By NICOLE WILLIAMS
RUNNING shoes and a common goal have brought a Catani family together.
Three generations of the family will run the 10-kilometre event at Run Melbourne on 21 July to raise funds on behalf of Anglicare Victoria.
Amber Eriksen said the family’s interest in running started with her 15-year-old son Corey, who started Little Athletics when he was six.
“He got involved in that because he was getting bullied and we thought it would be good to get him interested in something to boost his confidence,” she said.
“After a couple of years of him running and me being on the sideline telling him to run faster, he turned around and said ‘you’re not doing it!’ so I signed up with a cross country group and it has taken on a life of its own since then.”
After seeing the fitness benefits of running, Amber’s 66-year-old mum also joined them and Amber’s foster son also gets involved occasionally.
Even though the trio, and sometimes quartet, train together they have varying speeds, Amber said.
“My son is very fast, mum is in the middle and I bring up the rear,” she said.
“Corey will well and truly be too fast for me (on the day).”
Amber said she valued the different perspectives which came from training with very different runners.
“It is good to hear about what we each found hard and easy,” she said.
“Running for me is an escape from the everyday stress of life.”
The trio is raising money for Amber’s employer, Anglicare Victoria.
“A lot of people I work for don’t have the option of running available,” she said.
“It makes me grateful. I might be slow but I have two arms and two legs and I can be out there.”
It won’t be the first time the trio has tackled a 10-kilometre course.
“We’ve done a couple of 10 kilometres before, so it won’t be a shock to the system,” Amber said.
“We’re just hoping to have a good time and a good day.”
For more information about Run Melbourne, visit www.runmelbourne.com.au
