Level 3 Physical Education students travelled to Toi Ohomai for an afternoon of learning outside our classroom. These students are currently training for the ‘Tough Guy Tough Girl’ event for Achievement Standard 91501, which they will run in Rotorua on August 23.

Alongside that work, they are learning to evaluate their training program for Achievement Standard 91500. Dr Tracey Clissold, who has represented New Zealand for many years as a marathon runner, gave our students an excellent presentation on Nutrition. This became very interactive as our students had a lot of interest in how to prepare for an event by ensuring they eat well and at the right times. To have a female Doctor, who has been an elite athlete, talk to us about female nutrition and event preparation was just awesome. So often, female athletes are treated as ‘little men’, which does not help us one bit physiologically.

Following this informative talk, we went through to the Fitness Testing Laboratory. Maia Kahura kindly offered to take the VO2 Max test for us. Courtney Mitchell, a PhD student at AUT University and Toi Ohomai staff member, enlisted our students to help to administer the test. VO2 Max refers to the maximum amount of oxygen an individual can utilise during intense or maximal exercise. It is considered one of the best indicators of an athlete's cardiovascular fitness and aerobic endurance. Maia performed well above average in the test for her category.

This was an excellent experience for our students, who saw some possible careers that Physical Education could lead them to.