• Elsa Van Wijngaarden, Sue Wallwork, Mama Kin and Natalie Gillespie strut up a storm in Freo’s High Street. Photo by Jeremy Dixon
Mama Kin says there haven’t been too many “musical moments” while pounding bush tracks, preparing for Oxfam’s Trailwalker 100km walk for charity.
“When I come back and lay on the couch I moan for ages,” she says, bursting with laughter.
“There is nothing musical about it. There has been some going to bed at seven o’clock, especially after the 30km walks.”
Kin—aka Danielle Caruana—is an ambassador for the inaugural Perth event. Her four-woman team, The Sole Mamas, comprises herself, Elsa Van Wijgaarden and sisters Sarah and Susan Wallwork. They will each trek 100km through bush from Kalamunda to Chidlow to raise money for Oxfam.
They expect to finish the October 18 stroll in under 30 hours.
Kin admits to not knowing what she’d gotten herself in for when agreeing to Oxfam’s request.
“I thought they meant you walk with a team of four and each walks 25km so I thought I could walk 25km in my sleep, surely?”
Battling blisters, dead toenails and aching muscles are easy compared to the mental challenge.
“When your mind says stop you are generally at 20 per cent capacity,” she says. “You have so much more physical capacity then your mind gives you credit for.
“The message is telling your mind you are about to hit another barrier, but the thing is you can break through that and break through that again and again, even when you don’t actually agree with the message.
“It is so much of a mental challenge, but when it gets hard you think, why am I doing this again?
“I’m doing this for people who live in dire conditions. I’m doing it to raise money for people from our affluent society and I’ve got a few blisters? Talk about first-world problems.”
The portsider is taking a breather from the bush to do a gig with local musos at the Navy Club on August 30 to raise money.
She will belt out some ‘80s classics with Silky De Haar (Oats Supply) and divas Natalie Gillespie and Anna Wallwork. “It’s a win-win deal,” Kin smiles. “I’m having a ball scouring op-shops for a Pat Benatar outfit, knowing all tickets go to Oxfam.”
Tix are $25. Contact Sarah 0400 203 639.
If you can’t make the show you can support the Sole Mamas at http://www.trailwalker.oxfam.org.au/team/home/14842.
by BRENDAN FOSTER