WEBVTT - Why menopause shouldn't hold you back from your exercise goals with Cathy Duffy 0:00:11.160 --> 0:00:13.760 Hi, I'm Francesca Rudkins and I'm Louise Area and this 0:00:13.840 --> 0:00:16.560 is season four of our New Zealand HEI podcast Little 0:00:16.560 --> 0:00:18.800 Things Good to have you with us, And this podcast 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:20.720 we talk to experts and find out all the little 0:00:20.760 --> 0:00:23.079 things you need to know to improve all areas of 0:00:23.120 --> 0:00:25.040 your life. And today we're going to cover off our 0:00:25.079 --> 0:00:27.440 mental and physical health and how to have a good 0:00:27.520 --> 0:00:30.639 laugh or possibly cry as we try and motivate you 0:00:30.680 --> 0:00:31.320 to hit a trail. 0:00:31.680 --> 0:00:33.360 So if you're at all interested in putting on some 0:00:33.400 --> 0:00:35.240 trainers and hitting out the door for a walk or run, 0:00:35.320 --> 0:00:37.400 or better still doing it on a trail, or you're 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:39.440 already enjoying the benefits of running but you want to 0:00:39.440 --> 0:00:41.239 step it up and tackle on an event, than this 0:00:41.320 --> 0:00:42.479 podcast is for you. 0:00:43.000 --> 0:00:45.239 Those of you who have been following us since season one, 0:00:45.240 --> 0:00:47.200 you'll know that lou and I met when are now 0:00:47.240 --> 0:00:49.520 eighteen year olds where it can do together. Our joint 0:00:49.520 --> 0:00:52.080 love of exercise in the outdoors is only one of 0:00:52.120 --> 0:00:54.400 the reasons we're friends. But it sure has taken us 0:00:54.400 --> 0:00:57.840 on some pretty crazy adventures, isn't it Sometimes in that 0:00:57.960 --> 0:01:00.320 excellent role direction, Yeah, it's totally very much so. I 0:01:00.360 --> 0:01:02.639 mean we've always been really active over the years, Loo 0:01:02.760 --> 0:01:05.720 We've done boot camps and boxing and training. We've kind 0:01:05.720 --> 0:01:07.880 of tried everything, haven't we. We've sort of been there 0:01:07.880 --> 0:01:11.000 and done that. But then things kind of changed a 0:01:11.000 --> 0:01:13.679 little bit when you came up with this brilliant idea 0:01:14.280 --> 0:01:17.560 to walk a hundred k's for the ox Fan. Yeah, 0:01:18.160 --> 0:01:20.720 was the odd span one hundred kilometer walk. 0:01:21.200 --> 0:01:23.280 It really didn't seem as long in my head as 0:01:23.280 --> 0:01:24.120 it was when we did it. 0:01:24.200 --> 0:01:26.319 We had no idea what we're doing when we decided 0:01:26.360 --> 0:01:28.679 to do it, which it was amazing. It was an 0:01:28.720 --> 0:01:31.360 amazing adventure. But the one thing that we realized we 0:01:31.440 --> 0:01:34.919 got from it was that we'd both grown up enjoying 0:01:34.920 --> 0:01:38.280 the outdoors, but lives are busy, we're working, we've got 0:01:38.280 --> 0:01:41.480 young kids. We hadn't really kind of been out there much, 0:01:41.760 --> 0:01:45.240 and all of a sudden, we were spending days, literally 0:01:45.319 --> 0:01:50.080 days walking tens of yeah and a lot of kilometers, 0:01:50.360 --> 0:01:53.520 and we were like, this is amazing, this is fantastic, 0:01:53.600 --> 0:01:55.800 this is just we just loved it. But then we 0:01:55.880 --> 0:01:58.960 both were like, when it was over, we don't really 0:01:59.080 --> 0:02:02.520 have the time to be walking all day in the bush. 0:02:02.960 --> 0:02:05.600 And then you came up with your second grade idea. 0:02:06.280 --> 0:02:09.120 You've had more than two ideas, but within this context, 0:02:09.320 --> 0:02:11.239 and you went, hey, there's this thing called trial running. 0:02:11.919 --> 0:02:15.360 We should we should give it a go. But we 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:17.359 didn't actually really know that much about it. 0:02:17.480 --> 0:02:18.120 Oh my gosh. 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:20.720 And we didn't actually realize when we entered our first 0:02:20.760 --> 0:02:23.320 half marathon event. I think it was about what was 0:02:23.320 --> 0:02:26.880 it right? Yeah, it was twenty one. Yeah, it would hill, 0:02:27.240 --> 0:02:28.600 what it would entail. 