Four mates from the Bega Valley will put their stamina and feet to the test when they take on a 100km walk in 48 hours as part of the Sydney Oxfam Trailwalker event.
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Alex Woodger, Mick Parnell and Jeff Donne, all of Pambula along with Steve Farley of Millingandi have been training for the walk which starts from Brooklyn on the Hawksbury River to Manly and takes place on August 26 and 27.
They will be supported by Brendan Cookson who will meet them at various points along the route which goes through Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Garigal National Park.
The Trailwalker is a team event, where teams of four start and finish the walk together. Each team member will walk 100km.
Team member Jeff Donne said the 100km is mostly off road tracks, walking through the many ups and downs of Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and finally onto the Harbour to Hawkesbury Walking Track.
"None of us have walked this distance before," Jeff said.
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"Weve spent many months training, being I think one of the first groups to walk, and wade, the entire Wharf to Wharf walking track, and we recently headed out for a 51km stroll up, down and around Wolumla Peak. That was our longest walk to date so we are hoping the other 49km will be a bit like a home straight, albeit a very long one," he said.
"Aside from gaining some much-needed fitness, and enjoying lots of walks in local national parks and beaches, its been awesome just spending time with mates out on the track."
The plan is to do the first 58km in about 14-16 hours which will bring the team to St Ives where there is a designated camp. Brendon will bring in tents and swags "so we can can get our heads down for a few hours" before completing the remaining 42kms, Jeff explained.
"We've been training the best part of a year now. We had hoped to do the Melbourne event but it was cancelled due to COVID and so we opted for Sydney, but it is harder."
The undulating route contains some sections with difficulty ratings of '5' including rock scrambling and ladders built into the rocks.
"Were raising money for Oxfam by tackling poverty feet first. Every dollar given will push us a little further along the track and up the next hill," Jeff said.
"So far weve raised $4655 between us, and it would be terrific if we could tip it over $5000 or more."
Our team is called The Walking Dads; appropriate because come the end we will no doubt look like a bunch of middle-aged zombies," he added.
If you would like to donate visit the team's Oxfam funding page: https://trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/t/the-walking-dads
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Denise Dion
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Regional daily news journalist on the Far South Coast of NSW. Contact me on 0418 213 780 or at denise.dion@austcommunitymedia.com.au
