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100 Mile Winter Yomp for Veterans' Charities Penguin News, June 2004 Two Falkland women have completed the extraordinary task of walking 100 miles nonstop, in under 30 hours. At noon on Friday, June 11, Stanley's Trudi Clarke and Annie Pitaluga of Salvador left the jetty at North Arm heading for Stanley, raising money for the Falklands Chapel at Pangbourne and the '82 Trust, a charity which helps war veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The plan was to try to walk "virtually non-stop" only pausing for food and drink and to tend to their feet at set periods of time and distance. The plan went by the way very early on and the first stop was at 5.30pm at the Walker Creek turnoff approximately 20 miles from North Arm. It was at this point that Trudi found she had some significant blisters, which her husband Marvin described as, "... the skin peeling off as she removed her socks." The damage was tended to and after a stop of 20 minutes to take on food and water the pair set off for Goose Green. They arrived at the settlement's shearing shed at 9.30pm where the lights were on and hot water was provided. Trudi and Annie left Goose Green at about 10pm in "dark and spooky" conditions, without a destination point in mind but agreeing to keep going so long as all was well. On arrival at Guttery Pass Marvin provided hot food and drink and it was at this point Trudi and Annie felt that a rest of several hours might be appropriate. However, not being short on determination the gutsy pair decided, after having had their refreshments, to move on at 1.15am in the knowledge that it would not be possible to stop for any lengthy period of time after this point; as Trudi said, "It was all or nothing from there on in." At the half way point at 2.30am, the weather was "... at its best for walking and things were still progressing reasonably well with us averaging three miles per hours," said Trudi. A short stop at the Swan Inlet River at 4.15am was the next break and then on to the Green Pen where they arrived at 8.30am. Trudi and Annie enjoyed a welcome though hardly leisurely breakfast, before they departed just 25 minutes later into a sunny morning. The next stop was several miles to the west of Bluff Cove where, Trudi said, "Stanley was within our sights. Our feet and joints were aching but lowered spirits were coupled with the determination to succeed. As we arrived in the area of Wall Mountain several vehicles from Stanley arrived to offer much welcomed support which was greatly appreciated - just what was needed." Felicity (Trudi's daughter) joined the walkers at this point and stayed with them to the end - the Liberation Memorial on Ross Road. Trudi said, "The glow of Stanley lights beckoned as darkness descended for the second time and the desire to succeed, having got this far, again kicked in." Rounding Sapper Hill to welcome encouragement, the intrepid pair finally arrived at the Liberation Memorial at 7.30pm to a gathering of well-wishers and supporters. Overall, they completed the walk in a much faster time than was expected, walking for 29.5 hours and stopping for a total of 2 hours throughout. They had originally expected the walk to take 44 hours to complete. Trudi said, "The walk in the main was enjoyable, but I am pleased to have had company, especially during the hours of darkness. There wasn't a point where I felt I would have to give up but there were several low points and where the road had recently been graded made the surface extremely difficult and painful for walking. The supply of hot food and drink was essential as well as the verbal encouragement given at various stages throughout." The only negative point about the whole challenge for the walkers was the speed at which some drivers passed them on the Mount Pleasant road. Trudi said, "We were showered with rocks, which were extremely painful and potentially dangerous, without any consideration whatsoever." However Trudi said she is extremely grateful to everyone who helped her and Annie and to those who generously donated to the fund raising efforts, because "... while this was a significant personal achievement, it was the support and donations we received which made it all worthwhile." First
published in the Penguin News on 18 June 2004 and reproduced with the
kind permission of the Editor |
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