2011 fast approaching

hi all, once again it is the beginning of a gruelling six month training to prepare for kokoda 2011. i have let all my fitness go since last year, so am going to have to really put in some hard yards to have the same level of fitness. the entry to kokoda for past participants is now in january, so hope to be one of the first 100 teams to register. we will be using our same team name "walk the line" with brad, rodney, harrison and me as the team. hopefully we will do it under 30hrs this time. i bought a new HD videocamera designed for sports (its hands free) so i have a chest strap that works well, have done a recent trial film riding my bike. will give weekly blog updates as from end of january, so hope you all continue to follow merry xmas to all dee

new 2011 kokoda challenge team

can you believe it, we are starting training soon for 2011 kokoda challenge. this years team will be me, brad (he just cant stop), rodney and harrison (age 16).

our first trial training hike is on sat 18th oct, doing the water circuit about 14km. i have so lost my fitness this past 3mths, so this week, i am back into it so i have some chance in keeping up and finishing this hike.

looking forward to it, i plan to really step up the fitness training this year, so i am faster, leaner and fitter. well thats the plan as i sit here typing drinking a glass of wine.

will again keep you all posted on our future advertures.

love dee

we did it!!! and i would do it again

its now been a week since kokoda and i cant believe its been, achieved and now gone. i must admit to some slight depression as the past few months have been very exciting and completely filled my life, now i feel abit empty. last weekend started with the boys (alan, brad and rodney) coming over on the friday to pick me up and all our gear to go down to mudgeeraba. it was a tight squeeze and we only just managed to get it all into rodneys four wheel drive. got down to the wallaby hotel (about a 2 star) to check in and have lunch, the rooms are clean but very basic the best thing about them is thats its only about 50M from the start line. went out for a beautiful dinner at the woodchoppers inn (the boys had tbone steaks and i had lovely duck and lychee salad and calamari) it was lovely, then off to bed for an early night, my next door neighbour (also kokoda entrant) couldnt sleep so had the TV on at 3am and i decided to get up as well. majella and james came down in the morning (due to family illness, majella decided to walk the first section and then withdraw, this decision was done with such generosity of spirit to allow us to compete as a team, and i will always be grateful for her consideration during this difficult time). we then all set off to the check in, only to find so many people and it took awhile (note for next time go down at 5am to register) we got our numbers (team 26) and our gps tags (to monitor us on the track using google earth and to swipe in and out of each check points). i finally found mum and dad, fred and rachel who had come down very early for the start, photos and music and everyone lining up nervously. we were honest and went to the 30+ sign and met our mentors the weary wanderers (we had been watching their youtube video from last year at least a dozen times to get lots of hints). we had photos with them and heaps of laughter and excitement. there was the last post, the kokoda poem by one of the veterans, sang "true blue" and then we were off at 7.30am, okay very slowly as there was so many (about 1600).
SECTION 1: MUDGEERABA TO HARDY'S RD CP1 8.40am 3km - this check point was in surburbia and was at the end of a cul da sac (quite steep roads to get there). then we headed into the forest on the way to mt nimmel lodge - due to going through private property this was a section we had never done before and there were a few small hills with more of a goat trail so alot of bottlenecks, but gave time to chat to other teams and hear their stories.
SECTION 2: HARDY'S RD TO MT NIMMEL LODGE CP2 10.36am 12.5km - we arrived at the back of the lodge and swipped in and found rachel, thank goodness for portaloos but i almost fainted as their is no air in those things!! we changed socks, ate a little, and said a sad farewell to majella. we tried to go quick but still took almost 30mins.
SECTION 3: MT NIMMEL LODGE TO AUSTINVILLE RD TO MT NIMMEL RD CP3 3.46PM 28.5KM - this is a very long section and takes in two steep mountains (Mt Nimmel and Mt Fairview) both are about 1-1.5km but straight up and very rough, i took it very slowly as to not send my heart rate into the red zone and found it okay at that pace, though the alan and brad had to keep waiting for me, it didnt seem to take too long. it was the road section down to CP3 (see video) that seemed to take forever and hard bitumen to walk on.
SECTION 4: MT NIMMEL RD TO HINZE DAM 4.57PM 33.5KM - this was a bit of a twist, we were 20M from pollys kitchen with the support crew when we were directed to turn right and do an extra 5km to cp4, it was starting to get dark and i thought we were then going to be quite late to the support crew and their phones werent in range, so off we went across a creek and of course they put the checkpoint right on top of a hill then back down and round into pollys, we were looking forward to something hot and change of clothes.
SECTION 5: HINZE DAM TO POLLY'S KITCHEN 5.41PM 36.5KM - this was a longer time at the check point as brad had some chaffing and needed rodney to do some firstaid, amazing what brother's will do for each other. rachel and rodney were very organised and we took abit longer about 45mins to head out. your always hungry when you get to the support crew but after a few mouthfuls your full, so i found the porridge cups the best to eat with lots of hot chocolate.
SECTION 6: POLLY'S KITCHEN TO ENVIRONMENTAL CENTRE 9.27pm 43.5km - this section took us up pages pinnacle or pollys hill, which is the third of the mountains to climb, it was dark and so had on our head lamps, by the bottom of the mountain i felt a stinging feeling on might left heel, so sat down to check it out and removed some of the strapping to find a large deroofed blister, put some moleskin, and large padded dressing on it and lucky it was above my shoe line and so only minor stinging rather than stopping me from walking. the environmental centre was warm and cosy but we only stayed about 5 mins and headed to do the water circuit, on the way out there were heaps of fast teams coming back through, so we were at least 3-4 hrs behind most teams.
