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@roirunclub 1st Run 19 Nov Authentic: Running marathons. Chasing culture. Capturing chaos. 🌍📸 3:04 Mara | NYC 🗽 Melbourne based. Globally obsessed.
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#barnowl#centralpark#newyorkcity#nycwildlife#wildlifephotography#birdphotography#fotobyphil#melbournemarathon#melbmara#nikehalfmarathon
Recent posts
🏅 THE LAST PERSON TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE. ❤️
Edit - we found her!! Thank you internet @fiatpop500
While the headlines celebrate the winners, PBs and record breakers, I want to celebrate someone at the other end of the Melbourne Marathon results.
Meet Roula Macnaughtan, representing the age category 55-59 years old!
@melbmara
At the 2026 Melbourne Marathon Festival, Roula was the last person to physically cross the Nike Half Marathon finish line, recording a chip time of 3:43:43.
A little technicality worth mentioning: because runners start in different waves, the last person to cross the finish line isn't necessarily the person with the slowest chip time.
But here's what makes Roula's story special.
🏃♀️ 2023: 3:44:12
🏃♀️ 2025: 3:30:17
🏃♀️ 2026: 3:43:43
Three years. Three half marathons. Three finish lines crossed.
It's easy to celebrate the person who finishes first. But there's something equally admirable about someone who keeps showing up, year after year, spending hours on their feet.
Same 21.1 kilometres. Same finish line. Same medal. A very different journey.
The clock tells us how long Roula took. It doesn't tell us what it took for her to get there.
And while the elite runners were probably home, showered and enjoying their second coffee, Roula was still out there getting the job done.
Someone has to cross the line last. That doesn't make their achievement any less worthy of celebration.
Here's to the runners at the back of the pack, who remind us that running isn't just about how fast you go, but about showing up and finishing what you started.
Roula, you're a bloody legend! 👏❤️
#MelbourneMarathon #MelbMara #NikeHalfMarathon #EveryRunnerCounts BackOfThePack RunningCommunity LastFinisher
13 Oct 2026
When your weekend running plans get slightly out of hand.
Today wrapped up back-to-back Melbourne Marathon Festival events: knocking out the full marathon and the half marathon this morning, right after taking on every single distance yesterday.
Factor in the mad dashes between finish lines and start corrals, and the weekend tally sits just a touch over 90 km.
65+ km on the clock today alone, heavy legs, but a heart full of gratitude.
The energy across the streets of Melbourne this weekend was unmatched, cheers at every corner, high-fives from strangers, and that unmistakable community spirit carrying every single step.
To every volunteer, spectator, and runner out there: thank you for the incredible encouragement.
No human is limited. Time for some very serious recovery.
An honour to share the roads with the GOAT @kipchogeeliud
Thanks to @mizunoaustralia and @pdxrish for gifting me with the Hyperwarp Elite shoes. I thought a lot about what to wear for 60kms+ and the lightweight nature and great groundfeel won me over.
Thanks to Claudia from @hoka_au for gifting me the Cielo 3.0 which I used for the shorter speedier Saturday races.
Thanks to @pullmaneastmelbourne for the top floor room, especially the front desk.
Thanks to @alloursrunning for the race singlet sponsored by @on
And thanks to all the people who I met on course, and for all the warm messages. You are all legends and we stand on the shoulders of giants (or goats!).
@melbmara
10 Oct 2026
“I’ve always hated running.” 😂
That’s how Mi described her relationship with the sport when we chatted. As a kid, she loved playing tennis, but running laps during warm ups? Absolutely not. By the time she started university, being active had slipped into the background.
Then, in March 2025, she suddenly collapsed without warning. It was a traumatic experience, made even more unsettling by the lack of a clear explanation from doctors. For Mi, it became a turning point: she wanted to take better care of herself and improve her fitness.
Her next move? Signing up for her first half marathon. A fairly ambitious plot twist for someone who had spent her life avoiding running. 😂
At the beginning of 2026, she started her running journey. Gradually, she joined run clubs and turned up to more events. Somewhere along the way, the thing she dreaded became something she enjoyed.
