No challenge too tough for determined mother of four

From facing the daunting prospect of a five-kilometre run two years ago, the 42-year-old mother of four now has a 100-kilometre trail run under her belt and on Sunday finished her first-ever half-ironman.

“Call it a mid-life crisis, my husband and I decided together that we wanted to get fit and healthy and lose some kilos, so we started the journey together,” she said. 

Her first competition run was the five-kilometre event at the Orange Running Festival. 

“Before that, I had only run less than a kilometre, my attitude was I can’t run, I don’t get it,” she said. 

“But I kept at it and after the five kilometres, I thought why not seven? Why not 10?”

The momentum culminated in spending 19 hours and 42 minutes on her feet at the Ultra Trail Australia 100k in the Blue Mountains in May. 

The event required a 27-week training program of runs, strength and core work, which she completed six days a week, all before her children woke up for the day. 

“To get the bronze buckle, you have to finish in under 20 hours and I really wanted that buckle,” she said. 

After reaching the milestone, Mrs Broughton turned her attention to triathlons, having never raced a bike before.

After 20 weeks in training, she set herself a goal for the Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Western Sydney championship to finish the two-kilometre swim, 90-kilometre bike ride and 21-kilometre run in less than six hours in Penrith’s searing heat.

“I did it in five hours, 59 minutes and 54 seconds,” she said. 

The Glenroi Heights Public School instructional leader hoped she could show other working mothers achievements did not have to remain dreams. 

“Being a mum is sometimes a juggle but I believe you should not lose yourself,” she said.

“You’ve got to do what works.

“For me, that’s getting up at 5am and training when the kids are asleep, I don’t like to train when they’re up.”

She said a passion could also become a family activity – she takes her children to social park runs and competitions where they often run the shorter distances. 

“They love it now,” she said. 

She thanked Anthony Ellison and Melissa Ashton-Garrard for their support.