00:30:15
>> right. Yeah. Did you encounter much in the way of sexism like that? >> Yeah. No. Well, that was a good example
00:30:21
of it, but no. >> But were most were most men quite encouraging? >> Oh, yes. Jiannis Kuras, I mean, he's the
00:30:27
world's best. Let's face it, he was when I was running and still is. I still
00:30:31
think he is. Um he was brilliant you know in that thousand mile race he was there
00:30:38
he did 10 hours something and um he said give Sandy my caravan give Sandy all my
00:30:45
potato chips give her anything she wants out of my caravan. I had a tent and a stretcher
00:30:52
and no help but um the Shrio people brought a lovely lady in to help me at times. So, but I had Brian Head and
00:31:02
Brian Head was number one for me and I listened to him every time I took a break and kept me very positive and I
00:31:11
swear by it today. You know, >> you still How does how does self hypnosis work in your life today?
00:31:17
>> If I get so stressed, it's the best thing you can do and I'm sure that all
00:31:21
these things shape you to be the person today. you know, you put you through. I remember it so well and I still believe
00:31:30
today. Um I I think I even said it in my book. Um you know, at the end with all these athletes, sometimes they don't
00:31:39
want their coach there. They want somebody that's put themselves through the stress and the strain that
00:31:46
and do the self hypnosis, but relax them. And I still think today, you know, a lot more of that should be there for
00:31:54
athletes. Maybe it is there. Um, we don't see it what sort of treatment they
00:31:59
get today, but boy, they get the top work, don't they? I had none of that. I
00:32:04
had no help. >> Yeah. There's no um I I don't think a nutritionist even existed. I don't think
00:32:10
that was a job title back then. >> No. >> My physio said I needed 9,000 calories a
00:32:16
day. So, that's what we worked on. It was hard. >> Yeah. Because I remember at the same
00:32:21
time like mom and mom and dad were um both into running. Mom more so than dad, but they they'd go to the, you know,
00:32:26
Fletcher Marathon and Rotary every year. And it was all about pasta. So there was
00:32:29
like pasta parties the night before an event and you basically just eat as much pasta as you can, which I think now
00:32:35
we've we've realized isn't the right way to go. But what would you eat?
00:32:38
>> I didn't eat pasta because I ate it. >> Where did you get your carbs from?
00:32:42
>> Um pumpkin and those sort of things. Just mashed pumpkin. Um, very simple,
00:32:48
very simple diet. Uh, you can't I must admit I had a liking for Kiwi Fruit when Kiwi Fruit got
00:32:56
behind me because um I was looking for a sponsor to do the 1300 mile race and um
00:33:04
they actually fronted up with that and they said we would like to sponsor Sandy and Max thought this was wonderful
00:33:11
because he said do you know what she hates bananas but she loves kiwi fruit and they went whoa and they said will
00:33:19
she come down and meet the team? And he said, "Yep, we'll run down this
00:33:23
weekend." And they said, "Pardon, we'll run down this weekend." So, we started at the
00:33:30
Bombay Hills and went through the night and I was met by their team 10k out and not one of them was there at the end.
00:33:39
And I did my speech and they I just said, "I hate bananas." And they loved it. Who brought the the
00:33:46
hall down? Yes. >> Oh, yeah. Cuz you you used to love the skin as well, which was seen as being
00:33:51
controversial. I'm a skin eater as well. >> Yeah. And cuz they were export kiwi
00:33:54
fruit. They were beautiful. They exported trays and trays to the track for me. And everybody said, "She's
00:34:00
eating kiwi fruit." I said, "Help yourself." >> So they all started eating it
00:34:05
>> and I just eat it like an apple. Yeah. >> Does it not give you the runs or
00:34:08
anything? Too much kiwi fruit? No. >> Still doesn't. No. Pity. But >> um Oh, so the the self-hypnosis stuff
00:34:14
that you learned from um Brian Head. So is there like a simple technique that any one of us can employ or do you need
00:34:21
to >> you can um get a tape done which will count you down and talk about what's
00:34:26
what problems you need to solve in your head. I needed relaxation and pain >> and he would talk about that you know
00:34:35
how I'm feeling and and just make it really positive but I can do it myself now.
00:34:40
>> Right. So you were able to like if if you were in the pain cave when you were
00:34:44
running, you were able to >> like do implement this and um sort of block out the pain or
00:34:49
>> Yeah. But when we were on the side of the track when I'd come into my tent,
00:34:52
Max would put my earphones on and Brian here I had him there all the time in my brakes.
00:34:58
>> So and what was he saying on the tape? >> He was talking about um the positive
00:35:03
things that I I mean he didn't know I was going to be injured. So he would talk about that. you know, if you've got
00:35:09
an injury, Sandy, it, you know, of course, if as long as it's not going to kill me, um he would talk through the
00:35:16
pain levels and um and this sort of thing. It's Yeah, it was I felt it from him and I guess that's
00:35:26
where I'd wake up really positive and I'd keep going, you know, as I said, I never said can't.
00:35:33
And if when I said can't, I had to say no, you can do this. It's not all only
00:35:38
about you. Think about why you're doing this. You're running out of choice, not
00:35:43
necessity. Yes, you want to be number one, and you're not coming back. You're
00:35:47
going to be number one. You're going to be number one to run 1300 miles. >> Where did that savage mindset come from?
00:35:54
>> I wonder. I don't know why I'm so fierce there, but I >> Was anyone else in the family like that?
00:36:00
>> My mother. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> My mother was. Yeah. She never gave up.
00:36:06
No, she had a bad ticker, but she, you know, she had five children. She was five months pregnant when she had her
00:36:13
massive heart operation and um and she had 50/50. The baby had none and she came out wonderful and so did the baby.
00:36:23
So, she was and she did his paper runs and everything, but you know, it was going to catch up on her in the end.
00:36:29
Barrett Boys was amazing. Yeah. was lovely being in the hospital at that time to know that Barrett boy um the man
00:36:37
who operated on my mother. Yeah. >> But um yeah, I don't know. I and I don't
00:36:43
show that because I'm quite withdrawn. I don't purposely put myself out there
00:36:50
unless I'm right. I get quite upset if somebody says something and I know it's
00:36:59
not right and I will Google it and make sure I am right. I will do all that and then go back and
00:37:04
>> I couldn't Google it back in the day. >> No. Yeah. I No, I suppose you could say
00:37:09
retiring and I was at school. I love the sports field, >> but I I was scared to put my hand up in
00:37:17
case I was wrong. >> But I love school. >> Yeah. But it's just that fear inside me
00:37:23
of being wrong and I had to succeed and I always and that's probably where I push myself
00:37:31
today. Um I love life. I love it. I I'm so lucky. I think I've done everything
00:37:38
that I've ever wanted to do in my life. And I have to say I'm lucky. I'm so
00:37:43
happy with what I've done. Even after when they said you can't run and my
00:37:48
surgeon said to me last year when I had my final check after my back operation, he said, "I can't do any more for you,
00:37:56
Sandy. You're incredible. You were up and away six weeks and I told you no one. You did 10 and you you're touching
00:38:07
your toes. You you're playing golf again." You know, he said, "I told you
00:38:11
you'd have to alter your swing. You don't. you just do what you do. >> And he said, I don't want to see you
00:38:18
again unless, you know, he said, I don't want to. You don't have a pretty back,
00:38:24
meaning I've had a lot of work done, but he said, um, you're just amazing. It
00:38:29
doesn't stop you. And I won't let it stop me. I'll still keep going. And I
00:38:34
went and did my bar license because I thought, I'm in a place, Maren Cove. What am I going to do here? So, I I do a
00:38:42
lot of work. Um, it's all, you know, voluntary work on the fishing club bar and I love it to bits. It's just the
00:38:50
people, you know. I think I know everybody. I worked in the supermarket there as chick out check.
00:38:57
Um, just >> Oh, because you wanted to or because you needed to? Yeah. Just to
00:39:00
>> Well, he um the new big four square that opened up there three years ago, he um
00:39:06
he was wanting people in the area to help stock the shelves and build the shelves. and I put my hand up.
00:39:12
>> It's the first one in New Zealand. It's glorious. It really is.
00:39:16
>> And three of us, oh, 16 of us girls built the built the shelves and stocked
00:39:21
$2 million worth of product on it. Then he said, "Do you want a job?" And I
00:39:25
said, "Yes, as long as I'm on the checker and the and it's the kiosk part,
00:39:29
which I love, the food side." And um I did three years. I only finished in October.
00:39:35
>> How good. >> So that I could do some more travel. >> Yeah. And I Yeah. So the spinal surgery.
00:39:40
So you're in hospital just last year. Um is that a result of all the miles you
00:39:45
ran? >> Yeah, >> it is. Okay. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah.
00:39:48
>> It's rough on the body. E that many >> Well, it came up in the last thousand
00:39:53
mile and I probably shouldn't have done that, but that's where we found that
00:39:56
there was a problem in the back. And that was probably the the day I probably should have hung my shoes up, but I keep
00:40:04
doing a few little things like practicing for the Iron Man and and going over to Marles and doing a 48
00:40:11
hour. But, you know, after that, um, when I decided to hang my shoes up, it wasn't over for me. I succeeded in
00:40:19
getting Athletics New Zealand to recognize the sport and so my record my records would all be recognized and um
00:40:28
Athletics New Zealand I we had a world championship team to choose and a 24-hour team to go to the world champs.
00:40:37
They asked me to be the manager, which I did. And I coached, fed, ran them, and um I was the mother in the whole trip.
00:40:47
And I had my teams. The boys were wonderful. The girls were just, you know, amazing, the 24-hour girls and
00:40:53
that. And I did a lot of that um for six years as and I was president of the Ultra Association in New Zealand. So I
00:41:02
had that plus put out a book quarterly. My life was busy >> and I was doing farmer then too.
00:41:08
>> Yeah. Do do you do any sort of coaching or mentoring now? Do people reach out to
00:41:12
you for advice? I know um >> the girls overseas. >> Yeah. Do they? >> Yeah.
