MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Perth to Sydney in 180 days?
Been there, done that!

Less than twenty-four hours after the 1998 London Marathon I was on plane bound for Perth, Australia. Five days later I dipped my foot in the Indian Ocean and headed off running east towards Sydney more than 5000km away, alone. My only support was a donated Baby Jogger - a glorified 3-wheel pram, ergonomically designed for running or walking with a small child, holding my kit: tent sleeping bag, food and water.

Even with my personal training background, I had never found such find truth in the myth ‘No pain, no gain’. Still feeling the effects of the marathon and jet lag, by the end of the second day on the road, my sunburn, aching muscles, sore feet and pussing blisters reduced me to a very slow walk - blowing my original plan to run 50 km a day. I chucked out my schedule, hid my map and quickly came to terms with walking a marathon a day and just getting on with the day to day journey: rise at the crack of dawn, walk 40+ km a day, set up camp in the bush, eat, sleep and repeat. It was a simple existence but none-the-less demanding, in every sense of the word.

Walking a marathon a day left me physically exhausted, and despite trying to keep my body properly fuelled I lost 15 kg in the first three weeks!! I tried to keep my calories up but I felt either too ill or too tired to eat. Besides, good food was hard to come by once I’d left Perth.

I felt the full spectrum of emotions: fear of the unknown, apprehension as to what lay ahead, loneliness. Across the desolate Nullarbor Plain, there was almost 1000km of straight, flat road, with about 200km and five walking days between each roadhouse, and nothing but salt bush to mark the way. There was disappointment, shame and guilt for not living up to my original 50k a day plan; sadness and pity for myself for inviting this pressure on myself by telling the whole world my dream then having to follow through with it at all costs; pride in proving the doubters wrong, and pride at proving myself right. I was thrilled each time I reached another milestone along the way, and indescribably ecstatic when I reached Sydney.

Despite the enormity of the physical challenges, I believe it was 90 % mental. The motivational tricks I used filled numerous journals along the way. Reading books about other over-achievers served to inspire me at the end of each day when I wanted to quit; compilation tapes mailed out from by my boyfriend kept me moving during the day. I’d daydream of the food I’d eat when I reached the next roadhouse while crossing the desert, pass the time kangaroo spotting and counting road kill, or imagining a heated motel room at the end of each week camping in sub zero temps, gale force winds and hail storms. There was the anticipation of picking up mail in the next town, trying to break my own records for spotting and touching the next green kilometre marker sign; taking one post at a time to get me over the wall and up the horrendous hills I encountered the last two weeks of the journey; and ultimately envisioning my arrival in Sydney. I pulled from anything and everything I could to keep putting one foot in front of the other. The endless support from my boyfriend back in England, friends and family, the truckies who honked with ‘thumbs-up’, and the wonderful people I met along the way inspired me to soldier on.

Being truly inspired by others constituted some of the most uplifting experiences for me. Meeting other achievers along the way who confirmed in my mind at least that you are never too old, too ambitious, too creative, too keen, too outgoing, too crazy or too determined to do anything you set your mind to do.

On October 28th I walked into the Pacific Ocean at North Bondi Beach in Sydney and fulfilled my dream of walking across Australia. The feeling of accomplishment was indescribable - I had a dream, created a plan, and in this case, quite literally took the steps to set it in motion. However, this journey was about more than just crossing a continent. It was about setting a goal and having the tenacity to keep going in order to achieving it. Determination is what sets me apart from others. And no, I am not an elite athlete - I’ve just got elite determination.


In Touch magazine: Dee's latest published article
EndurePlus: online article by Dee (includes pics)
I DID IT!!!: My thoughts at the finish and a great AP pic!
Letter from Dee: August 7th 1999
Letter from Dee: December 19th 1998
Walk update 1: Cocklebiddy 8th June
Walk update 2: Ceduna 12th July
Walk update 2: Melbourne 22nd September

OZ TRAVEL 1: Update from Perth
OZ TRAVEL 2: Across Australia by car

Press info about Deanna:
Second half of the itinerary : Adelaide to Sydney with dates
Why the RSPCA?:
The Babyjogger Co:
Grateful thanks for the donation of my trusty BJ – check out their wares here!

Jez’s home page



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