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:32.760 And how different it is to running running totally. 0:02:32.960 --> 0:02:35.760 Yeah, it's so much more that you know, the terrain 0:02:35.880 --> 0:02:38.200 is completely different, so it's more exhausting for the body, 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:42.360 but also you're just going up and down all the time. 0:02:42.720 --> 0:02:44.760 I think the third that would hill. I think we 0:02:44.840 --> 0:02:46.720 came in third and fourth to last. I think there 0:02:46.720 --> 0:02:48.560 were a couple of people behind us and they were 0:02:48.560 --> 0:02:49.560 about seventy. 0:02:49.200 --> 0:02:49.960 Five years old. 0:02:50.600 --> 0:02:52.520 Do you remember when we turned up and I were 0:02:52.520 --> 0:02:54.760 literally we were packing up these up there event was over, 0:02:54.840 --> 0:02:57.560 they were literally packing up. And also one person gave 0:02:57.600 --> 0:02:58.960 us a little clap as we crossed the line. 0:02:58.960 --> 0:03:00.839 I point out there probably were seventy five year olds 0:03:00.840 --> 0:03:04.280 in front of us as well. Yeah, but the trail 0:03:04.360 --> 0:03:07.440 running is really amazing because there are the likes of 0:03:07.520 --> 0:03:11.200 us new bees edit and plodding along and wondering why 0:03:11.200 --> 0:03:13.639 everybody's walking up the hill? We're going for a run, 0:03:13.680 --> 0:03:15.760 aren't we? You know it's no, no, no. 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:18.320 I always walked, you always ran. You're always like, no, no, 0:03:18.360 --> 0:03:19.720 you've got to run. No, you don't. 0:03:19.760 --> 0:03:23.480 Yeah, because my psyche was running, running, running, and that's 0:03:23.480 --> 0:03:26.079 not how trail running works. And then of course you've 0:03:26.080 --> 0:03:29.760 got the young guns just flying past you, and she's 0:03:29.880 --> 0:03:33.440 just like, how do you even do that? Look, we 0:03:33.440 --> 0:03:35.720 were hooked, won't we absolutely? And we found lots of 0:03:35.760 --> 0:03:38.320 different ways of doing it. We fast pack great walks now, 0:03:38.360 --> 0:03:39.840 which is when you sort of walk run one of 0:03:39.880 --> 0:03:41.880 the great walks and do them in a couple of 0:03:41.920 --> 0:03:42.960 days and things like that. 0:03:43.080 --> 0:03:44.040 What do you love about it? 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:50.760 I think it's the company first and foremost the nature. 0:03:51.320 --> 0:03:54.120 It's getting back to those things that I did do 0:03:54.160 --> 0:03:56.520 when I was a kid. You know, when you're a child, 0:03:56.520 --> 0:03:59.680 you went for a bushwalk with your parents, you you know, 0:03:59.760 --> 0:04:02.040 they go at the walk behind talking with their mates 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:03.800 and we would just tear through the bush and having 0:04:03.800 --> 0:04:05.880 a ball, playing games, all sorts of things. It kind 0:04:05.920 --> 0:04:07.720 of I think that's what it brings back for me. 0:04:08.840 --> 0:04:11.000 And it's quick because I'm really impatient. 0:04:11.360 --> 0:04:13.280 It's kind of quick. I mean, we've got to make 0:04:13.320 --> 0:04:16.480 it really clear here. We're not amazing athletes. Please don't 0:04:16.520 --> 0:04:21.400 knock up any of our times because we undertake all 0:04:21.440 --> 0:04:24.599 this in a bid for a good time. Lots of laughs, Gosh, 0:04:24.600 --> 0:04:26.960 we laugh. We do like the core medals and maybe 0:04:27.000 --> 0:04:30.320 a personal best. But these adventures can be really fulfilling 0:04:30.480 --> 0:04:32.080 in lots of ways, can't they. 0:04:32.240 --> 0:04:35.440 Yeah, and I'm you know, I'm all for a tramp 0:04:35.440 --> 0:04:37.000 as well. I think that there's lots of fun. But 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:39.279 I'm not a gear person. The thing I loved, always 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:40.760 loved about running was it. All it took was a 0:04:40.800 --> 0:04:43.760 pair of shoes. And okay, so now I might throw 0:04:43.800 --> 0:04:45.159 five kilograms on a backpack. 