Lead Articles - Personal

Exercise can sometimes be depressing, especially when you hit your thirties!

Dianna Henry — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:00:00 GMT

I know that doesn't seem like a very motivating or inspiring statement, but unfortunately it is true. Just as life isn't always rainbows and lollipops, neither is exercise. People are always claiming that 'oh exercise releases endorphins and makes me feel great' which is true, but sometimes the psychological barriers can trump the feel good hormones.

This is where I am at with exercise at the moment. I have spent the last year or so in an attempt to regain my past fitness levels. Things keep getting in the way (shin splints, an operation, engagement, life...) and it is really annoying. I know it is up to me and that I can't really blame these things.

In the past few weeks, I've been attending Booty Camp (like boot camp, but for women only and no whistles). The good thing about it, is that it is helping me to re-establish a routine and that it is forcing me to exercise and strengthen my whole body (instead of just my legs like when I run or ride).

The bad thing about it is that the day after each session, the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) in every little muscle that isn't used to being used reminds me of how unfit I am compared to in the past. And my current physical inability to do certain things (like push-ups) at the number of repetitions I used to is also very depressing.

The female reproductive system - a flawed design Part 2

Dianna Henry — Tue, 04 May 2010 14:00:00 GMT

So the good news is that the 'procedure' on Friday went really well. Better than I, my fiance or anyone else expected in fact! The admission process was efficient and before I knew it I was kitted up in the most anti-sexy disposable knickers and a highly unattractive gown (which, by the way, now tie up at the side and have an overlapping part so that your modesty is maintained; not like in the movies). The anaesthetist came for a chat and I mentioned that I was a bit anxious about the general because I had a fear that I wouldn't wake up. She whacked a cannula into my arm and squirted in a bit of something that I thought was anti-coagulant. A few seconds later I asked her "Am I supposed to feel funny?". The doctor just patted my arm and smiled kindly, "Yes dear". I'm not sure what she gave me but all my worries disappeared and I felt bloody fantastic.

Female reproductive system - a flawed design

Dianna Henry — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:00:00 GMT

If you think about it, as I'm sure most women have, the human female reproductive system is inherently flawed in its design. Whether you believe in evolution or creation, it is clear that somewhere along the way, something went wrong. We have all our reproductive organs buried deep at the end of a winding canal and we give birth to something the size of a watermelon. How was this an seen as a 'survival of the fittest' characteristic? Or, why did our creator dislike us so much to hinder us with these flaws?

Why am I nattering on about this?

Saved by the ANZAC biscuit!

Dianna Henry — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:00:00 GMT

This is an amazing story about how an ANZAC biscuit saved me!

My Dad has become a bit of a cycling addict in recent times. He plots out new rides and then off he goes. Becuase I get so bored of the ol' River Loop, I often join him for these new and exciting rides. For ANZAC Day, he'd planned a ride departing Rosewood (west of Ipswich) at 7.30am, riding to Aratulla for coffee and return. All up it would be 120km. No real hills, just a couple of rolling areas. Sounded like my kinda starting time and my kind of terrain profile.

Private school sports buy ins

Dianna Henry — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:00:00 GMT

Yesterday's Courier Mail contained six pages of coverage of private boys' schools and the issue of buying top athletes. Headmasters from some schools said that they were withdrawing their schools from rugby games when it was clear that the other team was significantly stronger because the headmasters feared the possibility of serious injury. Students spoke out about the disappointment of being in the top teams throughout high school, only to be replaced by an import in Year 12.

Has anyone experienced this same issue in girls' schools?

I finished high school 12 years ago. But I can still remember the huge pride and sense of achievement I felt when I represented my school at the annual interschool swimming carnival. In one particularly exciting race, I can even tell you which lane I was in and where my school was sitting! It would have been heart breaking if after four years of representing my school, I was tossed off the team in my final year to be replaced by a buy in. Fortunately the school I went to didn't engage in these sort of tactics.

Does this happen at girls' schools?

Why Wii instead of PE for schools is a great idea

Dianna Henry — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:00:00 GMT

There have been a number of articles in the press in recent days about the growing number of schools implementing Nintendo Wii Fit sessions in place of traditional Physical Education classes. Apparently this practice has the support of the government departments. See for example The Daily Telegraph.

What a brilliant idea! Here's why:

The pain of not competing - Mooloolaba Tri

Dianna Henry — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 14:00:00 GMT

The Mooloolaba Tri festival was on the weekend. I had actually signed up to compete all the way back in November last year -pretty much as soon as I could after Noosa Tri. I hadn't really done that much training for Noosa and so was all motivated to train hard for the Mooloolaba one. But then Christmas came along and then New Years and then I fell off my mountain bike a few times and before I knew it it was mid March and I hadn't really done much proper training at all.

In the week leading up to the Tri I was vacillating between pulling out and just doing it, despite the inevitable pain. I knew that my fitness was probably at an all time low and that the consequential post exercise muscle soreness would last 3-4 days at least. On the Friday before it, I decided that I'd just do the swim leg. It was to be an ocean swim and I hadn't done an ocean swim for a race in a very long time. I thought that it would be nice to be thrashed around a bit. But by Saturday lunchtime I decided to pull our altogether. Knowing that there is often a waiting list, I contacted USM Events to advise them of my decision but was told that it was too late to pull out (??). Ok, I just won't compete then!

Pam Brass takes the Silver Medal in the Female 60 to 64 Years! Awesome effort.

What I would spend $6billion on (instead of planes...)

Dianna Henry — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:00:00 GMT

I do appreciate that our government is so keen to protect us by 'investing' $6billion over 10 years in a fleet of planes. However, I thought it worth a look at what $6 billion could do for the nation's physical health. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that at the time I am writing this there are 22,284,267 people in Australia. So $6billion divided by that number works out at $269 per person. Let's go shopping!

1. A decent pair of running shoes for every person living in Australia. (if we cut out the immobile, it is closer to 2 pairs of decent running shoes each)

2. Twenty x group PT sessions for every person in Australia; just to help them get started on their new routine.