When I asked what kept her coming back, the answer was community.
The welcoming faces. The encouragement. The people who became friends, and the familiar smiles waiting at the next event. Running gave her a way to stay active while building connections and making memories.
That sense of discovery also inspired @mihates2run. When Mi first searched for running events, she struggled to find people showing what attending them actually felt like. So she started sharing her own experiences, hoping to make it easier for others to take that first step.
Since then, she’s run Nike After Dark, dressed as a superhero for an MS charity run and volunteered at the Sydney Marathon. Different experiences, all connected by the joy of showing up and being part of something.
What I loved about our conversation was how clearly she knew her own reasons for running. For Mi, it’s about staying fit, having fun and meeting people. Pace and PBs can take a back seat.
Now she’s hoping to run her first Sydney Marathon in 2027. 🤞
From hating warm up laps to dreaming of 42.2 kilometres. The username might be due for a performance review. 😆 Follow her to see how she goes!
@mihates2run
10 Nov 2026
Before she dreamed of racing across mountains, Freedom couldn't run for 60 seconds without stopping.
Meet @freedombellguilliams, a young runner dreaming of competing on the world stage.
Her story starts in Boquete, Panama, with her sister Gloria and a simple question: what could they do that they would enjoy and get better at?
They had always loved running as kids, even if endurance hadn't come naturally.
Freedom decided to give it a go.
First came local 5km races. Then 10km. Then bigger distances, stronger competition and a belief that this could become something more.
There was sibling rivalry, too. Gloria often stood on the top step of the podium while Freedom stood on the second. But as the distances grew, Freedom began finding her own strength.
She loved going long.
Then came her first trail race: 42km through the mountains around Boquete, with 2,900 metres of climbing.
Six months of preparation. Eight hours, 11 minutes and 40 seconds on the course. Sections so steep she needed her hands to climb.
Quite the introduction to trail running.
She had experience with distance, but this was something else entirely. Mountains have a way of making your expectations feel very small.
Around 30km, she struggled emotionally. The effort was becoming as much a mental challenge as a physical one.
With support from the organisers' aid stations along the route, she kept working her way towards the finish.
That finish now sits on her official UTMB race record.
For Freedom, that race changed what she could imagine for herself.
The mountains she trains in became part of a bigger ambition: to grow as an ultrarunner and one day compete for wins at international races.
She draws inspiration from local runners, including Jaime Caballero and his wife.
And she is honest about what Instagram can leave out: the aches, setbacks and difficult days behind the photos.
Her dream includes UTMB.
She wants to see how far years of dedication can take her.
From a girl who couldn't run a minute to a young woman finding her strength in the mountains.
Big dreams can start with one small step.
#RunningJourney #TrailRunning #WomenWhoRun
09 Nov 2026
He started running to clear his head. Along the way, he found a community that stretched around the world.
Meet Phil, a Melbourne runner discovering that the best part of a finish line is often the people you meet getting there.
His journey began with grief. In 2021, his grandparents passed away within four months of each other. They had helped raise him, and running gave him space to process the loss.
An Achilles injury interrupted that chapter. When he returned in June 2025, watching friends tackle marathons inspired him to try one himself.
Just one. A famously reliable promise from a future marathon addict.
Soon, running was taking him from Melbourne to Tokyo, Berlin and New York. Different cities, different languages, the same familiar feeling when someone laces up beside you.
A stranger becomes a running partner. A chat at a shakeout becomes a friendship. Suddenly, a city you have never visited feels a little more like home.
Through run clubs, races and the conversations in between, Phil has met runners from all around the world. People with different backgrounds, ambitions and paces, brought together by the simple decision to show up.
New York captured that feeling perfectly.
At the marathon, he took the longer line around corners to reach spectators other runners were passing by. More high fives. More smiling kids. More strangers shouting, “Go Phil!”
He finished in 3:41, well outside his personal best, and called it the best running experience of his life.
