BreastScreen Victoria team's Oxfam Trailwalker success
The BreastScreen Victoria team, channelling Freddie Mercury and named ‘Don’t stop us, now!’ successfully completed the Melbourne leg of the annual Oxfam Trailwalker event in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Georgina Marr, Jessica Maslo, Rebecca Morphett, and Karlene Willcocks crossed the finish line after 100km in an impressive time of 18 hours and three minutes following a punishing run-walk schedule over the course from Jells Park to Wesburn. Don’t stop us, now! placed 27th of the 612 teams and third in the women’s category.
Importantly, the quartet’s efforts raised $2,835 raised for Oxfam and, in their bright pink shirts, awareness for BreastScreen Victoria.
Asked about their preparation for the physically demanding event, Marr explained that a lot had gone into the team’s training.
“We each completed 800-1000 km in training in the three months leading up to the event and consumed more hamburgers than we care to count,” she said.
Friday and into Saturday on the trail, the team was spurred on thanks to the “incredible efforts of the Oxfam volunteers, especially the physio and massage support we received at Olinda to keep us going and those out on the Warburton trail with music, cheering, horns and bells and a never-ending supply of salt and vinegar chips from the back of cars and utes.
“Karaoke on the Warburton trail, O’Shannassy Aqueduct and Mt Little Joe – got us through, burned the ears of those around us and left a few of us with croaky voices the next day,” explained Willcocks.
The team also paid tribute to the many friends, family and workmates.
“We could not have succeeded without the support of our crew, led by Nicole Morphett during the day and Dana Kiley at night,” they said. “We are also thankful for the immense support we received from our family, friends and colleagues in the lead up to the event and on the day.”