Yesterday I completed another challenge, this one was the Kokoda 30km trail run through the Brisbane Forest. My body was still a little weary from last week’s Great Wall marathon and lack of sleep but I managed to pull of the task.

After some speeches, the last post and a minutes silence, we (myself, Scott and Tania) headed off at 7am into the bush and hills. OMG nonstop steep hills!!!
Next year if I participate I must remember to take my trekking poles, especially for when climbing back up out of the Hell Hole! Every single muscle was being used at some stage or the other and this could be felt the following day, our bodies felt like they have had an awesome all over work out, quite stiff and sore in all muscles and joints!!!

The morning was alittle cool but about half an hour in we soon warmed off and stripped our long sleeve compression tops off. It turned into a gorgeous day to be trekking and running through the bush and forest.

We had on our green “Smells Like Team Spirit” shirts with the print proudly sponsored by Design House! Every time we passed people they said, “There goes the green team again!”

My cousins Amanda, Mark and their friend Tom also had a three persons team called the “Challengers!”

I ended up having to dig deep after the Hell Hole and came in half an hour in front of my team. I was feeling so drained from the week before I had to keep moving while I had the energy, I couldn’t keep stop starting to catch my breath on every hill, I just had to keep moving! Pain was starting in my knee from my PFPS so I had to get finished asap!

My run keeper said I came in at 4:57:07 mins.
Doing 32.4km with an elevation climb of 1,257m!!!
Why the extra 2.4km?
Coming to a crucial turn that was unmarked all us at the front of the pack turned right and followed the leaders perhaps up to 100 people. Until someone came along and said we were going the wrong way, so all had to turn around and head the other way! On the way back some signage magically appeared!!
All the leaders were now up to 2 to 4km off track!
Why there was no marshal on the track to direct people and correct signage was commented on by several competitors.

When I finally ran in under the finish line the woman who was supposed to scan my bib to take my time said she didn’t think she would till the rest of my team came in?
I queried how am I supposed to know my official time?
A man I had chatted to at one stage during the race came and spoke to me while I waited for the others, he said he left his mate half way as he was lagging and they agree to do this before the race due to different fitness levels and said he got scanned in. I also passed several other people on their own on the track.
I decided to go back to the time station and informed them I wished to have my bib scanned.
After I said you have done this for others, the lady said, “yeah well we probably weren’t supposed to??”
(one would assume a time marshal would have been briefed on what to do and know their role thoroughly for a competition race?)
Anyway I FINALLY had my bib scanned at 12:09:32pm, 15 minutes after I had completed the race!
My team came in another 17 minutes after this at 05:26:55mins which was a fantastic result!
The woman said the time on our certificates would be the time of the slowest runner to come in. I said that’s fine, makes sense?
Our team time would have been over 20+mins shorter for our team if we hadn’t of run an extra 2.4km due to the direction error plus a time marshal delaying my individual result by 15mins on top of this. The website also gives you your INDIVIDUAL RESULTS official time … it would be nice to have that correct to try to better in the future.

There was quite a long delay for people registering, some competitors were still lined up when we started the race. As this was the Inaugural race I’m sure some systems could and will be improved upon for next year.

Our team ended up coming 9th out of 51 - three person teams so that was an Awesome result considering doing an extra 2.4km on top of the original 30km plus we are amateur fun runners!!
All in all we had a fantastic day and desipte those couple of things the event was really well run and fun, so thank you to the volunteers and organisers … the weather was magical ….there was a free sausage sizzle afterwards … we met heaps of nice and motivated people on the course …. and have many great memories of a tough but doable challenge…. I dare say we will be back next year and highly recommend this event to anyone seeking a fun adventure with your mates!!
What an Awesome experience to have the opportunity to take part in the Inaugural Event, this should grow to be huge! 

After a few months of long distance running along the Esplanade walk / bike path in Hervey Bay, 15+ km hill runs on the Christensen St Hills and several 70 lap stints of the Damon Park stairs (5180 steps per session) my friend Emma and I finally achieved our goal – to run and complete the Great Wall Marathon of China 2011 …. All 42km + 5,164 steps!!!!!

Somehow I stumbled across the great Wall Marathon event online and right away I had a deep feeling I just had to achieve this, therefore I immediately proceeded to make this exciting, adventurous & challenging goal a reality!

This marathon is described my many running magazines, promotional advertisements, sports websites and runners / competitors as one of the “TOUGHEST” ever …. I thought, What perfect conditions for our first ever competitive marathon!!!

Two days before the marathon we went for an orientation day, had a look around and climbed the 3.5km section of wall steps that we would be completing twice during the actual marathon. The following day I was alittle embarrased and asked several other participants, “Are your legs sore?” and everyone said YES!
OMG we had to go into this marathon with aching leg muscles and severe sleep depravation, not the best way to take on a task such as this!!!

We had a 2.30am wake up call to climb on a bus for a 2hour trip to Yin Yang Square for the start of the race. The temperature was so cold!!! They had performers and loud music so we all joined in an amusing aerobics / dance routine and soon warmed up ready for the start of the race. Dencorub, sun cream, hat, hydration pack, knee strapped, camera, snacks TICK … and after a countdown we were off at 7.30am on the dot!