00:41:16
>> Especially when Camille was running. Um I was going back with my schedules. They
00:41:20
wanted to >> Who's Camille? >> Um Camille. Sorry. She's the lady who
00:41:24
took my six day record. >> Oh yeah. Oh. So yeah. So you're recovering from the spinal surgery in
00:41:29
hospital and you're watching this on on your phone or an iPad. >> Yeah. Um, then how do you Yeah. How do
00:41:36
you >> I was flat on my back for six days. >> Is is is is there part of you that's
00:41:41
happy about it because records are made to be broken or is it like just don't do
00:41:44
it. Don't do it. >> Oh no. I knew it was going to be close and then but you know records are there
00:41:50
to break and it's time. I mean >> it was an incredible race with her. She
00:41:54
had she had Lulu Lemon behind her. She had a huge helping thing. You know she had all the right people.
00:42:02
>> What did I have? Yeah. A bag of kiwi fruit >> and a tent and a and a massage table.
00:42:10
>> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. I mean it's Yeah. So so different.
00:42:13
Although in saying that like I I never want to take anything away from any ultr runner because anyone that goes out and
00:42:17
runs >> Camille's amazing. I She was the woman I thought would do it. >> She's got the speed. She had the speed
00:42:23
to do it. >> Yeah. >> She was the woman that I knew would do. I knew she would and I was so happy. And
00:42:29
I got a lovely letter back from her when I congratulated. you know, it was it was
00:42:33
lovely and even the world ultra sation came back and said something really beautiful for me. So that was nice.
00:42:42
>> So you um what did you think about when you were out training? So you you didn't
00:42:46
have like nowadays you have music and there's um it's unlimited what you can
00:42:48
listen to. I'll take my phone out with me. I can listen to podcasts and just
00:42:52
get get you know um immersed in that for hours on end. What did you what did you
00:42:56
think about? >> I don't think I thought about a lot but um I enjoyed every moment. I chat a not
00:43:02
a lot but I would concentrate on whatever I'm doing. I did a lot of working out with what was coming up. Um
00:43:10
my family of course I thought about them a lot. Um what I had to do quite honestly probably a lot of rubbish
00:43:18
just just in another world. I was in my world. It was like doing self hypnosis I
00:43:24
think. >> Yeah. Because how old were your kids when you when you're at the peak of your
00:43:29
career? Christy and Brett, they must have been 10, 9 and 10 or something. Yeah. >> So,
00:43:36
>> you're sacrificing a lot of time, eh? >> Oh, yes. But that's why I ran at a time.
00:43:40
I was always home for breakfast. >> Okay. >> That's what they came in the film when
00:43:46
they did the film. I mean, I did burn the toast quite a lot, but um Oh, >> the film. What was the film?
00:43:51
>> Oh, the TV program they bought out on the Thousand Mile Woman. >> Yes. Um,
00:43:57
>> really? I didn't know that. Yes. Is it online somewhere? >> TVNZ would have it. I've got a copy.
00:44:03
>> Right. Wow. >> I should have brought it down. >> Was that Was that broadcast on like free
00:44:08
toear TV at the time? >> It came out at Christmas time. Yes. And it was came out at the same time we were
00:44:15
trying to name my book and that was my last thousand mile race and we had um people from the university doing testing
00:44:25
that came over. uh his name just it's in the book. Um and they were doing bloods every 10
00:44:34
hours. They were so I was going through quite a bit of you know attention that way.
00:44:39
>> Testing for what? >> Oh they would look at bloods and then they would come and do questionnaires
00:44:44
and see where my mind was. And of course when the pain started they said she won't do it anymore. She doesn't want to
00:44:51
do it anymore. She just wants to be left alone. and they could see that I was mentally not wanting to do their stuff.
00:44:59
I don't want anything hard, but strong still. I wasn't going to come off
00:45:03
forever. And when it was diagnosed it was my back and I needed to come off for 24 hours. I said to Max, I'm not coming
00:45:12
off. I'm going to have a a rest now and then I'm coming back on and I'll just go
00:45:18
non-stop. >> And he said and I said it will get better. And that's what I did. And
00:45:28
nobody was going to beat me. I tell you, I was I'd gone through enough. >> So So the testing they were trying to
00:45:34
work out if there's something special in your in your blood or >> Yeah. They they said in um there was
00:45:41
nothing different about me. My heart was the right size. It was just a normal heart. I was um in my testing about what
00:45:52
sort of person I was. They said, "Don't lock Sandy in a room on her own."
00:45:58
So >> why? >> Well, he said it's not a good idea. >> But But funny enough, even though you're
00:46:04
out in the open running, you are >> on your own. >> Yeah. Metaphorically, you're in a room
00:46:08
on your own, aren't you? You're in your own head space. >> You are. Yes, you are. You are when you
00:46:12
say that. But um but yeah, it was he said, "I'm just just a normal person and
00:46:19
everything about me was normal. Just you know, my Everything was good for my age. I was
00:46:25
very good with um I was 43, 42, 43. So >> Well, can anyone can anyone do what you
00:46:33
did? >> Of course they can. Well, they are now. Let's face it. >> No. So I mean not not anyone that's like
00:46:41
competing at the top level now, but say someone's listening to this that's um
00:46:45
that's you know run a couple of marathons or half marathons or whatever. Could could they do it?
00:46:49
>> Yes. Yeah. if they really wanted to. I um when I was training to do my I would
00:46:56
go down and do rot one way and then turn around and go back the other way. >> That was my training.
00:47:02
>> Yeah, that that's um Yeah, the rotor marathon around which goes anti-
00:47:05
anticlockwise around the lake. So you get >> and then I turn around and go back
00:47:09
again. >> Right. Right. >> Yeah. >> People did did you enjoy people thinking
00:47:14
you were like like bizarre or a freak or a weirdo at the time? >> Yeah. I suppose a lot of people thought
00:47:19
wonder what I was made of. Very unusual at the time. >> It very unusual. Yeah. And when I ran
00:47:24
the length of New Zealand, it was like um for diabetes and they said, "Oh, Sandy, you're going to be in Roar for
00:47:33
the opening and you're going to do a speech." And as I got closer there, um I
00:47:39
was getting pretty tight. I run 1760 kilometers then. And my speed was pretty good cuz the boys used to come out and
00:47:47
run with me too. And they said, "Oh, you're going to do the marathon." And I
00:47:52
said, "Yeah, that's not a problem, but then I've got to run run on to Tonga."
00:47:55
And Max says, "Yeah, she'll do it in five hours." I said, "Oh, okay." He
00:48:00
said, "Oh, the Tapena Harros are coming down to run with you, too." I went, "Oh,
00:48:04
that's great." But I arrived and they wanted me to do a 5K race down Roa
00:48:10
Street and I said, "No, I'm not focused on that before going to do a marathon in the morning. I'm
00:48:17
starting an hour earlier. Yes. But >> I said, I'll do the speech and that's
00:48:23
it. >> And I actually that I was strong enough to say that because normally it was yes,
00:48:28
yes, yes. But I've done hundreds of speeches for diabetes all the way through and I just said no, it's too big
00:48:34
a day for me. >> So I went out on that marathon and um Takapuna girls came out ran. They said
00:48:42
we can't keep up with her. So my speed had increased so much ready for you know
00:48:49
and um and I got in in under four hours so or four maybe it was 405 I can't quite remember it was around the 4 hour
00:48:57
so I was happy with that and then I said to Jos um oh I said if I could break four hours can I have an ice cream she
00:49:05
said yes you can have two and I said so I had an ice cream and then I ran to >> in the book and then you yeah you you
00:49:12
you were bigger than belly. You couldn't do two. >> I couldn't do two. So then I ran on to
00:49:17
Taranga. >> Um yeah. Oh yeah, that that triggered so much memories. Yeah, we got to talk
00:49:24
about the length of New Zealand run and a bunch of other stuff. But >> um >> what what are some of the new events now
00:49:29
that you think you'd be drawn to like um like backyard relays and things like
00:49:33
that? Are you familiar with that format? >> Yeah. Would you >> do you know what they've seen?
00:49:37
>> Well, you've been good at that, right? >> No, I I think I I ran for competition. I
00:49:44
ran to break a record. I ran for records. Um I didn't want to muck around. I didn't mind running for
00:49:52
diabetes because my problem is similar and um to me that was giving back to my country again. Uh, I but I I don't mind
00:50:05
doing training runs, you know, like marathons and that sort of thing for training,
00:50:12
but I'm not going to ever be anything in those distances. It was the ultra that I
00:50:18
wanted and I knew that I had to pick because I'm getting older >> and so I was picking and the ultimate
00:50:27
race was the 1300. That was the pinnacle that I wanted to work on >> and no one had been there before. So, it
00:50:35
was special for me to do that. >> Yeah. That's one thing that can never be
00:50:40
taken away. This is part of your legacy. Like, you're the first woman to ever run
00:50:43
1300 miles. So, where was that? >> I'm still second in the world now. >> So, you know, and she only beat it by
00:50:49
how many and she had mine to work on. >> I know you say records are meant to be
00:50:55
broken, but I can tell you're still a bit dark about it. Well, it's it's like
00:50:59
Arnor. I mean, she must have been really angry, >> me taking a British all comers and then
00:51:05
a thousand and then and then the sixth day. I mean, all these things. >> So, the 1300 mile um Yeah. Where was
00:51:12
that? >> It's in New York on a onem loop. >> I was at the Shri Chimroy.
00:51:18
>> Yeah. They're the best people to run a race because they've got the people
00:51:21
power out there. They've got the food for the people. >> They are brilliant. I have to say
00:51:26
they're brilliant. They looked after me like a queen and Shisha himself called
00:51:32
me little chorus and you know um they all respected what I was doing for the ultra.
