Di Westaway OAM | Founder Coastrek

One of my most magic Coastrek moments came near the end of a hot soft sand section of Narrabeen Beach. I was dragging my feet, trying to rub the salty sweat from my eyes and lagging further and further behind.

Then an angel appeared bearing gifts.

The angel was my Support Crew and the gift was an affogatto. 

It was heaven. In fact, it became more memorable than crossing the finish line 7 hours later. That moment when that glorious combination of sweet creamy vanilla ice cream mixed with fresh espresso coffee touches your tongue, slides over your taste buds and completely revitalizes you.

There’s nothing quite like your own personal support crew to help motivate you all the way to the end. When your feet are tired, your limbs are listless and your blisters have sisters, you want a rocking support crew to help ease the pain.

They will pick you up when you’re down, bring kindness when you’re flagging, deliver all the things you forgot to pack and then thank you for giving them an excuse for a day off work in the great outdoors.

That, dear trekkers, is why we love a support crew.

Support Crews are our angels, and without them, we don’t get the full Coastrek experience.

Are they compulsory? No

Are they needed? Yes. Particularly if you’re a newbie, if you failed to train and prepare, if you’re taking on a distance you’ve never attempted before and/or if you want an extra fabulous Coastrek Event Day.

At worst they’ll deliver yummy food, fresh socks and frothy cappuccinos, and at best you’ll get a full cliff top feast and a foot massage just when you need it.

How to Recruit Your Support Crew:

And it's not as hard as you think to recruit a Support Crew.

Your family and friends will want to help if they can, so just ask around. If you don’t get an immediate “YES”, you might have to tempt them with a compelling story about how much you need them to support your big goal of walking 30, 45km or 60km for mental health.

If that fails, try your work colleagues. Many companies have philanthropic days available for staff who volunteer for charitable causes, so this is a great opportunity for them to get the joy that comes from volunteering.

Once you’ve recruited them, invite them on some training walks with you and take them along on the journey. That way they’ll know more about what you need, want and like and you’ll all get fitter together.

Good luck Coastrekkers …. You got this!