in the darkest night!!!

queens birthday weekend, we decided to swap nights to Friday instead of Saturday due to expected rain and yes it was the right decision for two reasons. 1. it didn't rain and 2. it was great to have the whole weekend to recover.

we set off from Polly's about 7.45pm, i struggled to get some momentum up the first mountain but got my rhythm going down, we got to the environmental centre in 2hrs, and then onto the 8 creek crossings, it was great that the creeks were low and easily hopped from rock to rock across. no one fell in!!

the next section had been graded which was good to walk on but changed the whole look of things, they also added large rocks in the dips and i thought maybe we had taken a wrong turn, but then after about an hour i recognised some land marks, then we were at numinbah hall.

it is the most god forsaken bitterly cold place, huddled in the small alcove (see photo), by then our sweat had turned to ice, my hands have never been so cold.

i had my feet strapped and started to get blisters on the front of my ankle and the arch of my right foot, so after doing first aid, taking codeine and caffeine gu gels, the boys were a bit tired but i was "party town", singing to my ipod (alittle manic).

this helped keep the pain to a low level which was good as the worst to come ... it was now 2.30am walking up the road to the cow pad (soul destroying section). we had our reflective jackets on over our backpacks and looked like large turtles.

the cow pad is exhausting as it is up then down then up (both going on for ever), we got to the bottom section before beechmont (my last memory was this was easy) but they had graded it and it is like thick top soil and very soft under foot, it was undulating, so every time we crested i thought here is the road, but no it went on for ever and brad and rodney had had enough!!

final long walk on the side of the road dodging cars flying out of the night and then the long climb up the grassy knoll to top of syd duncan, we had made it by 6am, and another team where there just starting.

we wind was cold and the guys were very organised and brilliant and had hot Thermos of coffee. went and picked up my car and headed home. had to sing loud and window down to stay fully awake but by the time i got home i wasn't tired so only got about 1.5 hrs sleep and then went to bed at 8pm.

feeling good today, amazing how the body recovers now from 30+ hikes, in all it took 10hrs with the breaks which i am happy with as night is so much slower and we are on track for a 30hr finish (here's hoping0.

only two major training sessions left, with the mini kokoda and the full weekend, 4 weeks to go.

dare i say i might even miss it when its over but no ......i promised its my last time

team walk the line 2

last week was the brisbane briefing night about the kokoda event, support crew (tracey, bradon and madeline were there) the 2011 team (dee, brad, rodney & harrison). it was interesting, alot of it was the same as last year but they asked the audience to raise their hands if it was their first time and the majority of hands were up. the presentations got the imagination going and we started to feel like it was really happening.

tracey took notes for the support crew, i have absolute faith all will run like a well oiled machine and looking forward to the yummy grub. i think rachel will be happier this year as the support crew will have their own caravan to rest in between checkpoints.

we had our team photo with the new shirts all looking crisp in blue & white.

go team!!!!

sweet success

the next hike we did after i had a break for a week was to try the brisbane kokoda trail again, this was the week after the actual event, so we were out there by ourselves. we realized where we had gone wrong so headed out to make sure we achieved it.

in my preparation that week, i had a "painful massage" and acupuncture to the soles of my feet and major strapping, hoping this might make a difference. Nathan one of my physios showed me how to walk differently with my poles (more nordic hiking style). so i lengthened my poles and instead of putting them in front and dragging my self forward, i placed them behind and pushed forward.

so off we went, it was great, beautiful weather, we didnt get lost, took about 7.30hrs (very good) and i flew like the wind, okay i went alot faster and my feet were fantastic.

they were sore but like other people who hike 30+ kms, it was the first time in 2 years and gave me such a lift. i was on a real high!!! so bring on the needles and look forward to seeing if it was a fluke or the beginning of a real change.

lots has happened

since my last blog, we have had quite a few training sessions. 1.we attempted to do the brisbane kokoda event track (mt cootha) which is 30km. we set off from kenmore (not realising we would end up on one of our regular hikes in mt cootha). the map we had from the website appeared to be straight forward but it wasnt. we met a few teams training for brisbane and also the oxfam 100, one team (we found out they had given us the right directions) told us we had missed the turn to do the loop but we ignored them and kept going and met up with some other ladies, we kept on going, going and going, and then after 4hrs decided we should head back and left these lovely ladies to keep going to get to their car (i hope they are still not out there - i think they would have ended up at mt nebo and been miles from their car - maybe they took a taxi back!!!). on the way back i started to struggle, felt i had blisters starting under my toes and my plantar fascitis was bad!!, we made it back to the road about 2km from our car and then i just sat down by the side of the road, wished the guys well and hoped they would come back for me. of course they did but i really thought of giving up and not competing this year :( but determined to do something, so i have enlisted a team of physiotherapists and have 3 sessions a week, will let you know how it goes.