Well I survived .. TWICE!!

It was a pretty crazy day. Tomi got us to go for a run to get our engines started before the main event.

Michael Klim and some AFL dude broke in the event by starting their run up Mount Eureka.

We were off, Henry and Charles from our team .. Team Finland (to support Tomi’s home) did the first lap. Sanny and I were the 4th pair to take on the climb. By the time we got down we realised its not over, there’s a few more hours left on the clock, and Tomi gave us the teamwork speech to do a second lap. I had to calm down, so I visited the on hand masseur.

The second lap was so much more rewarding and so was the second massage. I’m glad I did it, and supported our team. It called for extra partying that nite!

Here are the official results:

• Results by Team
• Results by Team Member

(Photos courtesy of Tomi Kokko)

Details

Event: Victorian Government Meets Web
Organisers: Web Standards Group

Date: Monday 17 November 2008
Location: Horse Bazaar, 397 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Cost: Free
Website: http://webstandardsgroup.org/event/160

On Monday, November 17, Chris Sampson (Parisfirst Partners) and Ian Stewart (Office of the Premier of Victoria) will be talking about the current Premier of Victoria’s website.

Chris will discuss why Joomla! and YouTube were chosen and how other design and build issues were solved. And Ian will talk about improvements to the original site including implementing Flickr and the first live webcast as well as some insight into where Victorian Government is heading online.

Note this is a Monday night. Please RSVP for catering purposes.

I’ll be attending.

Details

Event: Interactive Advertising: Present Trends
Organisers: AIMIA

Date: Wednesday 29 October 2008
Location: Sensis Theatrette, Melbourne
Cost: Free
Website: http://www.aimia.com.au/i-cms?page=5180

Want to understand what is working in today’s online advertising environment? What clients are demanding from their agencies and in turn what they expect website publishers to deliver by way of tracking and results? Want to find out what website publishers are doing to address their demands and what changes are on the cards in the next 12 months?

AIMIA Victoria presents a session on online and cross-platform advertising that is relevant to today’s markets and issues. Come along to this free event to hear from three fantastic speakers and have the opportunity to throw some questions into the ring.

The event will include a presentation by Mark Armstrong, head of Local and Classified Advertising at Google, who will talk about the basic mechanics and value of paid search advertising and the need to combine SEO & SEM. Mark will also talk about shifts in the market and trends to look out for over the next year.

Andrea Cartwright, GM of Strategy for Sensis Digital (Sensis’ digital display business, which includes Media Smart) will use observations and case studies to discuss the opportunities and challenges in today’s digital display advertising market. Integration is critical, while personalisation, accountability and great content will sort the winners from the losers.

Finally Alan Long, Asia Pacific Research Director from Hitwise, will explore the topic of behavioural patterns online: what are people doing online; what sites do they visit and why; and what are people looking for in a website?

So come along and get up to speed, have a glass of wine and mingle with those in the know.

I’ll be attending.

Details

Event: Eureka Tower Charity Challenge
Organisers: King Performance Marketing and Events

Date: Friday 24 October 2008
Location: Eureka Tower, South Bank, Melbourne
Website: http://www.eurekatowerchallenge.com.au/

EUREKA TOWER CHARITY CHALLENGE

The Eureka Tower Charity Challenge is a unique fundraising all day event whereby corporate teams walk or run up the stairs of the world’s tallest residential tower and raise money for disadvantaged young people both at home and abroad through the charity groups: Whitelion and Interplast Australia and New Zealand.

The challenge is for corporate teams to participate in a relay style event. In pairs, team members take turns climbing the 1,958 steps to level 89. When your team members reach the top the next pair from the team is ready to start. This is an event for people of all ages and levels of fitness, you can choose to walk, run, climb or crawl your way to the top.

Tomi has signed himself and 9 other clients - including me - representing his home country, Team Finland, to climb Mount Eureka. The personal training sessions during the week have been targeted towards this event, and Tomi has planned some crazy w/e training - EEEEP!

Stair Training - La Trobe St, Melbourne

11 October 2008

Deborah from Team Finland’s apartment block has 25 Levels. About a quarter of the way to Mount Eureka. This was intense - and a good reminder not to drink and party the day before the event!

1000 Steps - Mount Dandenong

18 October 2008

This isn’t like what it sounds - it’s much much worse. Tomi organised a day trip to Mt Dandenong, a few K’s outside of Melbourne City. First was the trek from the carpark to 1000 steps. 1000 steps isn’t your typical stairwell, with nice even steps. Far from it actually. There were little steps, jumbled steps and towards the top - monster steps. The part that made me weak at the knees was when Tomi announced we’re doing it 3 times.

The first lap was the hardest - you didn’t know what to expect and your engine was still cold. The second lap was just as painful, but the third one - you just go nutty and you just want it done and over with. The third lap was a pure endorphin rush. I could have done a forth lap - but ofcourse I would die.

It was an unreal experience - even better as no one in the team is from Melbourne. Thank you Tomi! We’ll have to have more in the future.

(Photos courtesy of Tomi Kokko)