0:04:45.240 --> 0:04:48.440 We like the gear, it's just different. It's just not 0:04:48.600 --> 0:04:53.520 lots of gear. No, I like really cool, light, effective gear. Yeah, 0:04:53.600 --> 0:04:55.240 I don't like buying it, but I like it. 0:04:56.120 --> 0:05:00.680 No, I don't. But the other the thing is, and 0:05:00.720 --> 0:05:03.480 we've talked a lot this season about all the different 0:05:03.480 --> 0:05:05.560 things that we know are good for us, and everybody 0:05:05.600 --> 0:05:09.000 keeps on telling us. Time and nature, right, connection with 0:05:09.080 --> 0:05:12.320 a friend, early morning light, if you get out there 0:05:12.320 --> 0:05:15.880 on the trail first thing in the morning. You know, 0:05:16.080 --> 0:05:18.560 you start to see regulars, you get your morning light, 0:05:18.640 --> 0:05:20.479 you get your nature. You're ticking off three your health 0:05:20.520 --> 0:05:23.480 goals before you've even sort of started the day. So 0:05:23.560 --> 0:05:25.160 we want to share the joy today of getting out 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:26.720 into the bush with you and convince you to take 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:28.359 on a new challenge. But we know it can be 0:05:28.400 --> 0:05:31.360 difficult getting motivated to take on a new physical challenge 0:05:31.520 --> 0:05:33.880 heading into middle age, as our bodies are changing, are 0:05:33.920 --> 0:05:36.200 we still up for it? We've certainly noticed some changes 0:05:36.240 --> 0:05:37.720 over the years, just a few. 0:05:38.160 --> 0:05:40.880 So we have got the perfect guest today. Kathy Duffy 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:44.080 is an extraordinary trail runner. She runs marathons, ultra marathons 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:47.719 and milers and yes, that is one hundred miles. She's 0:05:47.760 --> 0:05:49.560 now coaching with the team that she ran for mile 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:52.040 twenty seven. She's got a Bachelor of Human Movement Science 0:05:52.040 --> 0:05:54.560 as well as other qualifications in this area, and it's 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:56.960 particularly interested in making sure that women feel safe and 0:05:56.960 --> 0:05:59.160 comfortable when it comes to running, not only that they 0:05:59.160 --> 0:06:03.280 achieve their goal, but to train with consideration of hormonal 0:06:03.360 --> 0:06:06.320 impacts during various stages of our lives. So we are 0:06:06.400 --> 0:06:08.560 humbled to be joined by Kathy Duffy. 0:06:08.760 --> 0:06:10.960 Welcome, thank you, thank you very much for having me. 0:06:11.000 --> 0:06:13.600 I'm very excited to be here and get this party started. 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:16.719 We are very excited to have you with us as well. Gosh, 0:06:16.720 --> 0:06:21.000 you've done some extraordinary races. What would be the toughest 0:06:21.000 --> 0:06:21.679 that you've done? 0:06:23.800 --> 0:06:26.400 Without a doubt, I would have to say the toughest 0:06:26.520 --> 0:06:30.320 has been the one hundred mile races that I've done, 0:06:30.320 --> 0:06:33.279 And I probably don't need to explain that to the 0:06:33.320 --> 0:06:36.080 audience because one hundred miles is a very long way. 0:06:36.839 --> 0:06:39.240 The longest I've done is forty nine hours over one 0:06:39.279 --> 0:06:44.200 hundred and eighty one kilometers, and that experience is transformative, 0:06:44.680 --> 0:06:47.919 to say the least. It's an exceptional experience, and I 0:06:47.920 --> 0:06:52.000 guess it's what draws me back. It's a very unique 0:06:52.480 --> 0:06:54.560 position to be in, and you learn a lot about 0:06:54.600 --> 0:06:57.239 yourself and you take what you learn in an ultra 0:06:57.279 --> 0:06:59.839 out into your life and it's something that I hold 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:00.960 very very dear. 