Our Glutes Performed Admirably!!

Team “My Glutes Performed Admirably” participated in Oxfam Japan Trailwalker 2011 from Friday 13th May. Team “Glutes” consisted of Tom Mills, Helen Powell, Jonathan Field and Miho Yashiro from the MGPA Tokyo office.

 

The team’s glutes certainly put in an admirable performance, managing to complete the event in 36 hours 39 minutes, placed 43rd out of 141 participating teams. A sterling effort from everyone involved! The event could not have been completed without our patient and committed support team, who were present and waiting for us at many of the intermediate check points and the finish line. Many of the team travelled from check point to check point, carrying additional supplies and necessities for the team.

 

This is the 4th consecutive year that MGPA Japan has had a team participate in the Oxfam Trailwalker. Trailwalker Japan is 100km trek through the mountains around Mt Fuji, starting at Odawara and finishing at Lake Yamanako. Teams of 4 must complete the 100km trek within 48 hours. The now global event is run in 11 countries aims to raise money to support Oxfam’s work in overcoming poverty and injustice in some of the poorest regions and providing vital relief in areas affected by natural disasters and conflict. This year a portion of the money raised will be donated to the relief work in the Tohoku area, which was affected by a massive earthquake and Tsunami on March 11th.

 

Some highlights of this years event:

- Despite 3 attempts, Tom was not able to purchase water from a vending machine (cost JPY360)
- Helen putting her headlight through the washing machine, post event
- Warning from the 4 old Japanese women after checkpoint 6 to beware of wild boars and monkeys
- Snoring man at checkpoint 5 depriving us of precious sleep
- Tom attempting to review presentations on his blackberry with headlight whilst walking through the mountains in the middle of the night
- A fractious moment over amongst team members over who had eaten all the pickles at checkpoint 4 (it was Jonathan…)
- Miho practising yoga positions at the start line
- Both Tom and Jonathan taking advantage of massage services wherever possible

 

So far we have raised over JPY195,000 for this event. Of course we are happy to accept more donations, which can be made online here.

All donations will be matched by MGPA and donated to our corporate charity - SOS Children's Village.

 

Thank you to all who have donated money to support us and who supported us during the race – special mention to Shigeaki Shigemasa, Noriko Yanagi, Tomomi Osada, Hayato Taguchi and Toshiya Masahisa.

 

Thanks,
Tom, Helen, Jonathan and Miho