Oxfam Trailwalk 2012

[gdogzgtr]

I thought I would just post a short topic with the link to my teams Oxfam Page. The Oxfam Trailwalk is a 100km team walk to help raise funds to assist underprivileged communities in countries all around the world.

If anyone would like to sponsor my team I would really appreciate it.

Donations of $2 or more are tax deductible and you almost immediately receive a receipt once you donate.

Thanks

Graeme

http://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/melbourne/teams/team/?team_id=11958

[Birds]

Haven't been dicked by Glen Waverley TMU yet, so will donate

[Mohsen]

I donate too graham!

[gdogzgtr]

I thought I would update in regards to this. The 2012 Oxfam walk started Friday Morning in Jells Park, Wheelers Hill. Just to make things tougher the rain started and lasted almost 3 hours. At least it stopped from then on and we had nice sunny weather.

My team had some serious trouble with one member taken to hospital by ambulance at the 3rd check point. Another team member badly strained his foot and also retried.

We pushed on through the cold night, mud and big hills and by sunrise we were about 75km done. The last 25km were a mental battle as tired and seemed never to end. Just to punish us some more the last 7 km were up and down the biggest hills I have ever walked on. We made it to the finish line in just over 29 1/2 hours.

Big thanks to our support crew, family and friends that visited us along the way and everyone that donated to our team.

[krzysztof]

good work for making it to the end mate!!

we took off at 10am and had out first casualty at 37.5km to a busted achillies, here's where the blisters started but these weren't a concern once taped up.

the photo of my foot was taken here, the other random shot is the trail leading up the hill kinda after belgrave

the 15kms section leading up to 59.5kms took us 4hours as missus could barely walk due to a cramp in her foot.. we got there just before 6am at which point herself and her friend said no more and pulled out.

i really wanted to finish so i joined a friends team which were having a quick sleep and were to take off at 9am, so i had 3 hours to get home and have a nice warm shower and some clean jocks

as soon as the water hit my balls lol, i knew i was doomed. got out of the shower n turned out i had some killer chafing.. tried chafing cream, taping up my legs, different pair of jocks, even no jocks under my skins, forget it,, was too late to save..

i did my knee in november so only managed one 20km walk before that.. wish i had trained some more because i would have known about blisters n chafing n packed less in my backpack haha

to be honest with you as much as it sucked i really enjoyed the challenge. hopefully give it another crack next year

[Dylaan]

My dad and his friends do this walk every year (for about 6 years in a row now). Their record was 25.5 hours, he keeps trying to get me to go along too much I'm not that big of a hiking fan

[gdogzgtr]

Maybe a SAU team next year? I thought it was a great experience and happily be involved with it again. I think knowing a few little tricks like taping the feet, voltarin gel and anti inflammatory tablets when needed made huge difference. I was lucky enough that I only had a tight left calf that I just needed Voltarin gel rubbed in and then was like new. No blisters or anything. I did absolutely no walking training leading into it as didn't have time but did a few 10km+ runs to get fitness and I dropped almost 20kg in 5 months eating well made a huge difference.

We didn't sleep but had about 1 hour breaks at most of the check points. We had similar issue in the 45-60 km part where team member strained his foot but pushed on for 5 1/2 hours in pain before stopping.

I didn't think it was very physically demanding but a massive test of mental strength and willpower.

[krzysztof]

couldn't agree more, its definately all in the mind.

even got back on the smokes at belgrave after having given up few weeks ago, smashed the whole pack by the morning! lol

i really was on fire untill the chafing.. overtaking ppl up hills with my ipod blaring tunes n ciggie hangin out of my mouth haha

SAU should get on the bandwagon, i'd pretty much recommend this to anyone, like you said it teaches you alot about your mental strengh