It all began one Saturday morning at Parkrun – a local community 5K running event.
I was only there to drop off my son, not to run. I had no running gear, no preparation — just planned to grab a coffee and watch him at the finish line. Then one of his friends’ parents encouraged me to join in.
Honestly, I was never a runner — in fact, I used to hate running. But seeing everyone’s energy and enthusiasm, I thought, “Why not give it a try?” So I joined, right at the back of the pack.
I ran very slowly and couldn’t even finish the 5km as expected. I walked the last kilometre. Still, they patiently waited for me at the finish line.
After that, I kept bringing my sons to Parkrun, but I didn’t run. Little by little, though, I got inspired. As the saying goes — when you see enough, you will make a change.
I started running around the lake near my house — one lap, then two. Soon, I added a few kilometres through the nearby bush track. Eventually, I returned to Parkrun and began hitting personal bests every week.
Running became part of my life. Even during holidays, I made time to run. I got myself the running shoes, the Garmin watch, and all the gear. I was hooked.
This year, I set a New Year’s resolution: to run 12 km in three major running events (HBF Run for a reason, Chevron City to Surf and the Perth Running Festival). While training, I thought — why not dream bigger?
So in May, I signed up for the Half Marathon at the Perth Running Festival on 12 October. Day by day, week by week, I trained alone. Consistency never looks impressive in the moment, but the results will.
On 12 October, I did it — my first 21km half marathon.
From someone who hated running to someone who can’t imagine a week without it — it’s been an incredible journey.
Running has taught me the same lessons I’ve learned in business: start small, stay consistent, and never stop believing in progress.
– John Huang
Founder, Success Migration Australia