|
We Are Thrilled
Just a note of thanks and acknowledgement for all the hard work you put in for Saturday’s amazing event. The weather was perfect and the track, although torturous at times, was no harder than expected. At the end of the day, our practice paid off with a 9 hours 41 minutes finish time, so we are thrilled. I’m so glad to have gone the extra mile, and will definitely be recommending it as the challenge of the year for 2011.
Every good wish
From Tina (Foot Soldiers)
Amazing Walk
Just wanted to say thanks to you and Sam and your incredible team for the walk on Saturday.
I hope the Lord has provided some rest for you as from today.
It was an amazing walk, well constructed, interesting scenery.
The weather was AMAZING. WOW!!!
Couple of highlights for me:
*
Having you fire the starting gun, and then clap and cheer us on as we took off. You and team have done incredible hard work, but you were thanking and honouring us walkers in that simple act. We were partnering as Kingdom people. It was truly moving for me.
*
The chances I had before, during and after walk to explain why we were walking, and what this issue matters to God’s people.
*
Pitstop support, checking in, food, etc was very very smooth.
*
Water provision when we crosses Mountain Hwy after Doongalla appreciated because we drank more than we expected - thanks
* Having the chance to do an event like this with my wife and 20 and 18yr old daughters.
Lowlights:
*
My legs, hips and hamstrings. This is my issue, not the organisors.
Nothing else.
I would have given up at pitstop 3 if it was a regular training walk, but… we were going to make it.
My two team members who dropped out at 30 and 40k marks were in incredible appreciation of [the] event!
Pastor Andrew Harper
Fantastic Event
On behalf of “Harden Up” we would like to thank you once again for organising such a fantastic event. Can you please pass on our thanks to the hundreds of people that you must have roped in to help out. They were brilliant! It would have taken a huge amount of effort to pull this off so professionally. The trail was great and much, much better than Oxfam. It was marked really well, especially the last part. I believe the part we were walking just as it got dark could have been marked a bit better, we would have got lost at one point if we were not able to follow the group in front. Mind you, we did not do any of the walk in training and did not really study the map but it looked like there were a fair few people less prepared and experienced than us and we were concerned about them.
Jezz (Harden Up)
Totally Amazed
This was the first time I have ever commited to do such a walk. I was totally amazed with the fantasic oganisation and smooth running of the event. I walked with 3 other ladies in team "Maarit". The day has been personally very rewarding for me, knowing that I have participated in such a worthy cause and sucessfully without and injury walked 50k's. Keep up the wonderful work you are doing.
Kind regards, ELizabeth Guy
Withdrawal Symptoms
We're all having withdrawal symptoms from the day now that we've GONE the extra mile. :-)
Vision Impaired Oldies
The day was exciting...weather was perfect (thanks for organising that!). My fellow walkers said that markers were a lot better this year. My only recommendation is that the signs at each turn be a little bigger (for vision impaired oldies). Other than that it was a great day.
Thanks, Sep :)
Painfully Fun Time
The walk was very well thought out! :) Had a painfully fun time!
Joan Tan
Well Organised
Congratulations on a great event. It was so well organised, very friendly and supportive. You should be really pleased. I’m looking forward to next year.
Regards Kerrie Dowsley
Event Will Get Bigger
I participated on Saturday for my first time (but only did the first 15 km) and wanted to let you know that I thought it was a really well run event and what a beautiful day! The pitstops were well organised and the volunteers along the way were fantastic .. thanking the walkers and giving encouragement. I am sure the event will get bigger and bigger. I would like to offer my suggestions as well ...
* To have markers every 5 km so people can see how far they have come.
* We had some people we invited to be involved say no because they felt they could not do 50km. I would advertise that people can do a 15km, 25km or 50km walk - so people have an option if they are not up to the 50 km. [Editors Note: we advertise the relay and family walk aspect of the event for those not wanting to walk the full 50kms]
* We were recently involved in the Maroondah Hospital Walk Run which was a 4km walk or 8km run and they provided a medal at the end in a showbag ... for those that reached the 50km mark I think they definitely deserved a medal or some other form of recognition at the finish line.
* I would also sell T-Shifts - giving people the option to buy these when Registering before the event .... to raise money and give more promotion of the event if people wore them on the day. Congratulations on such a great event.