00:51:40
>> Yeah. So for anyone for anyone that doesn't know Shri Chimroy who's that
00:51:44
>> who's that? Oh it's a group. >> Oh okay. It's not a a person. It's a
00:51:48
organization. It was originally a person name. Yeah. Shri but they call him the Shreu people. Yes. Yeah. And in New
00:51:56
Zealand, they're wonderful. I still try and get to the 24-hour race now and again, and they're just so thrilled to
00:52:02
see me and do the prizes and that, but >> I mean, yes, it was they were a big part
00:52:07
of my life. The 1300, you know, with memories. I remember them saying to me when I did my hamstring towards the end,
00:52:18
I'd broken my thousand mile record by two days and six hours. That's how much
00:52:23
speed work does for you. in a 1300 mile race. >> Really handy, too. Two two days less
00:52:29
hours, eight hours worth of less running is not a bad not a bad result. >> Well, I would never have finished in
00:52:34
time. >> Yeah. >> And you've got to be under 19 hours. So, um you know, it had to be done faster.
00:52:42
And >> and I went away to get to see about this leg and um they said, "You really should
00:52:51
take time off." And cuz that's not there. I can't do that. I said to Max
00:52:57
when I got back, I'm not going to stop. I will walk and I will heal and I'll jog
00:53:05
when I can. And people came back from New Zealand and said, "Why? Why are you going back?" Even Max said,
00:53:16
"Why?" He said, "Sandy, you've got the thousand mile record. You screamed it. I
00:53:22
said, "It's not about me. It's everybody at home. This is every night on the news how I'm doing and
00:53:31
everyone's saying she'll pull out." I said, "I don't pull out." He went,
00:53:36
"Okay, I'm with you." >> Jeez, you would have been a dangerous
00:53:40
woman if there was social media at that time. Like there was no there were no comment sections back then.
00:53:43
>> No. And I said, you know, it's not about me. And also they said, "Look at you.
00:53:50
Your blood vessels are all bursting. You're so swollen, you know, cuz you're
00:53:55
not resting. The muscle had gone. I was cannibalizing on my own flesh, you could say.
00:54:03
>> And I was getting littleer and which was quite nice. I always lost a stone anyway
00:54:09
in the races. And um you know, people just kept coming back saying why." And that's when I said,
00:54:17
well, as I said, it's not me. >> To me, it was my Everest, >> and I was going to do it. And that's all
00:54:24
there was to it. And that's when Kiwi Fruit Board came back, sent me 24 red roses. They knew I loved roses.
00:54:32
>> And um they said, Max said, "You'll take one every 10 miles until you're
00:54:38
finished." And that's what I did. Every 10 miles, just put another rose in. And
00:54:46
>> yeah, what what um what was your why? Because there's um there's um there's a
00:54:51
book I really like called Man's Search for Meaning by a guy called Victor Frankle. Incredible book. Um and he he
00:54:56
talks about if um if um if if you have a why, if your why is strong enough, you can just about figure out a how for
00:55:03
anything. What was your why? >> My why is um I'm here for a reason. I came here to break that record, be the
00:55:11
first person to finish that race. I don't want anyone to take that away from
00:55:15
me >> and there's no no going back. I will keep going probably until I drop. But
00:55:22
yes, I hallucinated and everything on that. But that's so sailors. I didn't
00:55:27
even know what a hallucination was until I did my first Sydney to Milman. I thought, what the hell's that spiderweb
00:55:33
doing in the middle of the road? And I'm terrified of spiders. And I made one of
00:55:38
the crew came out and she said, "I'll cut it, Sandy." Bought the scissors out
00:55:42
and cut it. I mean, they're weird things. And I was hallucinating about a witch and I the witch had a face and I
00:55:51
she wanted me off, you know, that she's not going to do it and there was a river
00:55:56
there and there was no river there and I was scared of falling into that and I would tumble and then I just got
00:56:03
stronger and stronger and to beat all these things to carry on. So the hallucinations are are very viv very
00:56:11
vivid and real >> very I went round to the crew and said look there's a witch out there and they
00:56:15
went oh my god they said it's hallucinations and I said I'll be all right I'll beat
00:56:21
her I will beat her and I did had to get strong there was the why is no one's going to
00:56:30
say to me she gave up >> so these um the um the New York events the Shri Chimroy races Um you paint a
00:56:39
picture of that for us. So it goes over like days and days and days, right? >> Yep. You're so many days cut off.
00:56:45
>> So how many people take part? >> Uh there was probably 43 in Sydney to Melbourne's and that sort
00:56:52
of thing. Um Oh, they were they didn't run that. Westfield did. Oh gosh, how
00:56:56
many? They'd have a 24-hour race, they'd have a 700 mile race, they'd have a
00:57:00
thousand mile race, and they have a 1300 mile race. >> And all the races just go around this
00:57:04
one block of New York. And this we stagnated different times so that people sort of came in at the end right time.
00:57:12
>> They Oh gosh, you'd have to be in the 40s of people running. There was a lot
00:57:17
of people out on the track at the beginning. >> There weren't many at the end. There's
00:57:21
so many at the end. >> Yeah. And so so what did an average day look like? >> Average day? Um well, my average day was
00:57:27
um I was um have my breaks. Uh, I'd take my break at night, 12 till 2 and then I would start running until
00:57:39
10:00 the next um 12:00. Hang on. How do I do it? Yeah. Um, 10 hours on anyway. Yeah,
00:57:47
12:00 and then I'd go till 2:00 again. So, they were 10hour break, 10 hour stints of running and then in that 10
00:57:55
hours um, I'd have a goal. Max would have he he did the paperwork. He was incredible. He was right down to the
00:58:02
wire with where I was doing. He knew exactly where I was going to be. And you know, I had Joss who she's my right-hand
00:58:10
lady and and and Shirley who um helped me on that run as well. She was always there. Um you probably might
00:58:21
know the I'm trying to think of a surname, but anyway. Um >> so so 10 on two off and you just repeat
00:58:28
that for days on end. Days on. What do you do in the 2-hour break? >> Straight in on the massage table,
00:58:35
massage, and put a bit of food in and rest. I usually go straight to sleep, brine, heads on, and I'd go to sleep.
00:58:45
And that's the sleep I had. And then I Max would wake me up 10 minutes before I
00:58:51
go back on. They'd put some food into me. They'd look at my feet and do all
00:58:55
those sort of things. and um anything that needed to be mended, you know, chafing and that sort of thing. Clean
00:59:02
clothes and then out. And there was Sandy, it's time to go. Your 10 minutes is finished. He was strict.
00:59:10
>> It's not a great existence, is it? >> It's not pretty. Do my hair.
00:59:15
>> Where's my lipstick? >> Were you Were you ever um I mean, you
00:59:20
must have you must have been snappy with your crew at times. Oh, uh, very upset on the 1300 with Shirley. She got a bit
00:59:28
bossy and I said to Max, I can't work with her. She's upsetting me. And, um,
00:59:36
and I he gave her a break, told her to go and have a couple of hours days off and um he then we had to get her back
00:59:43
and I said, "I'm sorry." I said, "I I am sorry." And she said, "It's okay,
00:59:47
Sandy." >> She was it was me. I was the one that got a bit snappy. short-tempered. Yes.
00:59:54
But generally I was said I was just thought I was the easiest person to look after. I She did wear an egg sandwich
01:00:02
once, but I said, "How dare you give me an egg sandwich on a run?" She said, "But you
01:00:07
love them." I said, "I know today." And she caught >> because it's a um for crews in these
01:00:14
sort of events, it's it's a balancing act, isn't it? Because they have to act
01:00:17
like a therapist and a counselor. They also have to be firm on you if you were giving up on yourself. Did you ever
01:00:24
>> Yeah. Did you Did they ever have to like push you to go back out or? >> Yep.
01:00:28
>> In my second Sydney to Melbourne, um Max knew that I wanted to win it. Um there
01:00:34
was no Ellen nor there, but her record was there >> and I was on track and I said to Max, I
01:00:42
I need a break. And he said, Sandy, you're not due a break. I said, I want a
01:00:46
break. And he said, "My dad was there and my sister and they went, they got motel for
01:00:55
the crew and cooked meals, which was really great for them." >> And I got a bit jealous actually that
01:01:01
they were going to a nice warm motel and having a hot meal and seeing my dad. And
01:01:07
I said, "I want a break." And Max Anyway, I won. He said, "Okay, you can
01:01:12
take your break. We're going. Your dad's got a motel up ahead. We'll go there."
01:01:17
And he said, he went off and he said, "Don't you dare say anything nice to
01:01:22
Sandy to Dad. Don't you pamper her or anything. You stay away." And he said to the crew, "Don't give her
01:01:30
anything. B, you get in the shower and get her shower." And I lay down there
01:01:36
and he said, "Right, then Sandy, have you rest." He said, "Why the why did you come to Sydney to
01:01:44
Melbourne?" I said, "You know why, Max?" He said, I said, "To win it, be first
01:01:51
woman and take the record." He said, "Well, why are you lying down there?"
01:01:58
>> Pretty simple in his way. It hurt it. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And I got up, I stormed out, grabbed my
01:02:06
things, and they said, "Crew, she's off." Dad was really worried and he came up
01:02:13
the hill. >> What? Concerned about your safety? >> Oh, he was just concerned about me,
01:02:18
>> the mood I was in. And he came past and he said, "Oh, Sandy." In his car and he
01:02:23
said, "I just bought the Vicks um your Vaseline." And he said, "How you going?"
01:02:28
And I said, "Wonderful." I said, "Nice to see you. Just give it to the crew."
01:02:31
And he went, "Oh my god." >> And I just went non-stop. I said to Max,
01:02:36
"I'll go non-stop. We'll we'll break the record." And we did by 5 hours.
01:02:42
He I wouldn't stop for anything, not even for a train. >> Wow. What about the um the mental
01:02:48
preparation for these events? >> Yeah. >> Like the the 24 or 48 hours beforehand.