SECTION 7: ENVIRONMENTAL CENTRE TO NUMIMBAH HALL 12.20AM 50.7KM - the water circuit was lovely at night and no one fell in, but we met two men coming the wrong way and they were a bit pissed as they had taken the wrong turn and had to go back adding about another 4km to their distance. we chatted to some teams as we headed up a steep hill and then it was lovely to see the numinbah hall all foggy and eery in the hollow. it was absolutely freezing!!!! when we got in our poor support crew looked so cold, rachel was shaking and she had a huge coat and my dressing gown on. she said that one of the support teams had a mobile home and she was so jealous as they were inside with the lights on watching TV all nice and warm. we tried to get out of there as soon as possible and dressed up with jackets, beanie, gloves and off we set for the next half of the track. SECTION 8: NUMIMBAH HALL TO ENVIRONMENTAL CENTRE 2.59AM 56.5KM - we had to head up a steep hill before the downhill to the environmental centre. at the top of the hill i noticed a young guy sitting in the middle of the track and when his team stood him up i realised it was zac. zac had been on the news, he is blind and 17yrs old and was training with his friends, i said hello and said that he had been my inspiration to keep going, he then set off at a fast pace with his team just holding onto the back of someones backpack down this steep hill, he is amazing. along the way, alan started to have lower back pain and had to walk bent forward and to the left, he didnt complain once, but when we got back to the environmental centre, brad carried his backpack and i had a stick on hot pack, he was brave and wanted to keep going even though knowing this next section is the worst.
SECTION 9: ENVIRONMENTAL CENTRE TO BLACK SHOOT GULLY 6.47AM 63KM - this section is one of the worst as it is just all uphill for about 5km, it also is on a small track which is hard to get any speed up, when we hit the gully there was a safety check point with four volunteers standing in the freezing cold checking that we were okay. it was very slow going but made it up to the next check point, by then my feet were bad and just wanted to rip my shoes off to let my arches rest.
SECTION 10: BLACK SHOOT TO SYD DUNCAN PARK 7.54AM 66KM - i had hoped we would reach syd duncan by about 6am but we were way behind, alan's back seemed to have improved alittle and he was now walking up right. i sat down to have some breakfast and the tiredness washed over and i had a little cry and then felt better. we ran into the weary wanderers not realising they had been behind us, they had decided to pull out as a team and it was a shame as i would have liked to finish with them, they had knee issues, illness and just plain shagged. as a team we had always said that to finish you just have to push yourself out of this checkpoint but if you stop your done for!!!
SECTION 11: SYD DUNCAN PARK TO BELLIS RD 11.34AM 73.5KM - this section is also tough as it is down hell fire pass, which just goes down for about 1.5hrs, this is hell on your knees and was very difficult. we were very happy to reach the bottom, knowing we only had one mountain and the last section to go.
SECTION 12: BELLIS RD TO BEAUDESERT NERANG RD 1.32PM 78.5KM - Mt Nathan is short but eroded and steep, by then i had to really push myself one step at a time to get up it, the grassy section and long road section to the next checkpoint seemed to take a while, we met two teams and got chatting (eenie meenie minee mo)
SECTION 13: BEAUDESERT NERANG RD TO NERANG STATE FOREST 4.07PM 85.6KM - we were glad to get to this section as it was the last one to worry about, there was lots of steep undulations which sucked the energy out of your legs with the checkpoint at a top of a steep hill (of course). i was concerned that we were now quite behind our hoped finish of 3-4pm with still another 10km to go. SECTION 14: NERANG STATE FOREST TO FINISH 7.37PM 96KM - this was the hardest of them all, by now i was so fed up with walking (bored!!!) and my feet and hips were killing me, alan was rock solid as always but maybe even for him he was suffering as he put on his ipod which was the first time ever. brad was walking like a cowboy with really painful chaffing. it was getting dark and had put our head lamps back on, the last section didnt have much signage and there was times when a little panic set in as we were worried we missed a turn, finally we came on signs counting the km's down but it seemed to take so long to get from 8km to 6km to 4km, eventually we heard the cheering and new we were getting closer. the last 2km just seemed to end, but we were jubilant when we saw our families waiting for us in the dark and cold. we smiled and waved our sticks and bounced into the arena, and swiped in and went onto the stage (its touch after 96km to go up 3 steps) got our certificate and dog tags. it was all worth it, i said a little speech thanking my two team mates for getting me through it. then it was photos and hugs with all our fans, a quick glass of champagne, and then into the cars and home. i think for the future it would be wonderful to get in earlier to enjoy the sunshine, entertainment, seeing other teams come in and also to celebrate with family and friends. so thats my goal for the future to do it in under 28 hrs. so i have already started training, losing weight and having physio to improve my feet all to be better for 2011. thanks again to rodney and rachel, brad, alan and majella, family and friends and those you sponsored us. it was an amazing achievement and i will miss it terribly, so if anyone is interested in a 2011 team, let me know training starts in jan 2011. see you then dee

last blog before the big day (6 sleeps)

this will be the last blog before next weekend, cant believe how quick the time has gone, i will miss the training and fun we had as a team. this is what i believe brings people back to do the challenge is the lead up camaraderie with the team. i have truly enjoyed spending time with brad, alan and majella and consider them all special friends. our support crew (rodney, rach and james) have also played a very important role as well as all my friends who have listened endlessly to me going on about every detail of the training. thank you all!!

