Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Amazing SuperHuman.

Kurt Fearnley

Now i don't know if you all know the Kokoda Track but to walk it is a HUGE thing where i am from.

Its 96Kms (approx 60 miles) over land, and that alone would put me off.

Wiki says:
The Kokoda Track or Trail is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs 96 kilometres (60 mi) overland — 60 kilometres (37 mi) in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea. The track is the most famous in Papua New Guinea and is renowned as the location of the World War II battle between Japanese and Australian forces in 1942.

The track starts, or ends, at Owers Corner in Central Province, 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of Port Moresby, and then crosses rugged and isolated, terrain, which is only passable on foot, to the village of Kokoda in Oro Province. It reaches a height of 2,190 metres (7,185 ft) as it passes around the peak of Mount Bellamy.[1]

Hot, humid days with intensely cold nights, torrential rainfall and the risk of endemic tropical diseases such as malaria make it a challenge to walk. Despite the challenge posed it is a popular hike that takes between four and twelve days (depending on fitness). Locals have been known to hike the route in three days.

Now, there has been deaths. Many deaths, (i mean after the war), when fit able bodied people have attempted to walk the Track.

Since 2001 there has been a rapid increase in the number of people walking the track. Six Australian trekkers have died from natural causes while attempting to walk the track. Four of those deaths have occurred in 2009, with two in the same week in April and another two 8 days apart in September and October. The deaths have sparked calls for mandatory fitness tests for all walkers before starting.

As popularity for walking the track has increased there have been calls for more regulation of trek operators with some operators taking as many as 150 walkers in a group. In response the Kokoda Track Authority has announced that from the beginning of 2010 tour operators must have a commercial licence which will "address things such as training requirements, first aid details, insurance and conditions for the porters".


But then you have people like Kurt.
Kurt was born without the lower part of his spine.
He just finished walking (crawling) the Kokoda Track.

He had people with him. But he mostly did it on his own.

He says:

Says Fearnley: "For me, a lot of my job is to race for Australia, but you need to pause and think what it is that makes us who we are. Australia has such a tie with Kokoda.

"The history of the guys who fought there has always intrigued me. It is also a chance for me and my family and friends (12 are travelling with him, and adventure company Kokoda Spirit is involved) to get together to experience something unique and challenging and positive. Kokoda is all about mateship and looking out for each other. Everyone says to me: 'You're mad, what are you thinking?"'

Fearnley puts it into perspective. During World War II, "people were crawling down there with legs missing, with limbs missing, with bullets shooting at them, with dysentery, with malaria, with an army on their heels - so whatever happens to us, no matter how tough we seem to be having it, people have had it far worse".



Amazing.
SuperHuman.

For more info check out here

Ps. From 2001 to 2008, he raced in 32 marathons, winning 22 and finishing in a place on the other occasions, including three straight wins in the New York marathon. He has pushed his body to the finishing line in a chair with busted wheels and broken frames.
Amazing.

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