Margaret Blegg /Buckingham

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks : Strong Women : week 10.

I am writing the this story about a living person, my cousin, so I will need to get her permission to publish it before it goes on the page.
I can’t contact her at the moment as she is in New Zealand, taking part in one of the most horrific races I have ever seen her take part in, if you don’t count racing across a desert in the US by day and night, this one although it is summer time it is freezing cold at night, and there is a lot of water coursing involved.

so watch this space. I have permission!

This is what she said about her last effort in New Zealand.

[caption id="attachment_116" align="alignright" width="300"] BEFORE THE START[/caption]

GODZone. It did not disappoint. Spectacular and beautiful. Harsh and full on.  A team of 4 women bought together by one common theme.  We’ve all had cancer and continue to pursue our sport. Our goal was to raise awareness for other people out there who have done or are going through the battle.  It’s not everyone’s story, however, if all going well, you can make it yours.  There can be life after Chemo and Radiation.

This event was tough and relentless.  I unfortunately only made it to the end of Day 5 before sickness plucked me from the course.  Frankie Sanders, Lesa Muir and Shanel Murray much to my admiration, continued on their journey to the finish.  I was so proud to watch them finish this beast. 

Her name is Deanna Blegg, and she is one very strong lady. Deanna lives in Victoria, I first met her when she was in Perth taking part in the Western Australian Toughest Mudder contest, yes that is to do with mud!

Deanna is strong physically but that would do her no good if she wasn’t strong mentally as well.

The Toughest Mudder on line wrote this about her: I will place it here in full, as I have their wr

itten permission to share it as it is.

Why Australian Champion Deanna Blegg Won’t Be Returning                    to World’s Toughest Mudder This Year

Published on November 4, 2016 by Jade Belzberg

Deanna Blegg is no stranger to the World’s Toughest Mudder. At the second WTM in 2012, Deanna placed second female (third overall). The following year, at WTM 2013, she placed first, boasting 85 miles, or 17 laps of the 5-mile loop course. Then again in 2015 she was on the podium with another third place win to her name. Those who have met Deanna recognize her for her bright smile, determination, and kindness, and while many are aware of her accomplishments on course, few know her story off the course and out of the mud.

Despite her numerous wins and placements at adventure, endurance and obstacle races, Deanna didn’t immerse herself in fitness until the age of 36. 13 years before, at the age of 23, Deanna contracted HIV, then, shortly after, AIDS. In 1996, medication became available to in Australia, where she lives. “It was then I could start focusing on living again and not just waiting to die,” she says. Her first goal was to start a family; to gain back the fitness she lost came second.

After having two children, one at the age of 28 and the second at 33, Deanna started to workout out again. Soon she was studying to become a personal trainer, which gave her flexible hours to train once her kids began school. To start, Deanna tried adventure racing; she then entered the Tough Bloke Challenge, a 5K obstacle course race. Deanna was hooked and quickly learned of the World’s Toughest Mudder. Luckily, Tough Mudder Melbourne was debuting as Australia’s first Tough Mudder event. Deanne signed up and made it her goal to be within the top 5% so she could qualify for WTM. She was successful.

As Deanna’s experience grew, so did her training. Adventure racing was traded entirely for obstacle racing, mainly due to the volume required. “In my build up to the adventure racing season, I was putting in 20-30 hours of action into my week,” Deanna says. “Obstacle racing was a lot less demanding on the body. It kind of felt like I’d slackened off somewhat.” Additionally, the community support in OCR was a joyful surprise. “Elitism,” she says, “ is very hard to find in the sport,” just part of the reason why she keeps returning to WTM.

In June, while running an adventure race in China, Deanna noticed a lump on her ribs. At the time, Deanna was immersed in the race, and forced herself to brush it off until the finish. The first day she returned home, she had it checked out by her doctor. “He didn’t like the look of it so he referred me to get a mammogram and ultrasound,” she says. While the results came back as “most likely benign,” Deanna decided to pursue it further. This time, Deanna was diagnosed with grade 3 triple-negative invasive aggressive breast cancer. WTM, of course, was immediately off the table. “Life got a bit out of control at that time,” she says. Deanna wanted the lump immediately removed, but felt the doctors seemed to be in no hurry. “That, for me, was very frustrating.”

At first, she did as much research as she could on her condition. “I then stopped,” she says, “as prognosis didn’t look good. I didn’t need to read that, and instead thought that if Lance Armstrong can have a 2% chance of survival and make it through, so can I.”

Rather than fret over what she couldn’t control, Deanna took a different approach. “I look at most things in life as “adapt and overcome,” she says. “I have accepted the cancer and accepted the process I need to go through to have it treated. I am not at war with it. I am really at peace. I do what I can in my days–often I feel really well and can train; other days I spend time in bed resting.”

Deanna’s goals for the year have changed, but her tenacity and strength have not. “My goals are to recover from chemotherapy and hysterectomy (performed earlier in the year) as well as do all the healing I need to become vital again.” When asked how she feels about WTM, even though she will be unable to attend this year’s event, she says, “there is no event like it on the planet. The American support for each and every individual out there on course was very new to me. All through the night at every obstacle, every person passed or being passed would offers words (and sometimes grunts) of encouragement.” While Deanna often struggles to explain the magic of WTM to Australian friends and family, she’s learned to succinctly describe the experience: “I just say you have to do it–then you will understand.”

Written by Jade Belzberg

Reprinted with permission of WTM and Jade Belzberg Nov 2016

I am not sure when it was but well before Victoria changed to wheelie bins when the "Garbos" ran down the street, pick up the bin emptied it into the back of a moving truck,and threw it (the bin, not usually the rubbish) back on the kerb, or verge depending where you live, this was a job that Deanna chose to do, because it was good training for a tri-athlete, Deanna made what I think was the front page of the Melbourne Sun. The Girl Garbo. it all went onward and upward from there. As soon as my newspaper clipping turns up it will go on here.

"Strong women" did I mention that Deanna is now 48.