Mindful Miles

Hi! My name is Maddie and I'm on the Board of The True Athlete Project. 

I am joining the #TAP mission to create a compassionate, mindful culture in sports through the Mindful Miles Challenge - or in my case a Mindful Miles and Meters Challenge (using the rowing machine too!) 

I am a life long advocate of sport, it's power, and it's benefits. Participating, competing, working and basically being a geek about it since I can remember! 

Rowing, since being introduced to it as a teen at a small town coastal club, has been where I have always felt the most mindful (whether riding the waves, pushing against the stream or putting the work in on the machine).

TAP came into my life in 2023 just after losing my Dad who was a huge influence on me and my sporting life. Naturally, I found myself lost in the grieving process alongside a lot of change in my life. 

I lost a lot of love for a lot things at that time which I suppose is understandable. TAP's mindful practices and compassionate approach reminded me that sport was still there for me, like an old friend!

I was lucky as a youngster to be surrounded by great sporting influences and opportunities which have provided me with incredible experiences and a skillset for life.

The True Athlete Project and its programmes brings the benefits and positive learnings of sport to as many young people as possible through its programmes. It reminds us that it doesn't matter what level of activity we undertake or how good we are at it, just that the growth and refuge it can provide us with (body, mind and soul) is boundless, and that we all have a right to feel good.

I am undertaking this challenge to reconnect with my Dad and to myself, and to recognise the amazing connection he provided me with to sport! #TAPButterfly

Between Dec 3 2024 (Giving Tuesday) through to Jan 23 (in memory) I am aiming to cover 250,000km rowing (on-water or machine, expect when I don't have access to either during some holiday times)

I hope by participating and moving for physical fitness that I can also promote mental wellbeing, resilience, and mindfulness for athletes of all ages and levels.

I relocated and started a new chapter this summer, and have also joined my local rowing club! It will be the 2 year anniversary of my Dad passing in January 2025 and I know he will be so happy that I am getting back out on the water in a boat and feeling more myself

#MindfulMiles #MindfulMeters

Any little you can give goes to more mindfulness programmes creating more #TrueAthletes

Please follow #TAP!