Seriously who would walk 100km for fun?  OK it did start out as fun, what better way to spend a Friday than walking with inspiring work mates.  The weather forecast was closely being watched the week before the event as it was slowly deteriorating over the 10 days before slowly looking better.  I will try and chronicle the event impartially but emotionally as this is what the event felt like.

So we all met up at 7am for an 8am start.  The team were Tyrone our fearless leader, Katrina, Peter and I with Adam 24 hour support and Leo and Madhvi interchanging.

8am the countdown was over and off we walk through Jells park to Ferntree Gully road, past what we now know was a police drug bust, it did allow us time to converse about what it was all about and we were way off with our murder theory.  Checkpoint (cp) by Checkpoint
start - 8:00am Peter feeling decidedly ill but willing to give it a go.  Man that boy is stubborn but we had to start with 4 of us so he took one for the team.  Katrina had a sore throat which she had been battling all week, but again wanted to soldier on she is also stubborn.  Tyrone and I were aok and ready to rock and roll

Churchill Park 12.4km cp1- 9:57am and no support access was available so in and out we went.  We had not done this section of the trail so the one and only hill was a surprise.  All were feeling good, joyful and full of beans besides Peter who we were force feeding bananas to along the way.

Lysterfield Lake  8.8km (21.2) cp2 - 11:19-11:37 somehow we got onto food, it may have been the fact that Peter was feeling so ill and we were giving him bananas hour or so.  Anyway it was decided we all needed Pizza so a call to the support crew and voila pizza was delivered hot and steamy at 11:19am when we arrived at the checkpoint.  It was also discussed as we went below power lines about the likelihood of a fluorescent tube lighting up beneath them and so the support crew even went out and bought one for us, alas we didn't pass under any further power lines

Ferntree Gully 11km (32.2) cp3 - 2:03 On our way through Upwey we noticed we were an hour ahead of schedule, how stoked were we that we were ahead?  so damned stoked we rang the support crew who tried to make us feel guilty about their 50m dash in the rain to the pub and they were still drying off.  Yes the humor was lost on us.  We stopped on the way to the cp, changed what we needed to, had a drink and some food and then checked in and out.  Peter was feeling much better by this point

Olinda 10.9km (43.1) cp4 - 4:37 - 5:25 This was always going to be the tough section, the section that involved big hills right towards the end of the first 50km.  We thought this was going to be the hardest and although it had its challenges and was difficult it was not the worst of the lot.  At Olinda my feet were attended to and so were my very sore legs.  It was at this time I thought that the whole 100km was out the window.  Peter at this point had been feeling fit for quite some time.  We ate our dinner, changed into night gear and set off about 6pm.  We were no longer an hour ahead.  I had serious doubts of continuing much more

Mt Evelyn 15.1km (58.2) cp5 - 9:40 Doing the goat track at night was actually partly exhilarating.  I had the iPhone music going had some jokes going, got a few laughs all while thinking of the hell I was feeling.  This would be the second part of the trail where silently you could see someone struggling.  Yes it was dark but it was the seeing emotionally not visually that you knew.  We got through the section we were all exhausted and thank gosh for the fantastic support crew who had everything set up ready to go!  The highlight was seeing that 50km sign knowing we were half way done.  To add to this we were led the wrong way and added probably 2km to our travels which was soul destroying as we were showing signs of fatigue

cp6 Worri Yallock 13.2km (71.4)12:32 The strain was starting to show along this section, it was tough, it was flat and mostly open and it was boring.  Peter got his feet attended to and a massage at this point, this was the stop where I voiced my concern that I was not up to finishing the whole thing.  This was heart break primary at its finest.  I tried to get a few winks but it was not meant to be. 

cp7 Warburton 21.8km (93.2) 7:22 OMG bat shit boring does not begin to describe this section. 22km of hell, flat, long, open, dark, lonely, forever, and then the hill started and didn't seem to end.  the Aqueduct was torture it never seemed to end at the top of the hill we were told 4km of the aqueduct then 2km downhill, my heart sank.  Everyone struggled on this section.  I know I like to be in control but it was this section I said we are a team we need to stick together as we all have to check in together and out together but alas the team divided two ahead and two behind.  Those ahead got extra rest breaks those behind did not but were the ones who needed it.  This is where I cracked, I was glad it was dark so no one could see the tears forming, but being an emotional sook that didn't stop me at cp7.  Pete and I talked for the last few km's and I told him I was pulling out my blisters and sore legs took their toll but no more than my mental state which was at its lowest.

Wesburn Park 6.8km (100) Finish 9:10  We checked out so the team could continue without us, however as we checked out and cancelled at cp8 we got credit for finishing.  Now as much as I am disappointed that I didn't walk 100km and finish I am accepting the certificate that says I did and I will be honest if anyone asks me but I had to finish when I did as the team were not going to wait for me to be mentally fit to finish and the same for Peter, it days, weeks or months to come I will change my mind on this many times but today I am still ok with the fact I didn't finish as I could not go on.  The volunteers are amazing at this event, no more than anywhere else I suspect but because of the mental state such a long wet, cold, boring 100km it seems they are more important.  Next year I will volunteer along the Warby trail for the night shift and hope to lift some spirits.

It was definitely an experience, today I say never again but you know with the right team it could be a possibility.

Special mention to the support crew Adam was totally amazing doing everything we asked with a smile and never a whimper, he anticipated our needs our moods and he helped us achieve all we did.  Leo and Madhvi were part time and each had their merits on the day.  They were all fantastic and nothing could be done with out them

Jan - Rosebud 10k (Medal) - Completed 1:07:00
Feb - Queen of the lake (undecided) - did Tower run in Beaconsfield instead
Mar - Cardinia 10k (undecided) - nothing
Apr - Run for the kids 15k (no medal) - 1:39:00
May - OxFam (no medal) - entered 25:10:00
         - Mothers Day Classic 8k (Medal) - entered
Jun - MS Fun Run 10k (no medal) - entered
       - City2Sea - Brisbane (Medal)
Jul - Mornington Bay Run (no medal) - entered 
       - Run Melbourne 10k (Medal) - entered
Aug - City to Surf - Sydney 14k (Medal) - Girls weekend with a bridge climb for all.
        - Sandy Point (no medal) - entered
Sep - City to bay Adelaide 12k (Medal)
Oct - Melbourne Marathon Festival 10k (Medal) - entered
Nov - City to Sea 14k (Medal)
Dec - Sussans Classic 10k (Medal)