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The February 21 edition

“Am I losing track of time?” This question, posed in our story on the Tough Mudder endurance event, struck me as we put together this Health & Wellness issue. I realised I couldn’t recall the last time I had lost track of time and felt completely free of deadlines and expectations. To be fair, I work in a deadline-driven industry, but I don’t think feeling like you are on a constant merry-go-round of appointments and commitments is exclusive to me. The question speaks to the need for awareness that our wellbeing is about so much more than physical fitness. It’s something to ponder as you read the stories in this edition, which touch on themes from learning to accept what you can’t control to creating space for reflection on unresolved issues and letting go of fear. We hope this edition gives you the opportunity to lose track of time – even if it’s just for a little while. – Melissa Stevens, editor

14 stories
Ashcroft is close to mum Bekky, who says she’s focused on raising good people first, good footballers second.

The advice from this footy player’s mum is something all parents should listen to

Are top athletes born or made? The case of 21-year-old dual Norm Smith medallist Will Ashcroft suggests there’s plenty of nurture involved.

  • Katrina Strickland
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Tough Mudder

I was bloodied, bruised, exhausted and dehydrated – and it was the most fun I’d had in years

This endurance event is popular, yet more than a little bit stupid. So why did I love it?

  • Konrad Marshall
Patti Miller has found walking has many benefits.

Some people walk to get fitter, more creative or be in nature. This is why I do it

After 15 years of long-distance walking, a writer suddenly understands why she does it.

  • Patti Miller
The writer on holiday.

Why I’m not apologising for my child-free life after a trip to Nepal

A milestone-birthday trip to a remote region of Nepal reveals traditional ways of life – and some unexpected truths.

  • Nina Karnikowski
“I lost my father; she lost the person who, along with his team, saved her life,” says Vanessa Chang (left) of Fiona Coote (right). “We understand each other.”

‘I lost my father; she lost the person who saved her life’: Fiona Coote and Vanessa Chang’s bond

In 1984, Fiona Coote became Australia’s youngest heart-transplant patient. She met Vanessa Chang through her surgeon – and Vanessa’s dad – Victor Chang.

  • Amanda Hooton
Lidia Morawska.

Isolated in a new country with her dying husband, Lidia didn’t want anyone to know

Brisbane-based professor Lidia Morawska on improving indoor air quality, making STEM subjects more appealing – and a silly question she’s been asked.

  • Benjamin Law
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How to handle extreme pain.

The three-step method to suppress your body’s panic response to pain

You’ve had an accident, hours from help – and you’re seriously hurting. After panicking, how do you stare down a nightmare?

  • Tim Elliott
Zendaya arrives at the 2022 Oscars and, right, Sharon Stone.

The secret to black-tie dressing in Australia

Recent runway trends are showing cool ways to do black-tie when it’s really hot.

  • Damien Woolnough

8 easy ways to elevate your post-Pilates outfit, with pieces from $20

Relaxed styles for the studio and the street.

  • Kim Wilson
Helen Goh’s kefir and vanilla jelly with stone fruits and cherries.
EASY

Kefir and vanilla jelly with stone fruits and cherries

A dessert for the tail-end of summer when stone fruits are at their sweetest.

  • 2 hrs +
  • Helen Goh
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We found the ultimate proseccos for a spritz (including one from Aldi for $12)

And if you like pet nat, try the bottle-fermented cousin of regular prosecco, which has bolder aromas and a deeper flavour, as if the volume has been turned up.

  • Mike Bennie
Wonderful, natural light gleams on black floorboards of The Lodge Dining Room on level one of Rodd & Gunn’s flagship store.
Good Food hat15/20

Why a fashion label’s fine-dining restaurant won over our cynical, shopping-phobe critic

Rodd & Gunn’s newly hatted restaurant is a very charming place, reviews Dani Valent. Plus: there’s free bread that’s good enough to pay for.

  • Dani Valent
Paranormal Wines.
Good Food hat15/20

A bottle shop with a chef’s hat? This surprising spot lives up to the hoo-ha

Intuitive service and bracing flavours are at the heart of Paranormal Wines, which created a “small hoo-ha” when it became the first bottle shop in NSW or the ACT to be awarded a hat.

  • Callan Boys
Good Weekend Quiz February 21

Test your general knowledge with the Good Weekend quiz

Trivia buffs: can you get a perfect score in the interactive superquiz?

Other editions

The March 21 edition

Stephanie Alexander and The Cook’s Companion at 30 | Free-diver Ant Williams | Debra Adelaide and Gabrielle Carey | How to deliver a baby on a plane

  • 11 stories

The March 14 edition

The high-strung, low-key world champ who could become our most-capped swimmer | Ukraine’s world-leading robotics work | Filmmaking at -50C | Consoling a friend

  • 13 stories