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Molly, 9, will be running from Melbourne to Canberra for the Children's Cancer Institute. Picture: David Caird

She’s small for her age but Molly runs like the wind

She wears size four clothes and only just reaches the armpit of her competitors but Molly Bremner has a heart as big as the sky.

The nine-year-old from Essendon West who was born eight weeks premature has been running for as long as her mother Angela, 38, can remember.

“When Molly started walking, it was at one speed which was full speed,” Mrs Bremner said.

“She didn’t walk. She just ran everywhere.”

And she is still running.

Every day Molly runs 3-6km and on the weekends she runs 21km. During isolation when she has been slightly curtailed, she runs around the block - 35 times at once.

She’s in training for her plans to run to Canberra in September to raise money for children’s brain cancer which sadly took the life of her baby sister, Phoebe, when she was only seven months’ old.

“Molly is the only person in our whole family who never got to meet Phoebe because she died before Molly was born,” she said.

“She feels left out and it was her idea to do this run for the Children’s Cancer Institute in September so we had to support her. It’s something she wants to do for Phoebe.”

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Molly, 9, (pictured with her mum, Angela) can’t wait to hit the road in September, running about 35km a day from Melbourne to Canberra. Picture: David Caird

Last weekend, Molly ran 42km in five hours and 59 minutes which Mrs Bremner said was a good test of how she’ll cope with the September marathon. She well and truly showed them she’s ready.

“When she does her normal 21km run now, it’s like a stroll in the park for her and it takes her two hours and 45 minutes,” she said.

“She doesn’t get out of breath and talks to me the whole time. I still run with her during the week but I slow her down so I ride my bike alongside her and will do that to Canberra. My husband Chris will also be nearby with his car if we need it.”

As a small eater, they are working with a sports dietitian to ensure Molly has all the fuel she needs on her marathon which begins on September 10 and ends at Parliament House on September 26.

Molly’s elder sister Lucy, 12, is also sporty as a former elite gymnast but she is now diving with Diving Victoria.

“Lucy is also very fit and healthy but she’s not a runner,” she said.

“We’re a family who loves the outdoors and being active.”

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catherine.lambert@news.com.au

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