By Margaret Maccoll
About 1400 walkers in more than 500 teams formed a never-ending human line as they trekked 30 to 60 kilometres from Mudjimba to Noosa on Friday for health and happiness and to raise money for the Fred Hollows Foundation.
First across the line was the all-female 60km Team Camel Toes 1 made up of Kristin Esler, Bec Tweedy, Karyn Fraser and Lucy Reid, all of Queensland.
The event was the first Wild Women on Top Sunshine Coastrek challenge designed to get women off the couch and on to the coast.
Libby Trickett signed on as an ambassador for the inaugural event after taking part in the Sydney Coastrek in 2015 and realising the importance of making time for herself following the birth of her first child.
Wild Women on Top chief adventure chick Di Westaway said the main barriers to getting women outdoors were guilt, time, a negative association with exercise and family commitments.
“Coastrek motivates women to go walking with their friends because it makes them feel better. Not only do they get fitter and stronger, but they also get that warm glow back,” she said.
“Walking is more about the mind than the body and can be used to treat worry, anxiety and depression. It’s scientifically proven by thousands of studies that walking in nature is a big fat health pill – combine that with the social aspect of walking with friends for a cause and you can see why Coastrek has been so popular.”