01:02:52
What does that look like? >> Well, mostly I'm on a plane, you know, so that's another thing. But
01:03:00
it's >> Oh, so for New York, you weren't you weren't there like a week before
01:03:03
acclimatizing or anything? >> No, not really. you know, I got there in time for the pre talking part and yeah,
01:03:11
I didn't want to go too early. I didn't want to be in the hotel for too long.
01:03:15
>> Um, it's all Brian Head >> the self hypnosis and that's what I did
01:03:20
>> is >> and just eat, you know, eat the right stuff. >> Is Brian Head still around or has he
01:03:25
passed away? >> I think he has. >> Right. Has he got books or anything?
01:03:29
You've mentioned him a lot. I know there's going to be a lot of people. >> Oh, he was a big part of my He was a big
01:03:33
part of it. He he really was. I truly believe in self hypnosis for anything like that. You know, if you go under
01:03:41
pressure, it's well, I don't know. Maybe I'm I can't believe it because I said he
01:03:45
couldn't do anything with me. Um it is quite strange, isn't it, that you
01:03:52
>> No, I like this even more because I think I'm I'm um sort of skeptical as
01:03:56
well of these things. And so if if I meet another skeptic that swears by it, I'm like, there must be some good
01:04:03
>> Yeah. some good in this. >> Well, there definitely was for me. Definitely. I was on my own in those New
01:04:08
York races that first thousand mile. All I had was Brian Head and Brian Brian even rang me while I was on the course
01:04:17
and he said, "You're okay." He said, "You've got your tape." And I said,
01:04:20
"Absolutely. Everything's fine. I love my tape. It's fine." And um off I'd go.
01:04:25
I had nobody there that I knew. No kid. >> How did he ring you on the course? Was
01:04:28
it like a landline? >> Yes. They say yes. They've got a landline there. I had so many faxes on
01:04:34
the 1300. I broke their machine. There was school projects going the schools, you
01:04:40
know, they'd send them through and that's why I visited the schools when I
01:04:44
came back because they were so supportive of me. >> Oh wow. >> They were every day my mileage was go up
01:04:51
and they followed it. They even did trails, you know, with money to how far I was going when I was running. It was
01:04:58
just incredible. >> Oh, the old coin trails. Yeah. in fax machines. That's right. So, so you'd get
01:05:03
messages of wellw wishes. >> Oh, and they all come back and they'd read them to me in my break. And um or
01:05:08
they said um one came out and they said, "Oh, it's it's your birthday." And I
01:05:14
went, "Oh, that's nice." And they said, "Sandy, it's your birthday." Um I said,
01:05:20
"Oh, it's not my birthday anyway." And they were reading all these faxes out
01:05:26
and they said Sandy and I'm sound asleep. Brian's there. You see? And I would just go off in the end. Yeah. Was
01:05:34
the my best medicine. >> Wow. >> I had nothing magic. I only had my exceeded and my kiwi fruit and Brian
01:05:42
>> and crew. You can't you can't do these things without your crew and your
01:05:46
manager. He They were the best. They're the best. >> And these faxes from back home. Did you
01:05:52
get a fax from the prime minister or anything like that? >> John Banks I think it was sent me one
01:05:56
when I was doing the Was he minister of police at the time maybe or >> I had the head of police on my team.
01:06:05
>> We had no problem. The he called the police and from Takapuna um Bruce Wood
01:06:10
>> and he would ring up and say Sandy's coming through. She loves teddies. Um so
01:06:15
we teddies coming in for everywhere. She loves a hairdresser. Um, would I come into town? No, it was
01:06:23
um they all got behind it and escorted, you know, it was really amazing. I could
01:06:29
um I even got permission to hold up the plane on the way down to PL. You wouldn't get away with it today. And
01:06:36
went into the pilots and um and I threatened them that I I'd take over if I couldn't do a collection. and we did
01:06:46
that and um held up a bridge on the west coast and these sort of things, you know, those were the days.
01:06:53
>> Did Did you ever have a DNF in one of these events? Did you ever pull out
01:06:59
or did you finish every event that you entered? >> I don't think I have had a DNF.
01:07:03
>> Wow. Well, that's amazing. Like the I mean the the possibility for something to go
01:07:08
wrong in terms of injuries or whatever. It's >> I did have that. I had the injuries,
01:07:12
>> but you're just always able to run through. I just healed on them in the
01:07:15
end. I just went non-stop. Just healed. Yep. Um Yes. No, I >> It's remarkable, really, isn't it?
01:07:24
>> It's crazy in hindsight. >> Well, um a doctor came in on my first
01:07:29
thousand mile that I mean, I know we're jumping around, but I tore my Achilles.
01:07:36
My it was, you know, was all swelling. They called the doctor out and he said, "If she can't run like that, I'll have
01:07:44
to plaster her a leg." >> I said, "Plaster it." There was 300
01:07:48
miles to go. And he said, "What will I do?" And they said, "Pl it." So they plastered it and you know,
01:07:59
and I put my shoes and I ran with that plaster. They renewed it twice. But >> you'd be running with a funny gate,
01:08:06
wouldn't you? >> No. Don't know. I don't care. It's not I don't care. No, it was it was like a
01:08:12
tight plaster, not a plaster Paris thing, you know, but um even so I was there and it it just held it up and I
01:08:21
had >> Yeah. healed afterwards. >> So, you know, there was a bit of stubbornness there.
01:08:27
>> Yeah. Oh, no No So, yeah. So, um it was 1992 that you ran the length of um New Zealand for diabetes.
01:08:34
So, you you got a phone call. you didn't really have any direct relationship with
01:08:38
diabetes. Um, but you just said yes on this phone call. >> Oh. >> And the u the the representative from
01:08:44
Diabetes New Zealand, she was like quite shocked like she thought she was going to have to talk you into it.
01:08:48
>> I thought she was going she fell off the chair. She just couldn't believe it.
01:08:51
>> Yeah. So, what are your best memories of that? >> It was a wonderful experience. So I mean
01:08:57
I had two lots of crew cuz I had South Island crew and then North Island and people joining in the schools and um it
01:09:07
was tiring I must admit doing the speeches along the way and then having to go out again and run.
01:09:14
>> Uh and >> yeah because it's not just running is it? It's the it's the sideeshow that
01:09:18
goes along with it. >> Absolutely. It was massive. >> What did an average day look like in
01:09:22
terms of >> 100k? Wow. Oh my god. >> Yes. >> 100ks a day by like by anyone's
01:09:29
>> especially with the days I might have had Easter we took off or two days. I'd
01:09:34
do 5k runs in those days off. So I still do a 5k run, you know, with kids and that.
01:09:42
>> Um >> yeah, I read in your book one day you had a day off and you went and did like
01:09:45
a jazzer size class or something. And I went to the hospital with all my Easter eggs cuz I wasn't allowed them
01:09:52
and gave them to the kids, >> which was nice. Um, yeah, my day offs were still quite busy. But, uh, but yes,
01:10:00
the schedule was 100k a day. >> What a cool experience. And you must have met some amazing people.
01:10:04
>> Oh, amazing. Yes. You, you know, the mayor's here and the mayor's there. Tea
01:10:09
and tinies. you people just coming out and and people that had um runners that had had
01:10:17
something to do with me in some of the runs, you know, would their families would come out and take the crew for
01:10:23
dinner for lunch, you know, have them for dinner. Yeah. >> And it was just it was special. Really
01:10:27
special. >> And is this when there were collectors along with you like rattling buckets and
01:10:32
getting coins and things? >> We didn't have to do that, but we did. We you know, and we I'd say, "Oh, I got
01:10:38
$50 here." And we just we did it cuz we could and we held the bridge up. You
01:10:45
know, everybody going through this bridge on the West Coast had to pay up. >> It's like on the plane. Empty your
01:10:50
pockets. >> Yeah. Do you know how much money was raised for Diabetes NZ? Oh,
01:10:55
>> no. I actually don't know. Can't remember the total, but I don't know. It
01:10:59
wasn't actually my focus. It was the message. >> That's what I all I had to worry about.
01:11:06
But certainly we raised a lot of money on the road. It was the the focus was on what diabetes was and
01:11:15
>> you know to the kids you know look um you just get out there and be still the
01:11:20
same person. >> Yeah. >> You know you don't have to be um well I
01:11:26
said I've got something similar. You know I can't have sugar >> and that's all there is to it. And you
01:11:32
know that um well I don't go and run on sugar you should I should say like I
01:11:38
used to. >> And then um the year after that 93 1993 that's when um the book came out
01:11:45
unstoppable. >> Yep. And the and >> the photo on the cover. Where's that?
01:11:49
>> That's coming in from the diabetes run. Right. >> And I you look fresh. Eh
01:11:53
>> I know I'd been to the hairdresser. No, I don't know if I'd been to the
01:11:58
hairdresser, but I I know I' I'd had a shower and put clean clothes on. Cause
01:12:03
um um what's the gym? Um Les Mills. >> Le Mills. Yeah, >> Les Mills was coming out to meet me and
01:12:12
I was early and he was really brassed off. He was going to do the last 10K. I think he was glad he didn't.
01:12:17
>> Oh, the Le Mills. The um what was he? He was a discus guy, eh? >> He discus guy set up the gym.
01:12:24
>> But he was mayor then, >> right? I'm mayor of Oakland. >> Yes. And um so we went and had tea and
01:12:29
tinies. >> So that's what that was. Yes. >> And how how did the book do like in
01:12:34
terms of sales? Do you know how many copies it sold or? >> They just sold out. So um then from then
01:12:40
on you just had to actually yours is in better condition than mine. >> It should be. It cost me 65 bucks from
01:12:47
the secondhand bookshop. Um >> yeah, because I'm thinking >> that was after the 1300. There's there's
01:12:54
not many like female athletes that even have like a book out like nowadays in 2025. So for a female athlete to have a
01:13:01
book out in 1993 um it was a very rare thing and especially for it to be a niche sport like um endurance running.