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:04.680 So is that why you do it? Why do you 0:07:04.720 --> 0:07:05.000 do it? 0:07:05.800 --> 0:07:08.680 That's a great question, because you're like, that sounds crazy, 0:07:08.440 --> 0:07:11.440 So why would you do it? For me? It's probably 0:07:11.440 --> 0:07:14.720 more about an evolution. I was very fortunate to find 0:07:14.760 --> 0:07:17.040 a sport, and for me it was trial running, which 0:07:17.080 --> 0:07:22.000 I absolutely love and it brings me a very high 0:07:22.120 --> 0:07:24.760 level of peace that I think you need in our 0:07:24.800 --> 0:07:27.120 life and we need in our lives as busy women. 0:07:27.360 --> 0:07:30.440 And the evolution of the sport meant that I was 0:07:30.720 --> 0:07:34.080 running longer and longer and longer, and it took me 0:07:34.240 --> 0:07:37.800 quite a while to even consider doing that one hundred 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:41.280 mile distance. But when I committed to that one hundred 0:07:41.360 --> 0:07:45.800 mile distance and then experienced it, it just provides a 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:49.400 moment in time that's so precious, Like life's very busy, 0:07:49.520 --> 0:07:54.240 and when you start to push your boundaries, regardless, everyone's 0:07:54.280 --> 0:07:56.440 boundaries are different, but for me, it was that one 0:07:56.520 --> 0:08:00.040 hundred mile difference. And when you push your boundaries, the 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:03.640 busyness of life fades around and you're only focusing of 0:08:03.640 --> 0:08:06.520 that one moment in time. And the further you push 0:08:06.520 --> 0:08:10.400 into that and exhaust yourself, you get to this really 0:08:11.720 --> 0:08:15.240 interesting space of emotional vulnerability that opens up your heart 0:08:15.280 --> 0:08:18.040 in ways that I hadn't experienced before. And I'm not 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:20.480 sure if this makes sense. If you've done the longer distance, 0:08:20.520 --> 0:08:23.600 it may may not resonate with you, but it's an 0:08:23.640 --> 0:08:26.720 intense experience and you'll often see it the end of 0:08:27.520 --> 0:08:30.160 you know, a race finish line. There's a lot of 0:08:30.200 --> 0:08:33.320 emotion and it's just the culmination of the build up 0:08:33.320 --> 0:08:36.240 of the journey and this eruption of the emotions that 0:08:36.280 --> 0:08:39.000 you feel. And I think that's why I do it. 0:08:39.000 --> 0:08:42.000 It just is amazing. As I said, that eruption of 0:08:42.040 --> 0:08:45.080 emotion and what you gain from that experience, it just 0:08:45.240 --> 0:08:47.720 spills out into the rest of your life. And I 0:08:47.920 --> 0:08:52.120 want other people to feel that, like it's quite the 0:08:52.200 --> 0:08:54.640 journey and the race is the icing on the cake. 0:08:54.679 --> 0:08:57.320 But it's that buzz that I love. I love the 0:08:57.360 --> 0:09:00.320 journey and I love the icing on the cake moment. 0:09:00.360 --> 0:09:03.160 When we were doing our first trail marathon was the 0:09:03.160 --> 0:09:06.440 Tara where a trail marathon, and the last fifteen k's 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:09.520 I wasn't hugely prepared, probably when it comes to nutrition 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:11.520 and hydration, and we'll talk about this a little later. 0:09:11.920 --> 0:09:14.360 And I about three four k's before the end, I 0:09:14.440 --> 0:09:16.400 was standing on the side of the trail literally hugging 0:09:16.400 --> 0:09:18.280 a tree, telling Louise that I was going to die. 0:09:18.280 --> 0:09:20.160 I was having a heart attack and I couldn't finish, 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:22.440 and I was so hot. Can you remember this, and 0:09:22.480 --> 0:09:24.360 you stood there very patiently on the trail because it 0:09:24.440 --> 0:09:26.320 was another hill ahead of us, and we were just 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:28.199 likeing to come on next, you know, And I really 0:09:28.240 --> 0:09:31.760 in that moment didn't think I could do it, And 0:09:32.080 --> 0:09:34.360 obviously I was going to do it. I knew somehow 0:09:34.360 --> 0:09:35.440 deep down I was going to do it. And we 0:09:35.480 --> 0:09:37.960 did finish. And I know exactly what you mean that 0:09:38.080 --> 0:09:41.880 finish line, that just knowing that you can hit a moment, 0:09:42.000 --> 0:09:44.959 you can sort of get to that hurdle and overcome. 