Megan's :-
We did it! We finished as 2 teams of 4 in the 2012
Oxfam Trailwalker Challenge!
We took a bit longer at checkpoints, as you would
with 8 people to manage, and there were a few more pain and injury issues to
deal with but we all got there with a great deal of determination, laughs,
encouragement and compassion.
My low-lights:
- experiencing a strained groin muscle for the
first time that gradually came on in the 3rd section but was well attended to by
the physio at Lake Manchester.
- having to wait for said physio in the open air
and then shivering uncontrollably as for some bizarre reason the physio and
massuers were left outdoors on a very cold night.
- walking into the team checkpoint tent to see one
of my team members under a space blanket after going into cold shock - though
thankfully he warmed up and was pronounced fit enough to continue walking by the
St John's First Aiders. And he did finish.
- having to remind another team member that he
needed to make a decision best for him on whether to continue walking with
a very painful injury that may slow him down for some months after the walk vs
the desire to finish as a team of 4.
- that horrible long flat section at the end of
section 6 in the dark and cold with no visible landmarks to
really show us how far along we were.
- bare and blistered skin after tearing
precautionary strapping tape off my knees in the car on the way home - I must
have had an allergic reaction under the tape and didn't know it until I felt
fluid in the dark - yuck and ouch! This and bruised pinkies are really the
only lasting injuries at the moment.
High-lights for me:
- a fabulous group of people to walk, talk,
cry and laugh with.
- the amazing energy of one team member who had
suffered in the training walks (turned out he hadn't had enough food or
electrolyte drink!)
- having fun thinking of song titles to twitter our
progress in and out of checkpoints with (so many road songs ... we didn't use
them all)
- feeling fitter this year than last and finding
some previously difficult hills not so bad.
- seeing Beth and George Nicholls (friends) at rego
and various checkpoints, especially George at the end of the horrid section 6
track - so good to see a happy, familiar face then! Thank you you two for
giving up your weekend to support others.
- only getting 2 blisters - I learnt last year to
wrap each toe with fixomul (?) tape. Yet to see if any toenails will say goodbye in
the name of charity ...
- beautiful colours in the sky at sunset and
sunrise (not a cloud in sight for extra detail!)
- brilliant stars in the night sky around Lake
Manchester (thanks Lord for the great weather!)
- fog in the valleys on Saturday
morning
- having the absolute, no-questions-about it, best
support crew in the world. Just the right food, foot spas, hot shower, bed,
chairs, heater, phone chargers, torch repairs, painkiller restocking ... and
happy smiles, being patient when we should have been moving out a little faster,
gentle offers of help and letting us rest as necessary.
I'm glad the positives outnumber the negatives! :
)
It was a harder trail. And I told them so at
the finish line. It is harder with more people in a group. But no
regrets whatsoever.
Yes, we will celebrate in a few weeks when the
blisters have subsided, the strains been rested out and bruises are not so
tender.
Thank you to all our wonderful supporters. It
was so satisfying to set off on Friday morning knowing we had already reached
our target of $6000 fundraising and that there was more to come. We have
all helped make a difference for many lives in communities not as fortunate as
our own.
Thank you for being part of this amazing experience
in my life,
Megan
-------------------------------Cybele's:-
Dearest Family and Friends,
I am very excited to share with you that all 8 team members of Oxfambulators and Serial Hillers finished the 100kms together at approximately 4.50am this morning.
Based on statistics alone, I feel overwhelmed by this incredible achievement. Only 65% of all walkers finished and only 39% of teams finished as a team of 4. What are the odds of finishing as a team of 8? Oxfam promotes Brisbane as the hardest trail to complete in Australia. In Sydney 2011, 80% of walkers finished in Melbourne 2012, 83.4% of walkers finished. The consensus amongst repeat walkers is that this year's trail was harder than last year's and it is supported by the evidence that last year more people finished the walk (73%).
My personal reflections are that a team endurance event is a unique and fascinating experience to share. The steep hills and descents and the long distances trod in the dark between each checkpoint are both a very personal challenge revealing one's weaknesses and strengths, and at the same time, a dynamic unfolding of how, as members of a team, we can accept and support each other despite growing tiredness and pain. I feel humbled by the trust each person reposed in me to train them, guide them and walk with me to the finish line.
The lowlights of the walk for me this year were -
* no sign telling us we had reached the halfway point
* the steep descents near mt nebo rd that would have been better descended sitting in a cardboard box
* two decent heel blisters early on from my orthotics (chucked out at 28kms) that I had to incise 3 times on the first day to relieve pressure (they were ok on the second day - phew)
* managing my sense of being responsible for everyone getting over the finish line in the face of their growing injuries and fatigue
The highlights of the walk for me this year were -
* the outstanding weather
* the sun lighting up droplets of dew clinging to spider webs
* twinkling stars hanging out of the clear dark sky as we neared Lake Manchester
* jokes about chaffing
* Saturday breakfast at one of the picturesque creek crossings
* entertaining and encouraging messages and phone calls from friends and family
* the sensitive way our support crew greeted and cared for us at our checkpoints and their tasty food
* the number of friends/family who came out at 4am to see us cross the finish line
The biggest highlight for me is that we have raised $13,232 with a couple more weeks of fundraising left to go.
