Little BIG DASH is coming to Melbourne this September and Mama can’t wait. Billed as the tough mudder event for families, kids and their parents can get together at Calder Park Thunderdome and tackle 10 colourful obstacles and a 3km run together.
MamaMag was lucky to chat to the Brisbane Event ambassador (they had their fun in July) and Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer, Libby Trickett. Libby has been involved in the event for a number of years, so who better to get the low-down from!
This is the first year Little BIG DASH has come to Melbourne and we have lots of excited families down here anticipating the big day. As an ambassador for the Brisbane event, tell us what we can expect on Melbourne’s big day…
It is always such a fabulous experience for all the families involved! To have everyone getting outside, getting active, dressing up and having fun – it’s definitely fun for the whole family!
Organised by the team behind the renowned Sanitarium Weet-Bix TRYathlon, Little BIG DASH is designed to bring families together in activity. Was your family a big influence on your fitness commitment growing up?
Definitely! I grew up in North Queensland and we spent all our time outside being active plus I had to learn to swim at a very young age because we were always around the pool.
Participants are encouraged to dress up together as a family in costumes, which we think is totally awesome! Have there been any stand-out costumes that have stuck in your mind?
Minions and superheroes are always a favourite for these events. I love seeing bright colours, tutu’s and sparkles are my personal favourite!
With 10 exciting obstacles to tackle on the day, is there one you think we’ll really love?
I love the bubbles! It is so much fun to play in! I also love the blow up tackle men!
Besides the amazing obstacle track, what other fun can families expect on the day?
There’s always so much to see and do. Lots of food stalls, great coffee (for the adults of course!), plenty of freebies and giveaways as well!
Not only are you a four-time gold medal Olympian, you can now add the title of “Mother” to your resume. Would you describe this as your greatest achievement to date?
Without a doubt. Great achievement and probably one of the most challenging years of my life. She is gorgeous and hilarious but is also stubborn and incredibly active so she’s definitely a handful!
Your daughter, Poppy Frances, has just celebrated her first birthday. Has your first year of motherhood lived up to all your expectations?
It’s been amazing but also not what I expected. I thought I would adjust more easily than I did but at every turn Poppy has challenged and surprised me!
Do you have any funny parenting stories you’d like to share to give us a giggle?
Yes! That time I changed Poppy’s nappy after a particularly massive poo and realised almost two hours later that I had somehow smeared some poo onto my tshirt and also found remnant on my sneaker!! That was a very levelling moment. You realise that it doesn’t matter who you were before kids, even an Olympian can still walk around for 2hrs with poo on their shirt!
You put on a lot more weight during pregnancy than you expected and it took you 10 months to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. Do you have any words of advice to other mums feeling the pressure to lose the baby-bulge?
My biggest thing was to love my body at every stage. It’s really a miracle to create a little human being and it’s important to acknowledge that. Don’t worry about the number on the scales! That doesn’t define you. Does your body do everything that you like it to? Be patient and loving to yourself and eventually you will be happy and healthy!
You describe yourself as a massive big kid at heart. Do you think this will rub off on little Poppy?
I hope so! She’s a nutcase and she’s definitely got some cheekiness. I just hope she laughs a lot and has lots of lighthearted joy in her life.
To join in the Little BIG DASH action on September 25th 2016 at Calder Park, visit www.littlebigdash.com.au