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Elizabeth Lamb

I’m walking in solidarity this October for Australians affected by mental illness and suicide. You are not alone. My walking buddies and I, over in the team Super Awesome Sparkly People, have been doing this month long walkathon for 2 years now. This will be our 3rd year on the One Foot Forward program and each year so far, we have all found it to be an amazing source of encouragement, support and inspiration. We, each of us, have our own battles to fight, demons to face and daily struggles to contend with. If there is even the smallest chance that our walk can help create that feeling of connection, of safety and understanding that we get from our team and send the same hope to others who are struggling... well then, there is more than enough reason to get up and keep walking.

Total Raised

$364

Total Distance

38km

Distance Goal

40km

Support My Walk for Mental Health Research

Did you know that 1 in 5 Australians experience symptoms of mental illness each year?

Mental illness can be debilitating and can have a devastating impact on not only those living with it, but those around them.

This October, I’m taking part in One Foot Forward to help reduce the impact of mental illness and suicide.

I'm walking to raise funds for Black Dog Institute to put ground-breaking new mental health treatment, education, and digital services into the hands of the people who need them most.

It would mean so much to me if you donated to support my walk.

Together, we can create better mental health for all Australians.

My Updates

The End (of the walk challenge, obviously) Is Nigh - Elizabeth Lamb

I have completely, accidentally to some extent, noped out of fundraising eh. Last year, and the two years before, I was making lots of little video blog things and posting them to instagram. But this year, since my personal disdain for social media platforms has become more fierce I just wasn't able to find the fucks to do it. And I kept forgetting to make the little videos when I was out on walks, which was the mainstay of my OFF content in the past. Better to show people me, actually walking rather than me bundled up on the sofa, talking about walking, right? And since it's so late in the month, it seems a little pointless to make the little poster I was going to put up at the cafe I work in...

My plan to make a poster might have been a doomed one anyway, since I am truly abysmal at photoshop (or whatever the hell the program people use to make picture documents is called these days) and putting pictures into word documents is a digital nightmare, equivalent to trying to tie your shoelaces while wearing thumbscrews.

any way, I got my t-shirt for this year. And I think (once it loads up the new data) I have managed to beat my 40km goal. So I'm ok with that.

I also seem to have twisted, jarred or otherwise angered my left ankle. Probably did it while I was gardening a few weeks ago, but its on-and-off twanging complaints about supporting my weight have severely hampered my walking efforts. This is reflected in my km tracker in the days where, according to my pedometer, I barely moved at all 😂

All in all, I am content with my efforts, but clear in the knowledge that I could have done more. I will probably try to mock up that poster so that I have it, ready to print, at the start of October next year.

The difference between resting and collapsing in exhaustion - Elizabeth Lamb

Hello again,

I'm having a small rest day today. It was extremely hot yesterday and while I thoroughly enjoyed the warmer weather after weeks of inconsistent cold/blustery winds/rain, I am fairly sure that I overdid it. Despite drinking at least 3 litres of water, wearing my broad- brimmed sun hat, and packing a snack in my walking bag I am reasonably sure that I got a little too much sun and dehydrated a bit during my travels.

Which leads me to today. As I write, I am still in my pyjamas sitting on the sofa in my living room and planning my day out in the form of little tasks. How many of today's tasks need me to go far from the house? How many require shoes? How many can be done in pyjamas?
I updated my walking achievements (or kms tracker, whatever it's called) this morning too. I checked the data on my pedometer app and added them all to the tracker thing. Even the days where I appear to have barely moved. This seems like laziness, these sedentary days at first glance but once I checked against my diary (thank goodness for the habit of journaling) I began to see a different picture. Most of those days where I stayed very still were the days I was working at my desk. I was WORKING. Not lazing, as my bully brain wanted me to believe, but working. Not every day can be all action all the time. Some days are for sitting still and reading a manuscript and making notes. For writing letters to my friends or putting more photographs in to my wedding album. Mending clothes or making new things. I made two new pillows for the sofa, thanks very much, and they are lovely. Can't do that while traipsing about the neighbourhood.

So, I am proud of myself for walking. But I am even more proud of myself for recognising that I have been active on my 'off' days too.

There are also some days where I was just too knackered to move at all and spent the day asleep or dozing and just didn't do anything. But those are different from the restful days. And I am glad to know that.

Another year, another walk and a new team member!

Well, it's that time again. October is rapidly approaching and we are dusting off our walking shoes, filling our water bottles and queuing up our favourite music (or podcasts, or audiobooks, if you're into that sort of thing).

It's been a stupidly tumultuous year for me, in all regards, and I am sincerely hoping that getting back out there for the October challenge will help me settle my mind and spirit.

Our merry band of walkers is joined this year by my very good friend, Bailey Green, who is a delightful human. I am grateful to have met Bailey at RMIT and have had the extremely good fortune to have become such good friends with him. I am excited for him to join our little crew on our journey towards better health - mentally and physically.

Having moved into an entirely new neighbourhood, I will be carving out new walking paths and discovering the local haunts, oddities and interests as I trundle my way towards my goal.

We are, none of us, alone in this. we walk together and carry each other. We are not alone and we will get through this.