Written by Kerrie Alexander
Kitted out in her visor, sunnies, crop top and sports leggings, there’s not many people who frequent Hervey Bay’s Esplanade that wouldn’t recognise Kate McKean the ‘Happy Running Girl’.
The blond beauty runs every day, around 10km, from the tip of Point Vernon, down to Bayaroma Café where she waves, smiles and stops for a chat with fellow walkers and joggers, especially if there’s a cute puppy to pat.
There’s even a @happyrunnergal Instagram page.
Kate isn’t training for any big marathons; she runs purely for fun and good mental health, unlike her husband Tom who competes at an elite level at Triathlons around Queensland.
Kate is however partial to a good fun run where she loves hanging out with happy and like-minded people.
“Tom is graceful like poetry in motion,” Kate said.
“I’m more like an ugly duckling on caffeine, she said with her infectious laugh.
“It’s not pretty but I do it with gumption, and smile and wave at everybody because when I see people smile, that makes me happy.”
Kate comes from a sporty family with mum, dad and her three brothers all passionate about their respective sports. Having a passion for the great outdoors is just in the blood!
Running is Kate’s addiction.
“You don’t get phone calls or emails so you can just clear your mind and appreciate your surrounds.
“We sometimes get so caught up with the everyday noise whether that’s work, family or whatever, and running helps you with that.
“If I need to reset, I’ll go for a run. It makes you appreciate what you’ve got.”
So, when you see the carefree runner full of enthusiasm and zest for life, it’s incredibly hard to believe that the 38-year-old came out the other side of a horrific accident that – for just a moment – took her life.
One morning in 2012 started like any other for the couple who were living a busy city life in Brisbane.
A typical day started with Tom, a tradie, going off to work early and Kate going for a jog to unwind and mentally prepare for the busy workday ahead.
Then the unthinkable happened!
Kate had crossed the road and made it safely to the other side when a car mounted the curb, hit Kate and pinned her against a wall.
She was taken to the Royal Women’s Hospital in Brisbane unconscious and near fatally injured.
Kate is a member of the Baptist Church and firmly believes a higher power was watching over her that day.
“I actually died and they brought me back,” Kate said.
“It really was a miracle that I survived – I had so many broken bones and swelling around the brain.”
Kate was in a coma for the next three weeks and while she wasn’t aware of what was happening around her, one of favourite stories told from that time was Tom’s response to the doctors who tried to prepare him for the worst.
“He told them to f#@k off. She’s my wife and she’s going to get through this.
“What a man,” she said of her adored husband.
And he was right!
Kate is one tough cookie, waking up not long after and spending another two months in ICU and three months in and out of hospital after several operations, including on her throat leaving her without the ability to speak for periods of time.
The only sign left of the operation now is a husky voice.
With unfaltering support from Tom and her family, Kate learnt to walk again 10 months after the accident with physio twice a week for a year, even with a 30cm titanium rod in her leg.
“My amazing husband would carry me around and carry me upstairs and just do anything for me.
“He stood by me through everything. There were so many ups and downs and he was just amazing.
“My whole family was just so wonderful. I never would have got through this without them.”
The couple made the move from Brisbane to Hervey Bay to focus on Kate’s recovery in a quieter environment which was life changing for the long-time runner.
Kate ditched the antidepressants given to her at the hospital and used Hervey Bay’s Esplanade as her medicine.
Her dad was a big motivator, heading out with her at every opportunity to walk and run about 100 metres at a time, going further and further each day.
“He’d say ‘let’s just get to that tree” then when we finally got to that tree, he would say it again and again- there were a lot of trees!
“The days that I didn’t feel so great I just went slow but I still felt strong because I got up and achieved something.
“Running is my drug. The minute I started walking, and then running, the endorphins kicked in.
“Exercise cannot be rivalled by any drug. Even on bad days, if you can get through the first 15 minutes then you start feeling good – you just must have enough strength to start!”
In November 2020, Kate started running a minimum of 5km each day and has not missed a day since with an average of 85kms clocked up each week.
Chronic fatigue still rears its ugly head but that’s not stopping her.
“I’m from a very sporty family and very competitive so when they told me I wouldn’t be able to run again, I made it my goal to make sure I did.
“Some weeks I’m more physically and mentally tired than others so I just give myself points for getting off the couch.
“If you choose to focus on the negatives you are guaranteed to have a bad day.”
Kate says being dubbed the ‘Happy Running Girl’ by those she has met on the Esplanade for the past few years really does make her happy.
She says even if she can inspire just one person to feel better about their day, she’s happy.
“My advice is don’t dwell on things.
“Find something or someone to help you take a step back and reevaluate. We can’t choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we take it.
“If I spent those years feeling sorry for myself, I’d probably still be on the couch and cranky about life.
“Every day is precious so choose not to waste it.”