Sunday, June 24, 2012

This is getting serious

So in my last post (no pun intended) I wrote about the Kokoda Challenge and why I am walking it. Well, I sort of did. I burbled on about Sam Worthington with his shirt of a fair bit too. I also said I'd put up the more "serious" reasons why I am doing it. Serious reason #1 I love a challenge and seem to excel at picking ones that end up freaking me right out and causing more than a little stress to those who love me. I'm just that kind of gal. In January 2011 I realised I had to really make some major changes in my life - I was tipping the scales at 144kg and feeling pretty FARKING crap-tacular about myself. So I started the long, slow slog that is losing weight and getting fit in a way that was sustainable and healthy. There were quite a few trips, falls, stumbles, romping around in chips and gravy and general carry on I am not overly proud of along the way, but I am now down to 118kg and am healthier than I can remember being in over 10 years. In Jnaury the lovely Emma McLaren asked if anyone would be interested in doing this walking things called the Kokoda Callenge and of course I went "hell yeah!". Fast forward to now and I have spent the last 5 months doing lots of walking, trying out things like endurance gels (I have puked a lot too), learned how to tape up my feet and experienced the joy that is walking like a cowboy because I thought I didn't need chafing cream for a long walk. Serious reason #2 Like so many people, I had relatives who fought in the Second World War. One who ZI got to know very well was my Great Uncle Ken, who I knew fought in the war and was in North Africa and PNG campaigns. he didn't talk much about it and it was only later, near the end of his life, that I found out what he did. To me he was just UNcle Ken, who had an awesome model railway set and always gave us chocolate when we visited. It turns out news a major general and his "job" on Kokoda was to command the 25th Brigade. It was his decision to withdraw to Imita Ridge and in doing so, gained a strategic advantage over the Japanese advance. I had a chance to talk to him a bit about this and I asked him what it was like ot be in that position. his Answer is one I will keep saying to myself when I get tired on the challenge "You make a commitment, you do it. No matter what". This is a picture of him taken in September, 1942. I am proud of him and those like him, who serve our country today. It is them I will be thinking of as I walk. serious reason #3 Ummmmm. No idea. Seemed like a good idea at the time?

Saturday, May 26, 2012

The Kokoda challenge, motivation and Daniel Craig

So, some of you know I am doing the Kokoda Challenge in 7 weeks time (it's ok, that noise you can hear is me freaking out). And some of you have asked some great questions and I thought I'd put some answers up here for you 1) there are 4 people in your team - is it a relay? I WISH!!!! No, the 96km have to be covered by all four of us at the same time. So we will either be best of friends or not by the end of it. I reckon the friendships will be more tested by the distressed donkey noises you begin to make (completely involuntarily of course) after 50km of non stop walking. 2) as there is a 39 hour time limit, will you run part of it? Obviously this question has been asked by people who DON'T know me well. Let's just get something straight - I DON'T RUN. I can get enough of an undulation going when I'm walking. I am a woman of generous proportions, running kind of makes people think they are seeing a motion that closely resembles a lava lamp on PCP. I also really hate how I feel when I run. Giving birth was more fun, mainly because I was given lots of drugs if I wanted them. Morphine may not make running any easier, but it means I don't notice the discomfort as much. There are a FEW things I MAY run for on the challenge (a) if a lion, tiger, Ray Warren or some other scary animal is chasing me. I will run then, but only until I pass someone and then I'll slow down. As the old joke goes, you don't need to outrun a lion, you just need to run faster than the person who's with you ;) (b) if I get word someone is waiting at the next checkpoint with a glass of champers or long island iced tea. Preferably both. You are fairly likely to see me pick up the pace then. (c) I get word that Daniel Craig or Sam Worthington are waiting for me at the next checkpoint. With their shirts off. Waiting to rub my legs. With their shirts off. I can pretty much guarantee a quick jog for that. (d) if Daniel Craig and Sam Worthington are waiting for me at the next checkpoint, with their shirts off, holding champagne AND a long island iced tea and are waiting to rub my legs, I am likely to set a pace that would give Usain Bolt a run for his money. 3) Why are you doing this? BECAUSE I'M LOONY!!!! I'll tell you the real reasons in my next post. Really

