HI DIANE
A FRIEND OF MINE AND MYSELF DID KOKODA [ OWERS TO KOKODA ] IN AUGUST/SEPT . WE TRAINED ON MT DANDENONG FOR 7 WEEKS AND WERE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TREK IN 6 DAYS . AS WE WERE BOTH APPROX THE SAME FITNESS LEVEL [ WE ARE 60 PLUS ] WE WERE ABLE TO WALK AT THE SAME SPEED BUT SEEING HOW THE GUIDES AND PORTERS WORKED WITH OTHER PASSING GROUPS IT DOESNT MATTER IF ONE IS SLOWER THAN THE REST OF THE GROUP ,THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE THERE . AS FAR AS FITNESS GOES WE FOUND THIS AS MUCH A MENTAL CHALLENGE AS PHYSICAL . THE HILLS ARE EXTREMELY STEEP AND ON THE FIRST DAY YOU FIND YOURSELF LOOKING FOR THE TOP . JUST REMEMBER YOU CANNOT CHANGE THE SHAPE OR DISTANCE YOU HAVE TO GO SO JUST ADOPT THE "KOKODA SHUFFLE " AND CONCENTRATE ON YOUR BREATHING RYTHM . IF YOU ARE GETTING PUFFED YOU ARE GOING TOO HARD. THE EXPERIENCE IS VERY HUMBLING AND WELL WORTH THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRAIN. A SMALL TIP TAKE SOME SALT AND PEPPER AS THE MEALS CAN BE PRETTY BLAND .I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOURSELF AS MUCH AS WE DID
REGARDS
JOHN ODWYER