this week is to rest and organise all the small details to hopefully ensure that things run as smoothly as possible. i have bagged all my clothes, food, drinks etc for rachel in numbered doggy bags,to hopefully make things easier.

have two massages, and a two physio appts this week, cortisone last week yeah what fun having 4 injections into your feet, but you do what you have to do to get across the line.

even surgically removing my 2ND toenail, yuck, but better to come off now then during the event, didn't know what it looks like without a toenail, not so bad, just the thought is off putting.

hope you all follow us (team 26) via the web page www.kokodachallenge.com.au on the virtual spectator and wish us well, we have done as much as we can and now its time to work together to cross an incredible finish line.

see you next sunday!!!

dee

broken down but not out yet!!!

last weekend was huge!! on saturday we headed to do binna burra to o'reillys and back which is about 43km, it was boggy from the rain and slippery tree roots and rocks made it very tricky.

the day before alan and myself went to the physio to have some knee and ankle strapping done. seemed like a good idea but boy did it turn out to be disasterous, alan had an allergic reaction to the tape and by the half way point we had to take some tape off the back of his leg and his skin came with it.

i dont know how he managed to go on but on he did without a murmur (he is sturdy stock). brad got some blisters, and i got one on my second toe, but instead of taking off my tape i ignored it and just added more over the top, BIG MISTAKE.

the next day with sore muscles we set off to do heartbreak hill which is only 4km but sucks the life out of you as it goes on for ever, then we headed down hell fire pass and with it our knees started to give us some problems.

we have all suffered with skin, blisters and knee issues when we pushed it past 60km, nervous of how i will feel a further 36km after that, PAIN WILL BE MY BEST FRIEND. so if the rain can stay away then i can at least get it in my head of how to deal with the difficulties of the event.

team meeting

last sunday we all met at my house for lunch and to do some strategic planning. the full crew where there, me, rachel, alan, brad, rodney, majella and james. it was the first time that the support crew got to met each other and see who they were going to share a car with for over 30 hours, so gave them a chance to bond and plan how they were also going to entertain themselves for that length of time.

we got to plan abit of what we will need, both individually and the support crew. we watched the youtube video of the weary wanders who did is last year, it has been invaluable, giving us hints as well as a feeling for how tough it is.

one of the things that came out of it is wearing a fluffy dressing gown at the checkpoints so that you dont get cold but still can use your hands for feeding and changing gear. so dont laugh i have a blue one with black cats so in the photos i should look very strange but warm!!!

last night we went to the information night at chermside and got to hear some stories about the kokoda kids, real kokoda experiences and legends, how to prevent major problems like blisters, knees and things that rub!!!.

the common theme for the evening is that this is a team event and like the mateship of kokoda it is about helping your mates finish together as a team and how to support each other.

it just reiterated that its not about times but all getting through and the feeling of comraderie when you complete an event like this together.

only 18 days to go and this weekend the plan is to do about 65km over the two days and this will be our last training session before the event. the reality is hitting me hard but i am also very excited to be apart of this great event.

mini kokoda 30km

yesterday team walk the line finished the mini kokoda in 8 hours!!. Brad and I had done this section 3 months ago and it took us 11 hours and with me crying at the end. this time we marched fast and strong especially at the later third when we even tried to run down the hills, its actually better on the knees!!

there was about 600 people and the kokoda kids in red tshirts were about 100 of them, they were so full of spirit and laughter but a bit quiter on the way back (bet you they were in bed early). there was even a group of primary school kids that were running it (oh to be youthful).

we met some new teams and helped out a few injured on the way back, very easy to bust a knee or an ankle on the rough uneven ground.

it was foggy and very cold in the morning but warmed up beautifully, we had some lunch at pollys cafe and then headed back. i found the hills up tough (a bit flat yesterday) but blasted through the downhills and flats, so thats my plan for the real event. take it easy on the ascents but try and make time up on the downs and flats.

ankles are sore, so off to the physio for some strapping to see if that helps. our next and final training session is in two weeks where we will spend the weekend at the coast and do binna burra to oreillys and back again (42km) and then the first mountains on the sunday about 18km. and before you know it we will be doing the real thing on the 17th july!!!!

sometimes a good plan comes together and sometimes ......

well last saturday night we set out to do about 50km from pollys until the finish line, we started at pollys at 4pm and had a great walk to the hall, where is turned very very cold.

this was our first time out in the dark and cold for many hours and i wondered how i would cope with the lack of sleep (as normally i am someone who needs a minimum of 8 hours a night). but with food and some caffeine gu i felt wide awake, in fact i enjoyed hiking in the dark with the headlamp and felt more as a group hiking through the night.

