Lisa Weightman : Five places that changed my life

NAGAMBIE, VICTORIA

This is a tranquil and beautiful place where we grew up in a family home in the true sense of the word, with so much love. It was a childhood of swimming, running, cycling and taking walks into town for ice cream and water slide rides.

I'll never forget the day I joined dad for a run to the fire station. It was a warm day and after a mile of running I stopped and said, "Dad I'm so thirsty, I can't make it!". He carried me all the way home. The story always makes me smile when I think about how far I've come.

HOUSTON, US

My husband, Lachlan McArthur, a talented junior track athlete was given a scholarship to attend RICE University. The first holiday Lachlan and I had together which didn't involve a running race was a return there for a classmate's wedding. After that trip I found out I was pregnant with our little boy Peter Richard. I later ran the Houston Marathon as my first marathon back after giving birth to Pete a year early. I came second and ran a time that qualified me for the Rio Olympic Games.

LONDON, ENGLAND

I ran my first marathon in London in 2008. My husband suggested after making the World Cross Country team, competing in Glasgow (where we won a team bronze medal) that I give the marathon a go a few weeks later. I did and was granted the privilege of becoming an Olympian.

I later ran my most successful Olympic Games in 2012 in London – finishing 17th and running a personal best. The trip to London this year was our little boy Pete's first overseas trip and a time in our lives which we cherish so dearly.

CRESWICK, VICTORIA

Lachlan and I run together as many days as we can with the support of our families. During preparation for an event we've spent many weekends up at Creswick (just outside Ballarat) with Lachlan's Mum and Dad enjoying country life. Getting away on the weekend helps us get our training done, provides the fresh country air we need for greater health and makes us feel like we are on mini holidays a few times per month.

DELHI, INDIA

In Delhi at the 2010 Commonwealth Games I had an injury, the humidity was off the scale and the heat was above 30 degrees early in the morning. In Delhi I won a bronze medal and made it through the race giving it more than I ever thought I had in me. Delhi demonstrated to me just how much I can put myself through to try to reach a goal.

I've been able to draw on this experience for any race or trying time since then – making it through that race and coming away with a bronze medal was a dream come true and a moment that reminds me that "nothing beats persistence".

Lisa Weightman will take part in the Real Insurance Sydney Harbour 10k and 5k, Sunday, July 9. See sydneyharbour10k.com.au