Reluctant trekker supports heart health

Exercise isn’t something Natalie Bean even remotely enjoys but she’s determined to give it a red-hot crack to raise money for a good cause.

The Sapphire by Living Gems Resort Manager is stepping out of her comfort zone to raise money for women’s heart health as part of the Wild Women on Top Coastrek 2024 challenge on the Sunshine Coast. The event will take place on Friday, 19 July.

Money raised by Natalie and her friends from the 20 km trek from Coolum to Noosa will benefit the Heart Foundation.

“Sadly, almost every hour of every day, an Australian woman will lose her life to heart disease and thankfully we can make a big difference to raise life-saving funds,” said Natalie.

Natalie said she wasn’t too sure a 20 km trek was the best way for her to support the cause, but one of her friends insisted it would be fun.

“I hate exercise and I told my friends Jessica and Tammy that I’d only do it if our friend Melinda, who is just as unfit as me, would do it. I was expecting her to say no, but to my surprise she didn’t! That’s how I got roped in,” she said.

“Melinda thought we could just wing the 20 kilometres on the day with no training beforehand and I was like ‘no way! You can’t wing 20 kilometres!’.

Now I’m training each fortnight trying to get some walks in, going to a different location each time.”

Is Natalie enjoying having a post-exercise glow?

“I would like to say yes, but I just feel tired and sore. I know it’s good for me though…I think,” she grinned.

Natalie described a walk at Daisy Hill in Brisbane where she walked behind some ‘super-fit people’.

“I didn’t realise how hilly the Daisy Hill walk was going to be. At the end, the fit people commented that there were no hills, and I was like, ‘what the heck? It was all hills!’.”

“The Daisy Hill walk was ten kilometres, but it felt like 20, and I carried water in my backpack. Those fitness people did it though without any water. They are crazy!”

Natalie thought she’d get in some extra training by going for a bike ride with her ten-year-old son Ayden, who loves riding in nature.

“On the way back, we were cycling down a main road at Eagleby when my front wheel became loose.

Suddenly, I was flying over the handlebars and landed on the ground.

“Someone yelled out, ‘man overboard!’ as they were driving past.

It was so embarrassing as so many people saw it, but it was pretty funny – a flying blob going overboard! Ayden also got great comical value out of it!”

Luckily Natalie only sustained a few bumps and scratches, and her husband Daniel came to pick her up.

Despite the misadventures, Natalie is still pushing on with her training and can’t wait to get through the 20km Sunshine Coast trek – even if it’s just so that it is done and dusted.

“Raising money for a good cause helps get me through and, touch wood, I’ll like exercise at the end of it! Thank you to everyone who has supported our team so far. Every bit helps!”