Five reasons to do the CBR 100 in 2016

Posted on 1 April, 2015

Five reasons why you should do the CBR100 next year!

We all know why a challenge is good for us: the sense of achievement, the valuable life lessons you learn, the bragging rights on Facebook.

When I first got roped in, approached to do the CBR 100 Challenge – I was all gung ho to do the 100kms. “Why would you enter a challenge that specifically states 100 if you’re not going to do the full 100?” I reasoned with myself. However the argument fell flat on my more realistic friends as tales of running shoes encasing pools of blood and weeks off work were regaled.

So 50kms it was. And after doing some more serious training sessions, the enormity of that distance started to really sink in. Conversations of how quickly we’d be able to complete the challenge soon changed to how we could actually get over the finishing line. And I’m happy to report that my two team mates and I did complete our challenge, despite some nasty blisters, weary bones and an unscheduled case of gastro! The sense of achievement was, of course, amazing. Definitely some valuable life lessons learned. And the show of support both real and via social media, was heart warming.

Now that the dust has settled and the blisters have healed a week on from having completed the challenge, I would not hesitate for putting my name down next year for the CBR100. And here are the reasons I think you should too:

BONDING

Yes it’s corny – but it’s true. I came to know my team mates through our children going to the same school. But as we hiked side by side sharing stories that not many other people had heard and laughing so much that we had to reconsider our PC muscle exercise regime, we got to know each other on a whole new level. But of course, the test of a team’s bond is going to be on the challenge when your feet are hurting so much and you’ve run out of funny stories to share. But even when we were hobbling our way up Red Hill, the last of the four big vertical hikes, or stopping to tend to more wounds, we still managed to crack a joke and encourage each other.

TIME AWAY

As a busy working mother of two, my life can easily become a treadmill of work and looking after my family. To have time away from my chores and responsibilities to train, felt like an incredible treat. And to spend that time with good friends whilst trekking through beautiful landscapes that we hadn’t seen before was really special. We even scheduled a weekend away and hiked some beautiful trails along the South Coast. All three of us returned to work on Monday feeling filled up and ready to throw ourselves back into our busy lives.

BEING ACTIVE

Normally when I catch up with friends, we go for coffee, or drinks or dinner. But now, I’m going to suggest we hike Mount Majura, or Black Mountain – or any one of the other amazing places I either discovered for the first time or got to know better thanks to the CBR100. Because what better way to hang out with someone than seeing some beautiful scenery and chatting along the way? And a coffee will feel so much better after we’ve earned it. I also want to suggest hiking days with my husband and kids. We don’t have to drive an hour or two out of the city to find a beautiful spot and get back to nature. We have a huge range of options right in the middle of our city!

GRATITUDE FOR FAMILY & FRIENDS

From one hubby getting up at 5am to ferry us to the starting point, to another meeting us at an unscheduled stop with Imodium, and another sourcing the best almond croissants in the city to keep us going, we were truly blessed with the support we received. The sight of our children running towards us with outstretched arms was heartwarming and encouraging. In fact, for the last 20 kilometres, they decided to join us. Having that extra support definitely helped us keep our spirits up (despite the fact that the kids blithely ran and skipped the whole way).

LOVE FOR MY CITY

Now that the challenge is over, I have a new-found sense of appreciation for Canberra and its abundance of natural bushland. From the rugged terrain of Mount Majura, to the winding tracks of Black Mountain and the open paddocks just behind Mitchell I can’t wait to re-trace my steps over the next few months as I share Canberra’s hidden delights with family and friends.

Did you do the CBR100? Can you think of any other reasons to add to the list?