WHEN it comes to making New Year's resolutions, some people opt to shed the Christmas kilos, save money or try something new but a Tamworth mother-of-four has taken on a challenge that has pushed her fitness goals further than ever before.
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Melinda McDonald is known across the Tamworth fitness circuit for her boundless energy and can-do attitude so when it came to a 30-day fitness challenge, it was no surprise that she put her hand up.
The local mum and marketing manager signed up to World Vision's 30 for 30 fitness challenge, which has involved her endeavouring to ride or run 300km and do 300 chin-ups in the 30 days of January.
With just one day to go, she admits it hasn't been all fun and games.
While competing in the challenge, Mrs McDonald is also raising money for World Vision through sponsorship a cause she says is close to her heart.
"Our family sponsors some children through World Vision, and our son has been doing the World Vision 40-Hour Famine for years, so we stay in touch with the organisation, what projects they are working on, and their plans to raise funds," Mrs McDonald said.
"Each year, more than three million babies die before they reach 30 days of life, often of preventable causes.
"The idea of the 30 for 30 Challenge is to set yourself a fitness goal for the first 30 days in January, and ask your friends and community to sponsor you to achieve it.
"I decided I would do it because I love exercise, I love a challenge and I love the work World Vision do. I've been blessed with four boys, and when one of our sons was born prematurely, we received amazing care from Tamworth hospital that saw him happy and healthy in no time at all. It's a tragedy that in this day and age, so many women don't have access to that care, so I'm keen to do my part to change that."
Mrs McDonald's determination this month set tongues wagging across her social circle and, while her friends might have laughed when they set her the steep challenges, their donations have been generous.
Her husband Todd has also come along for the ride and has accompanied his wife along some of the kilometres of her fitness challenge.
"I'm silly enough to set these challenges for myself, and I'm normally a very active person anyway, but this challenge is crazy, even for me," Mrs McDonald said.
"I don't normally set New Year's resolutions, but, I must admit, I slacked off a bit in the lead-up to Christmas, so this challenge was a great push to get out and get moving again.
"I think the challenge is a great way to put the motivation of the new year to good use.
"It's nice to know I can be putting something I love to do to good use.
"I often tell people what a generous and caring community I live in, and Tamworth, as usual, has not let me down.
"My initial goal was to raise $500, but in the first 14 days I have raised almost $1700, and am currently sitting as fifth-highest fundraiser in Australia.
"I'm just so grateful to those who have donated. I must admit, when you see the notifications that someone has given support, it is a great boost for the motivation."
So far through her challenge, Mrs McDonald said she'd learnt some important lessons, including that 300 chin-ups will make her arms "very, very sore" and she might need to drink her coffee through a straw by the end of the month.
" On a more serious note though, I have also learned that whatever you love to do, there is usually a way to use it to make a difference or have an impact," she said.
You can support Mrs McDonald by making a donation at https://30for30fitnesschallenge.everydayhero.com/au/min
