Challenge accepted
HOUGHTON – Carla Farina and Su-yen Thornhill of Challenge Accepted challenge you to challenge yourself.
“If you want to complain about something, at least do 10 pushups while you are complaining so you can complain with strong arms.”
This is the indomitable attitude of Houghton resident, Su-yen Thornhill, who along with Craighall tennis coach, Carla Farina, head the Challenge Accepted initiative.
The free initiative aims to encourage community members to get out and experience life outside of their comfort zones as well as live the best, healthy, happy and fun lives they can.
This is through various adventures that improve fitness. “Sometimes we run on roads, sometimes we run on trails. Sometimes we swim. Sometimes we run and swim,” smiled Farina when the pair met with the Rosebank Killarney Gazette at Delta Park on a beautiful morning.
The pair accepts challenges from community members on the Challenge Accepted Facebook page. These can include following a certain diet plan, taking on a big running or swimming event, or swimming around Emmarentia Dam (which they did happily).
https://www.facebook.com/challengeaccepted7/videos/270302827201195/
Sometimes people send messages to the pair, asking for help losing weight or getting fit. “We either respond directly or we make a video showing what can be done. Often people just need to take the next small step to help them get fitter.”
This can include walking a Parkrun or kilometre or two. “There is no shame in walking,” they said.
“When you wake up in the morning you might as well start exercising.”
Pre and post-race advice and training are also hot topics for videos.
The pair always post on Facebook when they are going to appear at an event, so their followers can meet them. “Often when you want to go to a run you don’t know anyone there. So now people can come and chat to us.”
Farina and Thornhill are very different in their approach to fitness. For instance, Farina is better running downhill and loves cycling while Thornhill is better at running uphill and dislikes cycling.
https://www.facebook.com/challengeaccepted7/videos/1868391339938887/
They also have different tastes in music (they post training playlists for their followers).
Related article:
“Tennis is a sport for life” – Craighall coach sets out to inspire local players
