Dr Naomi Menday Lee is set to lace up for this year’s TCS Sydney Marathon, where she will run the 42.2 kilometre event to support medical research that is making a difference in the community she calls home.
This will be Naomi’s seventh marathon and she’s using the opportunity to raise vital funds for Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), which is working on solving some of the biggest health challenges of our time.
The Newcastle-based doctor specialises in breast medicine and has seen the impact breast cancer has on patients and their families. She also knows the important difference medical research can make to outcomes, not just for cancer patients but for people with other health conditions as well.
Dr Menday Lee specialises in breast medicine. She works with a multidisciplinary team at the Breast Centre in Gateshead. The Centre is a comprehensive breast cancer clinic delivering breast cancer management and is the Hunter’s only one stop clinic for patients with breast concerns. Dr Menday Lee’s private work primarily focuses on monitoring women at a high risk of developing breast cancer and is also the Clinical Director of BreastScreen Hunter New England.
“I’m familiar with HMRI’s incredible work and was drawn to the idea of supporting a local organisation that’s done a lot for our community.”
The 55-year-old hasn’t competed in a marathon since 2021, but she says the Sydney Marathon, which now boasts Abbott World Major status, is a chance to reconnect with a long-standing passion while supporting a cause close to home.
“This year’s Sydney Marathon is a bit different,” she said. “There’s been six Abbott World Majors since Tokyo joined in 2013 and, after a successful three-year candidacy process, Sydney will join the series of elite events that includes New York, London, Berlin, Boston, Tokyo and Chicago. It will be the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to be included in the series.”
Having missed out on ballot entries for international races in the past, Dr Menday Lee was surprised to secure a spot.
“I secured an entry to the Sydney Marathon on a general ballot, which I was a bit shocked about,” she said. “I’ve tried entering some of the overseas events, but I’ve not been successful before.”
This year’s event will also be a family affair, with Naomi’s brother, along with his partner and son, also entering the event. She said the shared experience will create a mix of support and familial rivalry.
The siblings’ motivation to run stems from their father, who sadly passed away at age 54 due to an aggressive bowel cancer.
“My brother and I took up running because it was something Dad loved all through our childhood,” she said. “He used to participate every year in Sydney’s City to Surf, and we have so many memories of cheering him over the finish line. Even after all this time, I still feel a connection with him when I run and will run with one of his finisher medals on the day.”
In preparation for the August 31 race, Dr Menday Lee has been gradually increasing her mileage since January. Now, with the starting line looming, she is deep into a dedicated 16-week training regimen which includes three to four weekly runs.
“I usually just find an online program that suits me,” she said. “The one that I’ve used reduces mileage, but the runs are quite intense, and I’ve found that works well for me in terms of preventing overuse injuries.”
One key difference in preparation for the upcoming marathon has been Naomi’s commitment to a consistent four-day-a-week strength training program focused on her core and legs at Gym on King. Guided by a tailored plan which is updated every six weeks by her trainer, Sylwia Pogorzelska, it has noticeably boosted Naomi’s stamina.
With temperatures often down in the single digits, Naomi’s early morning training runs are proving a test of endurance in themselves.
“It is chilly at the moment,” she said. “I like to get them done in the mornings before work and it’s pretty cold.”
The physical demands of preparing for a marathon are matched only by the mental discipline required, particularly as the training load starts to increase.
“You do get to a point where the whole weekend really is just thinking about that particular day and the run,” she said. “I’ve realised that for final weeks leading up to the marathon, life on the weekends will have to revolve around training for the event.”
But Naomi’s commitment has never wavered thanks to the encouragement from her loved ones.
“My family is really supportive,” she said. “I think if I didn’t have that it would be a hard slog.”
Dr Menday Lee is aiming to finish the event in under four hours but admits that returning to marathon running after a four-year hiatus will add to the challenge.
“I’d be pretty disappointed with myself if I go too much over four hours,” she said. “The Sydney course is a bit hilly, but I would like to keep it around that time.”
“Just after the 35-kay mark is usually when I tend to hit the wall a little bit, once you push through that and into the 5km home stretch it’s much easier.”
Despite the challenge it’s all in the name of a good cause, and for Naomi that is what makes every step on this marathon effort worth it.
To support Naomi, visit:
https://hmri.org.au/support-naomi
If you would like to fundraise for HMRI at an upcoming event, check out:
https://hmri.org.au/get-involved/support-us/fundraise
