They walked 100 kilometres

By Mara Pattison-Sowden
SOME 33 and a half hours after setting off from Jells Park, team Just Shoot Me crossed the Oxfam Trailwalker finish line exhausted but still smiling.
The Yarra Valley team made up of Amanda Gibson from Yarra Junction, Linda Farnan from Mount Evelyn, Lara Cann from Healesville, and Lesley Taeuber from Wesburn cheered as they passed the finish line at 5.55pm on Saturday evening at Wesburn Park.
Eighty per cent of walkers finished the trail under the 48-hour time limit, with one team breaking the 2009 record by 12 minutes, crossing the line in 10 hours and 23 minutes.
The annual event has already raised more than $2.3 million, and Just Shoot Me raised the highest amount with $5465 under the category of banking, being supported by the Woori Yallock Community Bank.
The women came 522 out of 716 teams and they didn’t stop smiling after they crossed the line, enjoying a glass of champagne to celebrate the 100km walk.
Healesville Swim Club coach Lara Cann said she felt a lot better after a good sleep.
“We’ve all compared leg pains and everything but we still want to catch up and talk about it all,” she said.
“The night was hard – we left Olinda Reserve at quarter to 11 and it started raining.
“The next section was downhill and it was slippery through the bush – it sure was nasty.”
Lara said the most difficult part was the 20km of flat track through Yarra Junction between 2.30am and 5am.
“We walked for hours and it was boring and we were tired and our legs hurt!” she said.
“Walking on the flat was more painful than walking the hills.”
Lara said the girls wondered how Lesley had so much energy until they discovered she had been running on almost straight green cordial during the walk.
“She was just bouncing around all day,” Lara laughed.
And would they take part again next year?
“Possibly,” said Lara.