In today's times we take for granted the lifestyle we have and the opportunities that are afforded to us. It is easy to forget that things could have been different if it had not been for the commitment and sacrifices of those who came before us. As an Australian I am reminded of our nation's history through annual days of remembrance, respect and celebration. On a personal level I was fortunate enough to have my Pa, Jim Rowland, to share with me war time stories and recount his own personal experiences from his time in the Australian armed forces during the Pacific Campaign of World War II. When Pa spoke about his war time experiences I would listen, even though I had heard his stories many times before. But now he has gone and I reminisce about his telling of his experiences, I can recall the tears in his eyes and the raw emotion in this voice. I cannot imagine a time when people so young, as my Pa was, were entrusted with so much responsibility and were asked to do so much with the very real possibility of making the ultimate sacrifice for others. It is a result of their sacrifices that I don't have to make my own. What I can do to pay homage to those Australian's is to remember them and their actions.
As a mark of respect and to honour the actions of others I'd considered traversing the Kokoda Track. I had no particular date or time in which I'd traverse the track, but it was there on my bucket list. By chance the opportunity arose to partake in the inaugural Kokoda Ultra Marathon on the 75th anniversary of the Kokoda Track Campaign, Papua New Guinea. Organised by Wayne Wetherall of Kokoda Spirit and Anthony Thompson of 360 Athlete, the Kokoda Ultra Marathon traverses the full 96km length of the Kokoda Track over 3 days and 2 nights, taking in places of historical significance along the way. It was a history lesson as much as it was a staged running event.
I haven't done much hiking where I had to camp over night. The last time I did an overnight hike was back in 2002 which resulted in a marriage proposal from Brian. That was at a time in our lives before either of us did anything remotely running related. So once I committed to participating in the Kokoda Ultra Marathon I had a pretty steep learning curve. I had no gear and no idea of what to expect. All I had were my trail skills and a dubious level of fitness leading up to my departure.
The support leading up to the event was really good. Anthony Thompson was the main point of contact and he probably got a little annoyed with my novice questions, which he hid well, but his help was invaluable in setting me straight. Communication amongst other entrants on social media was also useful to get to know each other and provided lots of light-hearted entertainment before we convened in person. It was good to know that other people were thinking and asking the same things.
Training for the event comprised my usual amount of "junk" kilometres, mostly without a back pack. It was about two weeks before I left that I finally got all my mandatory gear together, apart from my shoes which I got the week before departure. I managed one small run with a "full" pack, then did something to my back which put an end to my preparation. So the training I did with a full pack was best described as limited. Consequently I decided to "wing it" and risk what ever consequences may come. I'd put it down to being part of the adventure.
With all my gear sorted and vaccinations taken care of, all that was left to do was depart for Papua New Guinea. The flights I had booked coincided with most of the other entrants. So on Monday morning at sparrow fart I departed for Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. This was my first time to the country and though I had heard many mixed stories, I along with the other members of the group, were well looked after during our entire stay. Our base in Port Moresby was the Stanley Hotel which was luxurious. It provided a lovely relaxed environment for us to get to know each other and to be briefed on what lay ahead of us.
Group photo at Owers Corner. Kokoda Ultra Marathon. |
Shortly after settling in to our accommodation, the event itinerary was torn up and thrown out. Due to factors beyond the control of the organisers our planned Tuesday flight from Port Moresby to Kokoda fell through and on the Monday evening we were informed that the track may have to be traversed in reverse, starting from Owers Corner heading to Kokoda Village. Ultimately it didn't really matter to us as we were to be be prepared to set out on this event on Tuesday morning either way. The only difference was that instead of heading out onto the trail from Kokoda Village on Wednesday, it might be that we would become acquainted with the track on Tuesday at Owers Corner instead.
So on Tuesday morning it was confirmed, we would be heading to Owers Corner on a bus with the assurances that our altered flight from Kokoda would be sorted by the time we got there on Friday. It was a bit like preparing to do something on the count of three and then having it done on the count of two. I therefore had the bus trip to mentally prepare that in just a few short hours I'd actually be on the Kokoda Track.
