The family had decided to do the Kokoda challenge, all 48 kms of it. There is a longer one of 96 kms but hey, they didnt want to start big! By family, it was husband, son, daughter and grandson walking, with me as the support person.
Jordan had done it last year with his school, four students and an adult, a teacher and they had done it in just over fifteen hours. It is quite mountainous and some at night.
As we were travelling, training was done in many different places and it was often hot when they walked.
Warren bought walking poles (sticks I called them) in Townsville and they did a five peak walk there, being away for about five hours.
Jason went to the briefing and got the good oil on requirements, Sheridan organised the money side of it and as Warren said, he was just walking.
I booked into a motel so I had somewhere to be while I waited on them. There were several check points along the way and only at one of these was a meal break, that was where I was to meet them, feed them and offer support.
Sheridan arranged for T shirts, red CF shirts and it was surprising the number of people who commented, on them and CF.
The weather was not kind and it started to rain just before they left and kept raining. I drove down to the Gold Coast along wet windy roads and thanked my lucky stars that I was not out with them.
The 96er's started at seven in the morning and the 48er's had to hold up for a few minutes, they were to leave at 1 pm, as the first of the 96er's were coming in. OMG they had run 48 kms in six hours, these were the runners. The terrain was pretty crappy and they were running!!!.
Family team walked for twelve kms in the dark and wet before calling it quits,def not the weather to be out.
I dont know how many 96er's teams competed but there were one hundred and sixty eight school teams and around one hundred and twenty 48er's. Many retired in the first five kms.
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