By Michael Doran
The Warburton Trail Fest has added a new event for 2019, the ‘Body Positive 4.5k Stomp’ on Saturday 9 March.
Organisers of the Stomp, Escaping Your Comfort Zone, describe it as a ‘walk, skip, shuffle, jog, prance, strut or stomp’ designed to encourage everyone out on the trail, regardless of fitness level, body shape or experience.
It is open to everyone and will be deliberately non-timed and non-competitive with a team of volunteer trail-angels creating a party at the back so no-one can come last.
Escaping Your Comfort Zone Director and event host, Richelle Olsen, said “It’s about being part of something and enjoying the outdoors in an non-competitive, fun and inclusive way. We wanted to create an environment that’s a comfortable space for people who feel that may not fit in with outdoor activity groups or events.”
Richelle started the group in 2016 and it has grown to more than 2000 members today. “I have always been adventurous and was encouraged to get out and do things. I was really sad that there were a lot of people who felt excluded from having great experiences because of their body shape or size.
“I’m just an everyday woman, not overly fit but I love the outdoors and I want to inspire and support other plus-sized women to experience what I have. You don’t need to be fit and it doesn’t matter what size you are, all you need is a sense of adventure and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone.
“The outdoors don’t care about how fast you can run, your size or what you are wearing and neither do we, plus you get to do it with an awesome group of adventurous people. It’s about friendship and fun, not weight-loss and fitness”
The Stomp is part of the wider Warburton Trail Fest which includes trail runs from 3 to 50 kilometres, a Lilo Derby down the river and plenty of off-river entertainment across the March long weekend.
For all the details and to enter go to www.escapingyourcomfortzone.com and www.warburtontrailfest.com
