Sasha Dowson, who ran alongside the injured but determined Sam Farman for 90 minutes in the pool.
Camera IconSasha Dowson, who ran alongside the injured but determined Sam Farman for 90 minutes in the pool. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Sam pools marathon effort

Sophie Gabrielle, Guardian ExpressEastern Reporter

Ms Farman planned to run in the iconic event this year but had to pull out after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in her foot.

Instead, she decided to run the marathon at the Terry Tyzack Centre in Inglewood to raise money for mitochondrial disease.

‘My dear friends Jane and Dave Cleary tragically lost their seven-month-old boy Archer to mito (mitochondrial disease) just over a year ago,’ Ms Farman said.

PerthNow Digital Edition.
Your local paper, whenever you want it.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

‘Baby Archer came to me in a dream a couple of days before the City to Surf, and suggested that I could still run a marathon effort, in the pool.

‘He popped up again in a dream the night before to assure me that he would be with me and all the other Team Mito participants as we did our run.’

Ms Farman ran for four hours and 31 minutes, which was her expected finish time for the City to Surf this year.

She that it was the most satisfying marathon she had experienced, despite being very tired afterwards.

‘Special mention must go to my good friend Sasha Dowson, who ran alongside me in the pool for the first 90 minutes.’ She said.

‘She kept me motivated and set me up for the morning, and I couldn’t have done it without her help.