It turned into such a beautiful clear blue day being very hot at lunch especially for the second phase of the stairs! It was sensational to be out of the thick Beijing smog and able to breathe clear mountain air!

What a hard slog it was!
We both had knees troubles and been to see physio’s during our training. I have PFPS (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome) which with some strapping my knee didn’t hurt and tracked correct for the whole race. Emma’s sore knee played up but she pushed through the pain.

At the 36km mark we had 8km to go the first 3km being roughly 2,600 stairs again in the opposite direction then a 5km run home down a hill which we had climbed to begin the race. When I arrived back to the wall stairs, Emma decided to push ahead and after she went I literally hit a wall! OMG they were so exhausting with more up then down this time.
The extreme heat, not knowing if I had consumed enough calories or water also played on my mind as I was feeling a little nauseous and delirious.
But there was no way I was stopping!!!!
Just keeping going … one step after another, I told myself in my head (the same thing I said many times when climbing to Base Camp Mt Everest in Oct last year).
As I continued on the wall it appeared most others were it this same condition!!
After conquering the last few steps I found a second wind and ran the last five km home!

What a fantastic feeling to finally achieve that current goal after months of preparation plus not getting sick in China or an injury during training or on the day!

My personal time was 6:39:09 mins and Emma came in at 6:15:23 mins.

My Rank Information: Women 35-39 years

Rank category              20 of 34
Rank sex                      109 of 202
Rank overall                 391 of 582 

The Australian company we booked through Travelling Fit (the Marathon Package Experts) were extremely professional  and helpful with representative Paul Clements coming on the tour and handling all queries with ease then completing the marathon with us being his first also! They also supplied our Amazing shirts for the day … you could easily recognise the 200  Aussies in the race to cheer them on!!!

At the after party I also had the pleasure to meet and had a chat with Henrik Brandt from Denmark. He has completed all 12 Great Wall Marathons from when they first started and has the medals to prove it!!! He told me he would like to do at least 25!

Now, one must remember I’m not an elite athlete; I’m just a girl with a passion for adventure and life, so anyone can do these challenges if you put your mind to it!!!
It not about fast times, it’s about setting a goal, getting out of your comfort zone, working hard and completing the task no matter what!!!!
You will meet like minded people, build self confidence, feel fit and healthy, proud of yourself and learn to love yourself …because if you don’t no one else will!!!
Good Luck, Go Hard and Reap the Rewards!!!

A big thank you to the organisers and volunteers for doing such a SENSATIONAL job!!!!

Plus a big and huge thank you to my friend Emma for commiting to this also and being an awesome training patner, without her support this may not have been possible!!!

This Sunday on the 29^th of May I have to back up with a 30km trail run in Brisbane!

Hmmmm what next!

Great Wall Marathon videos here!

“We are the Champions my friends!!!!!”
42.2km including 5,164 steps!!!
China Great Wall Marathon 2011; Emma 6:16mins, Jeanette 6:40mins! (21/05/2011)

Below: Orientation Day “Bring It On!!!!”

Tiananmen Square Beijing

The Forbidden City Beijing

How cool is this, if I wasn’t going on holidays for two weeks I would SO do this!!!!!! Always next year!

Live Below the Line is an incredible new awareness and fundraising campaign that’s making a huge difference in the fight against extreme poverty.  

“Join thousands of Australians Living on $2 of food a day for 5 days and help fight extreme poverty.”
If Hugh Jackman can do it, I could do it!

$10 for groceries for 5 days, hhhmmmmmm I think I would require frozen vegies, lots of bread (fills me up), pasta, eggs & some oats.

Ok I just did a dummy Woolworths Shop Online:

Homebrand Vegetables Mixed 1kg   - $1.71
2 x Homebrand Bread – White Sandwich 700g  - $1.29
2 x Homebrand Pasta Spirals Small 500g  - $0.65 each
Homebrand Eggs 12 700g  - $2.91
Homebrand Oats Rolled 750g  - $1.28

TOTAL: $9.78
(22 cents left over for some choc drops from the corner store! OMG NOICE!)

Brekkie: Oats, Boiled Egg & Piece Of Toast
Lunch: Boiled Egg Sandwich
Dinner: Pasta Sandwich & Vegies!

YUMMY!

 

The week of Live Below the Line is a week like no other. From May 16th – 20th, thousands of Australians will spend just $2 each day on food, and use their daily experiences to bring extreme poverty to the centre of conversation in homes around Australia. How to Participate click here! or make a donation!

This looks interesting:

Imagine if you could get paid to pound the pavement?
A wage for working out?
All you need to do is put a band on your wrist, get out & about.
It detects when you’re active & after 60 minutes it displays a code. All you need to do is upload the code online & you get free reward points. There are some big players behind the project: Target, JB Hi-Fi, EB Games, Apple Itunes, Rebel Sport, Myer & David Jones are offering a range of rewards!

Awesome for children, they can make their own money from being healthy and shop to reward themselves!

Click here to learn more!!!

[Info via Today Tonight]