0:09:45.040 --> 0:09:49.640 It is interesting how that then in your life you go, 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:52.960 this isn't so hard, this isn't so tough. I can 0:09:53.040 --> 0:09:54.760 keep moving forward. Yes I can keep going. 0:09:54.760 --> 0:09:56.320 I feel like you could. Yes, you feel like you 0:09:56.360 --> 0:09:59.480 can do anything after that. And I love your story 0:09:59.520 --> 0:10:02.000 about one needs that nice calm friend, don't they that 0:10:02.120 --> 0:10:05.000 can help talk you through and get you through. But 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:07.920 to me, I see these events as problem solving your 0:10:07.920 --> 0:10:10.440 way to the end, like something will happen. And for 0:10:10.559 --> 0:10:13.240 you in that Tarawera, you were pushing your boundaries and 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:17.040 you hit the wall and you were faced with the 0:10:17.120 --> 0:10:19.600 decision and you needed to problem solve your way to 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:22.040 the end and you did it. And that is just 0:10:22.080 --> 0:10:25.640 the most amazing thing that you can do. That reassurance, 0:10:25.679 --> 0:10:30.040 that confidence, that fight, that spirit in you, Like, that's 0:10:30.080 --> 0:10:30.960 a special gift. 0:10:31.360 --> 0:10:33.120 I think. The only other time I would say that 0:10:33.120 --> 0:10:36.720 I've actually felt that is actually childis it's that kind 0:10:36.800 --> 0:10:39.000 of you've got to get to the end, you've got 0:10:39.120 --> 0:10:41.800 to push through, you've got to stay calm, and you 0:10:41.840 --> 0:10:44.880 do go kind of inside yourself quite quite a lot. 0:10:45.320 --> 0:10:46.000 And I don't think it. 0:10:45.960 --> 0:10:48.960 Matters whether it's forty two, one hundred or ten case, 0:10:49.000 --> 0:10:51.760 to be honest with you, like at the moment where 0:10:51.800 --> 0:10:55.880 you know, we're going up every Saturday morning and doing 0:10:55.880 --> 0:10:58.920 a tin k and it's mostly walking for various reasons. 0:10:58.960 --> 0:11:02.800 But you know, it's not that it's not that we 0:11:02.840 --> 0:11:05.360 have to dig too deep for that one, but it's 0:11:05.400 --> 0:11:08.240 the sense of achievement of having gotten up early on 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:11.600 a sad day, gone and done it. Hit this quite. 0:11:11.480 --> 0:11:14.800 Nasty hell that's on the way yep, and yeah's seen 0:11:14.840 --> 0:11:17.040 some regular folks and just know that everybody out there 0:11:17.120 --> 0:11:18.720 is doing it for the same reason. 0:11:18.720 --> 0:11:19.720 For that peace of mind. 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:25.400 Yeah, you can't underestimate the achievement in that and the 0:11:25.440 --> 0:11:27.520 impact that has in your life, Like because it is 0:11:27.559 --> 0:11:31.679 a choice and we are busy, and it's sometimes difficult 0:11:31.840 --> 0:11:33.800 or it can be very challenging to carve out that 0:11:33.920 --> 0:11:38.319 space for yourself and your own well being. We all know. 0:11:38.520 --> 0:11:40.640 I've I've been through it. You go through different seasons 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:43.640 of your life, and I've got two children that they're 0:11:43.720 --> 0:11:47.240 grown now, but it was definitely times where it's hard 0:11:47.280 --> 0:11:51.320 to carve out that space. But I think we deserve it, jeez, 0:11:51.400 --> 0:11:53.280 we deserve that. And I think that if you can 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:55.200 carve that out and you can pop your shoes on 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:58.920 