Why I Run: Chris Walker

Chris ran a lot as a teenager, and considers himself a good runner back then. “Now I consider myself an adequate jogger,” he says.

Nevertheless, he took on the challenge of a half marathon, signing up for the Medibank Melbourne Marathon Festival with a bunch of mates to push himself to get back into running form.

“Before you go for a run you feel a sense of dread of having to do it,” Chris says. “But once you’re into it, it’s quite freeing and the endorphins start running, so you feel good.”

"Once you’re into a run, it’s quite freeing and the endorphins start running, so you feel good."

Running has become particularly challenging for Chris since becoming a father – but the experience has changed his view on so many parts of his life.

“The birth of my daughter Evie has made me less cynical about the world,” he says. “You come home from a day’s work with your first world problems, and you see a little baby smiling, and you think, there’s so much more – there’s so much joy in the world.”

“As anyone who has had a baby will tell you, it’s one of the most extraordinary feelings in the world.”

“I think running is a good way to support a cause because it’s about endurance."

His love for his daughter has also made Chris more aware of all the underprivileged kids in the world, especially those living in times of crisis. Because of this, he is running to raise money for the Red Cross, for the global charity’s asylum seeker and Syrian crisis funds.

“The Red Cross appeals to me because it’s about people helping people,” he says.

“I think running is a good way to support a cause because it’s about endurance. With something like the Red Cross, the people you’re supporting are enduring enormous hardships.

“Obviously a run is nothing compared to that, but it’s at least symbolic of the people you’re trying to help. You can be 10 km into a run and really hurting, but there’s something to strive for.”

Find out more about the Red Cross.

Set your goal and go for it – Medibank is proud to sponsor a range of running events across Australia, encouraging everyone to get out there and have a go.