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

More of a POBGPAD than a JFDI kind of gal

I have made no secret that I am doing the Michelle Bridges 12 week body transformation (12wbt) program. I am on my second round now and enjoy the results I am getting. It is NOT like biggest loser, with me standing on the scales crying every time I drop 500gm or getting voted out of my own house (although that may be up as an option if my PMS keeps getting bad, but that's a WHOLE other post). You can lose huge amounts on 12wbt if you want, but I have found that a slow and steady approach is a better way for me to go rather than the hell for leather, train until you puke (ok, YES, I tend to puke when I train anyway but running and I have NEVER been good friends. Especially after lunch) crazy lose-weight-so-fast-you-leave-fat-droplets-behind-you kind off thing. Soooooooo...
A mantra of sorts on the 12wbt program is JFDI, which means Just Fucking Do it. Ok. Fair enough. That works. Sometimes. But not always. I have had people say it to me and they mean to be encouraging but they have sometimes, quite unintentionally, come within a whisker of me shoving a brick up them sideways. Seriously. Tough love DOES have a place but not for everyone and not all of the time. I am also a quite simple soul and really, I need a BIT more direction than JFDI. JFDI what exactly? Go for a run? Or eat a chocolate eclair? I tend to subscribeomorrowe to the view of "put on (your) big girl pants and deal" or POBGPAD for short. Nowhere near as catchy as JFDI, but it's early days. Could be the new black!
Anyway, this is what I tend to keep in my head when my resolve to go for a walk falters or I just want to fill the bath with chips and gravy and then jump in and swim around in it. POBGPAD. Seriously. And when I look at my old knickers (size 28) those a fairly huge FARKING big girl pants. Not only were they once knickers, they can now also double as an emergency tent or backup parachute. With Big girl pants that huge, there isn't much you can't deal with. Really.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Another shameless spruik for money and support!! Or speak to me, big kahuna!!!

Hi everyone
Well, most of you now have heard me talking about the Kokoda Challenge, which I am doing in July this year and I have promised is to get more info out to you. Soooooooo...

What is it??
It is an endurance bushwalking event. With three  other adventurous souls in my team, I will be walking a 96km course that encompasses more than 5000 metres of elevation and 12 creek crossings through the Gold Coast Hinterland. On average only half of the teams entered make it to the finish line as a complete team, despite this we hope to get there within the 39 hours. It isn’t a relay – we all start together and finish together, unless someone withdraws due to injury or on medical advice. We are one of the 34  “all ladies” teams taking part this year. So far, 358 teams of four have signed up. You can find more info here https://kokodachallenge.com/

Why do it?
Well, those of you who know me well know I just can’t resist a big kahuna of a challenge. So for me it is the challenge of taking on something hard and that will push me so far outside my “comfort zone” I will probably end up a little bit loopy. Also, it raises money for the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program which is a 14 month early intervention program is helping young people from a variety of backgrounds to gain confidence, direction, new friends and the skills to overcome any obstacles that life throws at them. As I am married to a teacher who has dealt with his fair share of “at risk teens”, a program like this can go a long way to getting someone back on track. https://kokodachallenge.com/kokoda-challenge-youth-program

How can you help?
Besides not openly pointing and laughing when you see me in hiking shoes, what helps the most is money. My team need to raise $1500 by mid June. All donations over $2 are fully tax deductible. If a business is interested in making a donation, it is still tax deductible BUT we are also offering to put those who give us donations a “plug” on our team t shirts, plus plastering their names all over our FB page etc. $250 and over will get a business name on the front of the shirt, $100-$249 will get  a business name printed on the sleeve or the back.

How do I make a donation?
You can donate online. This is our team page http://kokodachallenge.com/team-profile/aim-train-lemurs-3200 where you can get info on us and donate. The form that will come up will give you the option of either doing a bank deposit or using a credit card. If you choose to do a bank deposit, PLEASE make sure that you mention our team name “Aim Train lemurs” in the reference line, so the money is put against our fundraising total. Also, send me an email that you have done a deposit this way so I can make sure it gets registered properly. You don’t need to send me bank details, just your account name, the amount you deposited and when.


Lastly, THANKYOU for reading this and please feel free to pass it on to anyone you know who may want to help. This is a great cause and I am really, really excited about doing this challenge.
Em

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Judge Dredd or dread judgement?

"put down your weapons and prepare to be judged!!"
Those words rang out from old Sly Stalloe's lips when he played the comic character Judge Dredd in a rather cheesy film of the same name. Possibly he is the only one who was authorised to do this without any input from anyone else.
What relevance does this have in this post? Glad you asked!
I have signed back up for the 12 week body transformation program, run by the trainer Michelle Bridges. This is my second "round" and I was hesitant to sign up for a few reasons. The main one was a fear of being judged (or being judgemental of others) by other participants on the forums. It happened last time and was unpleasant. Even more unpleasant was watching obviously vulnerable people being judged by others online. Online Forums can be a harsh place. Do people need to stop making excuses and accept responsibility for their weight and eating habits? Yep. Does everyone repond well to a kick up the arse, delivered online? Nope. You can come away feeling miserable, bullied and judged. Or you can come away motivated. How does the person delivering this kick know it's the right way to go? They don't. And what is worse it can be catching. You could find yourself reading something, as I did, and agreeing. I am in no better position to judge someone than any other forum member. Doesn't leave you feeling good.
Am I anti 12wbt? Not at all. It's a great program that is really working for me. What I don't like is the judgement I sometimes see being passed. Not just on the forums but also in environments like FB and even around a tea table at work. Am I a judgemental person? Yep. I just try to keep it to myself. I'm not an expert in anything, despite how I like to appear. So I think people should at least think before they judge or pass comment.
And tomorrow I will end world poverty. Or not. But it would be nice.