Nannup 80+ long distance runner competes nationally in marathon competitions

Training on the hills of Bridgetown to the roads of Nannup to compete against the best, marathon runner Joe Twiss has been hitting the pavement since 1985 — and he isn’t slowing down any time soon. Competing in the Abbott World Marathon Majors World Championships in Sydney as part of the TCS Sydney Marathon last month, Mr Twiss ran the 42.1km course in 4 hours and 58 minutes He came in second place in the men’s 80-plus age group category, behind Myung Kim, representing America. The event featured almost 1800 of the world’s top age group runners from more than 80 countries, competing in nine age categories from 40 to 90 years old. Mr Twiss said competing in Sydney was a dramatic change to the “peace” of his Nannup runs. “Sydney was looking excellent. And then the wind got up. It was blowing us across the road in some stages. So in the last quarter, things weren’t going too well, but I did all right,” he said. “I came second in that, so that was quite reasonable.” Mr Twiss was supported in Sydney by family and friends, however due to the large crowds he couldn’t be reunited with his team at the finish line. With his body in good shape for the preparation for the Sydney long distance run, Mr Twiss decided to compete again in Perth only three weeks later. Returning home, Mr Twiss competed in the Perth marathon against the world’s best age-group athletes breaking his own State record set in 2023. “I didn’t know whether I would be up to running the next one in Perth, but after a couple of weeks relaxing, it was worth doing,” he said. “That was a tough one, a very tough one.” Mr Twiss said he was doing well for most of the race, but when the Perth sun came out many people walked to the end due to the heat. “No marathons are the same. They’re all totally different,” he said. “My daughter’s support at the finish line with drinks and snacks was a welcome relief.’’ Mr Twiss has completed 12 marathon competitions. “The first marathon I ran was in 1985 and that was after probably about four or five years running,” he said. “That was in Geraldton in 1985. I eventually came further south, and I was able to join the marathon club, and that was just over 15 years ago. “In that time, I’ve run most years, eight or nine races.” Mr Twiss runs about 40 to 50 kilometres weekly and increases the distance when training for a competition. “I have kept it to three days for a long, long time. It seems to work,” he said. “In between, on the off days I walk. I don’t follow the normal pattern. “I’ve been doing that every year since 1985.” Finding his own rhythm has worked to his benefit, with three runs a week including a “pretty steep hill” in Bridgetown, and the east road in Nannup, where he moved more than 30 years ago. Born in England, and migrating to Australia in the 1960s, Mr Twiss lived in Sydney, the North West and Shark Bay, before “slowly moving” to the South West. “My wife and I spent, I think, about six months looking around Australia to find a place to live,” he said. Mr Twiss said they decided to live in Nannup, where he also set up shop selling antiques. “I still have the antique shop,” he said. Throughout his running journey, Mr Twiss said his family were his biggest supporters. His children are also involved in running, relays and triathlons. “I’m a very fortunate man,” he said. He said in particular, his daughter Amelia Twiss has supported his running efforts continuously. Ms Twiss told the Times her father’s efforts and achievements were an inspiration to others to stay strong throughout life. “Dad runs like this because he can, and to inspire his kids, grandkids and anyone else that they can do great things,” she said. Her fondest memories of her dad growing up were him arriving home sweaty and pressing the button on his watch to measure his time, she said. “My early memories of Dad’s runs when we lived in Useless Loop are of him asking mum or my older sister, Victoria, once she had her licence, to drive him out of town 10km and drop him off so he could run back home,” she said. Ms Twiss said her mum wakes up at 5am when her heads out to train—and deserves to be “acknowledged.” “She’s the one who’s worrying if he’s a little late coming home from a run and she’s the one cooking his meals and making sure he’s eating properly for the long distances he’s doing,” she said. One of her favourite moments is when her dad “smashed” the West Australian State record for the marathon in his age category in 2023, Ms Twiss said. “We are hoping for another highlight in a few weeks’ time as he attempts the state record for the 21km which he has missed on the past two occasions by only a few seconds,” she said. Mr Twiss said last year he was chasing the state record for the half marathon in Perth and was “two seconds out”. However, he is determined to have “a crack again”. “I’m hoping that I can break the record,” he said. Mr Twiss said while he was looking forward to his upcoming race, his son would also be competing in a few weeks’ time too — in a triathlon. “The triathlon, that is amazing stuff. This is third time he’s done it, and you’re looking between eight and 11 hours of physical activity, swim, bike, and then the run, the marathon at the end of it.’’ He said he also was encouraging his children to do another relay together, as they had in the past.