Mothers Day Classic

Sunday 10th May 2009 – 9:36pm

Well we did it! It’s just on 12 hours since the walk started and over 10½ since Keri and I crossed the line. I’m still basking in thoughts of this morning and enjoying the glow that they’re giving me.
First of all, we were absolutely blessed with a sensational autumn day. After all the doom and gloom and prediction of drizzle and showers, the day dawned sunny and clear – Melbourne at her finest. Keri and I were up early and into Flinders St by 7:30. Breakfast in Degraves St was the first stop of the morning and the excitement grew as we saw more and more pink gather in the area. We warmed up by walking down to the start line – a trek in itself – for my Q&A on the scissor lift at the start. That was quite a privilege. It was lovely to chat to Mary Delahunty and tell a bit of my story and why we were there and just exciting to have that vantage point of the crowds as they gathered at the start. By 9:30 we were in the front rows and ready to be off.

Fair to say the walk was a bit tougher going twice as far as last year and part of me felt the temptation to veer right at the split and cross the finish line rather than heading round again. Keri – bless her – reminded me that admitting that on the blog would be embarrassing to say the least and the temptation passed. We got around in just on 85 minutes which is our new personal best or benchmark time and the aim now is to beat it next year.

Walking around was very moving – especially seeing all the tribute cards. We walked behind a group of four who all paid tribute to one special lady who had obviously been a much loved wife, mum, mummy and mother in law to them and each paid an individual tribute on their cards. A young girl in a pink tutu had a card to her Aunt – because she missed her very much. During the walk I was concentrating on getting myself out there but what I’d seen and participated in hit me during a post walk coffee at the Art Gallery and I had a little weep.

Personally and health wise I’m really pleased with achieving the goal that I set myself in October and thoroughly determined to go on with it. More to the point, I am, as always, absolutely humbled and amazed by the community support of this and other events supporting this cause so close to my heart. Thank you to the committed and dedicated group from Women in Super who have created an event that has seen mothers and their families understanding that there is no better way to celebrate than participating together. Thank you also to the wonderfully dedicated volunteers who make the event so much fun to be a part of. And thank you most of all to those who participated and were part of the magic we made in the gardens today.

OVERWHELMING NUMBERS AT THE MOTHER’S DAY CLASSIC

The Mother’s Day Classic fun run/walk for breast cancer research today attracted 80,000 people nationally, the highest ever number of participants in the event’s 12-year history, up from 67,000 in 2008. Women in Super, organisers of the event, were thrilled with the large turn-out.

“It’s fantastic to see so many people up early on Mother’s Day to support such a good cause, and paying tribute to their mums” said Louise Davidson, National Chair of the Mother’s Day Classic Committee. “We saw a lot of families and groups of friends who had a great morning as well as contributing to breast cancer research.”

The early start didn’t deter eager runners and walkers, with 33,000 in Melbourne and the Sydney Domain at its full capacity of 9,000. Star power was provided by a host of famous faces who took part in the Mother’s Day Classic – Governor-General and Mother’s Day Classic Patron Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Deputy Federal Opposition leader Julie Bishop, Victorian Premier John Brumby, the Australian Girls Choir, Jane Flemming, Shelley Craft, Corinne Grant, Duncan Armstrong, Lisa Wilkinson, and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor just to name a few!

The Mother’s Day Classic is a nationwide community event, bringing together a wide range of people, from those who have lost someone to breast cancer and those who are fighting the disease, to others who want to get fit and raise money for a worthy cause. It’s a poignant time to think of those who are no longer with us, with participants able to remember or support a loved one by wearing a personal message on a tribute card; or by writing a note of encouragement to those who are currently undergoing treatment.

Tribute cards, worn on the back of shirts in remembrance of a loved one or to show support to someone undergoing treatment, were extremely popular this Mother’s Day and the introduction of a Tribute Wall to display these messages post event in Melbourne was a huge success.

The Mother’s Day Classic was held in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Geelong, Gold Coast, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Parramatta and Sydney CBD. There were also 26 regional events, with local communities encouraged to get involved. Since its inception in 1998, the Mother’s Day Classic has now raised around $5million for the National Breast Cancer Foundation to fund research into the prevention, detection and treatment of breast cancer.

The Mother’s Day Classic is organised annually by Women in Super, a group that provides networking and education opportunities for women in the superannuation and finance industries. For more than a decade, Women in Super have created a national event that provides the community with a great way to celebrate Mother’s Day and also to support breast cancer research. With one in nine women expected to be diagnosed in their lifetime, improved research means better treatment options and more chances of early detection.

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3 MORE SLEEPS! Where did that time go? Here we are in the last few days before the big event and I’m beginning to wonder if I’m ready. I’m sure I am but I’m sure I’m not happy if I’m not worrying so this is par for the course.

In what will no doubt be my last entry before the event, I’m kind of reflecting on the journey since I started “training” for Sunday. I remember setting myself some goals then – some related to weight loss and I have to say that I haven’t quite lost as much as I’d have liked to as I’m on a monster plateau. More importantly though my goals were around improving my blood sugar reading and controlling my diabetes and improving my general fitness. I can give both of those and enthusiastic tick as having achieved them in full. My blood sugar has come down by about 3 points to an acceptable level and there is no doubt that I am now as fit as I’ve been in years. Despite my doubts, I know that I’m ready for our 8km walk on Sunday.

