Mt Coolum Climb

Just before the new year, Steve decided to undertake a get fit program at the invitation of his senior instructor at Beckers.  The alarm was being set for early rises (around 4am) and a drive down to Mudjimba beach for a serious physical thrashing with a handful of past and current Becker employees.  There was lots of running in soft sand followed by lots of push-ups and sit-ups.  Steve said he nearly got to the throw up stage like people on the Biggest Loser.  The first couple of training sessions resulted in lots of extra sleep and crippling pain over areas of the body that generally he never knew existed.  Luckily our Fraser Island trip interrupted the sessions for one week and gave Steve some much needed time to recover.  Just walking needed motivation beyond what Steve was capable of but over time the soreness subsided and lifes' general aches and pains diminished. 
Steve actually decided to go out and buy himself a pair of joggers because he couldn't run in his boots or thongs.  It just wouldn't have been the done thing.  I have known Steve for 21 years and I can safely say that I have never seen him in a pair of joggers.  He has never owned footwear even resembling joggers.  We trotted off to Big W in Nambour one day for a birthday present for one of Erin's friends and imagine our faces when Steve appeared from the shoe isle with a pair of runners on.  Erin and I both burst out laughing.  He is and always will be a boot man.  Joggers look goofy (Steve's words, not mine) on him.
The sessions have been happening a couple of times a week with one session at the beach and another session organised between Steve and his instructor.  They would usually run up and down hills all around Nambour.  Nambour is built in a valley so there is no other way out but up so there is plenty of physical exertion to be had around the place.  Steve was particularly nervous on one occasion when the two of them were going to do a kayak paddle out to Old Woman Island just off the coast of Maroochydore.  Being the fantastic swimmer that he is, NOT, Steve had visions of the kayak capsizing and his inevitable drowning even though a life jacket was going to be supplied.  Luckily, on the day, the weather was not favourable and Steve got out of that one.  To his credit, he made up for it the following week by motivating his training partner to run one morning in the rain.

On Sunday, the whole family undertook a walk or climb (I'm not sure which) to the top of Mt Coolum north of Maroochydore.  There are lots of Ayers Rock type monoliths rising up all around the Sunshine Coast.  Some are for bushwalking and others are for rock climbing depending on your preference.  Another early rise (6.30am), a quick brekkie and a drive down to Mt Coolum National Park with the girls in tow.  Erin was proudly wearing her new joggers which we bought her for school.  We met Steve's senior instructor and his two boys as well as another of Steve's instructors.
We arrived at 8 o'clock and the carpark was full.  There were dozens of fit, beautiful, young people going up and coming down the well worn track which disappeared into the scrub and would inevitably finish by a beacon at the top of the mountain.  Everyone was friendly and energetic even though they had already done the climb.  One woman had 'never, never, never give up' on her t-shirt and I commented to her that that was my new motto as I huffed and puffed my way along the track.  Apart from a couple of stops for the sake of the kids, everyone was doing really well.  We were particularly proud of Erin who trudged her way up that hill with barely a whinge.  It could have had something to do with the 4.6 km walk we had done the previous weekend in Kondalilla Falls National Park or maybe the fact that her two young companions were keeping her motivated.  Whatever it was, she was doing a sterling job.  Becca was carried by Steve for the whole walk because it wasn't a pram friendly track.  In fact, it was mostly steps either built into the track or naturally occurring along the rock formations.
After about 25 minutes we had reached the top, a fantastic feat in anyones language.  We all sat at the top and just took in the amazing views that were before us.  We could see the whole Sunshine Coast in either direction from Noosa in the north all the way down to Mooloolaba and Caloundra in the south.  We could even see a sillouette of the Glasshouse Mountains.  Just below us was the Hyatt Coolum where the PGA golf classic was held before Christmas.  It was certainly well worth the climb and we all felt really good for doing it.  On the way down it seemed less exhausting but harder on our legs.  Steve was finding it a bit difficult because he has bad knees which was made all the worse because he was carrying Rebecca.
We departed and came home for some pancakes because it was Sunday morning after all and pancakes are always on the menu.  Yes it may not have been the healthiest breakfast but it was like a little celebration for what our little family had done.