So on Tuesday morning it was confirmed, we would be heading to Owers Corner on a bus with the assurances that our altered flight from Kokoda would be sorted by the time we got there on Friday. It was a bit like preparing to do something on the count of three and then having it done on the count of two. I therefore had the bus trip to mentally prepare that in just a few short hours I'd actually be on the Kokoda Track.
After a bumpy bus trip along PNG's rugged roads we finally made it to the head of the Kokoda Track. At Owers Corner we were greeted by friendly locals and gorgeous clear weather which bathed the dense Papuan jungle with tropical sunshine. Before heading off onto the track, we took time to understand the historical significance of the area that we were in. As was the case throughout the event we paid our respect to those who had been here before us. One of the ways we remembered what had happened on this track was through poetry which we all took turns to read. I find the verse of poetry to be quit powerful and the subject matter firmly installed the importance of this track and the sacrifices that were made so many years before. The Kokoda Track isn't just another walking track through nature. The Kokoda Track is steeped with countless accounts of battles, heroic acts and sacrifices during the Kokoda Track Campaign of World War II. Being on the Kokoda Track helps to bring all these accounts into perspective.
Reading a poem about the Diggers. Kokoda Ultra Marathon |
The downhill start from Owers Corner. Kokoda Ultra Marathon. |
Imita Ridge during WWII. Australian War Memorial. |
From Imita Ridge we descended about 550m down to Ua-Ule Creek and its tributaries. In all there were 22 creek crossings in this section, or so I've been told as I'd lost count. So our semi-dry shoes became completely sodden and muddy. Lucky for us we were on the track during the dry season and there hadn't been much rain so the track was relatively "dry". In the wet season it must be a quagmire.
By the last creek crossing my shoes were looking like they had done 1000kms, not the 10kms that they had really done. From Ua-Ule Creek the track headed up to Iorabaiwa Ridge, 600m above. Iorabaiwa Ridge marked the furthest point of Japanese advance. It was also a good opportunity to take a moments rest and reflect upon its significance.
Day 1 Map, which we had to read in reverse. |
Our porters were amazing throughout the event. They would always be at the check points setting up camp and cooking our meals. Occasionally we would pass them along the trail as they would usually head off before us in the mornings. They were always there to help us in any way they could. Nothing was too much trouble for them.
Every day along the Kokoda Track I would randomly come across a hiking expedition. Judging from their accents they were mostly Australians, making the same pilgrimage along the Track as we were. Traversing the Track unsupported is frowned upon and I can understand why. The local people rely upon the expedition companies to provide them with employment and income. Some of the villages we passed through stocked cans of soft drink. Heeding some earlier advice, I took with me some money which I used to buy drinks from the locals. Even though not every village benefited from us staying in it, at least we could contribute to the economy in one small way. I was more than happy to exchange some heavy coins for a much appreciated can of soft drink.
Day 1 Profile. |
Naoro Village. Kokoda Ultra Marathon |
Our morning and evening meals were carried in by the Papuan porters. I had already indulged myself by way of hot drinks. Next on the menu was dinner which comprised fried rice with a meat sauce, which tasted amazing. There was no skimping on quantities either, as there was always enough for seconds. It was a well cooked hearty meal to compliment the day's efforts on the track.
At the end of Day One, once we had all arrived safely into camp, we convened over the campfire to discuss the days events and the significance of the section of Kokoda Track we had just covered and were about to cover on Day Two. I thought Kokoda Spirit had struck a good balance between allowing us to cover the Track at our own pace, while taking the time educating us on the significance of each section we covered and its history. With our minds processing the days events and our history lesson, we headed to our tents for some much needed sleep ahead of our longest day on the Kokoda Track.
The second and final part of the journey will be posted in a few days under Kokoda Ultra Marathon 2017 - Part 2.