Why I Respect Tony Abbott

For those who haven’t followed the news this previous weekend, Opposition leader Tony Abbott competed in the Ironman Australia Triathlon. For those readers unaware of what this involves, it’s a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike ride, and a 42.2km (marathon) to finish. To put this feat into perspective, as a full time training athlete, the farthest I’ve run is 36km in one go.

Abbots feat, however, has drawn more negative light than positive light. Paul Kelly from the Australian questioned whether it was a publicity stunt. The SMH declared it a publicity stunt, trying to combat Kevin Rudd’s image as a workaholic. Tony Wright of The Age thought that he needed to tone it down, and Malcolm Farr from The Daily Telegraph thought the pink lycra would help him earn the ‘pink vote’.

To add to this, news website readers across the country voiced their opinions that Abbott could better spend his time in Parliament, trying to lead his party, and that he would be ‘too tired’ to work properly for days.

Well here’s a thought all you naysayers and whingers. How about stop and think about what you did on the weekend for a second.

Tony Abbott, probably the second busiest man in Australia – MADE TIME to compete in an Ironman. YES, MADE TIME. He trained before and after work, and competed on a weekend. The message he has sent is that there is ALWAYS time to keep fit and healthy.

Being in the exercise and health industry, the amount of people who have this perception that they have a lack of time astounds me. How many of you have got home after work, and gone to the fridge and pulled out some food and sat on the couch for a couple of hours before dinner. How many of you wake up, watch the morning news for 30-45 minutes and THEN go to work.

It is easy to find 30 minutes a day to exercise. 

In a typical 9-5 job, its 9-5. So let me write a program for you. Wake up at 6.30. Go for a 30-minute jog or walk or swim. Have some breakfast and a shower. And then look at the clock. Its still not 8am yet. Still an hour before work starts. THERE is your half hour. “Oh but Courtney, I start work at 7am not 9am.” Easy, you probably finish at 3pm. Do it then.

Being someone who needs to run 12 times a week, there are times that I think it’s too hard to fit in that extra 30 minute jog in the morning before work. Or when I finish on Sunday at 6pm and just want to go home. But guess what. I still did my 90-minute run after work last night.

Tony Abbotts message is loud and clear, and he should be respected for his endeavors, and not knocked.  Australia can be fit. Australians can find the time. If Tony Abbott has the time, then so do you, Australia. Because we aren’t currently the fattest nation per capita in the world for nothing.