Anna hits the trail

By Rebecca Fraser
WHILE most of us are still tucked up in bed at 7am on Sundays, Berwick’s Anna Reddie is out running three kilometres in hilly terrain.
The 20-year-old is busy preparing for her fourth Oxfam Trailwalker, one of the toughest team events in the world, which will be held next April.
Ms Reddie said her all-women team of four had set their sights on completing the 100-kilometre run-walk in 16 hours.
This would be a first for an all-women team and Ms Reddie said she was looking forward to the challenge. The group is now busy raising the $1000 needed to enter a team.
Ms Reddie said Oxfam was a great charity that helped people overcome poverty and suffering around the world and she was prepared to undergo a little pain and suffering for the cause.
This year the former St Margaret’s student lost four toenails after completing the race in 17 hours.
This was despite wrapping her feet in lubricant jelly, a thick bandage, a stocking and socks. Ms Reddie has been running since she was nine and met her three teammates through the Glenhuntly Athletics Club.
She said her support crew of family and friends were the people who got her through the gruelling challenge.
“It is the ultimate endurance test and you do get to the point where you don’t want to take off your shoes because the blisters are just massive and cover your whole foot. But it is such a good charity and you know the money is going where it should be,” she said.
Anyone interested in making a donation to the team can email Anna Reddie on a.reddie@ugrad.unimelb.edu.au or call 0401 846 160.