Two local women will set out to complete the 100km Oxfam Trailwalker this weekend in an effort to help end poverty.
Amy Oram and Kyrie Odell will walk through the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park with two Wollongong women, Amanda McDonald and Tammy Nottingham, to raise money for the Oxfam charity organisation.
The women form the team ‘We thought this was a wine trail’, and plan to trek through the night to finish the trail within 48 hours.
The women have completed three training walks to become familiar with the tough terrain.
“I literally wanted to die on the inside after the first walk,” Ms Odell said.
“The first two sections of the trail are the hardest on your body.
“But it’s more a mind game than a physical one because once your mind takes over and you think about how much it actually hurts, then it all goes downhill from there.”
Amy Oram, a second-time Oxfam trail-walker, is determined to reach the finish line after an ankle injury forced her to stop trekking three years ago at the 60km mark.
“I have really bad anxiety and think about it every day, you don’t want to not make it to the end for the second time,” she said.
“But you know, people walk kilometres everyday just for a drink of water.
“If they can do it, then so can we and it’s great that we can raise money to help that scenario.”
The team has passed its goal of $2000 and have raised $4130 for the Oxfam.
“You’re going through a lot and when you’re struggling it makes it easier to think of all the people that are supporting you,” Ms Oram said.
“Then you think about why you’re doing it and what you’re going to give to someone’s life.”
The Oxfam Trailwalk has raised over $70 million in Australia for projects in developing countries since it started in 1999.