Sunday will be so much more than just a fitness challenge – just as the Classic is so much more than a run or a walk. It’s a sensational and moving coming together of people who are remembering, celebrating, contributing and sharing a brilliant experience. Last year I looked in awe at the groups that participated – seeing mothers and daughters, sisters, partners and friends as they power walked or strolled their way around the gardens revelling in the day and their time together. Last year my walk was dedicated to my friend Joan who lost her long battle two years ago. I don’t have a sign this year, but in my heart I’m dedicating it to life – it’s so precious and, in the scheme of things, so fleeting that we really don’t appreciate and treasure it as we should.  So to all of you who will be there and all of you who have supported us – have a wonderful day and a wonderful life.

I’ve just realised that it’s been a while since I put pen to paper (strictly speaking, fingers to keyboard) to update you on my progress. You can probably guess from that that I don’t feel as though I’ve got much to update you with! It’s not that my “training” (conditioning is probably closer to the mark) has dropped off – I’m still walking more mornings than not. I’m also keeping up with my healthy eating – even kept it controlled over Easter – and my blood sugar is well below the required level. What I’m not doing is losing any more weight and it’s beginning to get me down a bit. My beloved – Hugh – has been incredibly supportive (no, honestly) and has pointed out that the fat is turning to muscle and that weighs more. He’s right to a point as I’ve definitely dropped a dress size or two and have toned up around the buttocks and legs. I’m grateful for that, but I’d like to see the scales move as well! I know the only for it is to keep going and to get my system re-activated so I’ll stay positive and ignore that berry muffin which is screaming out to me as we speak!

The other realisation which drove me to the keyboard was the fact that we’re now less than four weeks from the event itself and that’s terribly exciting – and terrifying! I think it was the appearance of our numbers and merchandise that made me realise that this distant goal was coming fast. No more motivation needed – let’s get into it! Keri (hitherto known as my BF) and I will be having spa treatments the day before the walk – they were our Christmas present from Hugh – and we’re hoping that they’ll loosen us up and keep us supple for the challenge ahead. In retrospect it might have been smarter to book them for the day after!

Last week was a really special time for me when, for the first time, the anniversary of the end of my “active” treatment for breast cancer. By active, I mean the end of my period of surgery and chemotherapy although I acknowledge that I’m still taking Arrimidex so am technically being treated. The reason for my celebration was that, on 11th March, I reached the magical five year mark and am now, by definition, ….drumroll! a “SURVIVOR”! I’ve put the inverted comments in because it’s a really weird feeling.

I’m certainly gratified to have reached the magic marker of five years, but I’ve never thought of myself as anything but a survivor so it’s difficult to feel any different now to the way I felt the week before. The tangible benefit is that I will be ceasing six monthly visits to my oncologist after the next catch up in April. It’s with some relief that I can say that I will still be visiting them annually, alternating each six months with the breast surgeon who plans to see me “until she retires”! It’s nice to know your better, but it’s reassuring to know that someone is keeping an eye on you too!

I know that I’m lucky that such effective medicine and treatment was available to me and that my ride was, relatively, painless. I know that the money raised by the Mother’s Day Classic is helping the NBCF make it that much better for future generations and I keep reminding myself of that as I pound the streets getting ready for the walk. Sometimes you just need to remember why you’re doing it!

Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC Governor - General of the Commonwealth of Australia - Patron, Mother’s Day Classic

Women in Super is pleased to announce that the Governor-General Ms Quentin Bryce AC is the official patron of the Mother’s Day Classic.

The Governor-General is a passionate supporter of the cause, and was a participant in the Brisbane event during her time as Queensland Governor . . . mothers-day-classic-patron_media-release-march09

Thank heaven the weather finally seems to be settling down. Summer is all very well but when it’s really really hot – and those 40 degree plus days definitely come into that category – the motivation gets a terrible hammering. This week I had the opposite problem and had to give myself a talking to because I was too cold. If the drought breaks – and we all hope that it will – I’ll have to deal with walking in the rain and that’s going to take some willpower.

My weight did some weird things this week which started with my first weight gain in months! Gain! – to say I wasn’t happy is a gross understatement. I went through a day and night of wondering why I was bothering with the whole exercise. “What is the point of doing it” said the devil of temptation and self doubt, “when the weight’s going back where it came from?” Luckily the angel of willpower and new wardrobe was there in the good guys’ corner and kept me on the straight and narrow – or at least got me out of bed in the mornings. Angels always win – by the end of the week, I’d re-lost the gained kilos and then some. Only 60 more sleeps!

Women in Super are pleased to announce that registrations for the Mother’s Day Classic will open on Monday 23 February. Last year 67,000 people took part nationally in the event, raising $1.2 million for breast cancer research, and close to 70,000 are expected this year. . .mothers-day-classic-registration-media-release-feb23

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Two years ago I celebrated my 70th birthday, I asked my friends not to present me with gifts but, instead, to give the more thoughtful gift of breast cancer research. By encouraging friends and family to sponsor my participation in the 4km walk at the Mothers Day Classic, I felt that together we could make a bigger contribution to something very worthwhile.

It turned out to be one of the best birthdays ever – at my age I certainly don’t need any material gifts and think that the Mothers Day Classic is a wonderful way to help fight breast cancer. When I was diagnosed, I felt overwhelmed but determined to participate in some capacity for cancer research. I now know that there is a big community of survivors and the Mothers Day Classic is the best way to celebrate life, friends and family.

If you can’t walk or run yourself on Sunday 11 May, why not sponsor someone who can?