By Charlotte Robinson

Full time worker and mother El Fischer, 37, from Narangba Queensland, will be competing in the 2016 Gold Coast Airport Marathon for the second consecutive year on Sunday 3 July with social running group Girls Run This Town (GRTT).

GRTT was founded by Audrey Harvey in 2014 and enables women to find running companions and run in safety.

“Since the group started we’ve become a real community, celebrating achievements and being there to support members when times are tough – so many wonderful friendships have been formed through a love of running” El said.

“It’s so important girls are given the opportunity to exercise in a safe environment.

“Running in groups allows them to fulfil this, whilst having fun, meeting people and making friends.”

El is an advocate for the importance of making time for health, wellbeing and fitness in people’s everyday schedules.

“I make sure to train either early in the morning or later at night when the kids are asleep,” she said.

El first became interested in marathon running when she met Kelly, who had lost over 80 kilograms since March 2014 by running and adjusting her diet. Kelly has since been El’s role model and El has subsequently gone from limited exercise to successfully running two half marathons in 2014.

“We aren’t fast, we aren’t cover models but we love our sport and love sharing it with others,” El said.

As a parent El discussed how alongside work and her children, it is imperative women make time for their own mental health.

“It’s so important to stay healthy as this enables you, whether you are a full-time worker, student, mother, or all three, to perform to the best of your abilities,” El said.

GRTT’s representatives competing in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon are eagerly counting down to the first weekend in July.

“We’re currently training at 30kms which will be increased to 32kms this week. We will be increasing this in gradual increments over the course of training but will give ourselves a break every fourth week and drop back slightly,” El said.

To start a Girls Run This Town group in your local neighbourhood, wherever in Australia you may be, visit GRTT’s website.

Gold Coast Airport Marathon entries close Friday 1 July 2016 (8pm QLD).