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I'm certainly in agreement with the Dalai Lama... wouldn't our lives be so much more simple if we sat in our own gardens and quietly contemplated darting dragonflies? The only flaw in this concept is that we'd miss out on the satisfaction of interacting with people, taking on the challenge of new experiences, learning of the World and adding a little touch of something to the lives of others. That said, there are days when I'd like to abolish my many involvements in favour of an all-afternoon run and an extended nap on the lawn... But, it is not to be and I can't seem to resist being roped into everything.
Work
After two-and-a-half-years at SuperSport as Communications Editor for their social responsibility initiative, Let's Play, I worked at Penquin International, a marketing solutions company, on their PR side. Nice people, nice environment but I have realised that despite my best intentions I find it very, very hard to conform to an 8-5 office environment. As of mid-June 2009, I am again working for myself - freelancing with PR and media work. Ideally I'd like all my work to be adventure sport and athlete focused. And, while freelancing, In August 2010 I started working with long-term client, Active Education, as a project manager for their UNICEF Sport for Development programme.
Play
My base discipline is running; road and trail. I thrive on multiday, staged, ultra foot races and thoroughly enjoy ultra distance mountain trail events.
Orienteering (navigation + running) is also a passion, specifically the Rogaine discipline where you're given a limited period to locate as many controls as possible. I took part, as a ladies pair, with friend Heather Graz, in the 24hr World Rogaine Championships in Estonia in September 2008.
I do also mountain bike, but not as often as I should. My participation, in Dec 2008 and Dec 2009, in the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, has really buffed my paddling and it is a discipline I really enjoy and do more regularly.
Adventure racing, which I discovered in early-1999, is a combination of these disciplines. I most enjoy the multiday events and usually enter one or two of these a year. I've been doing a few of the sprint (2-4hr) events. The first international event in which I participated as a competitor was the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge (ADAC) in Dec08 with Lauren Greeff, Garth Peinke and Christiaan Greyling. What an amazing experience! I received a second invitation for December 2009 to take another Team www.AR.co.za to ADAC. I had the fortune of racing with Christo Viljoen, Alex Pope and Francois Jooste. I will be taking my third female-weighted team over in December 2010. I'll be racing with Lizelle van der Merwe, Lizelle Smit and Steven Erasmus.
In May 2008 I joined a pole dance class - something quite different! I progressed swiftly and did an instructor course in October 2008. I started teaching classes, once a week, in January 2009. I teach the advance pole class (lisaonthepole.wordpress.com).
Writing
It was purely by chance, and Jacques Marais' good influence, that I got into writing. I freelance mostly for Runner's World and GoMulti Magazines and have had pieces published in many other magazines.
From late-2004 to early-2006 I discovered my writing passion; online event coverage (for www.checkpointzero.com and www.sleepmonsters.com) of multiday adventure races, with a dash of travel writing mixed in. Wow! The rush of traveling to exotic destinations, sleeping 3-hours a night, publishing my writing online for the global AR community to devour, taking photographs and putting out some 16-articles in less than half the number of days. It's intense. It's exhausting. It's rewarding. I've also made special friendships within the journo and photographic community through my involvement with events.
I co-authored, with Jacques Marais, Adventure Racing, a hefty full-colour, hard cover book on adventure racing. The book was released in the UK at the end of 2004 and in the US and Canada at the beginning of 2005. I wrote the chapters on navigation, nutrition, medical and support crews. I cannot claim any honours for the fabulous layout or Jacques' beautiful photographs.
In June 2007 I took on the role of Gear Editor for Runner's World SA magazine. My first 5-page section was published in the August 2007 issue. When I started at Penquin I decided to hang up my Gear Editor hat; it was just too much to juggle the column. My last column was published in the January 2009 issue,making it a total of 18 months and 18 multi-page columns. Putting these sections together was a lot of work and logistical admin but it was excellent fun and over this period I learned so much about gear and shoes.
In January 2009 I wrote copy and captions for a photographic book on the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge, which I took part in - as a competitor - in December 2008. Wouter Kingma (www.orangeexpressions.com) is the talented photographer assembling the book.
Writing
FEATTM is my newest project. It's an evening of time-limited talks by South African adventurers. I came up with the concept in mid-2009 and started putting it together in June 2010. The inaugural event was held in October 2010. FEAT is very much a celebration of adventure and expeditions, presented in a live-talks format. The next FEAT event is in February 2011 in Cape Town and thereafter it will be back to Joburg. The talks are filmed for online broadcast. I hope to have FEAT Film Festival up and running by October 2011. FEAT's website is www.featsa.co.za.
Event Organisation
I have the fortune of being the Joburg organiser for the SPUR Adventure event. This is one of 4 events in the series, staged around South Africa. I got involved in 2006 and have organised the route and related elements and logistics of this ever-growing event for five years (2006-2010). The event includes an AR sprint (around 25km in total), an Adventure Trail (nature walk, around 6km) and a children's event.
I have mapped and planned a 50km trail ultra run... but I just don't seem to be getting around to nailing it down... a pending project. I've scouted 2/3 of the course and endeavour to wrap up the route... in the near future... *sigh*
At the end of April 2007 I was on hand to help with organisation during Swazi Xtreme, Southern Africa's main multi-day adventure race. In 2008 I assisted with elements of route planning, marshal recruitment and organising and in developing the graphics for the pre-marked maps. 2008 was the 8th year of the event; I'd assisted at four and I've raced four. That's an even 50/50 split. I missed the 2009 event, held end-April. This was the first Swazi Xtreme that I missed in nine years! I racing in the 10th (and last) edition in August 2010 with mountain runner Bruce Arnett.
Websites
www.AR.co.za is my big baby. Started in April 2001, the site continues to grow and attract more and more visitors with each month. It has a loyal local following and receives much attention from the international community. I do all the coding, editing and maintenance.
I also develop and maintain a number of other websites, mostly for friends.
Volunteering
In August 2005 I was proud to be involved with the Mind Worx programme run by Sacred Heart College parents. Every two years they take a week of school time to expose the junior pupils to various activities. Every hour during the school day the children move from activity to activity; there was pizza making, candle making, drumming, painting, clever science experiments... I ran an orienteering activity, which was so well received by the 160-odd children (aged 8-10). I was completely charmed to receive a whole bundle of letters from the children; these are a few of their thank you letters. I was invited back for August 2007 and was upgraded to 12-sessions and 270 children (aged 8-12). It was delightful and rewarding.
At the beginning of February 2007 I took part in my first AR sprint race since late-2002! I've been at most of the events over the years but as a marshal, photographer and helper. One thing I really enjoy about being on the sidelines is that I get to meet and greet say hi to more people than when I take part and I do enjoy taking photos.
Adventure Racing Club is another project to which I'm committed. I started the club at the end of 2002, with assistance from Hano, and have seen it grow and develop over the years. It's now a fully-fledged multidiscipline club with a committee and blossoming membership. I handle communications, memberships and licensing.
Courses
Yip, I do run navigation courses; specifically aimed at teaching adventure racers how to read 1:50 000 topographical maps. I generally run 2-3 courses a year according to demand (6 courses already in 2010!). I've also taught hiking clubs and high school adventure racing teams.
In 2010 I was recruited by Run Like A Girl to run their women's trail running workshops in Jo'burg.
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