and you can spend time in nature, whether it's walking, running, crawling, 0:11:59.000 --> 0:12:00.640 I don't care. If you get out there and do 0:12:00.720 --> 0:12:02.439 that for yourself, that's a win. 0:12:02.520 --> 0:12:05.920 In my books, really keen to talk about how people 0:12:05.960 --> 0:12:09.000 can start trail running. It's become hugely popular. Actually, just 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:12.640 in the introduction, we're talking about that first trail run 0:12:12.679 --> 0:12:15.520 we did where we came pretty much last, and then 0:12:15.679 --> 0:12:19.679 as we got more experience KFE, we look we'd kind 0:12:19.679 --> 0:12:21.120 of go, oh, we're kind of in the middle of 0:12:21.120 --> 0:12:22.920 the pack, or oh, we're kind of narrow the pack 0:12:22.960 --> 0:12:24.840 and our age group we got really excited. But it's 0:12:24.880 --> 0:12:27.200 actually dawned on me now, Lou that it was just 0:12:27.240 --> 0:12:29.120 getting more and more popular, and there are lots more 0:12:29.160 --> 0:12:33.840 people doing it. I don't think actually people necessarily getting better. 0:12:33.880 --> 0:12:36.080 It's just we were used to it and slightly fitted 0:12:36.120 --> 0:12:37.840 the new people started. Well, I'm going to give us 0:12:37.840 --> 0:12:39.800 more credit than that. I think we were getting technically 0:12:39.880 --> 0:12:41.720 better because it is it is a little bit more 0:12:41.720 --> 0:12:43.920 technical than going for a run on the pavement, right, 0:12:44.000 --> 0:12:47.959 so you do have to start scanning and working out 0:12:47.960 --> 0:12:49.280 where you're going to walk and where you're going to 0:12:49.360 --> 0:12:50.960 run and all that kind of thing. 0:12:52.640 --> 0:12:55.400 Look, it is so if we're talking about somebody who's 0:12:55.760 --> 0:12:59.559 keen to get into trial running, and we're targeting I 0:12:59.559 --> 0:13:03.240 guess the conversation at beginners. Look the similarities with running 0:13:03.280 --> 0:13:05.600 around your streets. You have to know where you're going 0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:08.000 and you have to keep safe, right, So that's the 0:13:08.080 --> 0:13:10.520 same for when you head on the trail. But there 0:13:10.679 --> 0:13:14.600 is another component that you need to consider because trail 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:18.520 offers I guess, some unique challenges. The environment can be 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:21.360 very different, the weather can change, so there are some 0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:25.440 safety considerations that you need to take on board. I'm 0:13:25.440 --> 0:13:28.800 a big advocate for being very aware of where you're 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:30.880 going to run, and you can go on the internet 0:13:30.920 --> 0:13:34.600 on national parks, there's all trails apps, there's council sort 0:13:34.640 --> 0:13:37.440 of sites. I use Strava. I don't know if either 0:13:37.480 --> 0:13:40.920 of you Strava, but for those out there listening who 0:13:40.960 --> 0:13:43.080 don't know what that is, look, I do pay for 0:13:43.120 --> 0:13:45.760 a subscription and I'm not affiliated with them anyway. But 0:13:46.200 --> 0:13:47.840 you can go and see on there and you can 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:50.360 see exactly where people run and the darker the blue line, 0:13:50.400 --> 0:13:52.000 the more people have run that, so you know that's 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:54.880 a commonly run trail. So things like that can help 0:13:54.960 --> 0:13:58.360 you kind of work out where to run. And you 0:13:58.440 --> 0:14:01.520 need to understand, I guess, the risks in your environment. 0:14:01.679 --> 0:14:04.000 So for me, I live in Australia, so there's things 0:14:04.080 --> 0:14:07.160 like snakes and you know that I need to consider. 