Runner to take on all five runs for heart health

Hundreds of competitors took part in the Chevron City to Surf at the weekend.

Among them was Natalie Vance, running not only the Albany 12km run but another four across WA.

Ms Vance is running the five fun runs around the State, a total of 60km, raising money and awareness for the Heart Foundation, in honour of a friend who lost her father to heart disease.

Ms Vance said running all five charity runs was her way to support her friend and raise awareness of heart disease, the leading cause of death in Australia.

“Even though I can’t ease the pain this has caused her, I can try and do something so no other family will feel the devastating loss of losing a loved one to heart disease,” she said.

“Every single step I take will be in support of the Heart Foundation.

“I know what she would do to have been able to keep him around, so ... any level of awareness or help with research I can contribute will be worth it for me.”

Ms Vance said the five fun runs would be a huge personal and physical accomplishment.

“In early 2017, I was hobbling through the office hallways on crutches — eventually diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome in my right foot — so it’s been a pretty intense path back to where I am today,” she said.