But the sweetest moment of competing on the Gold Coast next year will be knowing her closest supporters - parents Mike and Bev - will be in the stands watching after her dad had a heart attack last year.

Breen opened up about her life away from the track on Thursday as part of a Heart Foundation initiative to encourage people to train for The Canberra Times fun run in September and raise money to fight heart disease.

Mike Breen thought he had heart burn last year and drove himself to the emergency department the following morning.

Doctors told him he had a heart attack and there was a 90 per cent blockage.

Mike and Bev opted not to travel to Rio to watch Breen compete at her second Olympic Games, but they've already got tickets for the Commonwealth Games.

"The only reason dad is still with us today is because he is healthy, fit and active every day," Breen said.

"My family has been through some pretty hard times ... thankfully dad is pretty good today. I'm really proud to be behind this.

"It was a challenging year last year, but when you step out on the track you're there to race. It's challenging to block it out, but that's the reality of the sport.

"Now I know everyone is safe, healthy and well is great. Mum and dad just got all of their tickets so it's going to be great to have them on the Gold Coast."

Breen helped launch the 'Heart Racers' program, which is aimed at inviting all Canberrans to compete in the fun run.

Breen will trade her pet distance of 100 metres for a 10 kilometre run, but she also has one eye on fine-tuning her stride for the Commonwealth Games.

The 26-year-old Australian 100 metres record holder missed out on a qualifying time for the world championships in London so has instead based herself in the capital for her first Canberra winter since 2007.

"I've been doing some longer stuff ... I'd love to represent Australia in the 100 metres, 200 metres and 4x100 metres at the Commonwealth Games," Breen said.

"Being able to get through a volume of training is something I've been lacking in the last few years.

"But now I can so hopefully I can get a good 200 metre time. I hope [not competing at the world championships] is the best decision I've ever made.

"I'll get a good six or seven months of solid training before I race so hopefully it's the best thing.

"I want to be a three-time Olympian, not many athletes are able to do that. But right now it's all about the Commonwealth Games - competing at home is something I thought I'd never have the chance to do.

"But I also want to get the Olympics [in 2020] in better shape than I was in Rio."

Breen's training partner, 400 metre hurdler Lauren Wells, has arrived in Switzerland to start her world championships preparation before joining the Australian team in England.

The world championships will be in London from August 5-13.