we met up with some teams who finished at about 11pm and they were heading home to bed as we went up black shoot gully. this is truly the worst mountain of them all, as its not very steep but it goes for miles and miles and never seems to end, which drains the legs and the spirits.

half way up the trail, one of the team really started to feel unwell, pain, exhaustion and nausea started to take its toll. we got to the top of syd duncan and decided as a team to end the hike then at 3am. it was unbelievably cold and the wind just cuts through when your not moving, so we were glad to hop into a cab and get back to nerang.

a couple of new things i have learnt, that the support crew will be invaluable as when we got to SD park and it was cold and windy and tired, with no hot food or massage, it was so easy to decide to pack it in and go home. so the support crew will be vital to us completing this event and i am so grateful that 3 great people have volunteered to help us through this.

also with my feet (will it never end) i think taking out my orthotics every so often actually takes pressure off my archers, so plan is to see the specialist tomorrow for advice, drugs and cortisone (what ever it takes!!!).

this sunday it is the mini kokoda event (29km) so looking forward to completing this in a fast time than before and then we have a double weekend hike and then the event.

30 days to go, coming so fast, wont know what to do with myself afterwards BUT i have said to rodney that i would consider doing it next year if he is looking for team members (i know crazy!!!)

long time no blog

seems likes its been weeks since we went on a hike. last weekend it was raining and we all had other commitments so we just did our own thing. yesterday brad and i hit the track again, the plan was to do the section from the environmental centre to syd duncan park and back (only about 8 or so km) naturally i then thought we could add on the watercircuit and finish about 2pm.

that didnt eventuate, first there to get to the forest entry there was about a 2km road hike, going in the forward direction towards syd duncan was nice (some lovely creeks) a long long climb (blackshoot gully) which isnt so bad but will be after doing 60km. found ourselves up at mirani st, thinking it would be a short walk to the park, NO it was again at least 2km on the edge of the road, jumping off every time a car came along (quite dangerous) but we finally came to SD park and the grassy hill up to the top was fairly steep and if i make it that far in the event it will be very tough, but it reminds me of sound of music and i just want to run down and twirl around singing the hills are alive!!! see photo

we had a break and i felt good BUT the way back was long and with all the road walking my feet started to call out, we got lost twice going back so added on an extra km (must remember next week in the dark we have to follow the trail on the inside of the green tank!!!) but we finally made it back o the car by 1.30pm, so forget the water circuit. my feet were really sore and we had only done about 16km and took a lot longer than expected.

my confidence is again a little low today, i will give it my all next weekend when we are doing 47km hike through the night, this will be a real test to see how we go, with distance and no sleep.

rachel is motivating me and promises she will massage my feet, take care of me and give out drugs if needed to keep me going. wish us crazy team good luck and see how it goes next weekend

first time all four together

yesterday was the first time all four of us got to walk on the kokoda track. we worked well together and kept fairly close together, i am always last on the hills.

we took two cars and started at pollys hill (majella's first time) and then to the water circuit, we were able to find the small path to the environmental centre which brad and i couldnt find last time, so great to know where it is as you end up going to it twice in the event.

the water circuit with its 8 creek crossings is very beautiful, no one got wet which was a bonus but at night it will be really hard not to take a wrong step and go in. after the creek crossings there is a very steep hill before getting to the hall, i can only imagine how its going to feel after 50k and 3 previous mountains. had a break at the hall and met some women who had been doing the checkpoint 11 for the past few years, great to hear some tips from them about what we need and how to protect ourselves (blisters, knees, extreme cold)

the walk back up the mountain was long but this older dude on his own just flew up by all of us (makes you appreciate that hiking is not just for the young) and then over the ridge and down.

i felt okay, no more forefoot pain now i am getting pain in my arches and ankles so off to the podiatrist again to see what to do. the boys pulled up well though brad's back and knee was a bit sore, majella got a blister but walked through it (she's tough) and alan looked fresh as a daisy.

next week hope to take to gang to mt maroon for a change and a challenge

we ripped it!!

yesterday was very reasuring hike. alan, brad and myself did 29km from syd duncan park to the veledrone (finish line). we did it in 6 hours (two small breaks as well). the good things, my feet coped well, didnt feel unwell like the two weeks, felt stronger and in a positive attitude that we might just do this.

we didnt see anyone on the track until the veledrone and the team was only 10mins ahead of us and had done the same route, so we were travelling the same as others which is encouraging. i think the thing that the guys looked forward to was having a subway, in fact i think towards the end they were dreaming of what they were going to get, while me i'm not hungry only thinking of having a pepsi max or ginger beer.

the photo of my feet is the preparation work i need to stop blisters, so i hope it works during the event, i dont normal show anyone as not so attractive but effective.
next weekend we are doing the water circuit and polly's so about 20km, so hope to knock that off quickly (5hrs).

only 8 wks to go and it it flying past fast, now i feel more recovered going to do some more training during the week as well.

