Trekking July 2013

[Cruicky]

Hello Everyone,

After much research into trekking companies (weeks in fact), I have happily booked through KTL to trek Kokoda in July 2013. Over the past few weeks, I have been devouring anything 'Kokoda', and have found this forum to be an absolute wealth of information. Thank you to all for your contributions! A special thanks to member 'Dan' for generously sending out his DVD, which we watched as soon as it was received and which was just awesome.

Our daughter, who is currently 15, has a 'bucket list' of things she would like to do in her lifetime; one of them being to walk Kokoda, and after much discussion, my husband and I have decided that for her 16th birthhday, we will give her the gift to walk Kokoda with me, so we will be trekking together in July as mother and daughter. I am very excited and feel so fortunate to be able to have this opportunity with her. I have heard of many fathers and sons walking Kokoda together, but wonder if there have been many Mums out there who have walked it with their daughters? If so, I would love to hear from you!

We have commenced our training; I have quite a bit of weight to lose, but when I commit to something, I give everything I've got. My training regime involves six days a week, two mornings of combined cycling class/lap swimming (80-90 laps with flippers and hand paddles to increase HR and endurance), weights combined with running stairs in the basketball stadium in between sets to boost HR, one weekly hike of around 9 km, (for each kg of weight I lose, I replace and carry in a daypack) and lots of mountain bike riding. We live in the middle of a national park, 400 metres above sea level, so I have some very good walks and hills to walk and ride. I am hoping to lose 30 kg by July next year.

So hello to you all; I'm sure I will have many other questions to ask in the coming months as we enjoy our preparations and lead up to what I'm sure will be a very exciting and moving time for us in PNG next July.

Leanne Nathan Thomas

Member

[Cruicky]

Hi Leanne,

It has been great speaking with you on the phone. I thought I would add our Kokoda Trekking Training program here for you and other trekkers to use. I hope to have our online Training Program up and running very soon which will allow trekkers to monitor their own progress and achievements leading up to trek departure. I've listed the trek you are on below as there may be other interested walkers who may wish to join both you and your daughter in An Adventure of a Lifetime!

Adventure Trek – Ower's Corner to Kokoda

Date: 2 July 2013 – 10 July 2013

Open Trek. PNG Guided. This trek will commence at Ower's Corner on the 2nd July 2013 and will finish when you walk out in Kokoda on the 9th July 2013 where you will overnight at 'Orohaven Kokoda Retreat' as our guests. The following day 10th July you will be flown to Port Moresby. Trek 885:

Accommodation – 1st July 2013 Inclusive.

List of Trekkers:

1. Leanne Cruickshank + Requires a porter

2. Nessa Cruickshank + Requires a porter

Thanks again for choosing to walk with Kokoda Trekking.

Kind Regards,

Nathan
KT Program.pdf

[Cruicky]

Hi Nathan,

The website sounds awesome – I know we would definitely utilise it! We're also very grateful for the trek listing on the forum as we are both really keen to meet some new people. I've ordered a cap from your online store to wear when I'm training to keep me motivated lol!

Cheers

Leanne

[Dominic]

Haven't booked yet but I've been very interested in doing the Kokoda Trek too, and would love to join your group around that time next year as well. I also have to train a fair bit to build up to it.

Are you doing the trek package 2; 9 days 8 nights one?

[Cruicky]

Hi Dominic,

Yep, it's the 9 day/8 night trek. Are you planning on taking someone with you?

Cheers!

[Dominic]

I'm trying to find someone willing to take the challenge with me, no one yet <img src='http://www.kokodatrail.com.au/forums/public/style_emoticons//sad.png&#8217; class=’bbc_emoticon’ alt=’:(‘ /> But still trying to look. and looking for a group around that time which would be great.

PS. do you know a Beck Cruickshanks? Since I work witha collegue by that same last name as yours.

[Cruicky]

lol, that's probs going to be the hardest part! I was going to do it on my own before my husband and I decided to give our daughter "Kokoda" for her 16th birthday. I wouldn't be too concerned if you can't find someone to trek with though, because the chances are you're going to make lifelong friends with other like minded people if you go on your own. So 'just do it'!! Where are you from Dominic? We're in north east Victoria. <img src='http://www.kokodatrail.com.au/forums/public/style_emoticons//smile.png&#8217; class=’bbc_emoticon’ alt=’:)’ />

[Dominic]

Yes, I agree, but it would awesome to go with a decent sized group of about 5-6 people. Though I guess it would fill up closer to the date. Should be an awesome gift for your daughter and a massive accomplishment onces she's done it!

I'm from South eastern suburbs, so far been hiking pretty much every week, went to hamer arboretum & Dandenong Ranges national Park, then just this last weekend went to Cape Schanck and hiked to bushrangers bay and back, only around 2hr hikes, hopeing to slowly build up to half a day hikes, then day hikes, then a few day hikes get my body used to the idea of hiking long, and for days at a time.

[Cruicky]

I had to request dates to fit in with school holidays as our daughter will be in year 11 next year and can't afford to miss out on school, so we are hoping that more people will join our group. We've been doing some hikes up here, around four hours or so, but where we live is pretty steep and rocky, so it's a good start I guess. I have my work cut out for me as far as building up my fitness!

