In less than a year, Sam McCauley has turned his life around.
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The 23-year-old will be competing in the Dubbo Stampede for the first time in August. Mr McCauley is hoping to beat his personal best time for a five kilometre run.
However, while he's looking forward to lacing up his shoes and challenging himself, it wasn't always the case.
Towards the end of last year, Mr McCauley - who describes his old self as "really unfit and overweight" - decided he wanted to lose a bit of weight and start eating healthier.
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He downloaded an exercise app that promise to get him off the lounge and running five kilometres. Mr McCauley said he started walking around the neighbourhood and then in January, he started doing parkrun.
From there he also joined Dubbo Tracksesh at Barden Park, where he started doing interval runs every Wednesday.
"It's like a complete lifestyle change. Before that I wasn't doing anything. I didn't do cross country in my school, I'd always have a "cold"," Mr McCauley said.
Now, Mr McCauley said he loves doing parkrun every Saturday morning.
"Everything is easier. I live quite close to the mall and it used to be a drag to walk to the mall but now I just get up and go," he said.
And the changes are noticeable.
Mr McCauley said every time he goes to the hairdressers they comment on how much smaller he's gotten.
Before that I wasn't doing anything. I didn't do cross country in my school, I'd always have a "cold".
- Sam McCauley
The next box the athlete wants to tick is the Dubbo Stampede.
"The ability to run at the zoo is pretty crazy. I've never done a race. parkrun is great but it's not competitive at parkrun. At the Stampede I'm competing for a goal," Mr McCauly said.
"I did a PB yesterday at parkrun 28.55 so anything faster than what I've done would be great."
For anyone else thinking of embarking on a similar goal, Mr McCauley urges them to give it a shot.
"If I can do it anyone can. I was so unfit, I hated sport, I hated activity. If I can do it, anyone can give it a go. You don't have to run the Stampede, you can even walk it," he said.
The Dubbo Stampede will be held at Taronga Western Plains Zoo on Sunday, August 25. More information on the event is available on the website.
Orlander Ruming
Deputy editor at the Daily Liberal, covering council, politics, human interest stories, community news and everything in between.
Deputy editor at the Daily Liberal, covering council, politics, human interest stories, community news and everything in between.
