Gerald Macpherson can't remember the running event where he first met Hannah McRae. It was, however, a most auspicious encounter.
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Facilitated by mutual friends and a shared love of running, the coming together of the ultramarathoners sparked a romance that was in full bloom on a spectacular Tamworth morning.
The couple were among the leading competitors at the 50th Tamworth Running Festival on Sunday, August 6 - their relationship once again reinforced under intense stress.
They both competed in the Triple Threat: the half marathon and 10km and 5km races.
![Gerald Macpherson and Hannah McRae share a mutual love at the Tamworth Running Festival on August 6. Picture by Mark Bode Gerald Macpherson and Hannah McRae share a mutual love at the Tamworth Running Festival on August 6. Picture by Mark Bode](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/f1a19dff-3f51-493e-bdbf-7b7db6b8831c.jpg/r0_0_4032_3024_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Macpherson, a Farrer alumnus doing his internship at Tamworth Hospital, finished second in the Triple Threat after placing second in both the half marathon and 10km, and fifth in the 5km.
McRae, a veterinarian at Greencross Vets in Tamworth, was the best-placed woman in the Triple Threat and the seventh placegetter overall.
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Macpherson said his partner was "incredibly hard working" and "very dedicated to both her work and training, and somehow makes time to do both".
"She's kind, and generous with her time," he said, "which is difficult in her career - and makes her a great vet and friend."
![Shaun Lee, left, Steven Chung and Macpherson - who finished third, first and second, respectively, in the 10km. Picture by Peter Hardin Shaun Lee, left, Steven Chung and Macpherson - who finished third, first and second, respectively, in the 10km. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/23aad3b2-7c49-424d-9090-24bc22cecc6d.jpg/r0_0_4541_3027_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Macpherson hails from Scone, while McRae mostly grew up in Sydney.
He studied neuroscience at the University of New South Wales, before doing a medical degree at the University of Sydney. He graduated from the latter in 2021.
McRae graduated from the University of Sydney in 2016, and began working at North Hill Vet in Armidale the following year. Before moving to Tamworth, Macpherson did his final year of medical school in Orange.
"I wanted to work in a regional centre," he said. "So moving back to Tamworth made sense."
McRae relocated to Tamworth after Macpherson landed his gig in the city.
"It's really nice," she said of the Country Music Capital. "Tamworth's got a fantastic running community."
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