Health talk: Ex-Winter Festival director and now fitness exponent Sally Feinerman
A former Queenstown Winter Festival director is returning to town to preach about her new-found passion for health and fitness.
Auckland-based Sally Feinerman says her message to the women-only Vibe Queenstown seminar on Saturday is it’s not too late to completely reinvent yourself.
Feinerman, 44, became an event manager during her 23 years in Queenstown, after first coming here for a ski holiday.
After handling logistics for an international adventure race in Switzerland, the local Southern Traverse and an Eco Challenge event in Fiji she worked on six Winter Festivals, four as second-in-charge and two as director.
Our Sally in high-profile line-up
Sally Feinerman is among seven speakers at Saturday’s inaugural Vibe Queenstown designed to inspire women.
Other speakers include Lesley Elliott, mother of murdered Sophie Elliott, comedian and actress Ginette McDonald and local mayor Vanessa van Uden.
The event runs from 9am till 5pm at Crowne Plaza hotel – entry is $58 including lunch and goodie bags.
Profits from the event, run by Auckland author and accountant Janet Xuccoa, go towards providing breakfast for local schoolchildren.
While organising the festival she says she discovered the benefits of fitness after completing a 12-week challenge at a local gym.
“After the 2009 festival I was looking to spend a few months in Auckland, where my family are, to do a personal training course, not expecting I would move up here – it was the last thing I thought I’d do.
“But I realised there was a lot of opportunity up here with different coaches and mentors that would really push me along.”
Two years ago Feinerman started a successful women’s fitness business from scratch.
“I have a lot of women who are in their 40s, 50s and 60s who have never been fitter than they are now so it’s been very rewarding.”
Last year, when running the Auckland half-marathon to try to qualify for the New York Marathon, Feinerman collapsed due to a heart irregularity.
Feinerman says a later diagnosis revealed a chamber in her heart wasn’t pumping properly and was pausing for up to four seconds – she collapsed due to lack of oxygen going around her body.
In December she had a pacemaker inserted and now is running next month’s Auckland half-marathon as a Heart Foundation fundraiser.
A week later she’ll line up for the New York Marathon after gaining a random entry.
“Now I have my pacemaker fitted I can get back out doing what I love – keeping fit and healthy and inspiring others to do the same.”
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