Getting prepared for the 2015 Kokoda Challenge
At First Aid Accident and Emergency we are proud to be part of the annual Kokoda Challenge events held throughout Queensland. There is nothing more fulfilling that working together as a team and pushing your limits while also helping a great cause.
Our affiliation with the challenge has put us in a place of understanding on the physical and mental obstacles competitors face during this event. The Kokoda Challenge is tough, very tough and there needs to be an equal amount of preparation from each of the 4 team members.
Preparation for the event encompasses many factors as the challenge itself is an extra-ordinary event. Here are some tips on how to begin your Kokoda Challenge preparation.
Sit down as a team and discuss everyone’s strengths and weaknesses: This can include physical strengths (such as upper body strength if one of your team members is a swimmer) as well as psychological weaknesses (such as fear of spiders). While these things may initially appear trivial, it will assist the team as a complete unit to understand behaviours and offer support to other members when needed.
Train together: While it may not be possible to do every training session together, it is important to incorporate individual training and group training. Your team will be spending an intense time together throughout the challenge and training together will benefit in many ways including: understanding each others personalities, understanding each others fitness levels and even understanding of any old injuries which may hinder a team member on the day. Training together will limit the amount of ‘surprises’ you get throughout the challenge from your team mates. Training together also shows a commitment to not only the event, but to the other team members as well. Try and get a routine going (even if it’s just once a week for a few hours) and stick to it.
Research: There is a lot of information available about the event, what it entails and tips on how to prepare mentally and physically for the event. Preparation is the key when participating in the Kokoda Challenge. Visit the official Kokoda Challenge website and our own First Aid Accident and Emergency Kokoda Challenge information page.
Learn First Aid: As strong and invincible as your team members may seem in the training stages, things do happen when your out on the trail. Having at least one, if not all, of your team members trained in First Aid will give you an extra advantage and also a peace of mind. If something unforeseen does go wrong, your team will be in good hands. The added benefit of doing a First Aid course through First Aid Accident and Emergency is that we have done the Kokoda Challenge ourselves and we understand the conditions and limitations you may have to work with when administering first aid. Our Director Scott Whimpey has completed the Kokoda Challenge twice and has worked on 7 Challenges in the First Aid tent. FAAE will offer a discounted rate on our First Aid Training and CPR Training for Kokoda Challenge participants.
First Aid Accident Emergency are a proud sponsor of the Kokoda Challenge event which will be held in several locations across the coming months. There are numerous ways you can be involved in the Challenge and be a part of a great event. Click here to find out more.
