Bomber Fan Does A Remarkable Runner

Great story.
Im also a runner as well. Thats a awesome time, lots of 39 year old blokes are out trying to get the sub 40 min ten km before they turn 40.

My advice would be to let him still do lots of sports and not overly focus on running, its something you can come back to later in life given he is talented.

But if was interested in little athletics he could go after some more local/national records.

Or alternatively do Park run 5km events. There seem to be lots of kids that run fast there around 20mins for 5kms. Edit: Noted he already has done a few parkruns.

The club really should organise for him to meet the players when they go up for the Brisbane Game at the Gabba. @Catherine_Lio

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Beautiful story @Bomberjay07!!

Those that have followed my lad’s story will perhaps know that as a youngster he excelled at cricket and soccer, and while not to the same extent as your boy, he also stood out at athletics and running. The pride I felt as he grew up and attended various sporting events all over the country still gives me such happy memories.

We started him in Auskick and he transitioned to soccer in primary school due a dislike of body contact. It was the best thing he could ever have done. Moving back to footy in his teens as a bigger boy, he relished the contact.

Strange things can happen, and my story hopefully gives hope that the dream to represent EFC can come true!

Good luck with whatever he does mate!

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What a great story and even greater acheivement. I wish him all the best for his future in not only running, but everything else that he tackles in life, even if he ends up playing for Carlton.

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Runs harder than an essendon midfielder…

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Good stuff.

P.S I don’t suppose he can mark and kick by any chance? Is he free on Sunday?

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Great effort Josh.
My 14 yr old is currently trying to beat the record for the most hours sitting on his ■■■ playing X-box. His mother and l encourage him that he can achieve his aim but apparently its an extremely competitive record for his age group. We’ve approached the media to publicise his effort but no takers yet.

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Not the first sporting world record holder that I have chauffeured!

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The ability to kick is optional for our team.

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and handpass, tackle, set up zones, win finals.

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We’d play him in the ruck.

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Yep, you definitely met us both at the BBQ!

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He’s an all-rounder, but this early in his ‘career’, the bowling stands out as he more than matches it with the older kids. Medium pacer who can already swing it both ways. He has great technique and pretty good timing with his batting… he’s very difficult to get out, but doesn’t score many - just doesn’t have the power in his shots yet. As for his running - run out three times this season - his number one mode of dismissal! He is quite small so with all the mostly oversized protective gear on it slows him down considerably!

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Good safe hands, kicks quite well both feet, free on Sunday, but will drop the ball and run the other way (fast) with even the slightest hint of physical pressure…

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Reckon he’s more in the Alwyn Davey CHF mould!

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Who are the others DJR? Name names!! I did feel a little out of place riding in your car surrounded by sporting stars… including the driver!

Thanks everyone for your kind responses! Even the Anzac Day debacle hasn’t entirely tarnished the glow we’ve been feeling this week! We are looking forward to his next races!

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Thanks so much for the advice Houli Dooli. Running is more of an ‘accidental talent’ for him discovered when we finally allowed him to run parkruns with his mum about a year ago after weeks of begging (we didn’t think he could even finish a 5k let alone beat his mother (running 32 minute 5ks at present) by several minutes on his first attempt!) His best time for 5k in training s 18:47 and his best in parkrun is just over 19 mins. I think the age world record is right at 19. He’s having a crack at it next month.

Cricket and soccer are the two sports he has chosen to play competitively, but he has a go at anything. Our nearest Little Athletics is around an hour away, but at his age the max they seem to run is about 800 metres and he prefers the distance events. We asked for guidance from Qld Athletics last year, but they didn’t seem too interested in investing time into him because of his age, which I guess is fair enough with their limited resources!

I’m sure he’d love any interaction at all with the club… and no doubt he’d love to be seen as inspiring EFC with his own efforts!

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Thanks HurleyBurley. I’ve got down to Melbourne for a game just twice in the last 18 years, including Anzac Day on Wednesday. My son and I were at the preseason intraclub Blitz BBQ at Tulla earlier this year (where he got to take some photos with several players (and more importantly, theDJR), and scored some autographs as well), but he is yet to witness a Melbourne game.

As a family, we’ve made the drive to the Gabba a few times and the more distant GC twice… both times at the GC he was able to score some player autographs. At the most recent game we met Andrew McGrath’s dad, who spent some time with my boy and encouraged him to keep chasing his dreams and showed him photos of Andy when he was the same age, meeting some of his own footy heroes! My son was thrilled!

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We are definitely looking forward to the journey that awaits, S_K! My fella might not quite fill out to be the mountain your lad is, but hopefully he will become less averse to the physical stuff as he gets older!

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What can you say but wow, what a great kid, you clearly know the secret to great parenting. Please share.

We are behind you Josh.

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