- This topic has 4,347 voices and 5 replies.
- Posts
Hi Everyone,
I have been reading the Form regularly for the last few months and joined now as I have booked to do the trek next June (09).
There are 3 of us in the 45 – 55yrs range and we have been training for the last few months. It is encouraging to read all your comments that age in no barrier provided you prepare mentally and physically.
On the physical training, I have been doing regular cross country walks with a GPS, averaging about 15km each and carrying a pack. Generally these take about 5 hrs and involve some climbing but nothing like Kokoda. I see a lot of people recommend stair work but as rural folk, we are short of high buildings. As a substitute I have been doing some cycling work which is good for legs and stamina.
I guess as you start to prepare seriously, the doubts also start to appear as you hear stories of people being air lifted out from the trail due to lack of preparation.
If anyone wants to comment it would be greatly appreciated.Hi.
It sounds like you are headed in the right direction with your preparation .
I walked the track in August last as a 61 one year old with 3 months of serious preparation on tracks in Victoria replicating the terrain you will experience on Kokoda. After the first training walk I was stiff and sore for 4 days. I found after the next training walk that my body had quickly adapted to this change in my exercise regime.
Good cardio vascular fitness is very important and your bike riding will certainly assist in this regard provided a moderate level of intensity is maintained. In my case I regularly work out on on a Concept 2 rowing machine with moderate to high intensity. I have no doubt that this exercise and my 45 year continuous rowing background contributed significantly to my sucessful crossing, Kokoda to Owers and then onto McDonalds Corner.
Mentally I was challenged by following the footsteps of my late father and the other brave young men who served in the 39th Battalion. You were always mindful of how easy your walk was in comparison to what these brave young men experienced during WW2. I also walked with my 25 an 26 year old sons which made the crossing all the more emotional.
I understand the difficulties of living in the country however I would encourage you seek out some hills with a gradient of say 1 in 4 for serious track prepartion, at least over the last three months before June next.
Best wishes with your preparations. It sounds like you should have no fears a being a candidate for "DNF" (Did not finish).
Geoff Hardie.Hi Geoff,
Many thanks for your informative reply and words of encouragement, your rowing experience would have been very useful in the training.
Whilst I am not doing the trek until mid next year, your comment about stepping up the training in the last 3 months is sound and fits in with my plan. I will certainly take your advise about finding some suitable hills and have already incorporated some into my regular training.
If I may ask, how did you find the weather in August when you did the walk and did it take long to adjust coming from Aus at that time of year?
Once again thank you for your advise
Regards
ColinHi Colin,
Thank you for your interest in my reply.
Happy to share any of my experiences with you. Weather in late August was quite wet although most rain was late afternoon and at night. A good tent is essential if you choose not to use Guest houses. Tents supplied by our travel company, NOT KTL I hasten to add , were very poor.
It seems you will experience less likelyhood of rain in June. Cold nights need to be allowed for, particularly in the higher regions.
Our Group arrived in Port Moresby from Melbourne (in winter time) and I was warned to expect high humidity, something I personally do not enjoy. Next day we flew to Popondetta and spent 3 days there visiting Gona & Buna on day trips before transfer to Kokoda by truck to commence our walk.
Whilst in Popondetta I did come down with quite a severe dose of diarrhoea including passing out at dinner one night. Not sure of the reason. maybe due to my body reacting to the humidity.
I was able to adequately recover in time to commence walk with the help of my two sons who shared my day pack for the short walk to Hoi Village on day one. After that I was fully recovered and experienced no further difficulty. Again I attribute my recovery to my preparation and good general fitness background. A medical person in our group supported this view.
Again, best wishes in your prepartion.
Regards, Geoff HardieWith regard to the weather, I was told to expect high humidity but no-one told me how COLD it would get in the highlands. First and last day were more difficult due to humidity. However, being a Queenslander, nights at Kokoda, Isurava, Brigade Hill and Nauro were very cold for me. I wore my thermals at night, and at Brigade Hill I slept in thermals, trakky daks, weatherproof jacket pulled up over my nose with hood up, and sleeping bag over my head!
Walking in these areas during the day was good as the weather was great. Chill in the air in the mornings but very pleasant walking weather. I have just finished the trek in mid-August.
Hi Colin
Just read your message about trekking next year and the good advice from Geoff & Mrs Moo.
I did the trek in Apr/May 05 just after my 60th and I found the first day the most challenging as we walked from Kokoda to Isurava Memorial in one go and I carried my full pack that day. My (younger) Brother and I shared a Porter and he was quick enough to grab him the first day (silly me).
You say you live in a Rural area, but whereabouts is that? I was lucky enough to have a 600m mountain 30k from home and I climbed it with a full pack at every opportunity, sometimes twice in one day and then return the next day and do it again and I believe that this put me in good stead for the Trek.
As mentioned earlier, the first day was the worst, perhaps getting used to it but by day 3 I was walking with the best so to speak. In fact one of our ukelale experts Smithy, when walking with him one day, he asked me if I had walked the track before and I told him no and why and his response was that "I walkim strong", so I was pleased with that.
But obviously, perhaps more so as we age a bit, preparation is paramount, to enable you to enjoy the whole experience.
Good luck with your Trek, even though it is 7-8 months away, I would start preparing now, assembling what you will need and with the physical preparation. I have a spreadsheet list of every thing I took and the individual weight of each item and then a second list of what I wouldn't take the second time. If you email me, I'll respond to you with the list, if you like. My email is waza.col@bigpond.com
Regards
Warren (Waza – Trek 83)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.