RECONNECT WITH MATES, STRENGTHEN MENTAL WELLBEING
CONQUER TEAM CHALLENGE TOGETHER
THE GREAT AUSSIE HIKE EMBRACES
THE GREAT AUSSIE SPIRIT OF LOOKING AFTER YOUR MATES
2020 HAS BEEN A CHALLENGING YEAR
The mental health of many Victorians has been effected more than ever before.
OUR MATES ARE DOING IT TOUGH AND WE NEED TO HELP THEM
The Great Aussie Hike has been specifically developed to utilise the evidence based benefits of exercise in nature, goal setting and human connection. We are encouraging great Aussies to put together teams of 4-6 people – friends, family, neighbours, work colleagues, team mates – to form a strong support network utilising our three step program.
WHICH CHALLENGE WILL YOUR TEAM CHOOSE?
TEAM CHALLENGE
EAST GIPPSLAND RAIL TRAIL
26 – 27 MARCH, 2021
3 STEP PROGRAM
Designed to allow you to form a team and get started during Stage 3 & 4 restrictions.
CONNECT & MOVE
Form a team. Start planning. Stay connected.
Decide as a teams how many times a week everyone will go for a walk outside. Distance is not the focus.
Stay accountable – post a selfie when out walking to your team chat. Pick a team name. Sort out t-shirt slogans. Check in & encourage each other.
WALK & TALK
Once restrictions lift, start planning to catch up in pairs/team 1-2 times per week.
Use our training program (developed by a professional coach) to start working towards your team’s chosen challenge.
Meeting team mates in person for face-to-face catch ups is an important part of this step.
TEAM CHALLENGE
The team challenge provides a fantastic goal to work towards and achieve as a group.
Select from 30km, 60km or 100km distances. Choose to walk the entire distance or form a relay with your team mates.
NO COMPULSORY FUNDRAISING
TRAINING PROGRAM
The training program will be run in cycles of six week training blocks. The sessions will be a combination of strength, mobility/stability, HITT and cardio sessions. This provides variety within the program, while using different energy systems. The option to access via an app on your phone allows you to training anywhere, anytime.
Cardio and HITT sessions, along with team walks, will increase fitness levels required to complete the team challenge.
Strength and mobility sessions are essential for two reasons:
- Building general strength and stability of joints to reduce the risk of injury.
- Strength will give you a greater chance of being able to complete your chosen distance. You can be fit enough to walk the entire course, but aching or painful joints and muscles can make it difficult to continue.
We recommend aiming to complete at least two sessions per week with a team mate and completing the longer weekend walking sessions as a whole team (where possible due to restrictions). Visit the training section of our website for further details.
A MESSAGE FROM THE EVENT TEAM
We are continually adapting our program and event to be safe for both participants and staff in a COVID-19 world. These plans will continue to evolve based on advice from relevant authorities, including the Victorian Chief Medical Officer. We are currently preparing for an event that can run during Fourth Step restrictions (50 people together in outdoor space) which it is predicted that Victoria will move to by December, 2020.
Firstly, we will be strictly limiting registration numbers to ensure we can proceed within the guidelines of a Fourth Step restriction period.
Secondly, due to the nature of the event, we have the option to start teams one at time. This will reduce mass groupings of people and help us manage numbers at each Wellness Stop.
Thirdly, we have moved our Wellness Stops away from sporting grounds. This will mean that should there be an outbreak early 2021, and Victoria returns to greater restrictions, we will be able to move to dates in May and October as there will be no conflict with venue hire.
Finally, we will be implementing a very detailed CoVID-19 Safe Plan for all aspects of the event to reduce contact points, increase cleaning, ensure social distancing and enable contact tracing.
Completing the challenge as a team is a key component of the mental health strategy of this program. We are extremely confident that, with adaption and the co-operation and understanding of participants, the team challenge will run in 2021. If we are all committed to working together, we will be able to go ahead.
The team challenge will at no stage be moved to a virtual event platform, as this is not in keeping with our mental wellbeing approach.
