I just need a little of your time, a little of your money, or both

Hi, it's Alan Jones here, and I'm hoping you might be able to find a few dollars to support the fund-raising I'm doing for Oxfam International in the Sydney 2006 Oxfam Trailwalker.

For the time-poor executives amongst you, here's an executive summary:

Executive Summary

1. You donate $50 or more right now (you can donate less but you're a busy executive so you can afford at least that) quickly and safely online using your credit card, and claim a handy tax-deduction before the end of the financial year (tax deduction for Australian readers only, sorry, but overseas donations also accepted)
2. It goes straight to helping Oxfam provide urgent aid
3. You unsubscribe from future weekly emails from me using the link in the email you received
4. I walk a very long way, climb a very big thing... whatever - break the Guiness World Record for eating live cockroaches as far as you're concerned - doesn't really matter as long as Oxfam gets the money and you can get back to work, right?

For those of you with more time, fewer unread emails still to read, or needing further convincing...

What is Trailwalker?
Trailwalker is an 'extreme sport' event where teams of four normal people (well, in our team, three normal people and me) try to complete a 100km walk along rugged bush tracks in less than 48 hours. Yes, that is a very long way, and no, we don't plan to sleep along the way, just push on and finish somewhere between 24 and 27 hours - 5km/hr with a few breaks to change socks/eat a sports bar.

Our team is called the Glutes For Punishment, after the buttock muscles so heavily utilised on such a long walk. You can learn more about our team members on our blog at http://glutesforpunishment.blogspot.com

Of course, just managing to make it that far without dying of fatigue is not enough challenge, so we're aiming to raise a minimum of AUD $2,000.00 from friends like you before we start. In fact, if we don't raise more than $1,000, we're not allowed to compete in the event.

There's loads more about the event, the route, and other details on the Sydney Oxfam Trailwalker site.

Who are the Glutes for Punishment?
The glutes in question belong to myself, Felicity Kohut, Bride King and Roger Crawford. Felicity and Bride work together at the Pilates studio run by my wife Mel. Roger and I play basketball together. We all like walking... phew.

What happens to my money?
If you give it to us; it's blown on nose-candy, fast cars and wild parties - you know it couldn't be any other way. However, if you donate it to Oxfam, 81% of it goes straight to helping eradicating the causes and effects of poverty, without any political or religious hidden agenda. Of the other 19% they blow 15% on further fundraising and 4% on admin. You know they can't afford a nose-candy/wild party budget on 4%, so your money's not wasted.

Even a small donation from you can make a massive difference, doing things like providing clean water and sanitation, funding vegetable gardens and training in sustainable agriculture, training community nurses, and education for adults and children. And because it comes from Oxfam, it's all provided without the usual hidden catches of, "Oh, but you'll need to accept Jesus into your hearts, of course" or "...and in return you're OK for us to dig a few oil wells, right?"

Finally, your donation helps Felicity, Bride, Roger and I set some challenging fitness goals, learn a lot about ourselves and each other, and feel like we're doing something to make a difference in the world.

Can I help?
You sure can. We'll need some volunteers to be our support crew during the walk, 25-26 August 2006 in Sydney. There's a variety of transport, food, scheduling and navigating tasks to be done and we could really use a hand.

OK, what next?
Here's our blog, and if you'd like to hear from us now and again, do nothing and you'll get an email update from our blog covering our training plans, fund-raising progress, and notes from the field. If you would rather just donate and not get updates, donate now and then follow the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email you received.

If you've read this far and still haven't made a donation, you better take care of that right now. All you need is your credit card details and a minute of your time.

I thank you. Felicity, Bride, Roger and Oxfam thank you. A bunch of basically good people with the misfortune to be in the wrong place in the wrong time thank you for the chance to make something better for themselves.

...actually, I was referring to the poor people in other countries, not the four of us.

Cheers,

- Alan Jones

Training walk report: 30km Blue Gum Flat

Flick shows why she's in demand on the catwalks
Originally uploaded by bigyahu.

Flick, Rodge and Alan headed up to the Blue Mountains at sunrise, 11 June, leaving the torrential rain of Sydney behind for the intermittent icy showers and occasional sleet of the higher altitudes.

We did Perry's Lookdown to Blue Gum Flat and back via Victoria Falls, a distance of 30km, with a considerable vertical profile. Most sensible bushwalkers would do it in two days, but sensible doesn't get you Trailwalker-ready

Our intrepid team slogged it in in about five hours, which was tremendously gratifying considering the amount of vertical distance involved. I think it had something to do with the crisp mountain air, the pristine beauty of the Grose Valley, and the Guinness and pie by the fireplace waiting for us in Blackheath at the finish.

You can get a sense of the beauty, crispness, (but sadly, not the pie and beer) in our Trailwalker photos.

Glute Four: Alan Jones

Lightbulb finally goes on above Al's head

Every team needs a captain, every team needs a coach, every team needs an inspirational leader to push them through the valley of death, up the ridge of discontent and into the checkpoint of collapsing in exhaustion.

Instead of that person, the Glutes will have to make do with Alan Jones, who's returning to Trailwalker after finishing in 2004 - it's been just enough time for the painful memories to fade.

Al's an internet geek who enjoys raising houses and a son, and when not at his computer can most often be found walking a dog or building his core strength at www.springpilates.com.au.

Bushwalking with his best mate Tony is Al's favourite pasttime, and although Tony can't make it this year due to dicky knees, Al views Trailwalker as just like a very long bushwalk... without the sleep, the relaxed pace, the bottle of red wine with dinner, or the sleep in. But he'll be there at the finish, leading from the rear, and picking on his team-mates, like all the great leaders of history.

As Al always says, "There's no "I" in "team", but I don't remember seeing a "U" in it either..."