This week, Lauren from our Marketing team talks about how she got inspired by a team of four trail walkers hiking to support a bigger cause.
At 5-something am Saturday morning, Angela, Matt, Carl and Anna crawl out of their beds and get ready/mentally prepare for the long trek ahead. It’s still dark when they start out, a chilly May morning. This doesn’t deter them, they walk on and up the mountain ahead of them, packs on their backs and walking sticks in hand.
Four hours later I roll out of bed, looking half-human and feeling like 9:30am is too early for a Saturday … borderline regretting my breakfast-out plans with a friend. I stumble around the house half-asleep for a while, making myself semi-presentable, then walk outside to the weak but bright sun that’s shining and mentally complain that my scarf isn’t warm enough. I get to the cafe around 10:30 and gratefully receive the hot coffee and gourmet breakfast the waitress brings me. I chat with my friend, it’s nice to catch up. We move tables, there’s a bit of a draught.
I look at my watch, it’s 11:30, I decide it’s time I began my trek up the mountain. I jump in my car and off I go. Bummer, roadworks … this is going to take longer than I’d hoped.
I get to the summit right on noon and meet the chipper, fresh-faced group of four trekkers who had reached the top about 10 minutes before me. I ask them a few questions and instantly realise the stark comparisons to our mornings just had. Their positivism is contagious. They’ve just trekked 22km and are about to head back down the mountain. I take some photos and can’t help but feel some of their sense of accomplishment as they look down over the city from the mountain they just climbed. I ask about the Oxfam Trailwalker event they’re training for. It’s 55km. ‘Oh yeah…’ , I mutter something about also having a fitness regime (2kms or so, every couple of mornings).
Angela tells me the hardest part is the mental side of it. They’ve been training a while now. She says the first time they got together they did 16km and she sat down on the grass afterwards and thought, ‘this is just impossible’. She’s part of a team though. The rules state that all four must cross the finish line. If one pulls out, they all have to. She’s noticed a big change since then. Today was much easier. Matt pipes in saying he loves feeling part of a team, they all help each other press on. All four agree they’ve grown closer during this time and have had some great chats over the hours they’ve walked side by side in preparation.
The funds raised by Oxfam go to various needs/crises worldwide, their goal is to ‘bring about positive change in the lives of people living in poverty’. They currently have people in Nepal assessing the damage from the recent earthquake crisis and are ready to respond with lifesaving essentials – clean water, sanitation and emergency food supplies. I realise how much I take for granted.
I can’t help but be inspired by this lot. Our team have personally put a lot in for this, but on the flip-side they also seem to be getting a lot out of it. Good on ‘em I say.
Our trekking team haven’t yet reached the minimum funds raised. If you’d like to support them in raising these funds, just jump on the Oxfam website and search their team name, ‘Four-get it’, then follow the prompts.
You can also register or volunteer for the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker in Brisbane if you feel like challenging yourself! The journey starts at the Maiala Picnic Area on Mt Glorious Road on Friday 19th of June.
