Well done to everyone who took part in Move Month 2023 and congratulations to our individual winners. We look forward to seeing more fitness achievements and goals reached later this year!
I finally have some independence now that my littlest baby has turned one! I would like to get back into a running routine of 20 km a week, and for Move Month my goal was to run 100 km in April – which I am so proud to say I achieved.
I love exercise, especially running. It always makes me feel happy but I don’t always get time to do it. I also love a challenge. At the start of the year, I decided I wanted to train for a marathon again. I’ve completed two marathons before but training, fundraising and being there for my young family makes this really tricky, so I’ve settled on a half-marathon instead. April’s Move Month challenge spurred me on, and I am running at least twice a week and also using my static bike and doing a strength session. We run behind the kids on their bikes at weekends too and join them ice skating when we can. April has been a good month here in London with the sun starting to shine. I have signed up for the Royal Parks half-marathon in October. I’ve done a total of 12 runs this month with a total of 42 km. I am going to up it in May. Thanks for the challenge!
My goal was to walk 60 km during Move Month. I reached a total of 70 km and I am still going! At first, it was not easy walking alone on the streets, as I met people who distracted me along the way. I had to change my route to find quieter and easier roads to navigate. I always make sure I focus. Thank you for the encouragement.
My fitness journey started in September 2021 when I got on the scale and nearly had heart failure! I immediately planned to lose weight and increase my fitness. One year after starting I achieved my first weight loss goal – an impressive 18.5 kg. I also managed to maintain my weight for over seven months. I am very careful about what I eat, and I walk (occasionally run) between 3 to 5 km most days of the week. I walk when I can and sometimes I just need a day off. To achieve my ultimate weight-loss goal I still have 2.8 kg to go but I also know that as I approach that half-century it will be a bit more difficult and take more time to achieve. I’ve also made a decision to be open and honest about my mental health, which gets mixed reactions, but for me it’s an important part of my journey to improved wellbeing. My goal for Move Month was to walk 100 km, which I achieved when I completed a 10 km walk/run on 30 April!
Who said you are too old to play hockey again? I had always wanted to pick up on the game again after I had played at school some 27 years ago, but work and life happened. During Covid, my daughter’s school installed a top-notch Astroturf and invited us parents to play the school coaches once a week. There was no holding me back. I jumped at that opportunity and after two years of practising, I challenged myself to apply for the Western Cape Women’s League club hockey. This March I attended trials and squad training to qualify for a team and I made it! I’ve been competing against other clubs since April 2023. I find competitive team sports a great stress reliever and a positive addiction!
I am very fortunate to live in a gorgeous town based in the Cape called Somerset West (aka Little Switzerland). We are blessed with the most beautiful mountain ranges right on our doorstep. This month I challenged myself to summit the Helderberg Dome peak with my hubby in tow. We have climbed this mountain before but had not reached this particular peak which sits a staggering 1,137m above sea level – some 51 m higher than our famous Table Mountain a few kilometres away. It was no easy task and quite scary at some points where a loose rock can determine whether you live or die! Once up there, it was incredible to see the panoramic views and all the plant and animal species that survive that altitude. It really made us feel alive with our heads up in the clouds and where we watched eagles soar below us instead of above us.
