Mackay Athletics Club held its second meet as part of its inaugural Summer Series last weekend, attracting athletes from as far afield as Ross River, the Whitsundays, Moranbah, Keppel Coast, Tablelands and Townsville. Athletes from 4 to roughly 84 could participate in a range of age-appropriate disciplines, including sprints, middle-distance running, long jump and throws. There was also a rare opportunity to compete in the pole vault with a training clinic held prior to the Summer Series competition.

Mackay Athletics Club volunteer Belinda Rule said the series purpose is to provide competitions for existing athletes, and to assist some with their preparations for the Athletics Australia Summer season, while also promoting the sport to those interested during the quiet period in North Queensland.

“It was also great to see the friendships and comradery displayed by all athletes during the series and the openness to help out new athletes trying our sport for the first time,” she said.

The third meet of the Summer Series will be held on Saturday, 12 February.

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Mackay Basketball’s annual Australia Day carnival always attracts a high calibre of teams vying for impressive pools of prize money. The 2022 edition was no different, with fun and friendship setting the tone as well as some fierce competition.

The carnival provided a heartwarming triumph for women with an intellectual disability everywhere.

Nine Mackay Fire female athletes began their basketball journey in the Australia Day carnival, the first time a women’s team with intellectual disability has fielded the competition.

The Mackay Fire men began their 7th year competing in the carnival.

CARNIVAL WINNERS

𝙈𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝘿𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 1 - 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘻

𝙈𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝘿𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 2 - 𝘔𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵 𝘐𝘴𝘢 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴

𝙈𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝘿𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 3 - 𝘉𝘦𝘦𝘳 𝘖’𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬

𝙈𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝘿𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 4 - 𝘗𝘊𝘠𝘊 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘢’𝘴

𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝘿𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 2 - 𝘛𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘴

𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣’𝙨 𝙎𝙤𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 - 𝘔𝘢𝘥-𝘗𝘪𝘦𝘴

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In Sydney’s Little Bay, a local Mackay cyclist joined up with a crew of thirteen spin class competitors, taking on 30 hours on the bike in the equivalent of 38 spin classes to log a new Guinness World Record.

The official World record is known as the Longest Continuous Spin Class, and Aram Drake joined up with the team comprised of Fab To Be Fit Foundation members in the strange attempt, which Aram said was his first ever spin class experience.

“I had never done a spin class, so the event was the first time on a spin bike - nothing like being prepared,” Aram said.

“Initially I was just thinking it was perfect timing for a good hit out leading up to the Indian Pacific Wheel Race in March, but after speaking to Kevin Moultrie, the Foundations Operations manager, I realised how great a cause it was.”

The Fab to Be Fit crew organised the event to not only break the record, but to raise funds to go towards fun, structured physical activity and nutrition programs for kids and teenagers suffering physical, mental and emotional disabilities in low socio-economic and disadvantaged communities.

Aram is a member of Mackay Cycling Club, and was asked by a friend from The Mater Smiling For Smiddy Foundation to assist in the World record breaking event, and said it was an experience he’ll never forget.

“The record attempt was amazing,” he said.

“We were running around, I was meeting most of the other riders and volunteers for the first time, helping with the final setup right up to the time to get on the bike, it was a bit of chaos and a mad scramble to get the shoes and chamois cream.

“A quick pep talk from our ride leader, James Lamb, and Kevin and we were off.

The first session was a 2-hour hit out and it was pure adrenalin.

Spin classes run on stationary bikes guided by an instructor who sets the speed and pace in varying bursts throughout the workout. The idea is the instructor visualises an outdoor workout, sometimes at break-neck speed, or even up hill. It’s a tough ask, even for a regular single outing which lasts about 50 minutes.

“I was pushing big watts and I wasn’t alone to the point that the volunteers had to find a mop and bucket to mop up the sweat from around the riders,” Aram said.

“The hardest part was seeing the pain some of the other riders were going through - knowing there was nothing I could do to help besides a few words of encouragement.

Aram said doctors were strapping knees while they were still pushing pedals, there were toenails ripped off, and saddle sores wept blood.

“They say records are won by blood sweat and tears. With this record it was literally the case.”

Come the end of the 30 hours on the bike, Aram had ridden 829kms at an average moving speed of 30.7km/h, burning 18,651 calories.

He said that the people who drove him on were Casey and Sarah, his two girls.

“I live by a mantra ‘never die wondering,’ anything is possible if you’re willing to work hard and commit to it.”

If you would like to support the Fab to be Fit foundation please visit https://www.fabtobefit.org.au or if you would like to get behind Aram’s IPWR for the Mater Smiling for Smiddy foundation please scan the QR code below.