The Coach for Your Adventure

Jennifer Wright

Jennifer Wright grew up in Indiana in America's heartland. Finding herself an uneducated single mother of two at age 25, she spent the next twelve years working to support her children while also embarking on university study. Earning both a B.S. and an M.S. in Occupational Therapy, she went on to work in a variety of health sectors until 1995, when she became the coordinator of post-graduate occupational therapy studies at the University of Indianapolis

By that time, Jenn was in her midlife and had been greatly successful both in raising her children and in her career. However, she realized that was not enough. In 1998, she heard and felt the necessity to move out of order to disorder to find her authentic self.

That year, at the age of 47, Jenn moved from Indiana to New Zealand. In doing so, she broke family traditions of the oldest daughter, made great financial sacrifice (also against her culture), and lost support of friends who did not agree with or support her. In return, she found her self, her voice, her wise woman. A further and unexpected benefit was meeting her soul mate, whom she married in March 2003.

Jennifer is truly a woman and coach who walks her talk. She does not insist that her clients move half-way around the world, as she did. But she does coach midlife women to transcend the frustration, overwhelm and isolation of today's lifestyle and step into their greatness, their no-regrets second half of life.

Jenn completed coach training in 2001 and began her company, Wright Direction, in the same year. Along with individual coaching, she runs on-line and in-person women's groups, and is writing a book about midlife libido.

You can find out more about her on her website: www.wrightdirection.net.

Janet Cox, Personal Trainer

Our physical trainer, Janet Cox,is available for telephone consultations for all our adventure participants (by special arrangement).

She grew up in the city of Manchester in northern England, longing to be in a place where it was both easy and inexpensive to pursue outdoor activities. In 1994, Janet got her chance to do just that, and moved to Dunedin on the south island of New Zealand.

Once there, she lost no time getting her feet wet in various water sports - including white-water kayaking, canoeing (she even played canoe polo for a while), and rowing in which she earned several medals at masters games, a first place in an 18km endurance event, and obtained her level-one rowing coach qualification. And she's still a passionate oarswoman!

More recently, Janet decided to try her 'land legs' and entered a 10k road running race, despite the fact that at this point she could barely jog for 15 minutes at a time. As she trained for the race, she got fitter and lost weight (she was then 85kg). Janet completed the race and started to feel really good about herself, and this gave her the motivation to join a gym. During the next twelve months, she lost 25kg and ran a number of 10k and half-marathon races.

Since then, Janet has taken up road cycling and swimming and she's currently training towards an Iron Man event and the Kepler challenge (60km mountain run - http://www.keplerchallenge.co.nz/).

Having experienced the increased energy, better health, lower blood pressure and cholesterol level that come with a more active lifestyle, Janet felt inspired to help others who wanted to make a commitment to their own health and well-being. This is where she met Jenn, who coached her through her decision to leave her career in the Information Technology field to work in the health and fitness industry.

Janet now works as a Personal Trainer at a Dunedin's women's gym, where she helps women like you move toward your own fitness goals, whether those include walking more effortlessly through your everyday life or climbing the tallest peaks! She is a living testimony to the joys that a commitment to physical fitness can make, and can offer solid advice and support as you begin your own adventures!