Bec Brown

Founder & MD of @thecommsdeptHQ. YOU'VE GOT THIS out now with @penguinbooksaus. Say hi at Insta too: becbrowncomms & thecommsdepartment.

[Bec Brown @BecBrownComms]

Thanks @morningshowon7 for the great chat - talking how to turn a side-hustle into a successful business. #biztips

https://t.co/Y5Jwqp8mJC

[Polina M. Pompliano @polinapompliano]

After training for 4 months, I wasn't able to run my half marathon last Sunday.

Here's what happened:

A little backstory: After my son was born in November, I needed a new goal to chase. I decided that half marathon training would be a great mental/physical outlet following postpartum. Plus, I found a race on April 28, which seemed like the perfect, far-away date.

So I started training in January. I shared updates about it in my newsletter, and on Twitter, and Instagram. For the first time, I publicly stated my intention to run a sub-2 hour half, and I thought that would give me the accountability I needed to take the training seriously.

And I did. I ran mile after mile during the week and dutifully completed my long runs every Sunday morning.

On the evening before the race, I laid out my clothes for the following day and studied the course map one last time.

And then, of course — of course — I started feeling severely nauseous and deeply unwell. I’ll spare you the details, but my husband and I got food poisoning.

So at 4 a.m — four hours before the half was set to begin — I was Googling, “Can you run a half marathon with food poisoning?” (The answer is: you can try, but there’s a serious chance you might get dangerously dehydrated & end up in the hospital.) Given that I couldn’t even keep a sip of water down, I decided it wasn’t worth the risk.

Needless to say, I wasn’t able to run it. I gotta admit — it was a weird cocktail of feelings. Even though food poisoning wasn’t exactly on my bingo card, I felt really disappointed that I couldn’t close the chapter on this journey.

So then what? I kept thinking about this one part from Casey Neistat’s video "Sisyphus and the Impossible Dream." In it, he talks about how he attempted to complete the New York City marathon under three hours last year, and his time came in at …. 3 hours and 1 minute. Devastating.

He says:

“It’s just an arbitrary number. I don’t need to break three hours to know who I am. What matters are the experiences. The journey. Even if I failed in the goal, see, life’s a battle, and there are times when you need to accept that you’ve been beat. ”It’s been a long road, and there’s a lot to be proud of. But I’m never going to break three. I’m just not that guy.

[he pauses, and then says:]

“Oh, F*CK THAT.”

Of course he didn’t stop. Of course he didn’t give up after that attempt. It took him 17 years and 24 marathons, but finally, at age 42, Neistat ran a 2 hour and 57 minute marathon.

Here’s the thing: I know that running this half doesn’t define me, but I am also determined to finish what I start.

So yesterday, May 4, without telling anyone, I went to Central Park and ran the exact route of the half marathon — two loops around the park for a total of 13.1 miles.

(And I managed to achieve my goal/personal best of sub-2 hours, running 1:58:48 with an average pace of 9:05 minutes/mile.)

No cheering. No fanfare. No medal. Just me and my family at the “finish line.”

I didn’t have to run it. It may seem meaningless, purposeless, and stupid, but it was important to me. As Neistat said:

“You do a lot of meaningless, purposeless, stupid things. You get obsessed. You spend years focused on it. And literally, no one cares but you. But you persevere anyway and you keep running. Because when you add up all those stupid, meaningless obsessions, what they add up to is your life.”

[ARIA @ARIA_Official]

Congratulations to the 2022 #ARIAs Best Children's Album winners @TheWiggles for ReWiggled

#YouTube #HordernPavilion #ARIAs #ARIAAwards #thewiggles

[Bec Brown @BecBrownComms]

@ChristinaKoulla @cmkusher Definitely not my experience. Hardest part’s when we have to do the work commute to Syd or Melb, because we never want to leave our tropical paradise! That said, cute Sunny Coast airport makes commute easy. The thrill of cheap airport parking for days on end will never get old.

[Tessa Davis @TessaRDavis]

10 must-know Japanese concepts that will improve your life:

[The Wiggles @TheWiggles]

Ladies and Gentleman, introducing the new 9th Wiggle …

Mr @MichaelBuble!

Brilliant show, mate 💛💜❤️💙

[Dalai Lama @DalaiLama]

We are all here on this planet, as tourists, as it were. None of us can live here forever. The longest we might live is a hundred years. So while we are here we should try to have a good heart and to make something positive and useful of our lives.

[The Wiggles @TheWiggles]

Exciting news! The documentary film ‘Hot Potato: The Story of The Wiggles’ will be released globally on @primevideo @primevideoaunz in 2023!

[Bec Brown @BecBrownComms]

@jendudley @AAPNewswire Congratulations Jen!

[Bec Brown @BecBrownComms]

@jendudley Go get ‘em Jen. They’ll be lucky to have you.

[Dalai Lama @DalaiLama]

Scientists have found evidence that those who cultivate love and compassion have greater peace of mind, while constant anger and fear make us uneasy and are bad for health. Common sense too tells us that people who are moved by love and compassion are peaceful and happy.

[WeAre8 @WeAre8Official]

It’s super easy to make a big impact through small actions every day on WeAre8. Want to find out more? Check out this quick run down of everything you need to know 👆

Ready to get started? Download the app now: https://t.co/eXnQwplzDF

[Bec Brown @BecBrownComms]

Do good, feel good. So very happy to work with the extraordinary @RFDSQld, who literally save lives and make people healthier and happier. Not a bad office either!

#royalflyingdoctorservice #Queensland #australia #rfds

[The Morning Show @morningshowon7]

Still only sixteen years of age, Tsehay Hawkins has had an incredible first 12 months as a member of @thewiggles having given a keynote speech at the leadership summit, touring the world, and somehow still finding time to get her L-plates!

[The Wiggles @TheWiggles]

BREAKING: Welcome aboard, @redders_20 🤝

#ReddersAnnounced
#GreyWiggle

[Vala Afshar @ValaAfshar]

This is a cyclist using his knowledge of physics and aerodynamics to gain a competitive advantage

Michael Guerra unclips from his pedals, lies down on the seat and stretches out his legs to achieve ultimate aerodynamic efficiency.

[Bec Brown @BecBrownComms]

👑 🙏🏻 https://t.co/AkAHrbFbdK

[Vanessa Zimmerman @NessZim]

.@CEWAus summit - what a pleasure to hear from the very impressive and brave @TheWiggles Tsehay Hawkins - a great role model for valuing and enjoying diverse cultures, not to mention clearly having the right mix of chutzpah and humility. #cewsummit

[Vanessa Zimmerman @NessZim]

.@CEWAus summit @TheWiggles Tsehay Hawkins: representation is super important. The Wiggles has gender, racial and age diversity. I want children to know it’s ok to be who you are. #cewsummit #womenleaders

[Sarah Styles @SarahStylesAU]

“What kids see on screen, is how they see the world” - simply brilliant keynote from Yellow Wiggle Tsehay from @TheWiggles

#CEWSummit

[Vanessa Zimmerman @NessZim]

So the PM @AlboMP was great today at the #cewsummit but my highlight may have been meeting this charming young female leader - @thewiggles Tsehay Hawkins - somehow I don’t think he will be too offended. #womenleaders