Whats Happening this year

        Its only a month into the New Year and already all the talk is about New Years Resolutions! Well, any resolutions that I may have briefly thought about have been well and truly shattered. Do you find that the get fit, get fast and get fabulous idea that seemed so brilliant before Christmas has been shoved right to the back of your brain? You know, that unless a brain surgeon gets in there with a very sharp scalpel to dig it out, the idea may be hidden for many years! Sometimes it’s a little overwhelming. Everyone striving to do their bit to get fitter this time of the year and a lot of us fail at the outset, because maybe we raise the bar too high for ourselves, setting it at someone else's height instead of our own. 

       This year I know not to set it beyond my reach. You too may have ideas to get a little fitter this year, and all you may need is a little bit of inspiration!

This is going to be a fabulous year for sport. As well as all the fantastic Gaelforce events that are taking place, we will be also looking forward to the Euro 2012 finals (starts 8 June), the Olympics (27 July – 12 Aug) and the finishing of the Volvo Ocean Race in Galway (30 June – 8 July). You know that maybe your not quite that calibre of athlete (yet), but when you see all this wonderful array of talent, you do get caught up in the buzz of it all and you do start thinking to yourself..... oh I could be a little fitter, I should get more involved in the outdoors, I will be more adventurous! Events like those are certainly inspiring, so take that buzz factor and work with it for what ever your challenge for yourself this year is. For me this year, I don't want to be the fastest girl on earth. That title was first given to Dorothy Levitt In 1906 for a speed trial in Blackpool. She broke the women's world land speed record for the flying kilometre, recording a speed of 91 mph in a six cylinder Motorcar and was described as the 'Fastest Girl on Earth'. 

          I am going to take my inspiration from Neve McQuaid for this year. Neve McQuaid is the talent development office with Mountaineering Ireland and in an interview that featured in the Irish Mountain Log 100^th issue this winter, he was asked,”what does adventure mean to you”? His answer was “being somewhere different with a group of friend's”. So for this year, I am going to get the buzz factor from my friends! Why don't you try it. What ever it be.. a stroll in the park, a walk on the beach or a hike up a hill, get out there with your friends and enjoy some adventure.

     I am sure a hop, skip and jump to a pub with friends will be good too!


By ~ Linda O'Malley