Walkers do hard yards

MILLGROVE walking group, the Degaheroes, are determined to go the distance at the Oxfam Trailwalker Melbourne later this month.
Denise Hendy, Glenda Towan, Ann Crunden, Robert Hendy and reserve walker Jeremy Crunden are all first-timers to the two-day endurance event that requires teams of four to trek 100km of Australian bush in less than 48 hours and collectively raise at least $1,000 for Oxfam.
Glenda Towan said they had been training for more than three months, across a variety of terrain and difficult conditions.
She said their recent training was unique because they even walked as smoke hung in the air.
“Everyone kept training individually over the last month, whether we stayed in, or left the area. As a group we were able to meet up on the weekends,” Mrs Towan said.
“Before setting out on walks, we always made sure that we would be safe through gaining relevant and up-to-date information through local meetings, checking CFA and DSE websites, and talking to Parks Victoria staff.
“We only walked through familiar areas and had a small radio (tuned to the ABC) to our ears and mobile telephones at the ready.
“It was important for us all to keep our training going. At a certain stage it was the only normal or routine thing in our lives.”
The recent fires have, however, spurred the Degaheroes on even more as Mrs Towan said it forced them to reflect on their own lives and the lives of those they hoped to raise money for.
“I think we’re more passionate now, because we all had a little taste of how it felt to consider the possibility of losing our homes and not know where we were going to go,” she said.
“I thought, this displacement occurs often in other countries through natural disasters such as famines or floods and also through political events, like civil wars.
“Here we are… we’ve just experienced being up-ended from our normal lives for a couple of weeks.
“It made me think that there are people out there around the world who go through this for months, or even years, and I just thought we’re so lucky.”
The Oxfam Trailwalk will begin in Jells Park, in Wheelers Hill, on Friday 27 March at 7am and ends at Wesburn Park.
The team are entered in the 50+ age category and hope to raise $5000 as a collective.
To help sponsor Degaheroes a collection tin has been placed at the Millgrove Newsagency or alternatively you can sponsor them online, through their team name or team number 536. The website is www.oxfam.org.au/trailwalker/Melbourne