Rona Mackenzie

By Rona Mackenzie Rona Mackenzie

Sport has always been my first love. I was born in the north of Scotland to a fell-running father and a very active mother. Our idea of a weekend away was to pack up the caravan, head to Ben Nevis and whilst my dad raced up and down mountains, mum and I would see how far we could climb before the first runner came down…and then leg it so that we weren’t beaten back to the finish by my dad!

The fresh air, freedom and exhilaration of the mountains have stayed with me throughout my life. Indeed, moving to Lincolnshire was a bit of a shock – apparently I was very concerned that someone had made the land flat and taken away my beloved mountains.

My competitive nature was evident from my formative years, competing in my first running race aged four and going on to collect a fair range of certificates, badges and trophies throughout my school years.

I was a jack of all trades, turning my hand to a number of sports, except those requiring racquets and, as I found out last weekend, requiring the ability to shoot things from the sky!

As part of my forty challenges I took my parents Clay Pigeon Shooting. It has been a while since we took part in a competitive sport together, but with my mother celebrating her 70th birthday I wanted to give her an unusual birthday weekend.

I was last on the leader board, shooting more fresh air than clay, but my dad proved to be a sharp shooter and led the way in style. I think he may return for another attempt one day soon.

This week I played sport at Lincoln UTC, taking to the hockey pitch with Year 10 and spending an exhausting hour completing drills and playing games.

In my youth, this was my main sport and I particularly loved being part of a team. The camaraderie, shared feeling of glory and determination to overcome tough opponents always made my weekends special.

I was reminded, 16 years on, how much I love that sport. Maybe one of my unused challenges should be to go and join a Vets hockey team for a season?

Throughout my childhood, there were never any limitations on the sports I could play. I was a football, hockey and netball player, as well as a football, hockey and athletics coach, amongst many other things.

The notion of a sport being for a particular gender was never contemplated. Sport is sport, there were no barriers at all.

This week I was delighted to see that female golfers have finally been allowed to join the prestigious St Andrews Club, an honour previously only allowed for men. The England Women’s Rugby Team claimed the Sports Personality Team of the Year in December, and in November the England Women’s Football team walked out onto the new Wembley turf for the first time.

The new Sport England campaign, This Girl Can, has been launched to encourage women of all ages, abilities and experience to have a go at sport. The benefits for our health, happiness and confidence are immense and the friendships that grow are powerful.

A little activity can bring huge benefits, and as I sit at my desk at the end of another long day, I am reminded that my sport has taken a back seat in my life. Having balance in our lives is so important, to make time for those we love, the activities we love and things that make us smile.

I head to Scotland this weekend for another of my 40 challenges, learning to use ice axes and crampons in the snow ready for our Russian expedition in August. I know the minute I feel the fresh air and freedom of Glen Coe, I’ll be reminded of how much I love the mountains and re-inspired to get back to training on my return to Lincoln. After all, I do have a 100km race to train for…I better get my running shoes on!

Read more about Rona’s 40 challenges for her 40th Birthday in her previous column for The Lincolnite.

Dr. Rona Mackenzie is Principal of Lincoln University Technical College (UTC). She has a strong background in education, having worked in six local authorities during her career, and is passionate about providing an education that meet the needs of young people and their community industries. She is a keen sportswoman and mountaineer, recently trekking to Everest Base Camp, and has an interest in photography.

By Rona Mackenzie Rona Mackenzie

I did it! I feel like an excited big kid but I’m so pleased to share my New Year news that I kicked off my ‘Forty Years, Forty Challenges’ in true style this festive holiday with my first two achievements.

As my husband and I hit the Italian ski slopes I was a little nervous about spending most of my time hitting the deck. As a first time skier I joined the beginners class, learning on something close to a horizontal slope. I spent the first day feeling like I was travelling at a hundred miles an hour yet the GoPro clearly showed that I was in fact doing a superb impression of a snail going through mud.

After two mornings of lessons I was amazed to find myself completing a blue run on the third morning and by the end of the week I was coping more confidently with the numerous tiny skiers who, despite being knee-high to a grasshopper, were swishing through the snow and whizzing past me at great speed. I even managed a ski session with my husband, coaxing him from the black runs to join me in some blue run ‘excitement’… It’s a good job he is a patient man.

The afternoons were spent taking part in an activity that was new to us both – Cross Country Skiing. Our teacher, Carmella, was very positive and gave out lots of lovely praise for all our efforts.

As a teacher it’s easy to forget how critical praise is when we learn a new skill, especially when we find it hard.

If the actions required coordination, I found I took to it pretty well. If they required brute strength, I was a fair way behind my husband as he shot off along the course. We had some amusing ‘Bambi on ice’ moments, one where in true comedy style my legs shot out from under me, flew into the air and left me to ungraciously ‘plop’ into a heap on the snow! Typically, that was one of very few times we used the video camera, very much a sight for sore eyes. But by the end of the week we decided that they were two new sports, not only ticked off my ‘Forty Challenges’ list but also things we would like to try again – I am determined to try a red run next time.

The preparation for my Forty Challenges got fully underway once I got back to the UK. I spent New Year’s Day morning on air with Nicola Gilroy on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, sharing the details of my challenges as we discussed the reasons that people set New Year’s resolutions.

My only resolution was to achieve my Forty Challenges and I set up my blog at www.drronamackenzie.com to track my progress. I finalized my challenges, one of which is to raise £4,040.40 for four charities. I chose The Samaritans, Arrhythmia Alliance, Classroom in the Clouds and Lincoln City FC Sport and Education Trust.

Each charity has a very special meaning to me, in the ways I describe on my blog, and this challenge enables me to give something to those who do so much to help others. I have committed to doing all forty challenges to receive my sponsorship money – so the bar has been set high. I’m raring to go.

The challenges include the unusual – milking a cow, making a silver spoon, learning to meditate – to the physical – completing the 100km ‘Race to the Stones’, a 2.8km open water swim and climbing Mount Elbrus in Russia – to the ultimate challenge for me – spending a day in my PJs and not doing any work!

Some emerged unexpectedly; as I announced on Twitter that I had signed up to give blood, a fellow tweeter told me about ‘Delete Blood Cancer’ and how easily I could become a stem cell donor. Ten minutes later and I had registered on the site. A few days later, I received my pack of information explaining how to complete the swab sample. The teenage son of the tweeter had just had his life saved by a donor – and now there is the potential that I too could help someone with blood cancer. Nothing is greater than the gift of life.

I’m looking forward to a rich and rewarding year and to raising lots of money for charity. All I need to do now is find some sponsors. So, if you are reading this article please make your resolution to pop onto my blog site, read up on my adventures and part with a little cash to help others. Your generosity could change lives.

Dr. Rona Mackenzie is Principal of Lincoln University Technical College (UTC). She has a strong background in education, having worked in six local authorities during her career, and is passionate about providing an education that meet the needs of young people and their community industries. She is a keen sportswoman and mountaineer, recently trekking to Everest Base Camp, and has an interest in photography.