Katherine Switzer, Marathon Woman.

How different this world is today thanks to the trail blazing efforts of prominent women in history?

We think nothing of lining up on the Gateway Bridge with men to compete in the Bridge to Brisbane, but this wasn’t always so. The Boston Marathon, brought into infamy earlier this year thanks to terrorism, was the scene of another explosive occurrence in 1967. However, in this instance, pride was generally the only thing hurt!

What had everyone in a tizz? A woman officially ‘entered’ the Boston Marathon. Yep, seriously, that’s what the buzz was. Katherine Switzer was physically approached by an official along the circuit, trying to stop her from racing. She managed to finish the race, and I tip my hat to the fellow male runners who kept Katherine safe. Take that you sexist gits!

I can hear you all asking what this brave woman has been doing in the last 46 years?

Lets have a bit of a sticky beak shall we?

The photos of the official trying to stop Katherine from competing, have become part of Time-Life’s “100 photos that changed the world.”

After Boston, Katherine went on to win the New York City Marathon in 1974 and 1975. As well as competing in over 35 other marathons.

Activism fed this amazing woman’s desire to open doors for other women in the world of competitive marathon running. In conjunction with Avon she helped create the Avon International Running Circuit. With events covering 27 countries and reaching out to millions of women, I would deem this venture to be a complete success. So would covering over 200 events for ABC’s Wide World of Sports, some of which earned her a number of Emmy awards.

She has written numerous books since 1997… Running and Walking for Women over 40, 26.2 Marathon Stories and Marathon Woman. This last one won her an award for journalism from the Women’s Sports Foundation.

In more recent years Switzer has been lending her talents to public speaking. She has vast knowledge in health, sports, and inspiring women from all walks of life to blaze their own trails, so the journey for the future generations can be easier.

Her award list is pretty long however the most deserved would be the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls NYC, in 2011.

I think we can all agree this woman is an undeniable world treasure.

Read more about Katherine Switzer at the below links.

Sources

http://kathrineswitzer.com/about-kathrine/kathrines-full-bio/

http://www.run247.com/articles/article-2200-19th-world-congress-of-aims.html

Top ten things that make me happy…!

#10 Reading (duh) this is a no brainer for anyone who reads this website

#9 Receiving packages (especially books)

#8 Giving hugs

#7 Snuggling with my cats

#6 Fresh Sheets on the bed

#5 Wearing my bulldog slippers (I tend to make them bark and growl)

#4 Eating out with my daughter

#3 Recording my radio show (best co-host ever!)

#2 Attending my writers group meetings

#1 Sleep

Okay now in the comments tell us what are your top ten things that make you happy.  

Belinda chats about the enduring nature of the Little Black Dress

Superman has his S on his Chest… I have my LBD

When at a complete loss as to what to wear to any event, and yes I mean any event, the Little Black Dress is an absolute must have in the wardrobe of any girl above 16 (younger if you’re parents agree).

Here’s 3 examples of how one LBD can go from shopping with the girls at a beach front market, to a job interview, to an after 5 evening event.

The idea is to get a simple yet classy basic dress and use shoes, hair styling, jackets and accessories to match it to the event as appropriately as possible. The more basic the dress, the more impact it will have, and the more flexible it will be when switching events.

Shopping trip at the Gold Coast? Why not be sophisticated and comfortable at the same time. Ballet flats or pretty flip flops and a cute over the shoulder bag are a great idea, slap on a hat if you’re going to be out in the sun. Lip gloss and a swipe of mascara should be enough for the makeup.

Job interview? Why not add a briefcase, a blazer and some low heels to look put together and tidy. This is where the less is more theory comes into play. So keep the jewellery and makeup minimal.

Audrey Hepburn wore the most iconic LBD in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. You may never have seen the film, however almost anyone would recognise that simple yet elegant representation of how something can be taken to the next level with accessories, and an up do.

For an after 5 event, be it a wedding or a semi formal work event, the theme is go big or go home. Add a fabulous jacket, higher sparkly heels, an evening bag and outrageous jewellery to make that LBD work to it’s full potential.

You don’t have to have the budget of a Kardashian to have class.

Most trends will come and go, but the LBD will forever be a staple in any smart woman’s wardrobe.

Having everyone tell you about needing a good night’s rest around exam time can sometimes be counter productive. You think about it, worry about it so much, that the next thing you know, you’re battling insomnia and are catching a nap in English class.

Here are ten tips to try to get things back on track… hopefully before the insomnia gets out of control.

#1 Sort out a to do list for the next day so you can stop thinking so hard about what needs to be done.

#2 Caffeine should be avoided at least 6 hours before bed.

#3 Have a warm bath (try using a lavender-based body wash to kick the body into low gear)

#4 Camomile tea (tastes nasty but does the trick)

#5 Comfy Pj’s.

#6 Dark room at the right temperature (cool is better than warm).

#7 Try to get into a routine and stick to a bed time.

#8 Send your phone calls to message bank if you MUST use your mobile phone for an alarm, if you don’t, remember to turn them off, and put them in another room to avoid the temptation of checking social network sites in the middle of the night.

#9 Listen to a relaxation CD. (Best one I’ve ever used was by Tottie Goldsmith  )

#10 Try not to nap in the afternoon as this can throw off your sleep pattern.

If you would like to add your own tips to this mix go ahead, and remember to let us know if you try out the tips and they work for you.

Sweet dreams!

Teen angel – adult demon!  Belinda Hamilton discusses growing up in the public eye.

It is such a stereotype of the child actor, rebelling, making huge mistakes, taking drugs, and being arrested when they’re on the cusp of adulthood.

Lets name a few shall we? Johnny Depp, Drew Barrymore, Britney Spears, Lyndsey Lohan… yeah, you’ve got the point.

Are they actually doing anything abnormal for their age bracket? OR are they lashing out harder to make an identity outside of the clean cut, perfection the public are expecting them to continue until they die?

Is the behaviour they’re exhibiting ‘just part of growing up’?

Do we, as the public, have a right to expect the ‘role models’, fed to us by mainstream media, to act a certain way, dress a certain way and abstain from unethical behaviour?

I found a clip on YouTube by TheFineBros of a group of teens around Miley Cyrus’ age bracket who were asked to comment on her recent music videos. They were Rumor 17, Toir 15, Eric 16, Jeanie 18, Sam 17, Ethan 15, Madison 18, Alix 17, Shant 17, and Rachel 17.

Many of them were reacting to Miley as an extension of her former TV role as Hannah Montana. Could the reason for Miley’s rebellious period be based out of utter frustration, when as a whole, the public are forgetting that Hannah was fictional?

A few compared her clip to the behaviours of Lyndsey Lohan, and so many of them were adamant her conduct was inappropriate, and was for attention seeking purposes only.

Our teen years are supposed to begin the evolution of our adult selves, which is a really daunting thought (and if you’re stressing, imagine how much your parents are holding their breath).

Our brains aren’t completely finished connecting up, peer pressure is rampant and risk-taking and rebellion are just a part of life. However, fingers are continually being pointed at the celebrity element. Blaming them for the unacceptable behaviour of non-famous teens all the way around the developed world.

Isn’t it up to parents to be the primary role models of their kids, then to point them in the direction of worthwhile non family members to mentor and model their behaviours by?

Does a celebrity’s rebellious streak make you like them more or can it make you lose all respect for them?

Check out the clip and leave us a comment. I would love to know what you think.