community, oxfam, fundraising, walk, 100km walk, mount dandenong, charity
Mary Hitchcock is about to do something she has never done before - walk 100 kilometres to raise thousands of dollars for Oxfam. "Just before Christmas, I was thinking with the new year coming I needed a challenge," she said. "The Oxfam walk came up on one of my newsfeeds and I thought that's it." About 2800 people are taking part in the 100 kilometre walk, which will begin on Friday morning at Lysterfield Lake in Melbourne's east. In teams of four people, the groups will then follow a track over Mount Dandenong, through Melbourne's eastern suburbs before finishing in Fairfield, about 10 kilometres from Melbourne's CBD. They have 36 hours to complete the challenge. Read more: Paula Glare undertakes 'Russ Wood Walk' from Bendigo to Sunbury to raise money for Camp Quality Ms Hitchcock has been walking 70 kilometres a week for the last two months to train for the event. "I've been walking all over the city so I know Bendigo really well now," she laughed. "We've also been heading down to Mount Dandenong as well as all of the hills around Castlemaine. "I've gone from being someone who was very unfit to now very fit." Another Bendigo local taking part in the long trek is Trilby Langdon. "My husband and his friend did the Sydney Oxfam walk last year and it was super tough," she said. "I think we just decided that it was a good excuse in our busy lives to get out on the weekends and get into nature." Ms Langdon's group has walked different tracks around Bendigo, climbed Mount Alexander and Mount Macedon, and completed the San Remo to Kilcunda beach walk in preparation for the event. "We've just tried to walk consistently and do a big walk every weekend," she said. "We're also focusing on zero blisters so we're taping our feet, wearing toe socks and special socks on top of that." Ms Langdon said she expected the 100 kilometre walk to be just as much of a mental challenge as a physical challenge. "Sometimes when you face an intense physical challenge you find out what you're made of," she said. "So I'll guess I'll be finding out what I'm made of." Ms Hitchcock said her team was already looking towards the next challenge. "Now the legs are willing there's no stopping us really," she said. Each group participating in the event is encouraged to raise at least $2000. Those funds help Oxfam provide water taps for clean drinking water, build schools and train teachers in impoverished communities around the world. Both teams have already reached their target, but if you would like to contribute to the cause head to the Oxfam website and search for Trill Seekers or Sole Warriors. Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
Mary Hitchcock is participating in the Oxfam 100km walk fundraising event. Picture: DARREN HOWE
Mary Hitchcock is about to do something she has never done before - walk 100 kilometres to raise thousands of dollars for Oxfam.
"Just before Christmas, I was thinking with the new year coming I needed a challenge," she said. "The Oxfam walk came up on one of my newsfeeds and I thought that's it."
About 2800 people are taking part in the 100 kilometre walk, which will begin on Friday morning at Lysterfield Lake in Melbourne's east.
In teams of four people, the groups will then follow a track over Mount Dandenong, through Melbourne's eastern suburbs before finishing in Fairfield, about 10 kilometres from Melbourne's CBD.
Ms Hitchcock has been walking 70 kilometres a week for the last two months to train for the event.
"I've been walking all over the city so I know Bendigo really well now," she laughed. "We've also been heading down to Mount Dandenong as well as all of the hills around Castlemaine.
"I've gone from being someone who was very unfit to now very fit."
Another Bendigo local taking part in the long trek is Trilby Langdon.
"My husband and his friend did the Sydney Oxfam walk last year and it was super tough," she said. "I think we just decided that it was a good excuse in our busy lives to get out on the weekends and get into nature."
Ms Langdon's group has walked different tracks around Bendigo, climbed Mount Alexander and Mount Macedon, and completed the San Remo to Kilcunda beach walk in preparation for the event.
Mary Hitchcock has been walking 70km a week in preperation for the event. Picture: DARREN HOWE
"We've just tried to walk consistently and do a big walk every weekend," she said. "We're also focusing on zero blisters so we're taping our feet, wearing toe socks and special socks on top of that."
Ms Langdon said she expected the 100 kilometre walk to be just as much of a mental challenge as a physical challenge.
"Sometimes when you face an intense physical challenge you find out what you're made of," she said. "So I'll guess I'll be finding out what I'm made of."
Ms Hitchcock said her team was already looking towards the next challenge.
"Now the legs are willing there's no stopping us really," she said.
Each group participating in the event is encouraged to raise at least $2000.
Those funds help Oxfam provide water taps for clean drinking water, build schools and train teachers in impoverished communities around the world.
Both teams have already reached their target, but if you would like to contribute to the cause head to the Oxfam website and search for Trill Seekers or Sole Warriors.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
