University prepares to take on the Challenge

Southern Cross University is gearing up for the 96km Kokoda Challenge set to take place in the Gold Coast Hinterland this weekend, July 16 and 17.

As well as entering teams comprising 10 staff, students and their friends and family in the gruelling event, the University is also helping younger participants to achieve their Kokoda goals by providing essential support as Education Partner for the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program.

The youth program, which consists of intensive physical training, teamwork exercises and community service activities is designed to help ‘Kokoda Kids’ aged 16-18 years develop the self confidence, teamwork and leadership skills they need to realise their full potential and includes participation in the Kokoda Challenge as well as the opportunity to walk the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.

Staff members are also throwing their support behind the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program with Linda Svenson, marketing manager, promotions and support at the Gold Coast campus spending one day a week for 20 weeks volunteering as a team leader with the Tweed ‘Kokoda Kids’. Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science student Renee Blaikie is also providing free private fitness sessions for youth program participant, 16-year-old Drew Llewellyn from Lismore.

Both are finalising training for the event, with Linda preparing to walk the Kokoda Challenge track and later travel to Papua New Guinea with the Kokoda Challenge Youth Program, and Renee completing coaching with her ‘Kokoda Kid’ and preparing for her own attempt at the event with her team, the ‘Southern Cross Uni Trail Blazers.’

Renee, who is already a personal trainer and hopes to use her studies to qualify as an exercise physiologist, said she had enjoyed putting the theory learned in the classroom into practice.

“Drew joins his team to walk the Challenge track once a week but the rest of the training is done in Tweed, which he couldn’t attend because his family is based in Lismore,” said Renee.

“He was really keen to participate so I offered to provide some free personal training for him closer to home. We have been training once a week for about two months doing an hour of strength, weight and endurance training, and he has listened and been disciplined – I’m sure he’ll do well in the Challenge.

“The psychology units we’ve been studying at University have been especially helpful to put into practice – both in this situation with younger people, and through my other work with menopausal women using exercise to relieve their symptoms.

“It’s been a great experience already, and now I’m excited about taking on the Challenge with my team. We’ve been training hard too, getting together at least once a month to do 30km on the track and also training every other weekend by doing 20-30km around our local areas.

“More than anything, I expect walking for 30 hours to be a huge mental challenge, but we’re ready and excited about putting ourselves to the test.”

Photo:The 'Southern Cross Uni Trail Blazers' (L-R): students Renee Blaikie and Amy Mortimer with student counsellor Jane Wilson (high resolution image available on request).