So I finally took part in the Oxfam Trailwalker 100km. Sadly, I failed to complete it!
I started out great, full of confidence, felt fit and well. My "Team" leader seemed to just want to go super fast, and I had no trouble keeping up initially. Until 12.5km in. Then the fatigue set in. Honestly, I think if we hadn't started out so fast, I might have had more success.
Our first checkpoint was at Churchill National Park. As we were approaching, all I could think of was a coffee, a stretch, putting on some sunscreen then moving on. I was not expecting to be met at the gate by our "Team" leader ushering us through the checkpoint and insisting on continuing without a break. NOT HAPPY!
So we continued onto the next checkpoint, Lysterfield Lake, where I knew we would have to stop for lunch. Yes, I was a bit slower but still felt I made it in a comfortable time. In fact we had done each leg in a faster time than we had estimated. I should have had a massage at Lysterfield Lake, I was starting to seize up a little, and I'm sure it was from the super fast start! Plus, as I hadn't taped my feet, I had the beginnings of a blister. So I took care of that, had lunch and a stretch and was raring to go!
As we left the checkpoint (21.5km down) I felt that the blister was rubbing something terrible. I had to slow down. Sadly the rest of my "Team" took off and left me, without even a glance back to see what was wrong. I was left walking the next leg (13.3km) completely alone. This is where I realised how important TEAM WORK is! A little support, some encouragement, all of that should be contributed by your "Team".
Numerous other teams passed me, all walking together as a "Team", even if they had injuries or illness. These teams stayed with their slowest walker, didn't desert them at their time of need!
Thankfully one group stopped to help me out and patch me up. Thank you so much Team 34, you are legends! Without your help I would have bailed in the middle of that leg.
I finally shuffled into our next checkpoint, Grants Picnic Ground, in absolute agony! I was more pissed off for being deserted. Yes, I was in pain but I was ready with a tirade of abuse which I kept to myself. I made that next checkpoint within our estimated time though. The rest of my "Team" had been there for more than an hour. I tried calling them, texting them and received no reply. So lack of communication was another thing that my "Team" failed in!
Needless to say, due to the pain, the lack of encouragement and lack of support, I retired after 35km. I am bitterly disappointed that I couldn't continue. I am even more disappointed with the efforts of my "Team" to work together as one!
I would like to attempt the Trailwalk again next year, but I will be better prepared and have a team that consists of people all looking for the same end result! People who are happy to walk together and help each other out! Not people who are taking part for their own selfish reasons!
Oh, that's shitty, that is. I don't blame you for being disappointed and pissed off. Who were these selfish, horrible people? I can't believe NOT ONE of them dropped back to see if you were OK and walk with you. NOT ONE!!!
ReplyDeleteLive and learn, eh?
Thanks Jayne. I've just re-read the Safety & Training Manual and I quote:
ReplyDelete"Don't let more than 100m come between your leading and trailing team members".
Also,
"Watch out for each other",
"Have the team member feeling the weakest set the pace",
and there's more!
Some people are not happy with this Blog, but I'm entitled to Blog about my experience and I haven't lied about anything!
Bugger em. I think you're certainly entitled to voice your disappointment. Your team hasn't embraced the team spirit of the event at all and they should be ashamed of themselves. If they want individual glory, they should find a different event to compete in. At least they've shown their true colours.
ReplyDeleteHeya, it's Heidi's partner Mark here. Wow, I don't even know where to begin with this, your team members should be ashamed of themselves.
ReplyDeleteFrom what you've written there were multiple issues at play here, and most fall squarely on the shoulders of your team leader who really should have been on top of things. You guys would have known from your training exactly how fast you walk together, if the team leader decided to switch to a different pace on the day then that's just plain stupidity. It also sounds like you didn't have much of a blister management strategy, again your team leader should have been making sure that the training walks were giving people adequate oppurtunity to discover which system works best for them and then followed it up to make sure people were doing it. And as for pushing you through the check-points without a break after they'd had one, that's just setting you up to fail.
Biggest issue though was your team leaving you behind. These things can and do happen, but rarely so soon into a walk. It can be really distressing for the person it's done to, especially since they have to deal with it on top of whatever's causing them to fall behind in the first place. Even in the worst-case scenario where you've got someone driving the whole team up the wall and they haven't trained and they're suffering all sorts of problems and you just want them off the team as quickly as possible, the time and the place to do these things is at the checkpoints. Leaving you to you own during the hardest part of the trail wasn't just inconsiderate, it was potentially dangerous.
I might be doing Melbourne Trailwalker again next year (I did Sydney last year), if I do I'll let you know. I will, however, be doing the Upstream Challenge again in November if you're interested. It's a nice, flat 50km up the Yarra River which only takes a day and is a great prep walk for Trailwalker:
http://www.upstreamfoundation.org/
I walk with some great people, although it's sometimes hard getting a word in edgewise because we all talk so much amongst ourselves :) If you don't mind hanging out in the pub after an exhausting day of walking and would like to replace this horrible memory with a good one then let me know.
Hi Mark,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your input. I am still stunned at how things went, but I suppose we really weren't prepared as a team to tough it out. God knows, I had every intention of following through but it all just got the better of me. I know I was fit, but I could have been fitter and yeah, we should have been better informed.
Live and learn!
The Upstream Challenge looks like fun! It would be a great training ground for next years Oxfam! Count me in! (and yes, I am one who loves the Pub!)