Two Upper Manning residents have passed a test of endurance with flying colours.
Elysha Futterleib of Killabakh and Will Steggall of Wherrol Flat competed in Wild Endurance 2009 earlier this month, a gruelling 100-kilometre trek through the Blue Mountains organised in aid of the Wilderness Society’s Wilderness Fund.
The Wingham Chronicle spoke to Elysha last month when she was in training for the test, the first time she had participated in such an event.
She told us that her team of four – called the Rock Wallabies – aimed to finish the route in 35 hours.
It turns out they underestimated their abilities because they ended up crossing the finish line in 24 hours and 38 minutes, smashing their anticipated time by more than 11 hours.
The Rock Wallabies were amazed by their success.
They finished 11th out of 57 teams, they were the fifth-placed mixed team and the first team to cross the line with all members present.
They had planned to average a distance of three kilometres-per-hour, but ended up achieving a rate of five kilometres-per-hour.
Elysha said it was the team spirit the Rock Wallabies formed that helped them to keep powering forward.
The camaraderie and morale was formed on the run because Elysha first met her team mate Jeff Keenan, an American, the night before the trek began.
This kind of challenge was not new to Jeff because he is an outdoor excursions assistant.
“He kept us motivated,” Elysha said.
Elysha admitted to having some nerves before the race began, but her fears were put to rest when she met runners from other teams and realised the Rock Wallabies were among the better-prepared squads.
The Rock Wallabies made great time on day one reaching their destination over two hours earlier than planned.
“The scenery was spectacular, especially seeing the Blue Mountains at sunset.”
The participants were bunched up during the first leg so one of the unexpected enjoyments of the trek was the social aspect – meeting the other participants and hearing their stories.
After the Rock Wallabies reached their second check point darkness fell.
“We started to feel a bit sorry for ourselves.”
The challenge grew increasingly difficult as the hours wore on.
Elysha was determined not to rely on a trekking pole during the event but as fatigue started to set in overnight she decided to use one.
As soon as she stared to use a pole to support herself, she fell into a creek.
This meant she had to endure walking with wet shoes which quickly caused blisters on her feet.
“I ached all the third leg.”
On top of this, Jeff was still recovering from jet lag, having only flown into the country the night before, and he would doze off while walking
“For the last 30 kilometres, he was marching on autopilot.”
But the morning came and the team reached their destination, Echo Point.
In tribute to the marsupial of their name, the Rock Wallabies hopped over the finish line with a smile.
Completing the challenge was an excellent feeling and, at that moment, all of Elysha’s pain and exhaustion melted away.
“Not many people would agree with me, but it was fun.”
As well as a test of endurance, the trek is a fundraiser and the Rock Wallabies contributed $1930 to the event’s total of $140,000.
According to the Wild Endurance website, this money will be used to support the ongoing protection and restoration of Australia’s wilderness and wildlife – helping keep our climate, water supplies and unique outdoor spaces healthy and safe for future generations to enjoy.
Now she has got a taste for long-distance running, Elysha is considering entering the Anaconda Adventure Race, held annually at Forster.
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