01:13:08
>> Yes. And it was a simple I didn't want to make it too involved because I wanted
01:13:13
it for the kids at school to say never give up. And I my grandchildren were very young then and I'd walk to school
01:13:22
with them and um they'd say my teacher wants you to come and talk to the class
01:13:29
and I said well that's all right I don't mind doing that and and I gave them the
01:13:34
book and everything and um and I talked to them and I talked to them about the witch and they're only young and tell
01:13:40
them all the funny things and they used to love some of the stories you know but
01:13:45
it's just really just to say to um follow your dream and mine was all a dream let's face it um and I I went in
01:13:53
many directions in my life I have gone and but most of them are dreams yes my running was a bit of a dream
01:14:00
yes my farmer was something that I always wanted to do pharmaceuticals and I it was reality in the end and I
01:14:08
just kept following and that's why I'm saying to you you know I'm lucky
01:14:15
and now I'm you helping more people with the stem cell collection and putting
01:14:21
myself out there. >> Um, >> do you believe in luck though? Like what
01:14:25
part does luck have to do with it? >> Luck. >> Luck. >> Luck. >> Yeah, you just said I'm lucky.
01:14:31
>> I feel like you >> Yeah, I pro I keep saying I'm lucky. >> You're you're I just thinking you're the
01:14:37
one that was like dragging dragging your butt out of bed at 4:00 a.m. and running
01:14:40
for 10 hours on a Sunday. Like there's there's the the glamorous events that
01:14:44
you did. Well, actually, no, they weren't glamorous, but you know, I suppose pinnacle events that sort of
01:14:48
establish you as an athlete, but not like the tip of the iceberg, the bit that you see out of the water and then
01:14:53
there's all the stuff underneath. Like, I don't think there's any luck to do
01:14:56
with it at all. Like, it was you that was doing it, doing the hard work. You that was making the sacrifices.
01:15:00
>> Yeah. Cuz you know what? It might not have worked. You know, I could have come
01:15:04
last in Sydney to Mold and broken down and lost a lot of money and but my dream kept going. I wanted to keep going and
01:15:12
you know to be invited straight after that to a thousand mile race. I mean that's why people said you can't do that
01:15:18
Sandy. Don't say you can't to me and and I was prepared to do it on my own and I did
01:15:26
>> went on my own and did it. So you know um I don't know. I suppose I still say
01:15:33
I'm lucky. It's a lot of luck in it. I don't know. I really don't know. But it
01:15:38
it happened. >> Yeah. And then in uh 1994 um you got the Queen's birthday honor.
01:15:44
>> What was that? What was the honor? >> EMB. >> Yeah. Oh, the member of British Empire.
01:15:49
>> How good. How did that come about? So you would have got an oldfashioned
01:15:52
letter in the post. >> Somebody came expecting it. >> I was doing real estate then and
01:16:00
someone came into me and they said, "You have to go home." Oh my manager. He
01:16:04
said, "Sandy, you've got to go home." I said, "Why?" He said, "Sandy, you were
01:16:08
okay. You you've not got any appointments." I said, "No." He said,
01:16:11
"Go home. I can't tell you. You've got to go home." And I went home and there
01:16:17
they were being to be told that I I was going to get the MV. >> So, it's a complete shock.
01:16:25
>> Oh, >> yeah. >> Absolutely. Yes. >> And what did that mean to you?
01:16:29
>> Oh, it's pretty amazing. You know, there's things like that you
01:16:34
think. Um, I mean, I got Ultra Runner of the Century, another trophy, and you know, these sort of things, those you
01:16:41
don't take those away from you. It's finished like the pinnacle finishing the
01:16:45
longest certified race at that time. Yes, there is the 3,200, but that's a question that came out from the
01:16:53
Ultra Association. Um, Sandy, why don't you do that? I said, because it's not racing to me.
01:17:02
So, what's racing? I said, non-stop. >> Not having six hours off and then back
01:17:08
on the track again. That's organized. >> It's not my sort of racing.
01:17:15
>> And also, I don't have 50 days to give you at >> It's a long time, isn't it?
01:17:19
>> It's a long time. But yeah, but that's that's totally it. I don't like I don't
01:17:25
like organized races taking time off. If it's going to be a six day race, you
01:17:29
have to go non-stop. And you do with my records, and that's all there is to it.
01:17:35
>> Um, >> so have you got some memorabilia? Like, do you have the an MBE medal or the ultr
01:17:42
runner? Is there a trophy for ultra runner of the century? >> Yep. Big trophy. They're all at Tacuna
01:17:47
Harry's all my trophies. They're so big. I mean, the Westfield trophy is huge.
01:17:52
Silver and gold, and they're massive. I should have a cabinet for them and all
01:17:58
the medals that you run for. Um, yeah, but they're there. >> So, if someone went into your apartment,
01:18:04
is there any No, >> only my MV in a little little case. >> Where's that? Where's the case?
01:18:10
>> Right beside my couch, >> is it? Is it? It's not on a wall or
01:18:14
anything? No. >> No. Somebody said to me, you should get it mountain. Um, and there's also the
01:18:21
achievement. Um, what do they call the book where you all the people that have achieved? Um, it's in there. And my dad
01:18:29
got me a copy of the book, you know, people like >> Oh, like the Guinness Book of World
01:18:34
Records. >> Well, yes, I was in the Guinness. Yes. Yes. >> Um, but anyway, it was another thing.
01:18:41
But, um, >> did you are you are you in the New Zealand Sport Hall of Fame?
01:18:46
>> No. What the hell? Why not? >> Probably because I'm an old ultrarunner,
01:18:51
>> right? >> It wasn't priority then. It wasn't a huge sport, but I still think my
01:18:56
achievements um I mean, it's more than a marathon, but >> I don't know. I'd love to be in it, but
01:19:05
um that's that's another pinnacle, isn't it, in your life if it ever happened,
01:19:09
but I doubt it. >> I I I still see you've got that competitive spirit, eh? Oh, I know. It
01:19:16
shows my golf. >> Does it? Do you go all right? >> Well, I had to take a year off with my
01:19:22
back and I've only been playing two years because I said I'd never play golf. It's too boring.
01:19:27
>> But boy, is it a head game and I love it and I will go out there and practice and
01:19:32
practice and yes, I do want to do well, >> and I have bad days, but that's what
01:19:39
golf is. I keep being told that. So, can you remember your like your last runs or Yeah. Why why you stopped in the
01:19:47
end? >> Why I stopped? Um my back. >> Yeah. Okay. The pain was just too
01:19:52
unbearable. >> Yeah. Well, I knew I couldn't race anymore in after my last I said to them
01:19:58
when I went over when I finally got Athletics New Zealand to ex um to accept that if we can have sponsorship to a
01:20:08
race that we could go and our records will be recognized. I said, I'll do this
01:20:13
last race in France and then I will hang my shoes up. And I only did it for that reason that um and
01:20:22
then I hung it up because I knew I wasn't doing myself any good. Then I only trained with my 100k teams and when
01:20:30
we were away and I did them I did a massage course so I could do all the massage. My devotion then was to
01:20:37
athletes and coaching. Do do you miss it now not not having running as part of your life even if
01:20:42
it's like five or 10k here and there? >> No, I it's awful for the start, you
01:20:47
know. I knew I had to stop because of the back. Yep. You don't need too many
01:20:51
of those operations. >> And um I did but I don't now because I go out every religiously every morning 10k and
01:21:02
that's and I'll do more if I want to. >> Like a brisk walk. >> Yeah.
01:21:07
>> Yeah. What sort of pace are you doing? >> Oh, well, >> like a 10-minute K pace or
01:21:11
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, you're not messing around? >> No. No. You You know, but I do enjoy it,
01:21:16
too. Um it's not a race, but you know, some days slower, especially when I've
01:21:21
had a game of golf before >> because I can't don't sort of still think that golf is enough.
01:21:29
>> I I mean, it's incredibly inspiring like being in your mid- 70s and still going
01:21:32
out for a brisk 10 kilometers every morning. Like that that puts you in the I mean you must you must Yeah. have like
01:21:39
Yeah. like women and men the same age around you. Like it definitely puts you in the top one or 2% right.
01:21:44
>> Yeah. I know a lot of people probably don't do it but yeah. Yeah. >> But it's certainly a big part of my day.
01:21:50
Always starts my day off. >> And you know if I have a game of golf first I always come back and do it at
01:21:56
least an hour. And I've always said it's not worth putting your shoes on unless
01:21:59
you do an hour. So, don't tell me you're going out for a 20 minute walk.
01:22:06
>> Yeah. Hey, I mentioned on Instagram uh that you're Do you have Instagram by the
01:22:12
way or No, you're not. You do? Are you active on social media or not so much?
01:22:15
>> Uh yeah, I do watch it. Yeah, I mean I only post on um Facebook when I'm having
01:22:21
a holiday because I then save it to my story so I don't lose it. and um and also uh so the family know what I'm up
01:22:31
to. Do you follow do you follow any um like compet you know current female competitors that may be nipping at your
01:22:39
heels and >> Oh well I do that all that's all on Facebook definitely. Camille's on all
01:22:45
the time. >> She's always talking about her ah ADHD and all this which I get a bit bored
01:22:52
about. >> Oh sh but yes. Yeah, cuz you Well, you're from a different generation where um like
01:23:04
>> talk the positive thing. She's a damn good runner. She's fast. >> Yeah.
01:23:09
>> She deserved that. You know, >> mental health just wasn't something that
01:23:13
was discussed in your generation. E like it was just like Yep. >> Get on with it. Crack on with it.
01:23:18
>> Get on with it. Yes, you're right. >> How's your mental health been? Has
01:23:22
always been pretty pretty solid? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Yes. Um, I mean, I can um bring on a
01:23:30
headache if I'm stressed, but I don't want to get stressed now. I don't want
01:23:35
my life's wonderful. I just try not to be there, you know? It's it's just it's
01:23:40
a killer. >> Um, and I Yeah, it it is around a lot. I know people talk about it all the time. Yeah.
