So, uh yeah....a 50k 'race' in the morning

Well, it's pretty much public knowledge that I make my long delayed return to racing with the Glasshouse 50k event tomorrow morning. It all began so innocently....(cue flashback sequence)

Background summary - joined gym in Brisbane, joined cycling group through invite of gym owner. Left gym but remained friends with gym owner through cycling. Gym owner's wife bit of a runner and knows of my running background (also works at gym), did Kokoda Challenge in 2008 in 29 hours, targetting 24 hours in 2009. Team member drops out in late March due to injury, I get a call from said gym owner asking if I'd be interested in joining the team. I say I'll try a couple of walks and hikes and see how it goes. Walks and hikes go okay, I accept. Subsequent training draws me in like a moth to a flame.

So, as part of training, she suggests doing the Glasshouse 50k as a team. I'm of course suffering delusions of potentially taking up ultra-marathoning, and think 'hey, this could be a great way to ease my way in' and approve.

So, there we go.

Much of my training has been focussed around Mt Coot-tha and the Gold Creek Reservoir. A visual summary would look like this:

So far so good. Highlights so far have included a 51k hike in about 7 1/2 hours, a 33k effort in 5:20 that finished in darkness, and a tour of the Pinnacles course. I hadn't done a lot of running, just some downhills and flats during hikes, but as part of 'sharpening' this week managed to push out a 10k in just under 50 minutes from home along the Centenary bike path to Jindalee and back, negative splitting up the hill, which was pleasing. The hip didn't really play up, I was kind of just aware of it. Seem to be reasonably strong at the moment, just need to lose some weight and work on the abs and lower back.

I think I had some good endurance and strength from the bike - I'd been average around 100-140k a week, including a 80-110k effort on Saturdays (although somewhat broken up) - so that's probably provided a good lead-in.

On the Kokoda Challenge: this event is coming up in mid-July, and is a 4 person 96k hike/run/whatever, Queensland's equivalent to the Oxfam Trailwalker I guess. The team's name is 16 Feet (I believe a reference to last year's 8 Feet team name).

We do need to raise some money, and I could really do with a hand here - just go here to donate. We'd really appreciate it - it is a very good cause. From their website:

Our Mission:

To promote the Kokoda Spirit, especially to the benefit of the youth of Australia.

Our Major Goals:

Raise public awareness of the importance of the 1942 Kokoda campaign to the Australian people.

Identify young Australians at a crossroads in their life and provide support to help them reach their potential.

Support the Kokoda community and the descendants of the Fuzzy Wuzzy angels.

Our Values:

Endurance: We believe that tests of endurance are a way to promote personal growth.

Courage: We support and encourage our people to stay the course even when times are tough.

Sacrifice: We are an organisation that is built on the sacrifice of volunteers and the community spirit this inspires.

Mateship: We believe in the value of teamwork and of providing support for each other.

Environment: We value the natural environment and aim for all our activities to have a minimal environmental impact.

Youth: We believe in the potential of our youth to create a positive future.

Our background

The Kokoda Challenge Association is a not for profit organisation that was formed by founder and Chairman, Doug Henderson in January 2005.

In July 2004, Doug was at an RSL conference when a guest speaker spoke of Australia's military history, in particular the battle of the Kokoda Track and the Pacific Campaign.

Doug, who has been at the forefront of Veterans issues for the past decade, was profoundly affected by what he heard and overcome by shame about the fact that so few Australians knew the real story of how significant the Kokoda military campaign was to Australia's history.

Doug was compelled to be involved in promoting awareness of the Kokoda Track and believed that incorporating young Australians was the key to raising the profile of the history of Kokoda.

The Kokoda Challenge Association was established in January 2005 with two main aims;

1. To educate youth and raise general public awareness of the gallant victory by Australian soldiers in 1942 on the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea – a victory which undoubtedly saved Australia from Japanese occupation.

2. To identify young Australians who are at a crossroad and support them through a 12 month community counsel – The Kokoda Challenge Youth Program. This requires the participants selected to undertake a 12 month commitment to a community program, designed and supported by the Kokoda Challenge Association, which encourages participants to develop self-awareness within the wider community and prepare them for the challenges of life. The Kokoda Challenge Youth Program culminates in the participants using the skills and training to undertake the challenge of walking the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.

To enable to Kokoda Challenge Association to achieve these main aims it was decided that funds would be raised by conducting a yearly Queensland Kokoda Challenge Event – to be held in the Gold Coast Hinterland.

Funds raised from this event finance the cost of the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program, which includes training and bush camps and the associated costs of travel to Papuan New Guinea to walk the Kokoda Track.

Working in collaboration with

The Kokoda Challenge Association developed early ties with the Gold Coast Bushwalking Club to design the route for the Kokoda Challenge Event and gather volunteer support. The Kokoda Challenge Association support and endorse the Bushwalkers Code of Conduct and the protection of the environment for the enjoyment of future generations.

The Gold Coast State Emergency Services work closely with the Kokoda Challenge Association and indeed provide upwards of 100 volunteers on the weekend of the Kokoda Challenge.

The Gold Coast City Council, the Department of Main Roads and the State Parks and Wildlife Services all provide the vital support necessary for the success of to the Kokoda Challenge.

The RSL’s, Police Citizen Youth Centres and High Schools and a number of youth support organizations contribute to identifying young people to be participants of the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program.

Wesley Mission Brisbane has also provided vtial support to the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program and have assisted the Kokoda Challenge Association to develop best practices for managing the youth program.

Whilst the Kokoda Challenge is currently managed entirely by volunteers and accordingly the operational cost are able to be kept to a minimum, however this will not always be the case. As the Challenge grows and demand is placed for access to the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program the administrative and management needs will of course grow. Like any professional organisation professional staff will need to be engaged.

The Kokoda Challenge Association however is working towards establishing strong corporate partnerships which will eventually cover the operational and management costs of the Kokoda Challenge and the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program.

Once these goals have been achieved the Kokoda Challenge Association will be able to allocate all of the funds raised through the Kokoda Challenge directly to youth orientated programs.

I'll let you know how it goes and provide updates (for real this time) on how training progresses.