Mission Accomplised

 

1. The Bibbulmun Track is an Australian Treasure.  It passes through some of the great towns and landscapes of the South West. We acknowledge the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and the Bibbulmun Track Foundation for their great work. 
2. Walking the track is a life changing experience and the whole 'Bibbulmun Track 1000' team has grown from it.
3. To break the record requires strong team spirit, you need to be cohesive and flexible, which the BT1000 team was Paul & Joy Madden, Garry & Beth Shuttleworth.
4. We thank God for the life changing journey.  It took a lot of prayers and effort to set a new record of 16 days 8 hrs 15 mins from the old record of 16 days 15 hrs 40 mins.
5. We were going to break the record by about a day until severe crippling feet blisters slowed Paul to a snail's pace, but in true grid we managed to hold on and break the record.  It was in this time that the team had to dig the deepest.
6. Reasonable amount of rest and proper nutrition were two vital ingredients necessary to sustain the body to manage such a huge task.  The raw food diet provided by Joy, my wife was an integral part of the success.  It gave me concentrated energy in unprocessed forms and my body was able to quickly process it without it slowing me down during the walking or during my recovery sleeps.
7. Special thanks go to Uwe Thiel of the 'Extreme Walkers' who provided great advice to our BT1000 team.  Paul would like to continue the tradition in that he too would like to provide advice to other challengers.
8. The attempt was very well planned and mainly went to script.  It was just the blisters that stopped a greater record breaking margin.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 17

Hello everyone,

Paul has done it!  He finished his walk at the Southern Terminus Albany after 16 days, 8 hours and 15 mins.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 16

Paul's knees, which were giving him lots of problems prior to November 13, have been very good for the last 15 days.  The blisters under his feet however have been the major concern.

On Day 16, Garry, Joy & Paul continued to pray for the Lord's Blessings and Joy walked Paul down Eden Road as he headed towards Nullaki Camp.

 

 

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 15

Paul needed lots of good nutrients in his body, so Joy continued to juice away.

With 6 hrs of sleep after Paul arrived early in the morning at 12.45am from yesterday's walk, Paul headed off for the 15th Day at 9.20am at similar weather temperature from yesterday.  There were more beaches to take on and Paul eventually covered 47km and stopped at Nullaki Wilderness after 14hrs at 3.34km/hr. 

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 14

On Day 14, Paul had to make a quick decision and cut short his distance because he had over estimated his speed.  The sand dunes along the beaches and the blisters on his feet had slowed him down to 3.2km/hr.  It was good we had a cool weather at max 20^oC and min 12^oC.  So instead of doing 67km as scheduled, he only covered 55km in 17 hrs 20 mins.  He finally get to sleep at 2.00am.

 

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 13

Mandalay Beach

Time of Departure at Mandalay Beach: 6.30am
Date of Arrival at Valley of the Giants Rd: 11.55pm
Total Distance covered: 61km
Total Hours taken: 17hrs 25mins
Average Speed: 3.48km/hr
Reported Weather temperature: 23^oC / 10^oC

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 12

Day 12 backpacking begins soon after the alarm went off at 6am.  We woke up to a bright and cool morning at a max 25C and min 8C.  After all was done, Paul left with Garry in the 4 wheel drive to Dog Rd where he headed off to the first camp at Dog Pool Camp some 9km away.  The total distance for the day from Dog Rd to Mandalay Beach Rd was 58km.  He started at 7.30am and arrived at 9.50pm at 3.8km/hr.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 11

Day 11 has arrived with another challenge for the BT1000 Team.  The weather reading was max 20C and min 9C. With 57km to walk from Middleton Rd to Dog Rd, Paul left at 6.10am.  He finally arrived at Deeside Coast Rd after 15hrs 50 mins at 3.8km/hr.

 

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 10

Pemberton here I come!  This was on Day 10 and the Big Brook State Forest awaited Paul as the Bibbulmun Track passed through it to take him to the town of Pemberton.  Paul took the morning walk at 6.30am and came to Big Brook Dam.  Let's read more......

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 09

The BT1000 Team woke up on Day 9 to the welcoming sound of rain as the alarm went off at 4.30am.  It was nice for Paul to start the day cool and you can see he had already taken out his yellow gortec shirt to put on, and no doubt he brought along his poncho too which he also used to lie on the ground  to lift both his feet up.