heartbreakingly beautiful mt maroon

yesterday i headed out to mt maroon (past rathdowney) with the brisbane bushwalkers. this mountain is a training test before applying to do mt barney (which looks directly across from mt maroon - see film clip). i read that it was only 6km mountain, and assumed with all my kokoda training that it would be challenging but not too hard. so of course it was a huge challenge, you get out of the car and just go straight up no warm up. just climbing up over very rocky ground, one step at a time for about 2km. i havent been feeling so well this last week and think i have hit a training block, so after about 20mins i thought "i'm not going to make it" and would have to go back. lovely mary (70 year old experienced hiker) waited with me, she is an amazon woman, just incredible fitness!!! and kept going by then lots of others were droping back so was able to keep up. we had morning tea at an outcrop with great views and then headed up the next section. by this time it was rock scrambling and having to use your hands to try and pull yourself up between the rocks, great for the legs and arms. we made it up to the top peak at about 11.30 am for lunch and i took some lovely photos and videoclips. the wind was amazing and the view of mt barney a little scary, but i have decided that it is my goal for 2011, even though it will be quite dangerous with lots of exposed rockface, it would be an amazing achievement. the return trip was a killer on the legs and joints and having to go down on my butt to get down some of the crevices but made it down by 2.30pm, changed clothes and had coffee in beaudesert. so was it harder than my kokoda training, yep you bet, my quads are killing me today and even my rib muscles are sore, but was well worth it for the views. the plan is in two weeks to take my other team members up, hope i dont get them lost as there is not much signage and the track is not really visible, i think the idea is to just keep going up and you'll get there. next weekend is a long one with hiking from syd duncan park through to the finish line, hopefully no snakes this time.

3 mountains in a row

saturday alan, brad and myself set off extra early to take two cars and walk the 3 major mountains in a row. the weather was perfect, cool to start with then heated up and cooler at the end.

the moutains were mt nimmel, mt fairweather and pages pinnacle (total of 26km) not long in distance but hard on the legs. it takes it out on your heart on the ascents and the knees on the descents.

we met a few teams out on the track (young and exuberant team which went past us very quick, and the toowoomba trihards (4 women) who were down for the long weekend putting in heaps of km's and seeing the track for the first time). we also met a team (whom one of their members was struggling from dehydration, so brad kindly gave him a spare bottle of water and i gave a bag of lollies). you have to be so careful making sure you have heaps of fluid, i usually go through at least 4L.

alan and brad did well and just glided up the hills, i really struggled with mt fairweather, which i find to be the hardest it is only 1km but it is straight up and no real rests.

brad got to see another snake, its great he is out the front as he protects us by letting us know in a loud voice (usually high pitched) that a snake is there. we had two breaks along the way and finished at 3pm, which was really good.

the thing we look forward to the most is cold ginger beers at the car and coffee and cake at Polly's cafe, we have gotten to know betty really well and she is so interested in how we are training.

we also got to meet doug (the organiser) and his wife hiking down pollys hill, so was great to have a quick chat on how the organising of the event is going.

next week i am doing mt maroon with the brisbane bushwalkers, its supposidly quite hard so hope i can keep up!

how can hell look like heaven?

yesterday brad, majella and myself set off to do the border track between binna burra and o'reillys (21km). i had read online that it takes 6-7hrs but experienced walkers can do it in 5hrs. so of course i thought why dont we do it both ways (total 42km) in 10hrs!!

we got there at 6.45am (forgot it takes longer to drive there) so were a bit late taking off. the trail is very well marked didnt really need a map but used it just to have an idea of where we were.

the track is gentle and soft under foot with no real steep hills, so this should be easy i thought! the first section was lovely and we really were walking fast but towards o'reillys my feet just went to bits and i thought i cant do this, majella (the super woman) helped carry my pack for a little while (it was too heavy with stuff!!)

we got to 20km and i just sat down and said this was as far as i could go, so shoes off, rubbed feet, retied shoes, had food and gave some of my stuff to the others to help carry. (things like first aid kit and snake bite bandages - i am prepared for anything)

we rested for a while and then set off for the return trip, my feet were better and so we tried to get back as quick as we could, it was a long way back and we were all in our own world of pain in the last 10km. we made it back to the car by 6pm (so about 10.5hrs walking time) very proud but the last bit i had to have my headlamp on as it was so dark.

we stopped for subway and then headed home, got to my house at 8pm, having left at 4.15am that morning it was a very long day.

positives about the hike 1. beautiful scenary and fun team members 2. got to break through another barrier in time and distance 3. learning to walk through the pain (havent learnt to stop whinging about it yet) 4. i still have a very healthy respect of what doing 96km will take

next week alan is back so will do a gentle 15km hike but the following week will be another endurance hike from hell to welcome him back to training.

our first snake!!!

hi all

yesterday brad and i set off to do the final two sections of the kokoda challenge that we had yet to complete, they were short with a total distance of 19km.

the first one will take us from the watercircuit to the top of upper beechmont (syd duncan park), we were unsure of the entry area to the track and thought we were going the wrong way, but rather than turn around we would just walk and use it as traing, we eventually came out onto a road and saw that infact we had found the right track but it seems too easy, maybe walking for 2hours has become easy.

then we set off on the next section this takes us from the bottom of hell fires pass over mt nathan and to the beginning of nerang forest (the last section before the finish line).

