We protect what we love

FRIDAY . 22. 07. 22 .

Good morning and happy Friday!

This week’s newsletter is hosted by Erchana - the incredible female behind Tip to Toe 2022.

Tip to toe is working in collaboration with the Wilderness Society to put the spotlight on Australia’s extinction crisis!

Erchana will be running a marathon every day, making her way from the tip of mainland Australia (Cape York) to the toe (Melbourne) to spread a very important message - Extinction is a CHOICE.

That's right, 150 consecutive marathons to be the voice for our native animals. 

The goal is to raise $62,000 to preserve the parks and ecosystems that provide a home to our treasured animals and to ensure they are still around for many generations to come.

It’s a devastating reality that our most iconic aussie mates are currently at risk of extinction. Yep, the Leadbeater's Possum, Gang-Gang Cockatoo and even the Koala! Every native animal that appears on the flag for each State and Territory that Erchana will run through is on the endangered list. 

Whilst undertaking this huge feat, Erchana will also be visiting schools, community groups and local clubs to raise awareness and educate people on this important issue, as well as using the power of social media and film to share the message.

Earlier this week, Erchana told us a bit more about this incredible adventure...

Q&A WITH ERCHANA MURRAY-BARTLETT

With the start date not too far away, how are you feeling?

Above all else, I’m extremely excited. My love of travel equals my love for running so having an opportunity to combine both into one giant adventure is a dream come true. And raising money for an incredible cause is the icing on the top.

What led to Tip to Toe 2022? When did you dream up this adventure and how has the planning been?

Tip to Toe 2022 has been a lifelong ambition rocketed into action by Covid-19. I’ve always been a big dreamer and for that I thank my parents who instilled in me a strong belief that I can achieve anything I want if I set my mind to it. Whether it was accidental neglect (I am one of four daughters within five years) or their wild parenting style, I became strongly independent at a young age and therefore had the confidence to chase my crazy goals.

The specifics of Tip to Toe were born in a tiny hotel room during two weeks of hotel quarantine in September of 2020. I had lost myself down a rabbit hole of adventure films and, as I believe many of us did during the great pandemic, I began to question why I hadn’t chased this childhood dream. So, when I was let out two weeks later, I put pen to paper and jotted down a small list of things I would need to do to put the wheels in motion. That list ended up growing very large, and now we are in full swing ensuring we are as prepared as possible against the terrain, weather, isolation and everything else we may, or may not, encounter on the journey.

What personal experiences instilled in you a love and appreciation for Australian wildlife?

I grew up in the Yarra Valley, in regional Victoria and spent years sharing the trails and mountains and rivers with the native animals that inhabited them. It was so loud back then and I can still remember walking through the door after a big run scratched and covered in mud but always with a huge smile on my face.

Since returning as an adult, it shocks me how quiet it is. The racket of the cockatoos used to deafen me. Now all I hear is the echo of cars in the distance. I used to jump at the rustle of grass to my left, expecting something to slither or hop in front of me. Now all I see are plastic bottles and old tyres.

Australia’s biodiversity is incredibly unique, yet we are second in the world for biodiversity loss. This is downright nuts. Our wildlife is world-renowned, but many of us are unaware of just how dire our extinction crisis is. If we don’t act now, these incredible native animals will not be around when our children. So, I’m acting now to prevent this.

You plan to run 150 consecutive marathons, through incredibly varied terrain, climates, and over several months. How do you train for such an undertaking? 

This is a great question and one that I’ve actually found the most challenging as it has ended up being very different from what I originally expected. I’ve spent years as an elite marathon runner, competing on both the domestic and international road racing scene. For these events, training can be intense and very routine based. Two speed sessions per week, one long run, one threshold run, repeat. For Tip to Toe, my priority is not to be fast, but to be strong and healthy.

So, I’ve actually flipped my normal training pattern on its head and am learning to instead slow right down. Rather than hitting splits, I’m hitting mountains and offroad tracks to work on balance. Rather than running a threshold, I’m lifting weights. I’m at the gym more than ever and I’m actually trying to put on a few extra kilograms to ensure I’ve got a bit of a buffer while my body adapts to the high-calorie turnover.

What are you most looking forward to?

Any endless number of things. But to top it off - meeting new, like-minded people would be right up there. I’m encouraging everyone, irrespective of age, gender, background and ability to come and walk, jog or run with me for a portion of Tip to Toe. That, and the people I’ve already met through partnerships, training groups, social media and those I’ve reached out to for information, are just incredible.

I’m also looking forward to seeing some of Australia’s iconic outback, national parks, waterfalls, waterholes, regional towns and natural wonders. And not to mention the beautiful animals we encounter on the way.

And finally, being the voice for Australia’s animals and impacting change for a cause I believe is essential to the future of Australia’s unique biodiversity.

Eating / sleeping set up

I am lucky enough to have an incredible sponsor on board – Trackabout Campers – who have kindly donated one of their offroad touring campers that will house and feed me for the entire 22 weeks I’m running through the wilderness. Absolute legends and I can’t thank them enough.

This trailer is equipped with a kitchen and space to cook so the plan is to spend a lot of time cooking meals that are a combination of healthy and highly caloric, but that are made from long-life ingredients such as canned beans, rice, tinned veggies and pasta.

I’ve calculated I’ll need to eat between 4,000 and 5,000 calories per day, which is both overwhelming and exciting. I’ll be stocked up on peanut butter if all else fails.

Can runners join, if so, how to get involved?

100%. This is highly encouraged. I will be posting a rough timeline on my socials in the week before I set off (mid-August) and then will be updating our whereabouts over socials as we go. Please please please reach out via Instagram, Facebook or the website if anyone is interested in joining for a segment as we have extra tents, food, and equipment to support this. 

What wild places are you excited to run through?

Every. Single. One. Of. Them.

How can people support your incredible campaign to raise $62,000 for TWS?

The goal is to raise $10 per kilometer I plan to run from the Tip of mainland Australia to the Toe. We are fundraising through GoFundMe and all profits are going to The Wilderness Society who are doing incredible things to protect our national parks and the animals that inhabit them.

The easiest way to contribute is to donate direct to our GoFundMe page.

If you’d like to follow along with this wild adventure, all the fun is on Instagram at tip_to_toe_2022, including a link to donate.

Our website is also a resource to find out any more information on our mission to end extinction, our route and is a great way to get in touch.

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Week 10: Oaks Fire Trail (Glenbrook to Woodford return), Dhurag country.

After missing a connecting train that was meant to take me to Wentworth Falls, a friend and I ended up in Glenbrook, and resorted to Plan B - an ‘out and back’ along the Oaks Fire Trail.

I’ve run the Oaks many times before and, during spring/summer, love the number of butterflies and beetles along the route. Alas, this week I decided to learn a little bit about beetles, and their role in the ecosystem. Here are a few facts...

• Beetles are the most abundant of all insects
• They Sydney area alone has 1500 species of beetle, and it’s estimated that Australia can have up to 80,000 species (some of which are not yet described)
• You’ll find most beetles are around until February, during which time they mate, lay eggs and then die
• Beetles have a major role to play in maintaining the health of Australia’s ecosystem - breaking down leaves, wood and animal remains.

🪲 🪲 🪲

Take some time to get outside, find inner peace on the trails and we'll catch you next week.

And, as always, thank you for taking the time to support wild places!

Erchana, Elanor & the For Wild Places team.

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We acknowledge the the First Nations people who have been custodians of land, waters and culture for tens of thousands of years. We pay respects to First Nations Elders past, present and emerging.

This email was written on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. To these people, we pay our respects.

Always was, always will be.