#whywerun - Matt Davy

"I’m sweating profusely and struggling to maintain vision. I know the finish line isn’t too far away but my eyes can’t focus, the salt wrecked that a few kilometres ago. My legs, in a world of discomfort, are screaming for me to stop. I think about what I tell my athletes, to break the pain down into smaller pieces, that way making it seem more manageable. Is the pain hot or cold? If it had a colour, what colour would it be? What shape would it mould into? With that, I get my hammer on and stride through the finishing tape, nearly collapsing in the process as I dive in the hope of gaining some milliseconds and achieving a P.B. Wowsers, I’m an emotional mess, but geez it feels good.

What is it though that drives us to constantly get out there and put our bodies through hell? For me, I plunge deep into the journey and look for a purpose that’s bigger than just those finish line feels. Running gives me a sense of achievement, accomplishing something I’ve never done before. It gives me a chance to take on a challenge and then look back at myself and realise just how far I’ve come. It teaches me how to be patient and how to endure through a wide facet of hardships.

It’s given me the opportunity to meet some amazing people and form lifelong friendships. The comradery at races and training sessions and sharing in the experience of belting out mile reps on the track. It allows for a social platform to impart knowledge and share stories, which is one of the central parts of being human.

The simple act of slipping my shoes on and hitting my favourite trail, gives me a vast sense of freedom. Allowing me to connect with nature and invigorate my well-being. Solving all the world’s problems, as I get lost in my thoughts, trekking one stride at a time. But maybe running is even more than that, comprising a far higher purpose. If everyone took up running, then maybe there would be no more wars. Indeed, running, could become a weapon against war.

It’s the importance of staying fit and knowing the benefits of running that brought about the idea and formation of Run2PB. The coaches at Run2PB, wanted to share the knowledge, experience and advantages of running to the wider community. To assist people with achieving their running goals, give them structure to support them in their quest to set a personal best and motivate them to get the most out of their running. It also gives us a higher purpose for our running, allowing us to give back to the sport that has offered us an extraordinary amount of opportunities. The thrill of seeing one of your athletes achieve a lifelong goal and knowing you played a small part in their success, is incredible.

“Wow, pleasantly surprised with how the body held up considering I hadn’t done any big kms on the trails in the lead up! Thanks for your awesome programming and support, Matty!” Run2PB athlete Katie, following placing third in the Guzzler 50km and improving her 50km time by over an hour.

“I did it sub 2hrs. Raced it beautifully, couple of tough hills but made up the time on the downhill. Thanks for the guidance Matt I am pumped.” Run2PB athlete Mark, following breaking 2 hours and crushing his P.B. in the Half Marathon at Run Melbourne.

“I did it!!! Couldn't have done it without your help, can't thank you enough! So happy right now.” Run2PB athlete Cas, after dropping 6 minutes from her Half Marathon P.B.

Want to join the Run2PB team and be personally coached by an elite athlete, with a proven record of helping runners achieve their PBs? If so, check out all the details at www.run2pb.co and fill out the 'Sign Up' form to start achieving your personal best!