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!