TACKLING a personal fitness challenge while also raising thousands of dollars for local autism support services was the result of a local group's recent involvement in The Archie 54km trail run on Mount Buller.
Tracy Smith, Pete Evans, Lexi Togolo, Kate Harding and Felicity Carmody took part in the February 20 event, which started and finished at Mount Buller Village, and in between traversed some tough terrain over a 12 hour run in the Victorian Alps.
It was the culmination of plenty of training, which helped keep the team focused and fit during last year's COVID-19 lockdowns.
Lexi said Tracy and her husband Pete had already signed up for the event last year when she came on board, and she then convinced Kate and Felicity "without too much twisting of their arms" to take part.
For Kate and Lexi, who had been in solid training for the April 2020 Buffalo Stampede trail run before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, The Archie presented a great opportunity to ensure all their training didn't go to waste.
Once united, team members overcame last year's restrictions and lockdowns, and amid the demands of work and parenthood continued training in different combinations so they were ready for The Archie.
"It was a real challenge; there were lots of early mornings, being up at 5-5.30am," Lexi said.
"Every weekend we did a long run, and even second weekend we went to Bright to get into the hills and prepare for the downhill sections, which can be brutal."
The team needed to prepare for everything - including eating on the run, and finding the right snacks to keep them energised, as well as having enough water; the required food and drink for three to four hour stretches of running loaded their packs with an extra 4kg to 5kg of weight.
On race day, the run kicked off at 6.30am and a beautiful sunrise, and runners encountered lots of single-file tracks as well as dealing with the 14 river crossings on the route, and the thrills and spills that came with them.
"When you're knee-deep in water, one misstep and you go over, so there were a couple of falls into the river," Lexi said.
"Some of the track is really tricky, with sheer drops on either side, and sections of it were so steep that it created a bit of a bottleneck, but the advantage of going a bit slower is that you can really take in the scenery.
"It was a really well-run event, with lots of volunteers on hand to tell you about the dangerous parts, so you felt really safe all the way."
The team's support crew, including Lexi, Kate and Felicity's husbands, Andy, Terry and Dale, and Kate's son Hugh, met up with the runners to replenish their food supplies and keep them moving, and the locals finished the run in a little under 12 hours.
In the last 3km of the race, participants were required to climb to the summit and tear a page out of a book to prove they made it to the top, which Lexi said was "almost the hardest climb of the day".
"There was lots of swearing along the way, but we finished as a team and enjoyed it," Lexi said.
"It was just a great way to spend time, hanging out with your mates and solving the world's problems, talking while you're running in these beautiful surrounds."
The Archie raises funds for Mansfield Autism Statewide Services, supporting families to adapt to the challenges of living with autism spectrum disorder, and the Wangaratta team raised more than $3000 for the cause.
A fundraising boot camp and brunch was to be held on the Sunday of Victoria's recent five-day lockdown, and was postponed until March 14.
"We've had so much generous support from local businesses who have given vouchers and services, which will be put up for silent auction at our event, and all proceeds from those will go to Mansfield Autism Statewide Services too," Lexi said.
"When we were looking for donations, we heard from so many people who know about the service's work, or have links to it, so we know how important it is; it's great to be able to support that.
"We'd love to thank everyone who sponsored and supported us for the event."
