By the Wild Women On Top Coastrek Team
Just because your Coastrek’s has gone from an in-person event to an independent team event doesn’t mean you won’t have an amazing, exhilarating, energizing and extraordinary Coastrek Event Day.
Before launching each new Coastrek Event, we take our HQ Team along the trails to check them out … with no support crew, no Luv Stops and no cheer squad. And we always have an absolutely FABULOUS adventure.
Aside from choosing an epic route and doing the training (yes, the fitter you are, the more fun you’ll have!) there are a few tips and tricks we’ve learned over the years that will make your event extra magic.
Dress to impress
Dressing up in something a bit special will take Event Day from blah to huzzah!
You don’t want your Independent Team Event Day to feel like a really long training walk, so bring out your tutus, team t-shirts and matching gaiters to add some sparkle to your walk.
Don’t forget to snap some cheeky pics of your team outfits and post them on socials with the hashtag #coastrek to enter our Best Dressed award!
Eat foods that make you feel AMAZING
Event Day is all about eating foods you love. If you’re thinking it’s a good day to go on a diet… don’t! You won’t have as much fun and won’t have the energy you need to make it to the finish line.
We enjoy yummy veggies, pasta, risotto and/or gelato the night before and on Event Day we go for muesli, wraps, smoothies, affogatos, delicious coffee and sandwiches, bliss balls, choc chip cookies, homemade treats, salty cashews and macadamia nuts, jelly snakes and lots of chocolate. Plus, a bottle of bubbly at the finish line!
Especially if you are doing the 60km event, you want small bites of food regularly throughout the walk, to keep your energy up and you feeling fab.
Great food at the right time will make a huge difference to your experience, so read our ‘Nourish Your Body’ E-book and don’t skimp on the treats!!
Create magic moments with your team
At Wild Women, we have a tradition of bringing a surprise treat to share with your teammates at some point on the trail to make what we call “magic moments”.
This could be a carefully carried box of macarons, some oil for a foot or shoulder massage, a team t-shirt or bracelet, a surprise sign delivered by a support crew… anything that is designed to surprise and delight your teammates.
Here’s some ways to plan magic moments:
- Research amazing spots along the route to enjoy morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea
- Ask your support crew to bring a delicious picnic with all your favourite foods and drinks to enjoy at the finish line
- If you are not walking all together (due to COVID-19 restrictions) plan a time to enjoy morning tea or lunch together via video chat
Not all magic moments need to be pre-planned. Here are some ways to create them on the trail:
- Dedicate 20 minutes of silence while walking along a particularly beautiful part of the trail
- Take a moment to watch the sunrise, sunset or moonrise and appreciate the beauty of nature
- Turn on a song you all love and have a boogie
- Look out at a stunning vista and rejoice in the magic of earth
Choose a team ‘pose’
Yes, it’s a bit dorky, but we promise it’ll add more pizzazz to your walk. Choose a team ‘pose’ that best represents you (e.g Wonder Woman arms, a peace sign, a jump, Charlie’s angels etc), and strike your pose every time you take a photo!
It’ll give you all a giggle, and it’ll put a smile on the faces of others in the Facebook group, too! #sharethelove
Treat yourself after the event
Whether it’s your favourite meal, a cold glass of bubbly or a hot bubble bath, prioritise a special moment of relaxation for after the event.
If restrictions permit, you might like to book in for massages with your team (best to do this on Sunday), or plan a picnic to enjoy while you watch the sunset.
Having something to look forward to will help motivate you when the going gets tough!
Have a cheeky girls chat!
Save up some saucy stories or outragously rude jokes to tell your team when the vibe starts to wane.
Here are some good conversation starters that will be sure to get the conversation flowing.
- What's the first place you'll travel when the world is open for business again?
- What do you think about pineapple on pizza?
- Are you a scruncher or a folder?
- Does social media benefit society?
- What's the most imaginative insult you've ever received?
- Pubic grooming. Discuss.
- Is it ever okay to get back together with someone who cheated on you?
- Do we still need feminism?
- Have you ever been skinny dipping? When/where?
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What podcasts are you listening to?
- Do you regret a tattoo or know someone who does?
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Have you ever "not made it" to the toilet?
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Shall we play a game of "would you rather" or "two truths and a lie"?
- What's the dumbest thing your mate has done?
- Name 3 celebrities for "kiss, marry, kill...."
- What does your dream wedding look like? OR If you could change one thing about your wedding, what would it be?
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What TV series are you into at the moment?
Remember why you’re walking
Walking 60km or 30km is a serious challenge, and it will test you at times. When you feel tired, sore or just ‘over it’, it really helps to remember why you are walking.
Whether you are completing Coastrek in honour of a friend or family member or simply to support mental health services more generally, the money we raise through this event is truly life-changing. Because of your fundraising efforts, we are able to keep Beyond Blue’s support service running 24/7, so everyone in Australia has access to mental health support at any time.
That is truly extraordinary, so don’t forget it.
If you're not yet in the Facebook group for your event, come and join us!