0:14:07.880 --> 0:14:10.520 Weather's another thing you need to think about. The weather 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:13.160 can be much more dynamic out on the trails. In 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:15.760 one moment, you might be down in a valley. The 0:14:15.800 --> 0:14:18.320 next moment you might be up on a ridge line, 0:14:18.400 --> 0:14:21.280 and especially over in New Zealand, the weather can change 0:14:21.880 --> 0:14:25.240 very quickly depending on where you were. So I don't 0:14:25.240 --> 0:14:27.760 want to overwhelm anyone. I think it's a good idea 0:14:27.800 --> 0:14:30.680 for people to know that you just start small, you 0:14:30.800 --> 0:14:34.680 start with what you're comfortable with and just be reassured 0:14:34.720 --> 0:14:37.560 that you will grow with what you need on the 0:14:37.600 --> 0:14:41.320 trail as your training evolves. So my training when I 0:14:41.360 --> 0:14:44.440 started was just little outbacks on fire trails, and then 0:14:44.520 --> 0:14:46.840 I gradually got more and more adventurous, and then I 0:14:46.880 --> 0:14:49.120 met some people who I could then run with them, 0:14:49.200 --> 0:14:51.600 and then I started to learn about what gear I 0:14:51.680 --> 0:14:55.680 needed to take. So it's something that's really quite exciting 0:14:55.720 --> 0:14:59.040 to learn about. And you don't need to start big 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:01.520 and look at the end. I don't most certainly don't 0:15:01.560 --> 0:15:03.000 want people overwhelmed. 0:15:03.760 --> 0:15:06.280 And if you have done a little bit of road running, Kathy, 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:07.760 and you think to yourself, oh yeah, I can, I 0:15:07.760 --> 0:15:11.480 can run five k, don't presume that you know five 0:15:11.560 --> 0:15:13.400 or ten k and the bush is same as five 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:16.080 or ten k. Like, don't get despondent because they're not 0:15:16.240 --> 0:15:17.200 the same, are they. 0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:23.720 That is a very important point there was So my story. 0:15:24.080 --> 0:15:29.120 It's really interesting in that back on Yuesday in twenty twelve, 0:15:29.200 --> 0:15:31.160 I went for a run just to set the year 0:15:31.200 --> 0:15:34.800 in a good sort of, you know frame, and in 0:15:34.840 --> 0:15:36.880 that run this thought comes to my head, where this 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.560 year I'm going to run a marathon twenty thirteen, I'm 0:15:39.560 --> 0:15:41.840 going to run six foot track. Twenty fourteen, I'm going 0:15:41.920 --> 0:15:45.400 to run Ultratrau Australia or one hundred. So I don't 0:15:45.440 --> 0:15:46.880 know why I thought that. I didn't know how I 0:15:46.960 --> 0:15:49.160 was going to get from A to B at all, 0:15:49.240 --> 0:15:51.960 I didn't know anybody who'd done that, but I kind 0:15:51.960 --> 0:15:55.360 of locked in that plan. So I did my road run, 0:15:55.400 --> 0:15:57.360 so I was a road runner, and then all of 0:15:57.400 --> 0:15:59.840 a sudden, I thought, Okay, now I've got to do 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:02.320 this trail of it this six foot track, which is 0:16:02.400 --> 0:16:05.800 forty five kilometers through about two thousand meters of climbing. 0:16:06.480 --> 0:16:08.600 So I went to my local trail. It's about four 0:16:08.640 --> 0:16:11.120 and a half kilometers. There wasn't much climbing, but it 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:14.360 was very technical. And after that I went back to 0:16:14.440 --> 0:16:16.600 my husband and I'm like, I don't know how I'm 0:16:16.600 --> 0:16:20.280 going to do this. I can't even hold six minute pace. 0:16:20.840 --> 0:16:26.080 I just had no idea about the differences between that 0:16:26.120 --> 0:16:29.600 there are two different sports, so you do need to 0:16:29.640 --> 0:16:32.120 take that into consideration. But as I said, if you 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:35.560 start small, you will start to learn how you move 0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:38.240 and flow over the trails, and you'll start to learn 0:16:38.240 --> 0:16:41.520 that hiking's okay and you're going to use different speeds. 