The clock told one story. The people told another.
Running has also helped Phil become more open and comfortable being himself. That confidence has made it easier to start conversations, say yes to experiences and build connections wherever he goes.
Now he is bringing that spirit home.
Together with his mate Rohit, Phil has founded Running on Ideas, ROI Run Club, in Melbourne.
A place to move, meet people and share ideas. Somewhere a conversation can begin with “What pace are you running?” and grow into a friendship, a collaboration or a new possibility.
He still has ambitions on the clock. But he is also building something that lasts beyond race day.
#ROIRunClub #RunningonIdeas
08 Nov 2026
🦉🗽 Owl you need is love. But a roof would be nice too.
Of all the wildlife I expected to encounter in New York City, a barn owl in Central Park certainly wasn't on my bingo card!
Just before leaving Melbourne, I'd photographed a beautiful Australian barn owl. So imagine my astonishment when, halfway around the world, Franziska spotted another one perched high in a tree in Central Park! Naturally, out came the camera. 📸
But behind these beautiful birds lies a rather extraordinary New York story.
In October, a family of seven barn owls, two parents and five youngsters, became unlikely Manhattan celebrities after nesting inside a rooftop water tower on the Upper West Side. Their arrival was believed to mark the first documented barn owl nest in Manhattan in modern history. An extraordinary feat in one of the world's most densely populated cities!
Then, on 29 October, disaster struck. Construction workers removed the roof of their water tower, exposing the nest and displacing the family. Conservationists were outraged, authorities intervened, and New Yorkers rallied around their feathered neighbours.
Thankfully, by 2 November, all seven owls had been accounted for, with the parents apparently continuing to feed their young at alternative locations. ❤️
Whether the owl we encountered was one of this famous family, I can't say for certain. But watching it perched precariously in the wind, wobbling like a tipsy New Yorker after happy hour, I couldn't help feeling it had already endured enough excitement for one week. 😂
There's something magical about discovering such delicate wildlife surviving amid the skyscrapers, sirens and relentless energy of Manhattan.
From Melbourne to Manhattan, two barn owls in a matter of weeks. Sometimes the most memorable encounters are the ones you never planned.
And a special thanks to Franziska for those eagle eyes! Or should I say owl eyes? 👀
📍 Central Park, New York City
📸 Photo by Jifeng Lin
#BarnOwl #CentralPark #NYCWildlife #UrbanWildlife #BirdPhotography #WildlifePhotography #NewYorkCity #FotoByPhil #SaveTheOwls
08 Nov 2026
🍎Greeter Elizabeth had a ton of fun with @fotobyphil , a visitor from Australia 🇦🇺who ran @nycmarathon ! They shared marathon stories (Elizabeth ran the marathon before he was born…lol) and they shared lots of laughs.
One of the highlights of the Greet was @stonewallvisctr . Inside the museum is a replica of the jukebox that was playing when the bar was raided by the police in 1969. The songs are all from the ‘60s and you can take a coin the museum provides to play a song of your choice. He made the selection, the song came on and he exclaimed “This is so incredibly cool😎 !”
Thanks for taking a walk with us!
#bigapplegreeter #internationalgreeters #bigapplegreeter35 #explorenyc
07 Nov 2026
42.2km of running, five boroughs, millions of cheers, and a lifetime of memories! 🗽🏃♂️🇺🇸
Huge shoutout to @mistymountainrunners for capturing these incredible moments of me running the New York City Marathon! 📸
There's something special about seeing your marathon journey through someone else's lens; the determination, the exhaustion, the sheer joy, and probably a few questionable facial expressions along the way. 😂
The energy of NYC was absolutely electric, and these photos let me relive it all over again.
