September is shaping up to be a very special month for the West Australian Marathon Club, with the 40th anniversary of The Athlete’s Foot Women’s Classic Fun Run taking place at the WAMC Clubrooms in Burswood on Sunday, 20 September 2026.
And this year, Movement Matters will be right in the middle of it.
I’ll be taking part in the run myself, and our Movement Matters team will also have a stall at the Women’s Classic Expo across the weekend.
For me, that makes this one much more than simply another event on the calendar.
Celebrating 40 Years of the Women’s Classic
The Women’s Classic has been bringing people together to run, walk, challenge themselves and support a good cause for four decades.
This year’s event includes a 10km solo, a new 10km relay for teams of up to four, and a 5km run or walk.
The 10km events begin at 8:00am, followed by the 5km at 8:20am, at the WAMC Clubrooms at Burswood Water Sports Centre, 1 Camfield Drive, Burswood.
And although the Women’s Classic remains very much a celebration of women, men are welcome to participate this year too.
WAMC is also marking the 40th anniversary with a commemorative event glass, glass-holder lanyard and post-run breakfast for participants.
Most importantly, the event is helping raise funds for Breast Cancer Care WA.
That part is particularly meaningful to me.
Having lost a family member to breast cancer, supporting Breast Cancer Care WA is something I feel very personally connected to. Being able to take part as a runner, a WAMC member and through Movement Matters makes this event even more special.
Movement Matters at the Women’s Classic Expo
The celebrations actually begin the day before the run.
The Women’s Classic Expo will be held at the WAMC Clubrooms on Saturday, 19 September from 10:00am to 12 noon during bib collection, and again on Sunday, 20 September from 7:00am to 11:00am on event day.
Movement Matters has an allocated stall at the Expo across the weekend, so if you are collecting your bib on Saturday or coming down for the event on Sunday, please come and say hello.
We’ll have three of our therapists there and will be offering complimentary 10-minute seated massages.
There will also be Movement Matters gift vouchers available and, because apparently a 40th birthday requires cake in some form, we’ll be bringing along some cupcakes as well.
The final Expo vendor list has not yet been released, but there will be other exhibitors and stalls to visit throughout the weekend. It is a great opportunity to have a wander, meet some of the organisations supporting the event and spend a little time with the wider WAMC community.
A September Offer for WAMC Members
Our WAMC offer from August is also continuing throughout September in support of the Women’s Classic.
WAMC members can receive 20% off their Initial Consultation and treatment at Movement Matters during September.
To use the offer, simply enter the code:
WAMCMM09
in the notes section when making your online booking.
Whether you are preparing for the Women’s Classic, recovering afterwards or simply trying to keep moving comfortably through your regular training, the offer is available throughout September.
Preparing Your Body for the Women’s Classic
One thing I have learnt both as a therapist and through becoming more involved with the running community is how easy it can be to ignore the little warning signs when you have a goal coming up.
A bit of muscular soreness after training can be completely normal.
But recurring tightness, discomfort that keeps returning, or pain that starts changing the way you run, walk or move through everyday life deserves a little more attention.
The answer is not always to stop moving, and it certainly is not always to attack the exact spot that hurts.
At Movement Matters, we like to look at the whole picture.
- What has changed in your training?
- Has your distance increased?
- Are you recovering properly between sessions?
- Is another area compensating?
- Has your movement changed because something else is tight or uncomfortable?
For example, the discomfort you notice in a calf or knee may not tell us the whole story. Restrictions through the hips, ankles or surrounding muscles can all affect how the body handles repeated running load.
That is why our approach is to listen, assess, treat, observe and adapt rather than applying the same treatment to every runner who walks through the door.
Before the Run: Don’t Change Everything at the Last Minute
As event day gets closer, there can be a temptation to squeeze in extra training because suddenly 20 September does not feel very far away.
Try not to panic.
Your body still needs time to recover and adapt.
Keep an eye on any persistent niggles, give yourself adequate recovery between harder sessions and avoid making sudden jumps in your training just because race day is getting closer.
If something genuinely does not feel right, getting it looked at earlier gives you more information to work with rather than simply hoping it disappears before Sunday morning.
Depending on what we find, remedial massage may form part of that preparation by helping reduce muscular tension, improve comfortable movement and support recovery between training sessions.
Treatment should always depend on the individual in front of us.
And Don’t Forget About Recovery Afterwards
Crossing the finish line may be the goal, but your legs do not necessarily agree that the job is finished.
Some muscle soreness after a harder or longer run is common, particularly if you have pushed beyond your usual training distance.
Gentle movement, adequate hydration, food, sleep and some proper recovery time all matter after an event. If you are still feeling restricted or unusually sore in the days afterwards, that is also a good time to pay attention to how your body is responding rather than immediately launching into the next training block.
At Movement Matters, we can reassess what is feeling tight or overloaded and adjust treatment according to what we find.
For some people that may involve remedial massage. For others we may use myofascial work, trigger point therapy, functional cupping, joint mobilisation or dry needling where appropriate.
There is no fixed recipe.
We look at what your body is telling us and adapt from there.
The Finish Line Doesn’t Have to Be the End
One of the things I really enjoy about the WAMC community is that there is always another reason to keep moving.
For someone, the Women’s Classic might be their first-ever 5km. For someone else, it might be another step towards a marathon.
And for plenty of people it is simply a chance to get outside, move their body, spend time with friends and be part of something positive.
That is really what I love about events like this. It does not matter whether you are racing the clock, walking the 5km or simply proud that you made it to the finish line.
Movement means different things to different people.
Helping people keep doing the things that matter to them is exactly why I started Movement Matters in the first place.
Come and Find Us at the Women’s Classic
If you are heading to the WAMC Clubrooms for bib collection on Saturday, 19 September, or joining us for the 40th Athlete’s Foot Women’s Classic Fun Run on Sunday, 20 September, please come and find the Movement Matters team at the Expo.
We’ll be there across the weekend with:
three Movement Matters therapists
complimentary 10-minute seated massages
Movement Matters gift vouchers
cupcakes
plenty of time to talk running, recovery, movement and those annoying little niggles that runners know all too well
And I’ll be taking part in the event myself, so I am very much looking forward to experiencing this one from both sides.
Online registrations for the Women’s Classic close on Thursday, 17 September at 11:59am, unless the event sells out beforehand.
Most of all, I hope it is a wonderful weekend celebrating 40 years of movement, friendship and community while supporting the important work of Breast Cancer Care WA.
I’ll see you there.
September WAMC Member Offer
WAMC members receive 20% off their Initial Consultation and treatment at Movement Matters throughout September.
Use WAMCMM09 in the notes section when booking online.
Movement Matters Remedial Massage
25G Gallipoli Street, Lathlain WA 6100
Move Better. Feel Better. Live Better.
