Every time I get a little over-ambitious about what I can achieve in a day – how far I can travel, paddle, climb, run – my body likes to remind me with certain aches, pains and strains that I’m only human.
I often get asked what my recovery regime is and who is the best at what they do in sports injuries in Hong Kong. So, here goes.
But it wasn’t until I moved to Hong Kong three years ago that I ran on a proper “trail” and got hooked on this type of running (long distances through nature, often solitary). So truth is, even though Australia is packed full of bush and diverse terrain made perfect for trail running, I’ve not yet been lucky enough to be a part of it.
Over the last few months I’ve met some awesome trail runners from back home who are championing the sport and I’m stoked to have learnt a lot more about the scene “down under” as well as some cool races going on in my ‘hood.
I’ve put together my “bucket list” of Aussie trail/ultra adventures that I hope to take part in one day, hopefully sooner rather than later. Why? To keep myself honest, and to also give my HK/Asia based running friends/adventure junkies some inspiration for their future running goals a little further afield than usual.
1. Big Red Run - 250km in 7 days / 100km / 42km desert run – 8 July onwards
I caught up with a running friend this morning who asked , “If I can’t run in summer, what can I do?” Which got me thinking, what am I going to do this summer when I can’t do my favourite thing (trail running)? While you can still run during summer, you’ve got a few more elements to contend with: serious humidity (increasing the risk of dehydration/heat stroke) and snakes (seriously, I saw three last year). It’s kinda not so pleasant.
So I’ve put together a list of my summer pursuits. It’s not looking so bad after all (and, hey, I even managed to sneak some running in).
And for an ultra marathoning, boxing-loving adventure chick, doing ballet is pretty much as close to doing something “new, unusual or a bit different” as I get.
Let’s put this into context. My disinterest in ballet started 25 years ago when my mother – a ballerina until she was 17 – dragged me to ballet. Rather than taking part, I did cartwheels instead. Much to my mother’s dismay, I didn’t last long.
In a city where smiles are scarce and generosity is even scarcer, I was intrigued. By Dom’s side sat an old trunk full of books in English and French. I sat down with her while she explained her story.
Beautiful Dom met the man of her dreams a little over ten months ago and is now taking the plunge to travel to New York to be with him. She had confidence in her dream and – just this week – landed a brilliant job and will soon be leaving town.
“But what am I going to do with all my books?” she explained her quandary. In a moment of creativity, Dom decided she would set herself up on a beautiful Hong Kong afternoon and open her treasure chest – and her heart- to her neighbours. Read More
Wrong.
If any of you’ve played touch football at anything above the “throw it around in the park” level, you will know that touch football has a lot of rules, a lot of tactics and a lot of technique. What’s more, it’s a lot of fun.
I’ll admit it, I’m a bit of a “Tom Boy”. I swear infrequently at the best of times and atrociously when provoked. I am more comfortable in my running tights and a hoody than high heels and a tight dress (although, when it does happen, I’m happy to say I pull it off). I can run with the boys, hold my own on the ski slopes, throw a strong torpedo pass and pack a serious punch. (Just whatever you do, don’t get me hanging off a rope or submerged in a scuba suit – they are my two worst fears).
