The last few years have been a marathon for Southern Cross University student Jocelyn Pollock, but it hasn’t stopped the former professional triathlete from pulling on her running shoes again, this time to tackle the famous 42km stretch for the Gold Coast Airport Marathon.
During her 20s Jocelyn was badly injured during a triathlon event, with the Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction injury flaring up again during her attempted come-back at the 2014 Hawaii Ironman event. ‘It’s a chronic type of frustrating pain, but I’ve been working on strength-based neurophyics training in Robina which seems to be helping,’ she said.
‘I’ve also been running with a friend four days a week and slowly working towards the marathon goal, setting my own pace.’
The 37-year-old Coolangatta resident has run the half marathon four times before tackling the main event last year with plans to repeat the feat on July 3 alongside other Southern Cross University athletes.
As a final year OT student, Jocelyn said her daily routine now incorporated meditation, yoga and other forms of relaxation to help repair her physically and emotionally after suffering the long-term effects of the damage to her hip and back.
‘I suffered from significant mental health issues and I have a friend who is an OT who I live with and she really inspired me, she was the one person who understood my struggle and had some really good practical things that helped,’ she said.
‘It’s been a long process but I’m overcoming those things now.’
Jocelyn also works as a support staff member at the House With No Steps in Mudgeeraba, for people with disabilities, where she is able to connect with and help others. ‘It’s really fun, I get to take people on outings and offer disability support.’
SCU sports officer Dave Graham said there would be more than 175 runners in the Southern Cross University team participating in the weekend’s events including the Southern Cross University 10km Run on Saturday, July 2, and the full marathon on July 3.
‘Joss has been very actively involved in university sport while studying at SCU and her triathlon skills certainly transfer into the running events, where she has gradually built up to running the marathon,’ he said.
‘This is the largest number of students we’ve had competing which is great because the event also doubles as the Queensland leg of the Australian University Sport distance running championship and will help us accumulate points for the overall event.’
The Gold Coast Airport Marathon will be held near Broadwater Parklands in Southport from July 2-3. For more information visit goldcoastmarathon.com.au.