(PS: I missed your earlier question about whether I knew a Beck Cruickshank – no I don't, sorry! <img src='http://www.kokodatrail.com.au/forums/public/style_emoticons//smile.png&#8217; class=’bbc_emoticon’ alt=’:)’ /> )

[Dominic]

Those hikes seem great, I've only been doing some 2hr hikes, but would like to try venture out and do some longer ones. I've been using meetup.com and joining a hiking group there to get into my hikes, especially being new to hiking joining hiking meetup groups are great to get a foot hold into it, hopefullly might snag a few people who I meet in some of the meetup groups willing to tag along on the 2013 trek.

[Andrew1969]

Leanne, sounds like you are taking your trek seriously, and have done some very thorough research….giving yourself every chance of a successful and safe trek…….well done! Keep it up!

I trek in October, so the countdown has started! Cannot wait, its been my obsession since last October.

[Cruicky]

Thanks Andrew! I figure that if I'm to be successful, I need to be serious about it lol! But I would like to enjoy it too, so I figured maximising my fitness will be the key to that. October isn't that far away – what have you been doing to prepare yourself?

[Andrew1969]

70 days Leanne, not that I am counting!

I started serious training last October, wanting to give myself a full 12 months, given that I am in my mid 40's. Having said that, I was pretty fit to begin with so it was as much about feeding the anticipation as actually building aerobic capacity.

Over the summer I was doing 4 sessions a week outdoors, lots of step climbing with 20kg in the pack, plus hill running. Once winter hit I have moved indoors to the gym, 3 sessions a week……20 minutes on the bike, hill setting, 25 minutes on the step machine, hill setting, and 30 minutes on the treadmill, hill setting. Two minute break between each. Like you, I want to have an excellent fitness base, so that I can not only enjoy the trek, but be of some use to fellow trekkers if needed. I'm also not using a porter, so will be carrying my pack. I've spent a little extra to buy lightweight stuff, so my pack weights in at 10kg, plus 3kg of water.

My concern is that I HATE camping, my idea of camping out is a 4-star motel! So I think this, and lack of sleep, will impact on me. I've tried to balance this by soaking in as much of the history as I can, I've read just about everything there is on Kokoda and have a few DVD's. Last October I got the words 'courage endurance mateship sacrifice' tattooed on my arm…..whenever I'm struggling with my training, I think about these 4 words, and what they mean, and how I can live up to their message in my own small way eg. having the courage to leave my wife and kids for 2 weeks, having never done anything like this before, showing endurance on the damn stepping machine when my legs are burning and my head is making up excuses to stop, showing mateship on my trek by maintaining a positive spirit, appreciating the financial and physical sacrifices that I have made, and my family, to get me on the trek. I also know that I will be an emotional wreck on my trek, I'm a real sook with anything to do with our military history.

So keep on working hard, you'll be rewarded for your efforts by investing in hard work in the months leading up to your trek. Great to read that you are doing this with your daughter. My plan is to trek by myself in October, and then again with 3 of my kids in 2014……..keep us up to date on how you are going! And any questions, don't be afraid to ask, someone on here will know the answer…..I learnt a lot from experienced people on this site!

[Andrew1969]

I just read back over your initial post re your training…….FANTASTIC!

I think the challenge will be to stay motivated, I found it hard when my trek date was 12 months away, seems like forever…….your training plan looks great though! A life changing experience!

[Cruicky]

Wow. Just WOW! That was such an inspirational post Andrew. I became quite emotional reading it. And I have read it at the right time. I've been sick with some bug all week, (gastro/headaches/body aches), haven't trained for 10 days and am struggling with motivation (which is totally understandable when you're sick). Very, very frustrated at the moment!l

Your training regime looks brilliant and gives me something to base mine on. I'm in my early forties (also born in 1969, assuming you were too going by your username!) Generally speaking, I'm pretty fit, but let myself go over the past 12 months, so want to make the most of the time I have to optimise my fitness before we leave.

I love the idea of the tattoo as well. To be honest, it's something I've been contemplating as well to keep my motivation levels up; something to look at to remind me of my journey and what we are doing it for. I struggle with a bit of guilt and am humbled by my husband's generosity(?) giving us the opportunity to do this. It's a big expense, and there are two other children in our family; it has also been something that he has wanted to do for a very, very long time. So there are a lot of mixed emotions going through my mind at the moment.

My hubby and I were fortunate enough to go to Europe last year for our best friend's wedding in Germany. Being very interested in WWII, we took the opportunity to follow the WWII trail, visiting Normandy, Omaha Beach and the war cemetery in France, Sachenhausen Concentration Camp and the Holocaust War Memorial in Berlin, and Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden down south in Bavaria . It was a very raw and emotionally charged experience for both of us and I feel certain that walking Kokoda will be the icing on the cake to truly understanding just how lucky we Australians really are to have the freedom we enjoy today.

What did you do when you had your 'down' moments of motivation to keep you going?

[Author]

Posts