Last year, I blogged about Smiling for Smiddy, here is guest blog post by my friend, my get-ready-for-tough-mudder personal trainer, and an all-round inspiration, Anna Tate – enjoy!
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On the list of things I do and don’t do, triathlon was firmly in the don’t. Too much lycra, too many good bodies, too many opportunities to make a fool of myself and too many ‘cool’ kids were amongst the many reasons that kept it firmly on that side of the list.
I was, after all, the kid who came last in every race at primary school, the one who was picked last for ballgames and the uncoordinated girl in the body attack class who constantly ran into others.
Fast forward a few years and here I am a lycra wearing, coffee drinking cyclist and now triathlete. Let’s be clear, I’m not good at either of these sports and I am still waiting for the day when lycra shows off my six pack rather than my lumpy bits, but I am loving it.
Just under two years ago I signed up for my first long distance ride with Smiling for Smiddy, a program of the Mater Foundation that raises funds for cancer research. In my head I was signing up for a jolly weekend of pedalling serenely through the countryside on bikes with baskets. In reality I found myself in a peloton of 50 cyclists riding close to 600km in three days. I have never been so terrified in the lead up and never felt so satisfied in the aftermath.
After falling in love with Smiddy, I began working here in June 2013 where I head up the triathlon program. At the end of last year we introduced our beginners tri program specifically for newbies like me. Even with my new found love of cycling I was super nervous starting the program. But there was something about doing it with other ‘real’ people as we laughed and joked and muddled our way through.
Most of us found something that we love and can do, albeit at very different levels. Completing our first triathlon together was pretty cool. We raised close to $20,000 for cancer research which we hope will change lives and in doing so managed to change our own lives as well.
Our next beginner tri program begins here in Brisbane on 4th March – 6 weeks before the Gold Coast Triathlon. For the time poor sessions are short, sharp and early. If you want to join our us then check out Smiling for Smiddy Tri Team
Fast Facts:
Dates – Training begins 4th March – 3 mornings per week for 6 weeks.
Gold Coast Triathlon – 13th April
Fundraising goal – $1250 – includes coaching and entry fees
Registration Fee – $75
Benefactors – Mater Foundation – funding four cancer research projects – melanoma, breast, ovarian and prostate.
Follow Smiling for Smiddy on facebook or contact them via email info@smiddy.org.au