At 5.30am Paul headed off from Graphite Road, outside of Manjimup to finish off at Stirling Road near Pemberton.  The track distance between the two roads is 63km.  The weather reading for us was max 27^oC and min 17^oC, with possible thunderstorm.

Thanks for your support & encouragement.  Catch you later!

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 08

Paul woke up on Day 8 at 6am and left at 7.15am to cover his distance of 43km from Brockman Hwy to Graphite Road.  It was another warm day of max temperature of 36^o C and min 16^o C.  Paul finally emerged from the track at 6pm after 10 hrs and 40 mins at 4km/hr.

Can anyone guess what this is!  Find out more!

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 07

It had ben a long day for Paul the day before so the alarm went off in the morning at 6am.  Off he went at 7.10am to face another challenging walk on Day 7 at a weather temperature of max 36^oC and min 17^oC.  The distance covered was 56km from Grimwade-Kirup Rd to Brockman Hwy.  He finished the 56km walk at 9.00pm at 4km/hr.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 06

Day 6! Wow!  It was a big challenge for Paul because it was his first attempt to walk for 6 days in a row.  He left Coalfields Road (Collie) at 5.10am and reached Grimwade-Kirup Rd at 9.50pm at weather temperature recorded for us was max 34^oC and min 13^oC.  So that was 16 hrs 40 mins having covered 66km at 3.95km/hr.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 05

Well, we have gone into Day 5 of the BT1000.  This track started from Harvey Quindanning Road to Collie at a distance of 61km.  Paul left at 6.20am to face another yet sunny day of max 31^oC and the weather cooling off at a min 9^oC.  He arrived at the bus earlier than expected at 8.20pm after 14 hrs, which recorded his speed of 4.35km/hr.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 04

On Day 4 Paul walked from Dwellingup at 6.05am and arrived at Harvey Quindanning Road at 9.15pm which was 61km after15 hrs 10 mins at 4.07 km/hr.  The temperature was max 28^oC and min 9^oC.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 03

The total track distance from North Banister to Dwellingup was 64km.  Paul left at 6.15am with the weather at max 25^oC & min 8^oC. 

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 02

Paul left Brookton Highway at 5.00am after a somewhat difficult night of sleep but he said he will manage.  The weather forecast for North Banister was max 28^oC and min7^oC.

Record Breaking Attempt - Day 01

Here we are! November 13 marks the first day of the BT1000 and it has finally arrived!  Paul and Joy rose at 3.15am and left their house at 4.15am.

Paul's Intro

Record Breaking Attempt Countdown.....................................0

6th Training - 216 km 4 Days Walk

Ezy Dump at Pinjarra RV Friendly town

On our 6th Training from 9 - 14 October, the tentative plan was that Paul will start from Graphite Road, on One Tree Bridge near Manjimup, through Pemberton, Northcliffe, Deeside Coast Road and Mandalay Beach Road, covering approximately 236 km.  We will then spend 2 more days travelling, scouting and acquainting ourselves with the rest of the track till we reach Southern Terminus Albany where the Bibbulmun Track finishes.

Starting From Graphite Road

5th Training - 288 km 5 Days Walk

Paul's 5 days' training walk will take him from Kalamunda to Collie, a total of 324 km of long trails, hills and valleys to cross.  Paul was looking good this morning and he finally took off at the Northern Terminus, Kalamunda at 5.30 am on Day 1.

4th Training - 220 km 4 Days Walk

The 4 days' walk from 24-27 July was Paul's highest achievement thus far as he ploughed through 4 days covering a total of 220 km from Harvey Quindanning Road, Collie, Balingup, Blackwood and finished on Graphite Road, off Brockman Hwy. 

1st Day Camp at Harvey Quindanning Road

3rd Training - 121 km 2 Days Walk with Joy on Day 1

Joy had taken up on Dr. Sally's offer and decided to walk with Paul this time.  So together with her husband, they started out at 6 am on 12th June from North Banister. 

Paul & Joy on North Banister

2nd Training - 82 km 1 1/2 Days Walk

On 25 April Joy dropped Paul at 6 am at Brookton Highway.  Here is a photo of a happy man just before he headed off.

Yes I have my GPS with me!

1st Training - 57 km 1 Day Walk

'Practice makes Perfect' and so there are mistakes to make, obstacles to overcome and information to gather before we take on the big walk from 13-28 November 2010.