Colbey's 2,000 minutes challenge

Why did you choose to Be a Hero this year?

I have been part of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia and NeuroMoves for 2 and a half years now, and I am very supportive of the organisations values. Throughout my career I have a lot of experience using the latest technology for neuro populations both in Australia and abroad, and have seen how much it can help our clients of all abilities. As a part of my role in the NeuroMoves development team, I work closely ordering new equipment, and understand the intense financial requirements it takes to stay up with the constantly advancing technology. This is why I committed to do my part and take place in the Be a Hero fundraiser.

What did you choose to do for the challenge?

I chose to do 2,000 minutes of exercise (walk, run and cycle) over the month of September. This roughly equates to what we expect our clients to do as a part of NeuroMoves most intensive program, Locomotor Training (LT). This is a lot of work to expect from our clients, with minimal room for recovery time, which is made more impressive when you consider that most participants only have a small proportion of fully functioning muscles available to help them out. I wanted to experience how this sort of intensity affected myself, an able bodied person, to gain more appreciation from what our clients achieve.

How did you go with your challenge?

I completed my challenge right on time, getting through the 2,000 minutes on the last day of the month, completing a total of more than 325 km. I found it essential to develop a strict routine to make sure I was keeping up with my challenge, and noticed that I had very little recovery time with any soreness compounding over the month. I think my success was made possible by a more relaxed schedule due to lock down, allowing me the time to fully commit to the challenge. I also had the time to try to add a bit of spice to the challenge and test out some costumes to wear during my walks! The commitment and dedication our clients show to complete our LT program is extremely impressive, which deserves to be recognised with admiration. I already look forwards to challenging myself again next year!