Walking 110km for fun? WHO AM I?
one of my BIG SCARY GOALS for 2025
And a new dream was born…
I sat there on my grey L couch eating a bowl of popcorn doing what I’m usually doing after dinner…watching youtube videos.
I like to watch a lot of travel creators, I like seeing what they get up to and exploring new places virtually alongside them.
And as I sit there watching, something weird happens…I actually start to feel like I’m capable of doing some of the same things I see them doing.
and I say SOME because…jumping out of plane is definitely not one of them.
So, I put my bowl of popcorn down. wipe some kernals off my shirt and pick up my phone for a quick google search. “ walking trails near me” andddd down the rabbit hole we go.
it then becomes my obsession for the next however long until I eventually realize it’s not realistic or worse…I realize that it IS realistic and I’m onto the next steps to actually make it happen.
You see this alllll started last year when I got inspired to try out some Canoe Camping for the first time, with zero experience and a big fear of deep water . I mean…am I just a crazy person? because who does that?
Anyway, I watched all the videos of other people’s trips, then found somewhere in my state to hire a canoe near a big ass river.
my boyfriend jumped on board easily because of course it would make a great video for our Youtube channel.
So, we went out — for 3 days. and it went terribly and amazing all at once.
We arrived at the first campsite for night 1 serverly suburnt & dehydrated and like the complete newbies we were we didn’t realize how much paddling over 40kms in 3 days would completely wreck our not so young anymore bodies.
It was WILD. and if you’re really wanting to see how it all went down — youtube has got you covered (watch it all here)
But there’s something that happens when you do a big physical challenge. You know the type of physical challenge that gets so difficult that it actually becomes more of a mental challenge. One where you have to dig deep into the depths of your soul to find the courage…(or insanity) to press on.
even though this is all completely self inflicted.
no one is making you do this. You are choosing to do it…for “fun”.
And it does end up being fun, in the bigger picture of it all.
it ends up shifting something in you. because when you cross over the finish line of a big physical challenge like that, it’s like a natural high.
and..i’m starting to love that feeling more and more.
it’s like I find myself looking for other ways to challenge myself like that. “how do I replicate this feeling?” — so I find myself being drawn to other experiences like this.
I know, I knowww what you’re thinking…this definitely sounds similar to the start of a bad addiction but, I swear it’s adding value to my life.
Insert the 110km hike…
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Walking seems easy. So, What’s the real challenge here?
Did I mention this challenge is more of a challenge than any canoe trip could ever be because i’m dealing with some lingering glute / hip issues that have really altered the way I live my life? because there’s that.
There are days where walking around the grocery store alone is nearly impossible. My muscles seize up and I’m limping in the most excruitiating pain. It’s actually pretty embrassing when it happens in public out of no where. But, I’m learning to cope.
I can’t really walk on the sand for long periods of time (aka more than 5-10 mins) because the texture and softness of the sand just completely flairs up whatever is going on. I’ve done scans, xrays, I’ve navigated going through many physiotherpaist and osteotherapist, with some progress, but still no real understanding of what is actually going on and if it will eventually ever improve significantly.
One of the physio’s I was working with was working with me to increase my walking. we started with 30 mins walks and by the last time I saw him before I moved we were at just over an hour long walks. We were taking the slow and steady route and slowly increasing the incline.
Well - this hike felt like a good challenge to really put this training to the test. The thing was…I hadn’t really stuck to it much since I last saw him. I continued walking of course but there was no structure.
Insert my walking training plan — a 12 month plan that I cooked up, that eventually works my way up from 30 min walks 3-4 times a week…to adding in 6-8 hour walks. which sounds actually insane. But, I’m up for the challenge. I’m going to give it my best shot to complete the training this year, even if I never end up doing this hike because the training process alone is an accomplishment for me.
but there is so much going through my head around this…
can my body handle this?
will i make this injury worse?
will i regret it?
is it worth it if I don’t end up doing the long hike at the end of all this training?
i don’t have all the answers…
all that i know is that I’m going to keep showing up until I finish or until I have a good enough reason to walk away from the training. (aka my body tells me it’s too much)
I’m just feeling so ready to physically challenge myself, to do something hard, to challenge my comfort zone in new ways.
So, what’s this hike all about anyway?
THE GREAT OCEAN WALK
picture credit: parks victoria
This walk takes place along one of the most iconic coastlines in Victoria and it’s a one-way, long-distance walk extending just over 110km…which can apparently take up to 8 days.
and according to Parks Victoria this is what you might see along the way:
Koalas resting in the eucalypt trees.
Cape Otway Lighthouse and its friendly guides ready to share stories of the Shipwreck Coast.
Wreck Beach at low tide with its rusting shipwreck anchors from the Marie Gabrielle and Fiji.
Rockpools at Blanket Bay and the pounding surf of Johanna Beach.
Wet fern and rainforest gullies sheltered by the world’s tallest flowering plant.
Remote and rarely visited places such as Station Beach, Milanesia Beach, Ryans Den, and Devils Kitchen.
Winter migrations of Humpback and Southern Right Whales passing just off-shore.
The high coastal cliffs of Moonlight Head.
There are campsites along the way, and you carry everything in and out with you on your back. So, it’s exercise heavy.
There’s also the fact that I have never set up a tent by myself. So, I have plans this year to change that - you know, it’s all part of the prep. Which is why I gave myself a year to train for this.
But my life has been thrown some curveballs and everything is up the air and in a bit of transition so, we’re not putting much pressure on anything more than finishing the training process. So, if the walk doesn’t happen this year, I really hope it’s something I can check off my list one day.
What do you think of this goal? have you done something like this? would you do it? and any and all tips are always welcome because the thought of all this solo is definitely exciting but daunting.
hit me up in the comments or over on instagram
Stay tuned for updates along the way!
xo J