At a local Parkrun, on Saturday morning, I had the pleasure of talking to one of Hobart’s Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Paul Sillifant.
A: It’s nice to meet you at Parkrun.
P: Nice to meet you, Alan.
A: How was your run today?
P: I was a bit late to get here. So, it was a tough run.
A: But it is actually a good run.
P: It is a very good run. I like the hills. Breaks it up a bit. I am not keen on the flat courses.
A: Well, some people come here and complain about the hills.
P: Ha, ha.
A: They say it is hilly.
P: It is good.
A: Yeah, we like hills.
A: Can we start at the beginning. Where were you born?
P: I was born in Kununurra. In the Kimberley of WA.
P: Dad was over there putting in the Ord River Dam. We then moved near to Albany when I was about four.
P: We had a farmlet there. Then studied dentistry in Perth.
P: Then worked for the air force. In Canberra and WA as a dentist.
Then did Medicine and Oral Surgery training.
A: When you graduated as a OMF Surgeon you were older than the average. Did that give you an advantage?
P: Yes. It is all about the journey. I think it is amazing the things you get to do when you are training. You need to realise how good it is. I loved that time when I was training. You didn’t have all that stress of practices.
A: So, when did you start the Hobart practice?
P: 2016. I was lucky. The dental community said please set up. Everybody open arms for me. They welcomed me. They were very good to me. Supported me. I was busy from day one.
A: When did you start running?
P: Used to run as a kid. Did Little Athletics. Then surfing. Began running again when in the military. Went in triathlons.
A: So, have you been running in Hobart since you came here?
P: Yes. Various events. Point to Pinnacle.
A: A tough race.
P: A very tough race. I managed to get my sub two-hour hat.
A: You said before you like hills well that is a big hill.
P: I love hill running because you can get the workout without the injury. Avoids knee and ankle injuries.
A: Why do you run? What do you enjoy about it?
P: You can do it with your family. On the weekend everyone is a bit sluggish. Saturday morning you do your Parkrun and all your troubles are behind you. We then go down the docks and have breakfast.
A: When your son came first in Parkrun a few weeks ago who got the most pleasure out of that? Him or you.
P: Ben was our conscientious objector of the family. I would run with the other boys. He used to skate on his skateboard. He started running in year ten. Running helped us bond. His life and mine turned around. I love seeing the boys run.
A: I love running for the social reasons and also there is the emotional reasons. When you are working does it help you?
P: Absolutely. Every morning, I usually get up and run with the boys or with my dog. If I miss the run the day is not as good. It makes you clear. Able to think. Tends to make you feel more grateful for the world you are in.
A: It relaxes your body.
P: Absolutely.
A: And physically it helps. Being a surgeon involves physical work. You have to stand.
P: You have to stand in one position all the time.
A: It is not as easy as it looks.
P: Just loosening your body up, keeps you flexible and not stiff.
A: Without Parkrun you would still run?
P: I probably would. I get in the morning run. Exercise the dog. It is much easier to do things when you think you are doing it for the other people. I want my boys to have some exercise.
A: I would still run without Parkrun but Parkrun helps me run.
P: Like to do one in England. Where they all began.
A: Yeahh. Done a couple in England. There they actually run around parks.
A: Anything planning on?
P: My bucket list says do an ironman.
A: A full one.
A: Where would you like to be in ten years?
P: Doing this. As you get older the same distances become more difficult.
A: I am older. I know that. As the Red Queen said: You have to run twice as fast to stay where you are.
A: It’s nice to meet you at Parkrun.
P: Nice to meet you, Alan.
A: How was your run today?
P: I was a bit late to get here. So, it was a tough run.
A: But it is actually a good run.
P: It is a very good run. I like the hills. Breaks it up a bit. I am not keen on the flat courses.
A: Well, some people come here and complain about the hills.
P: Ha, ha.
A: They say it is hilly.
P: It is good.
A: Yeah, we like hills.
A: Can we start at the beginning. Where were you born?
P: I was born in Kununurra. In the Kimberley of WA.
P: Dad was over there putting in the Ord River Dam. We then moved near to Albany when I was about four.
P: We had a farmlet there. Then studied dentistry in Perth.
P: Then worked for the air force. In Canberra and WA as a dentist.
Then did Medicine and Oral Surgery training.
A: When you graduated as a OMF Surgeon you were older than the average. Did that give you an advantage?
P: Yes. It is all about the journey. I think it is amazing the things you get to do when you are training. You need to realise how good it is. I loved that time when I was training. You didn’t have all that stress of practices.
A: So, when did you start the Hobart practice?
P: 2016. I was lucky. The dental community said please set up. Everybody open arms for me. They welcomed me. They were very good to me. Supported me. I was busy from day one.
A: When did you start running?
P: Used to run as a kid. Did Little Athletics. Then surfing. Began running again when in the military. Went in triathlons.
A: So, have you been running in Hobart since you came here?
P: Yes. Various events. Point to Pinnacle.
A: A tough race.
P: A very tough race. I managed to get my sub two-hour hat.
A: You said before you like hills well that is a big hill.
P: I love hill running because you can get the workout without the injury. Avoids knee and ankle injuries.
A: Why do you run? What do you enjoy about it?
P: You can do it with your family. On the weekend everyone is a bit sluggish. Saturday morning you do your Parkrun and all your troubles are behind you. We then go down the docks and have breakfast.
A: When your son came first in Parkrun a few weeks ago who got the most pleasure out of that? Him or you.
P: Ben was our conscientious objector of the family. I would run with the other boys. He used to skate on his skateboard. He started running in year ten. Running helped us bond. His life and mine turned around. I love seeing the boys run.
A: I love running for the social reasons and also there is the emotional reasons. When you are working does it help you?
P: Absolutely. Every morning, I usually get up and run with the boys or with my dog. If I miss the run the day is not as good. It makes you clear. Able to think. Tends to make you feel more grateful for the world you are in.
A: It relaxes your body.
P: Absolutely.
A: And physically it helps. Being a surgeon involves physical work. You have to stand.
P: You have to stand in one position all the time.
A: It is not as easy as it looks.
P: Just loosening your body up, keeps you flexible and not stiff.
A: Without Parkrun you would still run?
P: I probably would. I get in the morning run. Exercise the dog. It is much easier to do things when you think you are doing it for the other people. I want my boys to have some exercise.
A: I would still run without Parkrun but Parkrun helps me run.
P: Like to do one in England. Where they all began.
A: Yeahh. Done a couple in England. There they actually run around parks.
A: Anything planning on?
P: My bucket list says do an ironman.
A: A full one.
A: Where would you like to be in ten years?
P: Doing this. As you get older the same distances become more difficult.
A: I am older. I know that. As the Red Queen said: You have to run twice as fast to stay where you are.
