By RUSSELL BENNETT
A TRIO of local super mums is walking, jogging and running more than 70 kilometres each week to blaze a trail later this month all in the name of charity.
Mary Veli, 47; Christine Scott, 55; and Michelle Scamporlino, 44, and her daughter – 20-year-old Jessie – are gearing up to take part in the Oxfam Trailwalk on 19 April.
But make no mistake about it – this group isn’t just heading out for a leisurely stroll.
When Garfield mum Michelle did her first Oxfam walk in 2006, she aimed to make it from the start at Wheelers Hill to the Wesburn finishing line in under 24 hours.
But this year, in her eighth successive trail walk, she is hoping to better her personal best time of last year – 17 hours and 42 minutes.
She’s got the Oxfam bug – she wants to make it to 10 events in a row at least.
“We’re quite convinced we can better that (last year’s time) this time around because Mary struggled a little bit over the last 20 kilometres,” Michelle said.
“She doesn’t even remember finishing!
“She said she’d never do it again after that but there’s just something about it.
“She said she had to prove to herself that she could do it so she’s coming along again.”
Michelle said Oxfam’s 100-kilometre trek was as much an exercise in mental toughness was it was about being physically fit.
But still, it doesn’t hurt to have experienced marathon runner Christine, from Nar Nar Goon, along for the ride – or walk – this time around.
In preparation for this year’s event, the team – dubbed ‘No Idea’ in a spur-of-the-moment decision – has done a number of 40-plus kilometre training sessions and regularly meets in Maryknoll to do 15-kilometre walks.
Michelle estimates that her team walks at about seven-and-a-half kilometres per hour – doing a 20-kilometre hike recently in two hours and 20 minutes.
“There are so many other teams that just can’t believe we actually walk it all and can finish in the time we do,” Michelle said.
“They’ll run but then they’ll walk so slow when they’re buggered, or they’ll stop altogether.
“We just go straight past them – we don’t stop.”
That tortoise and hare approach seems to be the smart option. But this year No Idea does plan on jogging some sections in an effort to reach the finish line in under 16 hours.
The team finished 46th out of 745 teams last year and second out of the 194 all-female teams.
There is a $700 entry fee per year, per team and each has to raise a minimum of $1000 with all the money going to Oxfam.
To donate, visit trailwalker.oxfam.org.au and search for team No Idea.