the first section was up mt nathan on a very eroded track you had to keep from one ledge to another as the crevices were quite deep (would not like to do this in the dark. when we got to the top we had to find a overgrown footpad to a wire gate, it was so overgrown but found the gate and it had a huge sign saying private property, trespasses will be prosecuted. i did think this was the right gate but we thought we should continue and look for another gate, about 100m away i said to brad that we should go back as i was sure we were going the wrong way, i went under the fence to see if the mango trees (which were on the map were there) and just then we heard some voices, another team came along (beechmont bellbirds) and they told us that they had done this section before and yes this was the right way, so everyone crawled under the fence.

we then went through a "grassy lane" which meant that the grass was about 3 ft high and you had to push through it, i was nervous about snakes but thought we so many of us and lots of chatting they would be scared away.

just when we were near the end and the grass was lower, brad loudly warned us about a brown snake, it was only about a foot in front of me and just quickly crawled into grass beside us. we were all a bit shakened and got out of there fast, the only thing brad and i had to return back that way later.

we came out on a road which winded steeply down to the next checkpoint but the view of the gold coast in the back ground were lovely, i a clear day it would be fantastic. after some lunch at the bottom we headed back and it seemed to take forever to get through the grass section again. we were finished at about 12md, so it was all up only about 6hrs, but we did it in good time and headed home.

next week we are doing the border track from binna burra to o'reillys, hope to do about 10hrs, it should be beautiful tracks in the cool rainforest, so looing forward to it.

then the team is back together and the real training will begin!!!

steps where art thou?

brad and i thought we would try the 900 stairs at apple tree park that we had heard about. we found the park easy enough but no mention of stairs so we thought we would just follow one of the tracks and see if they were there. we didnt have a map, so after taking one of the tracks and ending up back at the road, i was reluctant to keep trying.

in the end we went back to pollys and did the hill (in 50mins) and then had lunch at pollys, have tried to google where the stairs are but hard to find any information, i plan to ring the forestry dept tomorrow and see if we can find them.

the plan for next saturday is to do the final 2 sections (total 19km) and if enough energy do the stairs. have been reading other teams news and we seem to be extra slow with teams doing the same distance in about 8 hrs compared to our 10hrs, i just dont think i can walk much faster, but next time we do the sections when alan is back at least we wont waste time checking the maps as we will know where we are going.

next month we are going to have to put in some long days to get ready as there is now only 14 wks to go and the time is going fast!!!

i cried like a sissy!

yesterday was another long, long, long hike (30km)and lasted a exhausting 11 hours!!!! we (brad & me) left home in at the dark and got home in the dark, i thought it was never going to end.

BUT we survived the section used for the "Mini Kokoda" event in June, so at least we know we can do it. the plan was to do pollys hill (pages pinnacle)7km to environmental centre 2km and then the water circuit 14km and back (total app 30km). we had done pollys kitchen in january this year and it had taken me about 70 minuites to get up it with lots of stops, this time i did it in 55 mins without a stop (want to knock another 10mins off by july) then over the top and down. the map to the watercircuit was so hard to read and we got lost and struggled with the instructions on the way back (it helps if you can tell the difference between right and left) but eventually made our way back to the bottom of pollys. by then my feet were sore, i was tired and wanted it to stop!! but we had 7km to go.

i remembered the back of the mountain (see photo) of brad and look up that is the mountain in the background we still had to climb. i hate it so much as it lies to you!!!!!! you think you are at the top and go round the corner and again it is going up this happens about 10 times, you think it is never going to end.

by the time i got to the top i was so tired, sore and it was about 4.40pm and we knew that we wouldnt make it back in time to the cafe before it closed, going down pollys i really went for it, didnt care about the toes mashing into the front of my shoes, my right knee was hurting with descent, i just wanted to get down quick, so we got within 30mins (which is pretty fast). i shuffled to the car, opened the back door, sat down and burst into tears, poor brad he rushed over to undo my shoes for me and i was such a girly girl just let him take care of me (gave me cold can of coke that he had in the esky) and put my gear away.

eventually i stopped crying and feeling sorry for myself and we drove home and stopped at yatala pies (it was the best meal i ever had) and then i got home at 7.30pm.

will it ever get easier??? i surpose so as this morning jumped out of bed, no tiredness, no aching muscles felt like i could go hiking again, so maybe bit by bit it is going to be easier.

next week easter, so will do some solo hikes at mt cootha and fix the overgrown garden (harry gets lost trying to pee in the long grass) and look forward to our next long trek

thanks for everyones support and well wishes, it means alot

mt cootha

we decided to have an easier walk compared to last weeks adventure, so set off to mt cootha at 7am. the plan was to walk about 20km using the instructions on the kokoda webpage.

all went well until i took the wrong turn and some how ended up at The Gap in surburbia, we went through some local streets past some beautiful houses to reenter the forest.

i was forgiven for my poor directions but then at the end of the road we were to go up mogill track (i thought) it was the overgrown path leading almost vertical, so up we went, my heart rate over 170 by the top only to find a gentle even track beside it named the mogill track, oops but its all about the training anyway.

all in all we did about 18km in about 4 1/2 hrs so good pace. lovely lunch with great views and home for a glass of wine and a afternoon kip, very nice.

but next week to make up for it we are doing 28km on the main event track with some big inclines. the best news this week is that both times i have hiked i have had no pain in my feet for the first time in the past 4mths, the cortisone worked a treat and hope it continues, i now feel that there is a chance i can at least get to the starting line as last week i thought there was no chance.

