Setting goals

Second time’s a charm

17 October 2018

Jayson Forrest

Jayson Forrest is the managing editor of Money & Life Magazine.

There was no way Perth-based planner, Stephen Catania AFP®, was going to miss the 2018 Future2 Wheel Classic, after having to sit out the 2016 ride due to an unfortunate injury sustained during training.

Why did you decide to participate in this year’s Future2 Wheel Classic?

My original goal was to ride the Future2 Wheel Classic in my home town of Perth in 2016, after seeing and being inspired by riders at a previous FPA Professionals Congress. I was impressed by not only the ride they completed, but also the great work being done by the Future2 Foundation within the local community.

Being a Perth local, I thought what better way to get involved than by participating in the 2016 Future2 Wheel Classic when the FPA Professionals Congress was in Perth. By doing so, I didn’t need to worry about the logistics of getting over east with my bike and gear. So, for me, a 20 minute car ride to the start line was very appealing.

Unfortunately, after months of training and preparation, I was only able to watch from the sidelines in 2016. I was hit by a car while training just four days before the ride was due to start. Luckily, I was able to avoid any major injuries but suffered a broken collar bone and damaged bike. So, for me, being able to complete this year’s ride is being able to complete unfinished business.

What does the Future2 Wheel Classic mean to you?

The Future2 Wheel Classic presents many personal goals for me. While these will be challenging, it pales in comparison to the challenges being faced by those disadvantaged young Australians who the Future2 Foundation supports.

Helping disadvantaged youth reach their full potential at a grassroots level, is making a big difference in their lives and those around them. Being in the profession of helping people, the work of the Future2 Foundation resonates closely with me.

What does it mean to have your wife support you in the Future2 Wheel Classic?

 My wife, Jacki, and I set ourselves silly fitness goals, with me riding the Future2 Wheel Classic and Jacki aiming to complete her second half ironman later in the year and her first full ironman in 2019.

While capable of doing the Future2 Wheel Classic ride, Jacki is supporting me with training and is planning on assisting David Eck and the Future2 team during part of the ride.

As a team, Jacki and I work well together, supporting each other with our fitness goals. During 2016, we suffered the trifecta of broken bones in the family – my collar bone, Jacki with a broken ankle, while 35 weeks pregnant, and my son with a broken wrist. So, by being able to complete this ride as a team is important to us, as it shows our kids that anything is possible if they put their minds to it.

What do you expect to be the most challenging aspect of cycling from Canberra to Sydney?

The biggest challenge will be being able to back up the long rides each day for an extended period. That and some of the ‘gentle undulations’ through the Snowy Mountains and Wollongong!

How are you preparing/training for the 993km ride?

Surely, we can’t cycle 993km and not crack the 1,000km mark! It’s going to be tough riding for eight days, so at the moment, I am steadily building up to the ride, as I had shoulder surgery a few weeks back. My training involves commuting to the office during the week, as well as hills training and longer rides on the weekend. The real challenge for me will be balancing family, business and training.

How is your fundraising target of $1,500 progressing?

This is a work in progress, as I have only just committed to the ride in the last couple of weeks. I am looking forward to the goal of raising funds for the Future2 Foundation, as well as participating in the actual ride itself.

What do you hope to achieve by participating in the Future2 Wheel Classic?

Well, I have three main goals. Firstly, actually reaching the finishing line and taking a photo at the steps of the Sydney Opera House. Secondly, achieving my personal goal of completing a Future2 Wheel Classic ride, which I set out for in 2016. And thirdly, and most importantly, I hope to raise greater awareness of the important work the Future2 Foundation does in the community to those living in Perth.

Stephen Catania AFP® is a planner and director at Assured Financial Partners.

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Pedal to the metal

The Future2 Foundation is calling for cycling and hiking enthusiasts to join them in one of two challenges prior to the start of the 2018 FPA Professionals Congress in Sydney (21-23 November).

 The first challenge is the annual Future2 Wheel Classic. Now in its ninth year, the ride will start on 14 November at the steps of Parliament House in Canberra and finish in Sydney on 21 November.

 The eight day route covers a distance of 993km, and will take in the scenic Snowy Mountains region, with overnight stops in Cooma and Jindabyne before winding down the South Coast to Merimbula.

 Riders will then pedal north through Narooma, Batemans Bay, Berry and Wollongong, before crossing the finish line at ICC Sydney in time for the 2018 FPA Professionals Congress. Riders in the Future2 Wheel Classic can also opt for a shorter four-day ride.

 And for those preferring to keep their feet firmly on the ground, Future2 has organised a two-day 45km Blue Mountains Hiking Challenge.

 Participants will set off on November 19, where they will experience the challenging terrain and beauty of the Six Foot Track and Megalong Valley.

 By signing up to the Wheel Classic, riders will undertake to raise at least $1,500 for the Future2 Make the Difference! Grant program, while the hikers will have a fundraising target of $1,200.

 For more information or to register your interest, go to www.future2foundation.org.au or email [email protected] 

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