On a brisk autumn morning, the Queanbeyan Deadly Runners step it out, their determination evident even in the pre-dawn darkness.
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In this group of Indigenous runners there are kids, mums, dads, people battling diabetes and other illness, people who had never exercised before joining the group.
At the helm is Georgia Gleeson, a mum of four who started running at the end of 2012, determined to do something to help her anxiety and depression.
Before she started running, she used to feel agitated and out-of-control. She'd have a cigarette to try to calm down. She'd go out for drinks every Friday and feel worse for it. She was on anti-depressant medication. But her mood swings and feelings of being overwhelmed wouldn't go away.
"My partner finally said to me, 'You got to do something about it'," she said.
"He just realised I was in a rut and he could see what I was capable of. He kind of didn't let me settle for what I would have settled for."
The 33-year-old enrolled in a five-kilometre run and gave herself two months to train for it.
She not only did the five kilometres, she became hooked on running.
The exercise eased her anxiety and buoyed her mood.
"After I started running, it kind of took care of all of the symptoms [of depression and anxiety]," she said.
Ms Gleeson was soon training with Canberra's marathon legend Robert de Castella and the Indigenous Marathon Project, which prepares Indigenous people for the New York Marathon, in turn promoting a healthy lifestyle and creating role models for Indigenous communities.
Less than a year after she started running, Georgia completed the New York Marathon, in November, 2013.
She reckons her time for the New York Marathon wasn't that great – "just over four hours" – and says her benchmark time now is the Gold Coast marathon which she finished in 3 hours 26 minutes.
But her remarkable turnaround doesn't end there.
An Aboriginal case worker for a homeless support centre, Ms Gleeson became a qualified personal trainer and running coach with Athletics Australia.
She also started the Queanbeyan Deadly Runners group which meets three mornings a week at the Queanbeyan Town Park to run five kilometres together.
"Not many people in my community could afford a personal trainer or a running coach so I just put the word out in Queanbeyan if anybody would like to learn to run, they should come down to the park," she said.
"It has made such a big difference."
Ms Gleeson volunteers her time to the group, and raises funds to cover the cost of group entries to running events.
About 60 people have been through the group. The latest intake of about 25 runners has collectively lost close to 100 kilograms. Others no longer need to take anti-depressants.
Others, including Carmen Richardson, are diabetics who have reduced their medication since joining the running group.
Mrs Richardson, 46, is an insulin-dependent type-two diabetic, who travels from her home in Ainslie to run with the group in Queanbeyan.
She has many relatives with diabetes, including two who died as a result of the condition.
Things came to a head for her earlier this year.
"I was told if I didn't get my health in check, I wouldn't see my next birthday," she said.
Mrs Richardson started with the group only in February.
"I did 60 seconds of running and thought I was going to die," she said.
Now she can run for 20 to 30 minutes without stopping. She is on half her previous insulin injections. Her 19-year-old daughter Jacqueline has also been encouraged to run, "and she's not an exercise person at all".
"I would have given up but for Georgia's encouragement," she said.
Ms Gleeson, says her life is also finally on track.
"There's some weird joy in feeling absolutely exhausted after a run," she said.
"I feel like this is how I was meant have felt all my life after going through so many ups and downs."
The Deadly Runners are now looking forward to participating in the Australian Running Festival in Canberra from April 8 to 10. Many of them are parents and children running together, two generations looking to be fighting fit.
Mr de Castella continues to be a mentor to Ms Gleeson, and is extremely impressed by what she has achieved.
"She's just an inspiration and such a courageous young woman who is changing not only her life and that of her family's but her community's," he said.
