It’s a race like no other; and Allison Writer is embarking on it for the second time!

The local endurance runner is now hard in training for the unique Kokoda Challenge, a gruelling test of mind, body, and spirit designed to challenge the hardiest competitor.

The Challenge is special in that it seeks to replicate the heroic efforts up and down the Kokoda Track during World War II of the young Australian soldiers who turned-back the advancing Japanese seeking to take Port Moresby and cut Australia off.

Allison is now looking for sponsors for the challenge that also helps young Australians battling issues of body confidence and mental well-being.

“The aim is to raise money for youth aged 15–17 to stimulate their health and fitness; for kids that are struggling. The idea is that some of them come on the journey with us,” Allison — now back in hard-training for the event in mid-July — explained.

Money raised from the event goes to the “The Kokoda Challenge Youth Program” which aims to teach young people that their achievements in life are directly related to effort that they contribute to schoolwork, professionally, and in personal relationships.

The group’s “Right Track” program targets grade 9–10 students who are disengaged from their education while the Kokoda Pathways Program provides Australian teens with employment mentoring through life skills and physical activity.

Billed as “Australia’s toughest team endurance event”, the Challenge covers six major summits and descents fire trails, 12 creeks, and a total of five kilometres of climbs.

The “journey” is a 96km slog (the length of the Kokoda Trail) that includes four 500m summit climbs through the Gold Coast hinterland from Mudgeeraba to Nerang.

“It’s a very tough event, and you have to do it in 39 hours. That is to honour the 39th Battalion who fought the Japanese on the Kokoda Track in 1942,” Allison said, explaining that she had completed her first Challenge in 2012.

One of the unique and testing aspects of the event is that runners compete in teams of four; so, it’s also a test of teamwork, cooperation, and group spirit, not just individual fitness, and determination. “I’ll be running with two other runners from Melbourne, including my brother, and one from Goulburn,” Allison said.

Allison looks to be in the peak of health but says that the Challenge is another level-up from good general aerobic fitness that she enjoys. “I keep fit and this a goal to do it again, it’s such a privilege.”

Looking to ramp-up her already high fitness levels — “I’ve always loved sport,” — she is now prepping for this special mix of running, hiking, backpacking, and climbing.

“I did a hike up Mt Canobolas last weekend and I covered 40km in nine hours… it’s tough training, running, walking hiking, and carrying a backpack,” she explained.

“I’ll push it as much as I can, I’ll go on mountain runs in places like Lithgow Blackheath, the Mountains,” she added.

While the top-level runners compete the course in about 10 hours, she and her team are hoping to do it fairly comfortably in the early 20s.

“You’ve got to go from sea level to 500 metres four separate times as a way of replicating the Kokoda Track, I want to be fitter than last time I did it,” she said.

She is being aided by trainers Matt and Angela from local fitness centre, Phyz X as well as family and friends.

“I’ve raised the basic $400 to enter but I’d like some sponsors to help raise money for this wonderful event.”

She suspects that the “year of living safely” (and sedentary) that we’re now coming-out after the coronavirus, may have been a spur to her decision to re-enter this tortuous challenge as she brushes 50. “It’s a bit of that, these events help with your mental health as well as fitness.

“I’m out there doing it, one foot in front of  the other,” Allison said with a determined glint in her eye.

To find out more, email Allison at: allisonwriter6@gmail.com or go to the website at: https://www.kokodachallenge.com/