01:23:49
>> Yeah. I think um yeah, there's like a a lot of people now that like sort of lack
01:23:54
resilience, but do you like do you think resilience is something that can be built in anyone or you sort of it's in
01:24:00
your DNA and you're born with it or what do you think? >> Well, it's certainly um I'm I'm not
01:24:07
going there. I don't want to go there talk about that, you know. Yeah. >> But no, you were like incredibly like to
01:24:12
do what you did like the resilience. It's like, but do you do you think you like you were born that that's something
01:24:17
you were born with or >> I don't know. I think you you >> do you think we're just overthinking it
01:24:22
these days? >> I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. There was You know what it all
01:24:30
comes back to? I said three little letters, PVC. And it's not plastic. It's
01:24:34
passion, vision, commitment. >> Sure, you got to be dedicated to what you want to do. And if you've got
01:24:40
something that's so important to you, do it. Don't muck around. Do it. Prove to
01:24:46
yourself this is important to you. Adversity will happen. It'll come up. >> It'll stop you. Try. If you let it, it
01:24:55
will. And it did in my races. It happened. But I didn't want it to beat me. I don't know where I get that
01:25:01
strength from. I don't know. And probably that's the fear side of me. I don't know why I'm so
01:25:10
>> tough. tough, resilient, >> tough because I'm not a tough person.
01:25:14
I'm definitely not a tough person. >> I get hurt very quickly. >> And you know, somebody's saying
01:25:21
something nice to me, I really take it to heart cuz I don't want to be that person. I want to be liked.
01:25:28
>> I think that's very human, too. Like, yeah, everyone's the same. Like words
01:25:32
hurt, comments online hurt, it all hurts. But you have to um I think expect that life's going to throw some
01:25:38
your way because that's a reality. >> Yeah. Hey. >> Yeah, of course it is. And tougher
01:25:43
today. Let's face it. It's >> Is that in what way? Like social media?
01:25:46
>> Yes. I think there's a lot of pressure out there on people, you know. I really
01:25:50
really do. And it it does affect um people's mental attitudes >> in your running. You have to be 100%
01:25:59
fit. >> But you know what? Most of it was 80 80% was attitude. >> Yeah.
01:26:07
>> And >> Yeah. Yeah. You think so? So 80% say mental from the neck up 20% Oh you
01:26:13
>> no 100% fit. You got to be fit. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> You got to be fit. You got to have your
01:26:17
fitness there. >> Yeah. But when when like in in points of a race where it gets dark like over, you
01:26:22
know, over a thousand miles when you're in the real pain cave. Um Yeah. What
01:26:25
percentage do you think was mental versus physical at that point? >> Most of it. 80%.
01:26:30
>> Physical. >> No. >> Well, mental. Mental. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
01:26:33
>> Yeah. It's your attitude. And that's where my attitude was all the way. It
01:26:37
was positive. Yes. I'm going for that record. Yes. And I'm chipping this off
01:26:41
and Yes. And when I got the the pain that's a bucker, >> you know, that is that was the pits.
01:26:48
>> It's not not unexpected though, right? Like >> No. And it was
01:26:52
>> you know it's going to happen. You're just not sure when. >> You do. You wonder when it's going to
01:26:55
happen and it happens. And I think it wasn't going to stop me. >> Yeah.
01:26:59
>> It just And that's when my attitude was so strong to stay out there and I kept
01:27:06
going. And Max always said, "It's okay. She's done it before. She's done three
01:27:11
days nonstop." And he he said that in the last race, you know, he said, "She looks like a
01:27:19
Lancaster bomber coming in with bits and pieces flying off." That's how he
01:27:23
described me. >> What about the sleep deprivation? Is that tough? I think that'd be for me
01:27:29
that' be one of the toughest bits. I love having >> Oh, afterwards is awful. Awful. Awful.
01:27:33
you I was running in bed so you know flat when I won the um 1300 they took me oh I was just going to
01:27:43
stay in the tent and get on a plane but of course no there was no none of that kiwi fruit uh they put me up in this
01:27:50
beautiful hotel in New York >> and then all the gifts came in from around the states beautiful sheep skins
01:27:57
to pamper me and all these sort of flowers and and Max said we can't go home. We've got too much media work to
01:28:06
do. And um I said, "Okay, well, we better choose because I keep falling asleep." We'd go out for dinner and next
01:28:13
minute I'll be, you know, not very just just >> like a toddler kning off at the table.
01:28:19
>> Just go to sleep. And he said, "I'll take you to a show. Do we go to Cats or
01:28:23
something?" And and he said, "Did you enjoy it?" And I went, "What?"
01:28:30
>> Slept through the lot. Yeah. No, it's just um >> And what about the um the physical
01:28:35
recovery from those events? Like were you like urinating blood and >> No, no, I was lucky there. I was um
01:28:42
>> What does it do to your body? >> I had a doctor that was very keen on my
01:28:45
recovery and he would bring me in and do um what do you call it when you stick the needles in? Yep.
01:28:54
>> Like a blood test? No. >> No. Um >> Oh, acupunchure. >> Acupuncture. Sorry. Sorry. It's just
01:28:59
gone. And he would lay titties all over me cuz I I couldn't stop crying. I It
01:29:06
was very emotional. It the pain had gone, but I was very emotional. I'd lost
01:29:12
a stone in weight. I had no muscle there. I It was I was mentally just gone. Had a tired. And I would lie down there
01:29:24
and he would say, "Just need a bucket underneath for the tears. and he just lay titties all over me and
01:29:32
the needles hurt. I never felt the needles but every needle hurt >> and um and I did a lot of that after the
01:29:40
race and a lot of talking with Brian and that sort of thing. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. It's after the race that hurts
01:29:47
more. >> Yeah. Very a lot of healing. it can take you know that that race took well I knew
01:29:56
I that's why the lady from um diabetes was really worried to ask me to do the length in New Zealand. Yeah.
01:30:05
>> But what was harder the physical side of the recovery or the mental side of the
01:30:09
recovery? >> Mental. >> Yeah. Yeah. Interesting. >> Yeah. >> It's so interesting isn't it?
01:30:13
>> Yes it is. Yes. You got to heal the body up and get strong again. But I did that
01:30:18
work in the gym, but mentally um just so emotional. Very if anybody said something nice to me, I just cry. Just
01:30:25
burst into tears. >> Yeah. >> Why have you thought about that? >> I did. I wondered about it a lot. And
01:30:32
it's I just think inside, you know, you I couldn't cope with people wanting to
01:30:37
give me a hug and I'd go into the gym and they just want a photo and I'm going
01:30:42
to cry now. Sorry. >> Oh, >> so that's how Yeah. >> How good we cracked the great Sandy Bar.
01:30:53
>> It's wonderful though. Do you think they were te were they? Yeah. Can you
01:30:57
explain? Were they tears of gratitude or >> Yeah. Oh god. Yes. Yeah. That everybody
01:31:01
was interested, >> you know. Sorry. >> Oh, no. No. Don't apologize.
01:31:09
>> Yeah. Well, it's I mean it's just it's awesome that with such a niche sport you
01:31:15
had such an impact, right? >> That's cool. >> Yeah, it was it was a lot of healing
01:31:21
afterwards. A lot. But it's joy, too. I'm not saying it was horrible. It was
01:31:26
just that I couldn't cope with it. Yeah. >> And you know, you talk about it today.
01:31:30
Sometimes I read Well, I was reading my book. I even cried the other day. >> Um just you read the book. as a
01:31:37
refresher for this like up for this podcast. >> Go and read it. Read it again. Go and
01:31:41
read it. And I read it because you know what Easter week and weather was like and I read it in a day and I thought
01:31:47
well that was a nice way to spend the day just reminiscing you know. >> Yeah. Do you spend much time reflecting?
01:31:54
I when when I meet up well unfortunately my manager died last year which was horrendous
01:32:01
>> and um and he'd spent him and his family had spent so much time with me and the kids
01:32:08
spoke and they said they just remember so much dad going away with you and mom doing all the media work back here and
01:32:19
>> such a team effort eh >> yeah very big team effort and I thought that to come out in a funeral you know
01:32:24
and cuz he was the best. He was just the best and his family. Yeah. >> Yeah. Were you still in regular contact?
01:32:32
>> Oh, yeah. We always, you know, kept contact and he had my photos all over.
01:32:37
He was so proud of what we achieved. He really was. Yeah. And he >> when we had to go and do his speech,
01:32:45
>> um he he couldn't hold it together after the run, >> he w he even cried. And that's
01:32:52
emotionally he was drained too, you know, the watching me go through the pain I went through.
01:32:58
>> Did you ever cry during the runs? >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> No, I never hit it. Oh, no. I had tears
01:33:04
of joy, tears of hurt, tears of I can cry if I want to, >> you know. Oh, definitely. I never held
01:33:14
I'm a good crier. >> Yeah, I'm really good at that. So, um, and you know, I think doesn't hurt
01:33:20
anybody. It means you got a heart. >> Absolutely. Oh, yeah. So, um, yeah, as I
01:33:26
mentioned on Instagram, you're coming in, so I've got some questions here.
01:33:28
Some of some of this I feel like it's ground we've potentially already covered, but um, yeah. Do you think
01:33:34
anyone can train their mind and body to do what you did? >> I always said that was my big thing I
01:33:42
had to do. I had to learn to make my body and mind work together because it is it has to work like that.
01:33:53
And I've actually got that in my notes. It was one of the big things I had to
01:33:57
learn. It's not a magical experience. So those two have to work together. And
01:34:04
that's your mental attitude to it and your physical fitness. >> Definitely. What did you
01:34:11
>> I don't know about telling everybody that, but I wonder if these sprinters do
01:34:16
anything like that. >> I mean, they're putting themselves through extreme
01:34:23
physical running. >> Um, they haven't got time to think much, have they?
01:34:28
>> Sprint is like 100 meters. N 10 seconds and it's done. >> You don't even get time to get puffed,
01:34:33
>> but you do on an ultra. >> Yes. >> Which is huge. >> Yeah. What did you learn about your body
01:34:39
and mind from pushing it to the edge like you did? >> Made me a better person.