"walk the line" here we come!

OMG I am starting to doubt!!!!

Yesterday we chose to do Nerang Forest (14 and return - total 28km) when you start talking about walks in comparison to 96km you think 28km should be easy. You forget that it is longer than a half marathon through serious terrain.

So why was i so shocked as to how hard i found it, i just thought we have done 18km what's another 10km? Well an extra 10k on these feet make a big difference.

the first section was "moderate" undulating hills - it was constant up and down with large rocks over the fire trail, so you could get any speed up and the first 1.5km took us almost an hour, we thought we werent going to make it in the time we had. it did get flatter after 2 hours and the inclines were smoother so we got some pace up, but still took us almost 5 hrs to get to the halfway point (the finish line on the day).

we had some lunch, i retapped my feet to try and give them some support, but could feel the beginings of some blisters. i felt okay but realised i didnt have as much water left as i hoped (about 1L) to get back.

so we set off back, thinking right lets put some speed into the journey home, we charged off and did well for the first hour, making some good headway, we met up with another team (team sai) that we had met before and had a chat, i was abit sore by then but thought we only had another 4km to go. it was probably more like 6km and both me and majella were stuggling, brad took the lead and seemed very comfortable. by the last 2km (which took almost 2hrs) i was crying when no one was looking, my left knee was hurting, left hip, lower back, feet were screaming in pain with every step and we had the worst section to do.

i put my ipod on and listened to songs like "relax, born to run, and other motivating songs" helped alittle to distract from the pain, i think we had all forgotten how bad the first section was because on the way back it seemed to be twice as steep and took forever, i had run out of water and thought if this was the event i would be pulling out after only 30km.

i had to keep telling myself, no point stopping as you have to get to the car to get home and i have the keys, we finally got to where we had parked the car in 9H45mins.

the photos show majella sitting by the car in shock and a photo of the blisters i got between my toes (i didnt ever feel them til i stopped)

so how do i feel this morning, not too bad physically a few sore muscles but emotionally abit down hearted. i have to keep telling myself this is the training that will help you get stronger, so it has to hurt and push yourself and that next time??? it will be easier.

so bring on next saturday and kudos to my team mates for completing yesterdays walk!!

feet bah humbug

i went to the sports physician today and am going to have a MRI of my feet and bloods tests for rheumatoid arthritis (just to exclude), then hopefully next monday i will have some cortisone injections. he thinks i have a biomechanical issue (which means old lady feet) and has suggested more changes to my orthotics. he also says i have weird callus on my feet, never seen a vertical callous on both feet, must be the way i walk.

going to take some more anti inflammatories for 3 weeks as well, to see if settles, i will do anything to settle things down so i can do the long walks painfree.

this week the plan is to do about 28k, so need to be at my best

recovery week

the rain has been a real pain. i didnt hike this week, and decided to cancel mt cootha walk today, alan and majella werent able to make it, it was still raining (over 100mm) this week, so decided to do two spin classes instead.

i'm off to the sports physican on monday to see about my feet, i hope to get some MRI's done and then cortisone injections into the metartarsal heads to get the inflammation down.

so next week am going to do twice the work with hopefully doing nerang forest and back on saturday (total of 28km) our longest walk to date.

must start doing some more fundraising as need to get at least $500 each. if anyone wishes to support us just go to www.kokodachallenge.com.au and donate to "walk the line" every bit helps.

chat soon about our adventures

dee

hell fire pass is not just a name

yesterday we completed the section from syd duncan park, down hell fire pass to beliss rd and back (again about 18km). when we got there at SD park it was misty and the view was hidden but suddenly cleared to see beautiful views of hinze dam and in the distance the gold coast. the weather kept changing from overcast, to misty rain to full on sunshine and back again.

we walked about 4km past some houses (i have a photo of a truly ugly house - of couse beauty is in the eye of the beholder) and then down a steep road called hell fire pass at the end is a fire trail which was steep, rocky and muddy, we followed the directions on the map and came to a very overgrown long grass section and as a group we decided this couldnt be it so went back up to check out other options BUT yes we were on the right track and so down we went again through the long grass, a few girly screams about spiders in our way but made it through.

all of us (brad, majella and myself) stopped for a comfort break on the track and about 60secs after i finished these two guys came round the corner, it was lucky for them they didnt come any earlier!!! they have been doing it tough with blisters and doing massive training (makes me nervous that we wont be ready in time), we walked with them til the end and met some mountain bikers, stopped for a break and then headed back.

the trip back up was long and for quite tough, i started to feel weak and slightly lightheaded (my heartrate was between 160-170 for over an hour) ate some lollies and rested to get my heartrate under control, then felt better to keep going.

the feet were alittle better with some changes to my orthotics but a few blisters were part of the experience, we keept learning each time we walk what to do or bring with us.

we then had lunch at SD park with fabulous views though abit windy (another team turned up to check out the location as it is a major checkpoint)

on the whole it was a good day (about 6hrs all up) but quite tiring, i think we all slept well last night!!

