By KATH GANNAWAY
‘ONCE the blisters, aching muscles and mental scars had healed, we decided to do it all over again.”
Michelle Joison’s approach to encouraging others to do the Oxfam Trailwalker is a little backward … more like a “why would anyone … ”
But, like many others, once Michelle and her team-mates, Ben Kennett, Sandra Koetz and Anthony Smith got the Trailwalker bug, it was hard to resist the temptation to do it again.
For the Cockatoo/Emerald-based team, there’s the challenge of beating last year’s time.
Last year, they did the 100ks in 26.5 hours. There’s the tremendous feeling of achievement at giving it a go and making it through, and there’s the knowledge that the money raised by the long walk will help people living in poverty have a better life.
“It’s not an easy walk,” Michelle said of Intensity Team 4’s initiation to Oxfam’s major fund-raiser.
“It’s just the sheer distance and what it does to your muscles, but the satisfaction of achieving that walk outweighs all the pain,” she said.
“The feeling coming up to the finish line is just sheer joy.
“You are delirious because you’re so tired and exhausted, but there when you see family and friends there, cheering you on, and they are just so proud of you … it’s a real fist-pumping moment.”
The event has traditionally started at Jells Park in Mount Waverley and finished at Wesburn, but this year, it is being done in reverse.
That’s not a bad thing, according to Michelle, who said, the last few kilometres that included Mount Little Joe, were a killer.
“It will be good to get the steeper sections out of the way early on while we have lots of energy,” she said.
“The home straight will be a lot flatter, and it will also give us a totally different aspect to the walk,” she said.
Intensity Team 4 will be among 800 teams doing the walk from 10 to 12 April, aiming to raise $2,500,000.
The tally so far is $585,000.
Each team must raise at least $1400. The link to donate and support Michelle, Ben, Sandra and Anthony, is https://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/team/home/19429 .