01:34:44
>> Did it? How so? >> I think it just shaped me to be um strong and what I wanted what I wanted
01:34:50
to achieve in and I did want to do farmer. I did want to be number one in my part of the business. And um
01:35:01
don't ever say I thought I can't play golf. I'll never You can play golf, you
01:35:08
know, get a golf club and and try it. And then there was um what other things? Oh, I'm going to go and do my manager's
01:35:16
license for the bar. Of course you can do it. >> You know, I don't like doing tests now,
01:35:22
but of course you can do it. >> Well, there's I think >> that's what it's taught me.
01:35:26
>> Yeah. And I think there's stories you tell yourself, are you like, I'm not I'm
01:35:29
not a I'm I'm not a person that can do that or I'm not a person that can do
01:35:33
that. But you can sort of rewrite that and change that narrative. >> You can change it.
01:35:36
>> Yeah. >> Um, someone wanted to ask, what did you say to yourself to keep going when it
01:35:40
got really tough? Like did you have mantras, quotes, etc.? >> You talked a lot about the the Brian
01:35:46
Head cassette tapes, self-hypnosis, but did you have anything else? I know Paula
01:35:49
Ratcliffe um the the famous female marathon runner. She'd count to 100 and then just repeat that like I suppose in
01:35:57
maybe in time with the rhythm of her steps. Did you have anything? I well as I I did have said it to you the one
01:36:04
thing when everybody was saying why and I thought about it all the time why am I
01:36:09
going back why and it's that word you can't do it people say you can't do it
01:36:16
you're injured you've got to come off it's just not there in my vocap
01:36:22
>> and I had to toughen up and say it's not there you can keep going yes you've got
01:36:28
an injury and yes It's sore. But don't, you know, you've got time to heal.
01:36:36
>> Time to heal later. >> No, you can heal during the race. >> Oh, right. Right. Right.
01:36:40
>> Just slow it down. You've still got time. You're not at the cutoff. You're
01:36:45
still well within the cutoff. You know, >> you're still number one >> in the race. in my last one. I know I
01:36:54
look like a Lancaster bomber as Max said coming in, but I was still number one. Why? I'm not giving that up.
01:37:03
>> I terrible fierce thing, isn't it? Strength. >> Yeah. Just that determination.
01:37:10
That's what it is. Dangerous. >> Very dangerous. >> Dangerous. Yeah. It served you well,
01:37:15
though. Uh, >> and it has. Yeah. >> What was the weirdest or funniest thing
01:37:19
that ever happened during a race? Oh gosh, it's >> probably hard to narrow this down. God,
01:37:26
you must have so many stories about like defecating in bushes and things. >> Oh, I know one. Oh god,
01:37:34
>> did that trigger a memory? >> Yes, it did. It was so funny. Oh dear,
01:37:39
we got into trouble, too. Um, running Sydney to Melbourne. And of course I have to have a pit stop.
01:37:47
And normally they would take the New Zealand flag out and the Portoloo thing there, but if it I just wanted I'd dash
01:37:55
in the bush. And I said, "Boys, just stop here. I just want to dash in, have
01:37:59
a quick we and come back." And they said, "Oh, okay, Sandy. We'll just wait
01:38:04
here." And then they heard screams. And I was screaming. I saw a body. And I went, "There's a body. There's a
01:38:14
body. There's a body." And you know, it was it honestly it really was. And it
01:38:21
was a doll. It was a blowup doll. I'm telling you now. It had blonde hair. And I honestly thought it was a person
01:38:30
behind the bush. And there I'm just about to Yeah. So the boys thought this was hilarious. And they came back and
01:38:37
they said they calmed me down and they and they said we're going to get the doll and we put the doll on the front of
01:38:45
the van and then we got told off so we couldn't go through the town. >> Oh, right, right, right. Like a naked
01:38:53
naked blowup doll. Oh. >> So why did you Oh, did it look realistic or was it sort of dust or dawn?
01:39:00
>> Oh, cuz when I went in there, yes, it was behind bushes and I just thought
01:39:03
it's a body. I didn't know what it was. I could hear see the hair and this
01:39:07
looked like a body to me. >> And of course then it was blow up doll. I didn't know that. And also another
01:39:14
thing the boys tried, you know, when they could see that I was having a bit of a downer and they could recognize
01:39:19
these things, they would go out and they would strip off in front of me, you know, running that way. And I would just
01:39:26
say, "Oh god, you boys are a disappointment. Must be the cold." >> Oh, just to try and hype you up. And the
01:39:33
girls would go out and strip off topless or something. Just stupid things. One got and one of the crew went out and and
01:39:41
got dressed up as Father Christmas and came back and picked me up and you know Yeah. Just all sorts of silly little
01:39:48
things, but the day the things you don't forget. >> Great memories, eh?
01:39:52
>> Good memories. >> Do they ever like pop into your head now when you're Yeah. playing golf or, you
01:39:56
know? >> Oh, I think about them all the time. Especially when I read the book the
01:40:00
other day. I laughed my head off when I read about the crew out there, you know,
01:40:05
doing that. Um, oh yeah, that's it's so funny. And one of the things that I do
01:40:11
remember with Eleanor Adams is in the second six day we ran and I was um oh about 16 kilometers behind her and
01:40:22
she said, "You can't catch me, Sandy. Let's go shopping. They put a fair on
01:40:27
for us." And I said, "Oh, that sounds nice." nice. And I went back to my crew
01:40:30
and I said, "Elanor is trying to be friendly. She wants me to go shopping."
01:40:35
And they said, "Sandy, that's fine, but you can close the gap." >> And I went back and said, "I'm sorry.
01:40:42
I'm not allowed." And I mean, how pathetic. I'm not allowed. But anyway,
01:40:47
so I got back there and she got really, really angry because I went back really fast. But I did close the gap to 6K and
01:40:53
that's when I knew I could beat her. >> And you know, it's so positive, isn't
01:40:57
it? But those sort of things all come back to me now and I think you know. >> Yeah.
01:41:03
>> Um you've spent hours um days um days on end alone with your thoughts while
01:41:10
running. What did you learn about yourself during those moments? >> It's all positive. I think that I didn't
01:41:20
know I had that strength and I didn't know I had that mental attitude too. And
01:41:26
Max and I talked about it. a bit. Um, I didn't know I could cope with pain like that. All those things.
01:41:34
Um, but really it did shape me. It made me succeed in what things I wanted to do and I have to
01:41:44
take that from my running. It I would never have found myself. It took me in directions I never ever thought I would
01:41:54
ever be able to do. And I truly believe it's from the running. >> Just made me that sort of person.
01:42:01
>> I was competitive. I didn't know I had that. >> And how do you feel about aging now?
01:42:08
Like are you are you nervous or excited about the 80s? >> I'm dead nervous. I don't want to die
01:42:13
and I don't want to grow old. I haven't got time for it. >> Yeah, it is. It's a worry.
01:42:18
>> Yeah. But I mean you're um like it be reasonable to suggest that you could
01:42:23
have another another 20 years. >> Yeah. Or more. >> Yeah. Will the motorway will we have the
01:42:29
motorway through the Bren Duans by then? >> Oh, unlikely. >> Exactly. So I've got to keep hassling
01:42:34
with that to come down and see you. >> Yeah. So do you um Yeah. So So in in
01:42:39
your mid70s and as we've said, you're still very very vibrant and vital. Um do
01:42:43
you still like set goals and things? >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. Like what? Well, I just think, you
01:42:48
know, um what do I I have got a goal in my golf and I hope I can achieve that in
01:42:56
that time. I know we slow down, but um I guess my goals are travel now. I've
01:43:05
got family in Washington and I I I went over two years ago. I want to go again. I mean, they're not coming out in a
01:43:12
hurry because of Trump, >> you know, they may not get back in again, >> and that's the problem. Um,
01:43:20
and my grandchildren are, you know, off to university over there. So, my goals now are to see my family and
01:43:27
grandchildren. I'm taking my twinnies away, King's birthday weekend, and having a
01:43:33
weekend with them where I got three days where they can get really sick of me. But I can keep up with them.
01:43:42
>> Yeah. Oh, I don't doubt it. >> And we're going to do everything in
01:43:45
three days that we've got planned, you know, and I just think I'm lucky that I
01:43:50
can do that now. So, my goals are really family. >> Um, >> my friends, yes. Uh, just keep up with
01:43:59
all I love my friends. Um, >> life in general is just keep going, be part of a community, and do what I can.
01:44:07
>> I I'd go back to work tomorrow. That's how much I love work. >> Yeah.
01:44:13
>> You >> I've got enough. >> Yeah. You You need a purpose, eh? You
01:44:17
need a reason to get out of bed each day, I think. Absolutely. And I think um >> you if someone wants to retire, that's
01:44:22
fine. But I think it's nice to work past retirement age if you're doing it
01:44:26
because you want to, not because you desperately need the money. No, >> I think that's the position to strive
01:44:30
for. What What are the best and worst things about aging? I don't think there's anything good
01:44:39
about it. >> Oh, really? Oh, no. >> I don't think there is. >> Do Do you become like acutely aware of
01:44:46
the time and and how precious it is? >> It is. It is really precious. You know,
01:44:51
I thought, God, I didn't think I was ever going to get there. But, >> but you do.
01:44:56
>> Creeps up bloody fast, too, doesn't it? >> You know how fast the years go now. They
01:45:00
just go faster and faster. And they never used to when you're at school. >> Yeah.
01:45:05
>> No. Um yeah, that's probably my biggest worry. The years are going too fast.
01:45:11
>> And and I'm, you know, I said to New Zealand blood um bone marrow, look, I'm
01:45:18
available every month for you. >> A trip a month, it's fine because there's nothing else and I can work my
01:45:27
life around that. >> Yeah. Yeah. Do you do you find the travel exhausting or no? You still
01:45:31
>> I love it. Yeah. >> I think I don't think the day I don't
01:45:35
like it is the day I'll stop doing it. But I love traveling. >> Yeah. It's not a biggie for me. I enjoy
01:45:41
it. I really do. >> And it's probably the airports that are the pain. But once you get into gold,
01:45:48
you It's quite nice to travel. >> Are you gold? You're not late yet.
