To CHECKPOINT FOUR : Oruanui Pony Club - 19.4km
"Many may find this the toughest stretch. You are past half way, heading uphill and into darkness, so take care not to let your motivation dip. The route consists of an ascent from the lake shore up through Blue Gum Eucalyptus trees and then down through agricultural land to the edge of Wairakei forest."
We started off slowly putting in a call to our support crew sooner than expected... Thank you to Matt and Trevor who came straight out to Ginas rescue with her needed joint drops... with aching hip joints it was best to get these on board sooner rather than later... especially since this stretch was going to be our longest yet. We carried on thereafter and slowly as painkillers and medications took away pain we started to increase our speed... getting to the Aid station halfway along was a definite motivator, as we all knew we had covered 50km and were now past the halfway mark!
After a toilet stop and a snack or two to munch on we continued, now starting to feel the chill as the sun slowly sank lower in the sky. Into the darkness we continued walking through farmland... a few more hills to climb and descend...With the darkness all around and we all fell silent- it took all our concentration to focus on the ground and where to place our next step... trying to avoid cattle droppings... pine cones... tree roots... and clamber over fence styles and gates... It was all a lot less straight forward in the dark! Every now and then we would turn to look back... there were so many lights following in a line through the paddocks... the trailwalker ants were still marching on! Just as we started to get more weary we could see the lights of the next stop in the distance and the closer we got we could start to hear the loudspeaker and music... It was so close... but still seemed so far!
Well it wasnt easy, and it was a long way, but we made it... eventually! Its amazing to think back on this walk... we all were hitting a low points at some stage or other through this section, but somehow another member of the team always seemed to pull through and motivate the rest on. It was amazing team work TEAM!
At the end we were greeted again by our support crew never wavering in their waiting for our arrival... We were so lucky! With delicious Hot Soup made by Adam and Matts Tastey Pasta waiting for us along with warm jackets and blankets at our amazing tent it was truely a sight we were so very desperate to see... and experience! Without our support crew at this stop we definitely would not have had the energy to continue on... We were all more weary and demanding of you... THANK YOU for your patience!!... as well as your water refills, your food, your massages, your hugs, your physical support, your encouragement... and and everything else we took for granted!
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