Thanks for being out there supporting runners and turning fleeting moments into lasting memories. Legends! ❤️
Huge shoutout to @qk_running for making running gear that actually works! 🙌 From the singlet to the tights, everything stayed comfortable, breathable and exactly where it should be for all 42.2km of the New York City Marathon. No chafing, no distractions, no wardrobe malfunctions; just good gear doing its job while I did mine. When you're running a marathon, the last thing you want to worry about is your clothing. Cheers for keeping me covered, quite literally! 🏃♂️🗽🔥
And a special mention to @mizunoaustralia for the shoes that carried me through every stride across NYC's five boroughs.
#NYCMarathon #MistyMountainRunners #TCSNYCMarathon #MarathonMemories #RunNYC
07 Nov 2026
🦉🇦🇺🇺🇸 From Melbourne to Manhattan: A Tale of Two Barn Owls!
Just before leaving Melbourne for New York, I had the incredible opportunity to photograph a beautiful barn owl. Little did I know that, halfway around the world, I'd chance upon another one right here in Central Park!
A massive thank you to Franziska, whose eagle eyes spotted it first! I was absolutely astounded. Of all the wildlife I expected to encounter in the Big Apple, another barn owl certainly wasn't on my bingo card!
Here's a fascinating bit of ornithological trivia: American and Australian barn owls, once considered the same species, are now recognised as distinct species by some taxonomic authorities.
🇺🇸 American Barn Owl (Tyto furcata): Typically golden buff and grey above, with pale underparts.
🇦🇺 Eastern Barn Owl (Tyto javanica): Often sandy orange and grey, with fine dark spotting.
Despite their subtle differences, both possess those hauntingly beautiful heart shaped faces, extraordinary hearing and almost silent flight. And neither actually hoots; they let out bloodcurdling screeches worthy of a horror film!
Different continents, different species, same heart shaped face. Apparently, even the owls are following me on my travels! 😂
Spotted by @face_the_moment
First photo by @jacquelineuws
Second photo by me @fotobyphil
#BarnOwl #CentralPark #WildlifePhotography #NewYorkCity #FotoByPhil
07 Nov 2026
🦉 Evicted, homeless and now getting blown about by the wind. Welcome to New York! 😂💨
Randomly spotted this beautiful barn owl wobbling precariously in the wind in Central Park, looking like it had just checked Manhattan rental prices.
But there's quite a backstory to these feathered New Yorkers!
In October, a family of seven barn owls, two parents and five youngsters, made history as the first known barn owls to nest in Manhattan in modern recorded history. They'd taken up residence in a water tower on the Upper West Side, becoming overnight celebrities and attracting crowds of birdwatchers and photographers.
Then, on 29 October, construction workers removed the roof of their water tower home, effectively evicting the entire family! 😱
Conservationists were outraged, authorities issued a stop work order, and concerns grew for the five youngsters, who still depended on their parents for food.
Thankfully, by 2 November, all seven had been accounted for and appeared to have relocated to alternative roosting spots nearby. ❤️
So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across this little beauty wobbling away in Central Park! Could it be one of the famous seven?
First they lose their roof, then they have to deal with New York's windy conditions. At this rate, they'll be applying for rent stabilisation and filing a complaint with the landlord! 🦉🏙️
#CentralPark #BarnOwl #NYCWildlife #NewYorkCity #WildlifePhotography
07 Nov 2026
See below 👇
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DfbJ9IhgE3J/
07 Nov 2026
🦉 A real hoot in Central Park!
Only in New York could you randomly stumble across a barn owl with a more dramatic housing story than most Manhattanites!
Barn owls are "extremely rare sights" in New York City, according to the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and have only been documented in Brooklyn and the Bronx.
A family of seven barn owls, two parents and five youngsters, recently made history as the first known barn owls to nest in Manhattan in modern recorded history.
Sadly, construction workers removed the roof of their water tower home on the Upper West Side, effectively evicting the family. Thankfully, all seven have since been accounted for and appear to have found alternative places to roost.
And today, completely by chance, I spotted this beauty in Central Park! Could it be one of the famous seven? 🦉
Even the owls aren't safe from New York's brutal rental market! 🏙️😂
#CentralPark #BarnOwl #NYCWildlife #BirdPhotography #NewYorkCity
07 Nov 2026
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