0:16:41.560 --> 0:16:44.760 It's just like one big fartlek session, right like speed play. 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:48.360 And then you'll start to learn that, oh, okay, this 0:16:48.400 --> 0:16:51.600 is technical track with a lot of climbing. So I've 0:16:51.640 --> 0:16:54.080 done ten kilometers on the road in about an hour. 0:16:54.240 --> 0:16:56.360 I've done ten kilometers in the bush that's taken me 0:16:56.480 --> 0:16:59.040 six hours. So those are the kind of things that 0:16:59.120 --> 0:17:00.920 as you learn and grow. Was a trial run, you'll 0:17:00.960 --> 0:17:04.840 start to understand that they're two very different sports. 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:08.080 Yeah, that's what took me by surprise. Francisca was more 0:17:08.080 --> 0:17:10.600 prepared than I was. So we did that first half 0:17:10.640 --> 0:17:14.600 in the trail and I went, what is everybody? Why 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:16.919 is everybody stopping and hiking up this hell? And I 0:17:17.000 --> 0:17:20.560 was determined to run past them and didn't. The second hell, 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:21.880 I was like, oh, I get it. 0:17:23.119 --> 0:17:25.720 You can't do that. The hells are going to keep coming. Yeah, 0:17:26.040 --> 0:17:29.600 we hadn't anticipated that. Trail running sounded lovely. We were 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:32.880 going to run through these beautiful valleys and gentle trails, 0:17:32.920 --> 0:17:34.800 and then every event we did, we're like, oh my god, 0:17:34.800 --> 0:17:37.080 there's so many hills, and then it occurred to us 0:17:37.560 --> 0:17:38.359 that's the sport. 0:17:39.480 --> 0:17:42.520 Yeah, but that's really important for people to understand. I 0:17:42.920 --> 0:17:46.040 was very fortunate in just before I did my first 0:17:46.359 --> 0:17:49.040 kind of trial race, I met a lady Natalie, who's 0:17:49.160 --> 0:17:51.600 now a very close friend, and she'd done everything that 0:17:51.640 --> 0:17:54.520 I ever wanted, and she took me under her wing 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:58.000 and she taught me everything. And I'm so blessed that 0:17:58.040 --> 0:18:00.359 she entered my life because my learning curve was so 0:18:00.480 --> 0:18:02.760 much faster and steeper. And that's why I really want 0:18:02.840 --> 0:18:06.320 to help women in this space on their journeys, because 0:18:06.359 --> 0:18:08.600 you know, just a bit of a helping hand goes 0:18:08.680 --> 0:18:11.320 a long way. But I remember going on one of 0:18:11.400 --> 0:18:15.679 those early runs with her, and the interesting thing was 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:17.960 we came to it. I won't even call it a 0:18:18.040 --> 0:18:19.399 hill or a mountain, It was a bit of an 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:23.080 incline and she started walking and I was like oh. 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:26.560 And I remember saying, oh, so would you do this 0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:29.840 in a race? And she's like yeah, And I'm like, ah, 0:18:29.880 --> 0:18:32.840 So I had this permission, in this freedom to start 0:18:32.880 --> 0:18:37.240 to understand that that's what tr running is about. It's 0:18:37.240 --> 0:18:39.600 getting from a to B in the most efficient way 0:18:39.680 --> 0:18:44.280 you can. And whether that is running or hiking, it 0:18:45.119 --> 0:18:49.240 doesn't matter. Even the elites hike, even the elites hike, 0:18:49.359 --> 0:18:51.879 so if they hike, we need to include that as 0:18:51.920 --> 0:18:54.200 part of our training as well. Right, it's important. 0:18:54.920 --> 0:18:57.320 Yeah, the power walking up hells when I did a 0:18:57.320 --> 0:19:00.440 lot of training, if I had didn't, you know, to 0:19:00.560 --> 0:19:02.320 power walk up hills, there'd be times where you'd be 0:19:02.359 --> 0:19:03.240 jogging beside. 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:05.080