next saturday going to do the mt cootha tracks closer to home

Mt Fairweather b***h of a mountain

well!!! yesterday brad, majella and myself (alan had the flu) went from Mt Nimmel Lodge to Pollys kitchen cafe (18km) doesnt sound much but there was two mothers of mountains to get over.

the first was just an introduction with a long ascent but i thought yeah okay i can do this, this we stopped at about 9km for a break and headed through long grass to the base of mt fairweather. it was wet, muddy, slippery, clay track straight up with lots of mozzies!!! it made me think of the real kokoda track, but made it to the top with a long 4km walk on the ridge and then down hill on bitumen road to pollys, my feet were killing me (annoying me as i am trying everything to improve them) so the only thing i could do was jog the last 3km!! poor brad had tummy pain (total fibre diet didnt help) and majella was busting, so the last few km's we just went silent and got to the end.

lunch was lovely and met a great team (team sie) who looked very fit (they also walked back!!!). pulled up really well today, legs feel fresh but feet still tender, going to go to the podiatrist on thursday to see if i can get some cortinsone injections into the metatasal joint, this is what will stop me finishing if i cant sort it out.

next weekend we are doing syd duncan park down hellfire pass (its called that for a reason) and hopefully walk back about 24km, wish us luck

daisy hill reserve

last weekend (brad and I) went and did 15km at Daisy hill reserve, it was okay, not very challenging if hiking, alot of runners and mountain bikers, dont think we will do it again, but it was a nice day out. on the sunday i did a walk with the BBW to tamborine mountain (palm grove) it was beautiful, again another 15km but slow so next weekend is a real challenge (on the KC track)

tooheys forest

went for a walk with guys up tooheys forest, getting a bit easier, even got to run up most of the steps, hopefully we can go hiking this weekend, we had to cancel last sunday, very disappointed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but there was torrential rain.

mt isa trip

i had a great time in the ISA for two weeks, went up to lawn hill and kayaked through the gorge and then decided to walk back.

it was the walk from hell, we got lost and had to do some cliff climbing to get out, then ran out of water, took twice as long to get back, and it must have been at least 50 deg in the sun.

arrived back and had to beg the ranger for some water, i'm sure he thought "stupid tourists", but the views were amazing.

tomorrow the team 'walk the line" is going for a big walk (from mt nimmel to pollys kitchen) about 20km, hope its not raining and my feet with the new orthotics hold out.

pictures and more news to come, cant believe it now it is a reality, 5mths to go, the time for sacrifice has started!!!!

mt cootha night walks

went for another mt cootha walk on thursday night, went well, we did middle hill which is in the "middle" and is about the 2nd steepest section. it was about 500m in length but straight up, wasnt the first or last up it but came in the second group, so felt good about that, next week they are doing killer hill but i will be in mt isa, so will miss it!!! will have to wait til i return. 15days until registration for kokoda, cant wait!! have booked our room already for the friday night down at mudgeeraba, just a few hundred metres from the startline, the guys are sharing a room and the girls are sharing a room, hope no one snores!!!

podiatrist visit yesterday was successful, had my orthotics molded (soft) so they should flex when walking not like my cruel hard ones that were torture.

wish me luck in mt isa, will see if there is any hiking opportunities up there (or maybe just drinking opportunities)

Polly's prisoners

Polly's Mountain

Well Alan, Brad and me completed Polly's Mountain (going up and then to environmental centre and then back over - total 14kms). Doesnt sound very far but it is straight up and then long false inclines on the return. It was hot, i drank 3 L and still was dehydrated the sweat was just pouring off me. The guys were very considerate and often stopped to allow me to catch up and rest (they are much fitter than me) but we all finished together and then went to Polly's cafe for lunch. All up took about 5hrs with lots of small breaks, but were able to do the ascent in 62mins, i'm sure we will be faster next time. The track is a old fire trail and it is very rocky, so hard on your ankles & feet when descending, did i mention it is very steep and i am glad i had my walking poles but the guys just seemed to glide upwards!!! we met two other groups also practicing for kokoda so it was great to stop and ask some questions and get more of an idea as to what to expect.

Plan is to Mt Cootha again on thursday (Middle Hill - i think it is the steepest trail, used for kokoda training) so that should be good exercise. We will organise another walk when i return from Mt Isa in 2 wks. So must stay off the chocolate and booze while i am away!!

mt cootha in the dark

this thursday i went to mt cootha to do a night walk from 6.30-8.30pm with brisbane bushwalkers. there was about 12 of us and it was a hot still night. went down hill to the back of mt cootha and then up honeyeaters track back to the top via a fire trail. it was fairly steep and i just poured sweat but was fun and felt that i was able to keep up with the group. next week we are doing a longer ascent so should be challenging.

i also went to see steve manning my new podiatrist and yes my current orthotics are cr*p. no wonder they are causing so much pain, so new ones will be soft and molded to my foot and suited for long distance walking/running. i also bought some funky trail shoes and they were great doing mt cootha alot lighter then my mountain boots.

going to do polly's hill tomorrow, so up at 3.30am, really keen to complete one of the big 4 mountains on the kokoda challenge.