Tanya
Thank You
Thanks very much for a fabulously well organized event. An exhausting but wonderful day, I especially found the 1000 steps a particularly energy sapping and painful encounter, which seemed as though it would never end. In the other up and down sections of the walk I was greatly aided by a pair [of] sticks picked up from the bush as substitute walking poles. The sticks allowed me the use upper body strength to help go up steep hills with less effort and break the downhill impacts on the leg joints and reduce stress on the leg muscles. So I could highly recommend them to first time and not well prepared walkers such as myself. Having a walking buddy was really good for morale and ensuring that we had two sets of eyes especially during dusk on the tags a glow sticks which very so helpful. Thank you again and many blessings on your work for the Dalit children!
Regards, Joe Kovacs
Talk of Facebook
What a great way to end the event by reflecting on the whole day! Here's my thoughts so far: The day didn't start at 6am that Saturday morning. It started last year as 4 girls called themselves Micah68 and signed up for the first Go The Extra Mile. We managed to finish it in 10.5 hours. We needn't publicise it officially but i think our excitement and experience of last year's event caught on over the year and we ended up multiplying Micah68 from 1 team of 4 friends to this year 5 teams (Kewties, DAYAKs, Last Minute & Cruisers) of a total of 30 friends by the Friday night of the big day! This year the team strategy for finishing the trail was different as we were all at different paces so I had moments of the journey where i was sometimes with my team mates and sometimes on my own. The lonesome moments were beautiful being able to be engulfed in God's magnificent creation and just worshipping Him! With each step I claimed that Satan was being crushed under OUR feet (Romans15), that poverty and injustice was being defeated as all the walkers were stepping out to do this. All 30 of us crossed the line! The last man from our group was not the last but the first in spirit as he had cramping at 20km but kept on walking and hobbled to the finish line at 930pm! You should've seen the comments and status on facebook of all of us who did it! I couldn't keep up! It was the talk of facebook 'town'.. Thanks so much for organising this event once again. So many of us who chose to challenge ourselves have had so many listening points of the day which have paralleled with our personal journies with God. Thanks so much for serving us! May the Dalit kids be blessed in Jesus Name because of the fruit of your labour!
Sue-Lee (Micah68)
Didn't Like Steep Descent
Loved the event - first time this year. Really liked the check in and check out of each check point, plus the mobile phone numbers and buddy system. Made me feel very well cared for in an event that could easily otherwise leave people feeling like they are just walking without any real support - well done. Didn't like the steep descent on 'view track', well my knees did struggle a lot with that hill. Otherwise liked the paths chosen, very scenic.
Thanks again, Gavin
Awesome Experience
This was the most amazing an awesome experience I have had. I have never done anything like this before and was a bit, well maybe more than a bit, nervous leading up to the day. Especially as it was just me and the girls. I wouldn’t have worried if I had Geoff there to help. That power of two and all that. Anyway I had a great day and we are all now talking about next year. Geoff and Jack are contemplating the night walk in November, I will be contemplating bed! Some of the highlights watching the sun come up over the wetlands. Watching the moon go down. Seeing all the cockies in a dead tree with the full moon behind them but with the sun coming up. Spending some time with my girls. Making a new friend, Trevor. Being at the finish line to see those who walked the 50km finish, in particular Michelle and Bronwyn, 2 of my favourite and inspiring ladies, Seeing the fellowship of all both Christians and non Christians working together cooking sausages for those at the finish line. Seeing kids who have been up since who knows when and their enthusiasm for life.
Jodie
Bit Anxious About Walk in Dark
Firstly thank you for organising this fantastic event and for your obedience to the call to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Team "Are we there yet" had a fantastic day. The event was well organised with plenty of supplies at all the pitstops. We just enjoyed the conversations with all the volunteers as they encouraged, applauded, joked and laughed and handed out the all important lollies as they directed us on our way. The atmosphere of the whole event was just fantastic. We were a bit anxious about walking in the dark, but overall it was not as bad as we thought. The glow sticks were placed in very strategic points although when we got to one intersection you could tell that someone had taken it away, but this didn't seem to hold us back at all. We had a friend who decided on the day that she would walk one section with us. Beiling joined us at Doongalla and was just going to walk to the thousand steps. However, she was such an inspiration and blessing to the team that we encouraged her to do the remaining final section with us as well which she did. Talk about going the extra mile for your friends. Hopefully next year Bee will be and official member of team "Are we there yet" We have been so inspired by this walk and the wonderful opportunity to help the Dalit children in India that we are seriously considering doing the 50km walk in Brisbane in August. Our families live in Brisbane so we are going to try and form a team with as many members as possible. I will email some of the photos we took on the day as you suggested. Blessings to you
Kind Regards Melanie, Carmen & Pierre AKA "Are we there yet"
|
 
  
|