Thank you for all your support, donations and kind words of encouragement over the last 20 weeks. Go to our Oxfambulators Facebook page to see all the photos of the event which will be posted in the next few days.
Love to all,
Cybele
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiona:
Hi All,
OK, thought you might like to see my low and high-lights!! that I sent round
to family etc
The lowlights of the walk were -
*My left hip getting sore after only 20km and having to nurse (pain
killers!) it the rest of the way - 80km
*The pain in the feet after 80km!
*The big hills in section 7, the last section, that had to be climbed after
doing 90 or so km and seemed to go on and on - but all good hills come to an
end!
* Trying to stay awake when walking section 7 - I actually fell asleep,
micro sleeps, when walking and woke up staggering
* Watching other members of the team in pain - some of them more pain than
me - but watching them fight through the pain and still have a good time.
The highlights of the walk for me were -
* having some good laughs with the team mates and enjoying their company and
watching their strong endurance and fighting spirit
* the outstanding clear sky weather
* The light breezes that cooled me down
* The sound of birds awaking at dawn and following me during the day.
* jokes about chaffing!!
* entertaining and encouraging messages from friends and family
* the fantastic support crew that made the check point stops toooo
comfortable and nice that we had trouble leaving, their tasty food, and kind
loving support and hugs - and the awesome foot spa's at check point 3.
* And of course the number of friends/family who came out at 4am to see us
cross the finish line - that felt sooo good...you made me cry!!!
Thank you all for the journey. I really truly enjoyed it !!!
Looking forward to a big celebratory party!!!!!!!
Fiona
I am very excited to share with you that all 8 team members of Oxfambulators and Serial Hillers finished the 100kms together at approximately 4.50am this morning.
Based on statistics alone, I feel overwhelmed by this incredible achievement. Only 65% of all walkers finished and only 39% of teams finished as a team of 4. What are the odds of finishing as a team of 8? Oxfam promotes Brisbane as the hardest trail to complete in Australia. In Sydney 2011, 80% of walkers finished in Melbourne 2012, 83.4% of walkers finished. The consensus amongst repeat walkers is that this year's trail was harder than last year's and it is supported by the evidence that last year more people finished the walk (73%).
My personal reflections are that a team endurance event is a unique and fascinating experience to share. The steep hills and descents and the long distances trod in the dark between each checkpoint are both a very personal challenge revealing one's weaknesses and strengths, and at the same time, a dynamic unfolding of how, as members of a team, we can accept and support each other despite growing tiredness and pain. I feel humbled by the trust each person reposed in me to train them, guide them and walk with me to the finish line.
The lowlights of the walk for me this year were -
* no sign telling us we had reached the halfway point
* the steep descents near mt nebo rd that would have been better descended sitting in a cardboard box
* two decent heel blisters early on from my orthotics (chucked out at 28kms) that I had to incise 3 times on the first day to relieve pressure (they were ok on the second day - phew)
* managing my sense of being responsible for everyone getting over the finish line in the face of their growing injuries and fatigue
The highlights of the walk for me this year were -
* the outstanding weather
* the sun lighting up droplets of dew clinging to spider webs
* twinkling stars hanging out of the clear dark sky as we neared Lake Manchester
* jokes about chaffing
* Saturday breakfast at one of the picturesque creek crossings
* entertaining and encouraging messages and phone calls from friends and family
* the sensitive way our support crew greeted and cared for us at our checkpoints and their tasty food
* the number of friends/family who came out at 4am to see us cross the finish line
The biggest highlight for me is that we have raised $13,232 with a couple more weeks of fundraising left to go.
Thank you for all your support, donations and kind words of encouragement over the last 20 weeks. Go to our Oxfambulators Facebook page to see all the photos of the event which will be posted in the next few days.
Love to all,
Cybele
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiona:
Hi All,
OK, thought you might like to see my low and high-lights!! that I sent round
to family etc
The lowlights of the walk were -
*My left hip getting sore after only 20km and having to nurse (pain
killers!) it the rest of the way - 80km
*The pain in the feet after 80km!
*The big hills in section 7, the last section, that had to be climbed after
doing 90 or so km and seemed to go on and on - but all good hills come to an
end!
* Trying to stay awake when walking section 7 - I actually fell asleep,
micro sleeps, when walking and woke up staggering
* Watching other members of the team in pain - some of them more pain than
me - but watching them fight through the pain and still have a good time.
The highlights of the walk for me were -
* having some good laughs with the team mates and enjoying their company and
watching their strong endurance and fighting spirit
* the outstanding clear sky weather
* The light breezes that cooled me down
* The sound of birds awaking at dawn and following me during the day.
* jokes about chaffing!!
* entertaining and encouraging messages from friends and family
* the fantastic support crew that made the check point stops toooo
comfortable and nice that we had trouble leaving, their tasty food, and kind
loving support and hugs - and the awesome foot spa's at check point 3.
* And of course the number of friends/family who came out at 4am to see us
cross the finish line - that felt sooo good...you made me cry!!!
Thank you all for the journey. I really truly enjoyed it !!!
Looking forward to a big celebratory party!!!!!!!
Fiona
Very well done. Lewis vS
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