Mel Cockshutt
For 24 years endurance sports have been part of my life. I love volunteering in my community and helping others achieve their goals or I give them support and give them confidence that the goals can be achieved. I have lived in regional NSW all my life with a brief 10 year stint in Canberra and 3 year Brisbane University life. My heart belongs to regional NSW and I have been part of the Port Macquarie community for the past 16 years.
All I want is a happy healthy life full of community connection, strong communities, family and friends. Cancer enters people's lives abruptly and it is terrifying. It can be heartbreaking. For regional people, it often means we have to leave our community for care. For our First Nations people, the chance of cancer impacting their family is higher than the general population.
I want to use my love of endurance sports, my love of working and training with a group of people to achieve sporting goals and my desire to help my community to do something incredible for my 50th year on this earth. The Heart of Courage project is courageous, inspirational, adventurous, life-changing and just plain incredible and I would love you to join in and be part of something that will make a difference for many years to come.
Races and events are so much more than times and frequency of completion and therefore I always struggle in a resume to write just my numbers. I want to tell the incredible story that is behind any particular race or event I participate in. I have raced to participate, I have raced to give a new sport a go, I have raced to be competitive, I have raced to support others, I have raced because of they terrain challenges, I have raced the World Championships, I have participated in challenges that I thought were perhaps beyond me and proved myself wrong, I have participated to raise funds and make a difference, I have raced to bring myself back to fitness (post babies), I have raced because of the destinations, I have raced for fun and connection to community, I have raced with family and friends. I love imparting my knowledge and experience onto others and I am involved in coaching/training in triathlon, ocean swimming, running, cycling, surf life saving, swimming and strength and conditioning.
The traditional statistics.
The Heart of Courage Project combines many of the reasons I race - all in the one condensed spectacular year. On a personal level, my event goal is terrifyingly long. The fundraising goal is absolutely epic and will make a difference. The partnerships with Tour De Cure, event managers in regional NSW, regional universities and our First Nation organisations is exciting.
I want everyone to join in, select the goal that is personal and become part of what will be an incredible community and project.
All I want is a happy healthy life full of community connection, strong communities, family and friends. Cancer enters people's lives abruptly and it is terrifying. It can be heartbreaking. For regional people, it often means we have to leave our community for care. For our First Nations people, the chance of cancer impacting their family is higher than the general population.
I want to use my love of endurance sports, my love of working and training with a group of people to achieve sporting goals and my desire to help my community to do something incredible for my 50th year on this earth. The Heart of Courage project is courageous, inspirational, adventurous, life-changing and just plain incredible and I would love you to join in and be part of something that will make a difference for many years to come.
Races and events are so much more than times and frequency of completion and therefore I always struggle in a resume to write just my numbers. I want to tell the incredible story that is behind any particular race or event I participate in. I have raced to participate, I have raced to give a new sport a go, I have raced to be competitive, I have raced to support others, I have raced because of they terrain challenges, I have raced the World Championships, I have participated in challenges that I thought were perhaps beyond me and proved myself wrong, I have participated to raise funds and make a difference, I have raced to bring myself back to fitness (post babies), I have raced because of the destinations, I have raced for fun and connection to community, I have raced with family and friends. I love imparting my knowledge and experience onto others and I am involved in coaching/training in triathlon, ocean swimming, running, cycling, surf life saving, swimming and strength and conditioning.
The traditional statistics.
- 10 Ironman Finishes (3x Port Macquarie, 1xCairns, 1xBusselton, 1xForster, 4x Kona, Hawaii World Championships)
- World Champion 35-39 Year age group Olympic Distance Triathlon and Aquathlon
- 2x National Champion Club Team Time Trial Cycling, National Time Trial Master Champion
- Australian Age Group team Olympic Distance Triathlon (Montreal, New Zealand, Perth)
- 15 years patrol service Flynns Beach, Port Macquarie (came through the Nipper ranks)
- Gold Coast Marathon Top 16 Female
- Long Course Weekend (LCW) Female Winner
- Everest ROAM, Everest, Base Everest, Everest (Indoors-Zwift)
- 4x Signature Tours 9 days riding Tour De Cure
- Port Macquarie Running Festival BreakWall Buster (21km, 10km, 5km Fun Runs together on same day) only female to complete every year (x7)
- Coolangatta Gold (learnt how to Surf Ski in order to complete - harder than what it looks!)
The Heart of Courage Project combines many of the reasons I race - all in the one condensed spectacular year. On a personal level, my event goal is terrifyingly long. The fundraising goal is absolutely epic and will make a difference. The partnerships with Tour De Cure, event managers in regional NSW, regional universities and our First Nation organisations is exciting.
I want everyone to join in, select the goal that is personal and become part of what will be an incredible community and project.
Bec Hoschke
- Rural upbringing, Kentucky NSW 2354. Northern Tablelands New England Region NSW. Extended family Lake Cathie, Port Macquarie & Wingham Mid North Coast Region NSW.
- BA Urban & Regional Planning, University of New England Armidale
- 16 years town planning experience (Statutory Planning), Local Government Areas of the North Shore / Northern Beaches Metropolitan Sydney
- Professional Triathlete (Long Course / Ironman)
- Ironman Australia Champion, Port Macquarie 2013.
- Ironman World Championships, Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i 2013. 18th F-Pro, 9.35hrs. 2nd Australian Female to Mirinda Carfrae (Aus) IM World Champion 2013.
- Professional Coach. Triathlon Australia Performance Coach. Cycling Australia Development Coach
- Can Too Foundation. Northern Beaches Run, Swim & Triathlon Coach, 2013+ (10 years)
- Tour de Cure. Fundraiser & Rider. TDC Signature Tour 2020 & 2023. Personal fundraising with TDC $25K+
- Racing Heart Coaching, Director & Head Coach. Endurance Sports Specialist. Personalised online programs, face-to-face coaching, workshops, camps.
- Adventure Heart, Founder. Celebrating endurance sports, friendships, connection to country, epic adventures! Philanthropy Projects.
- Mum to a young family, Northern Beaches Sydney.
- Passion for epic adventures, outdoor endurance enthusiast, heart to help make a difference in the health and well-being of our communities - urban, regional & rural Australia.
Adventure Heart / Philanthropy Projects
Alpine Everesting Project. Co-Founder with Dr Elly Warren alpineeveresting.com.au Coordinating a team of 27 cyclists (including 20 women) for an Everesting Roam Challenge in Alpine Country, Victoria and fundraising $100K to fund a First Nation Cancer Navigator Position for Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Service Centre, NSW Central Coast, Darkinjung Country, Central Coast, NSW.
Heart of Courage Project. Co-Founder with Melinda Cockshutt heartofcourage.com.au Fundraising $100K to improve Regional Cancer & First Nation outcomes.