01:45:53
>> Oh, no. I'm working up because I lost it all with CO. >> Yes. So, you got to work your way. We've
01:45:58
only got back to doing it again and um you know it's it's not it is a be all
01:46:05
and end all when you travel like that though. It is really comfortable. >> 100%.
01:46:09
>> Yeah. And you can have your upgrades and that sort of thing. >> Yeah. Are you um Yeah. What's your
01:46:15
relationship like with with I mean we're all going to die. What's your relationship like with death? Are you
01:46:20
scared of dying? >> Well, I don't want to know about it. Don't tell me I'm going to die. Just let
01:46:28
it >> We all are. We all are. But I I just wonder if it crystallizes when you get
01:46:32
to >> I think I am. I I not at the moment. I haven't got time to think about that.
01:46:37
But um I guess I will. Is it if once, you know, you think I can't do that now,
01:46:43
I can't do that now, and I can't do that now. What's What's the word? What's it
01:46:47
worth? You know, >> what what is it that you'd like to do that you can't do now?
01:46:50
>> Oh, I'm doing everything I want. Yeah. >> No, I'll do everything I want now. Um
01:46:56
>> yeah, that's what I thought. Like the woman sitting in front of me, like I
01:46:58
can't imagine that there's there's anything that you're unable to do.
01:47:01
>> No, I can go out and play golf every day if I want to. No, you know, I do more
01:47:05
walking. I'm I do I'm even taking more shifts on at the bar because it's all
01:47:12
about the people >> and they, you know, they love my stories. They've all had me in for
01:47:16
stories and I've done enough speeches around it to tell them a few more lies.
01:47:22
Um and you know those sort of things. So yeah. >> Do you have any regrets?
01:47:30
>> Uh I married the boy next door um from the day one and we had a great 23 mar years of marriage, two beautiful
01:47:42
children now four grandchildren. We are still really close and his wife and family. And I think that's probably
01:47:50
wonderful. And we grew. we both grew. He did had his real estate business and I started to run
01:47:59
>> and it's I'm not blaming my running but you know how you just all of it I found
01:48:04
myself I think >> and it was Yeah. >> Well, lifetime commitment is hard e
01:48:10
because you changed so much as a person over all my life. >> Yeah. >> So is Yeah. Yeah. Is it was that a
01:48:18
regret that you you're not >> No. I mean I I we we I went back to Wongu. I was born in Wonganu and we were
01:48:25
friends with family but um and we did visit now and again but I met him again. He came into the bank and he went back
01:48:33
to his mother and said do you know the blonde bird in the bank and she said yeah that's Sandy Bo Sandy Taylor
01:48:42
>> and um he said cheeky little witch. Yeah. And um cuz I recognized him. Yeah. And it was
01:48:51
so funny. But anyway, um yes, now I don't have any regrets. Um it would be you do miss the company, but I don't I
01:49:03
don't crave for that. I I love company and I've got plenty of friends like I
01:49:07
can >> I mingle with and that. But yeah, it's it's you know there is there is a gap
01:49:14
there. You could um >> it's a trade-off though, isn't it? Because it's like um if you if you were
01:49:20
married now, not necessarily to him, but even to someone else. It's like they
01:49:23
might be pissy with you going away and doing your your international travel every day.
01:49:27
>> I probably wouldn't do it. >> Yeah. Right. Right. Right. >> No, your life would change.
01:49:31
>> Yeah. >> Because you need to accommodate another person. >> Yep.
01:49:34
>> Um >> so maybe I've gotten a bit selfish. >> What was Some might say that the the
01:49:40
running events that you did and the you know um that that was maybe a selfish pursuit or endeavor. Well, it is
01:49:47
>> because it's all about you >> and that's okay. >> Yeah.
01:49:51
>> Yeah. >> Yeah. I had a different way of looking. Yeah. What I wanted to do and um but we
01:49:59
were together that at the first couple he managed my Sydney to Melbourne team the first time and then they ended up
01:50:06
there when I won the first thousand miles. >> Then we went and did a trip and
01:50:11
>> but I Yeah, I think we just grew grew grew. It does. And there's no hate. So
01:50:17
we're everybody can be in the same room. We can always have Christmas together
01:50:21
and the kids and we talk all the time. So there's not a problem. And that's
01:50:26
healthy. >> Yeah. Absolutely. >> It's wonderful. >> Is Is there anything on your notes that
01:50:30
we didn't get to that you wanted to get to? >> How many p Are there two pages?
01:50:35
>> I don't That's the end of my 1300. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
01:50:41
What do you I feel like we covered a lot of ground. >> We did cover a lot. Yeah.
01:50:45
>> You know, well, I say here, if I did nothing else in my life, it was something I was going to see through.
01:50:56
>> And you did. >> And I did. >> Yeah. Um, what three words are there
01:51:01
three words that your um children would use to describe you? >> So, when you when your funeral comes,
01:51:06
what three words would they >> Oh my gosh. Oh my I actually don't know, but probably um I
01:51:18
think they've got a lot of respect for what I did. Uh but they do know that I've got a mind of my own and um
01:51:27
>> do they inherit that? >> Well, I think my Kirsty is Brett's probably more the softer one. Um I went
01:51:39
when I went over to Washington, I said to Brett, "What are we going to do?" He
01:51:42
said, "Well, what do you want to do?" And I said, "I want to do this, this,
01:51:44
this, and this, and this, this, this." And he said, "Okay. Um, but I've got to
01:51:49
do 8K in the morning or 10K in the morning." And he went, "But we'll walk,
01:51:53
Mom. We're not taking a bus." I said, "Okay." So, we get a train into
01:51:58
Washington and we do Georgetown 13K, you know. And he said, "I've never seen it,
01:52:03
Mom, like this because the kids can't do that. We've only done the first bit, but
01:52:08
you and I do it together." So, he got so fit. We walked every town, every thing
01:52:13
we went to and and I think he missed it and when I went Yeah. and he said, "When
01:52:19
are you coming back?" And I said, "So, but um it I don't know. Uh I guess the
01:52:26
strength that I had." Yes. It would have to be that. um my attitude to just
01:52:31
getting on with it and doing the things that I've done >> like picking up a golf club, which I
01:52:36
said I'd never do, and >> doing my bar manager's license that I don't muck around. I just get on and do
01:52:43
it. >> Yeah. And be part of the community and I'm there and I'm there for them
01:52:49
>> always. >> Yeah. >> They still speak to you. They still like
01:52:52
you. That's a bonus. >> Um sometimes. Oh, Brett does. He rang me 10:00 the other night. It was 4 in the
01:52:58
morning there. He was worried about me. >> Was he? Why was he worried about you?
01:53:01
>> I just I haven't heard from you, you know. >> And how long? >> Oh,
01:53:06
probably Oh, I think I No, I didn't. Oh, he I sent him some photos from Vietnam
01:53:12
because he's the buildup. He's had his own construction business and he was a
01:53:16
builder. Um, and I sent him the construction that was going on over there. Um, probably only a few weeks,
01:53:24
but anyway. >> Jeez, tell him to stop being so needy. You've got your own life to live.
01:53:29
>> Um, in Sandy Barick, are you proud of yourself? >> I am actually. I I have to say I am
01:53:36
proud of what I've done. I'm I'm really happy with what I've done. I've done
01:53:40
everything. I said, as I said, my word is lucky. I'm lucky. >> I don't know how I Yes. I worked hard
01:53:48
for it. And I have to be proud because Yeah. It took a lot of grit at times. Yeah, there was a lot of, you know, um
01:53:59
that going on >> physically and mentally. >> Literally, as the saying goes blood,
01:54:04
sweat, and tears, eh? >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. >> And um you know, and they watched they
01:54:10
watched my races and and things that I'd been through in my early days of running
01:54:16
and collapsing at the end when we found out that I was hypoglycemic, you know, watching me be massaged and that sort of
01:54:24
stuff. And so I they they're pretty proud, I think, too. Yeah. >> Yeah.
01:54:30
>> Well, how good. >> How this has been fun. This has been almost two. This This is your first
01:54:34
podcast. >> Yes. Sorry. Have I >> How's it been? >> You're great.
01:54:41
>> You were nervous when we came in. You're not nervous now though, are you? No. No.
01:54:45
>> No. No. >> I don't know how I sound, but I'm It's from the heart. It has to come from the
01:54:50
heart. It's all there is to it, you know. It's a story. It's my story and
01:54:55
nobody can take it away. >> Yeah. >> And >> unlike your records, Camille, if you're
01:55:00
watching this, you know what you did. >> Look, I'm records have to be I'm really
01:55:07
happy for her. But and you know, they'll all go. They have to They have to go.
01:55:11
>> I I know I know you are happy for her and I genuinely believe it. But there's
01:55:15
once you're a competitor, you're always a competitor. And there's that
01:55:18
>> I know there's that little bit inside you that's annoyed. >> Yeah. Oh, well, and everybody hates
01:55:23
their records being broken, and they do, but >> mine was 34 years for that six day. It's
01:55:29
a long time to have a record. >> As Suzanne said, you know, she said it's
01:55:34
a long time. >> Absolutely. >> Yes. >> Hey, this has been great. It's been
01:55:38
wonderful to meet and connect. >> Thank you. And you probably should finish the book.
01:55:44
>> It cost me 65 bucks, so I will finish it. >> No, you don't need to. out.
01:55:50
>> Might sell it to you since it's in such good condition. >> Yes. Yes.
01:55:53
>> All right, Sandy Barick, thank you so much. Um, >> thank you. >> We'll start campaigning now to get you
01:55:57
in the sports hall of fame. Eh, >> another dream. >> All right. Thank you so much.
01:56:04
>> Thank you very much. Thank you. You're wonderful. Thank you.