Kirsten Dixon Walks the Old Ghost Road

3 May

Congratulations to Kirsten Dixon, who recently completed her mission to walk with a friend, unsupported for five days, along all 85 kilometres of the West Coast’s Old Ghost Road. Kirsten's consistent investment of effort, putting in the mahi, has paid off in a fantastic achievement. Below, she reflects on her journey.

"A year ago, I shared my plans to walk the Old Ghost Road, when someone asked me, "Is that something you would do without the grant?" I shifted uncomfortably in my seat and answered with an indignant "yes". That question haunted me, and now, a year on, I know the answer was "no" – but not, as I feared, from a lack of discipline or desire. If I'd gone at it alone, I wouldn't have had the skills to achieve my goal.

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Kirsten (right) and her tramping buddy, Kim. Photo credit: Kirsten Dixon, 2024

"Working with an exercise physiologist, personal trainer, nutritionist, and a mentor through Mastering Mountains, I gained a greater awareness of how my body works with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). While building my strength and fitness, I learned to recognise and manage neuropathic fatigue and pain, plan safely and make good decisions on the trail, and stay curious and creative regarding my limitations.

“As I walked the 85 kilometres of the trail, I reflected on my nine months of preparation, and in this pondering, I shed some deep self-limiting beliefs. I now truly know that I live with Multiple Sclerosis AND am capable and worthy of a full, remarkable life. I now realise the need to keep my creativity to adapt to future challenges and the humility to seek skilled professionals to support me. I realise that with the right support, I can achieve more than I thought!"

For Kirsten, walking the Old Ghost Road was a form of pilgrimage and a metaphor for her body's work of rehabilitation. It took a dedicated group of people years to navigate the slips, slopes and other obstacles, creating the track along the Old Ghost Road. In this, Kirsten sees a parallel to the process of rehabilitating. She, too, had to put in the mahi required to establish new neural pathways, navigating the neurological obstacles created by lesions and disease to establish a pathway that enables her to access the outdoors long into the future. We are incredibly excited for Kirsten, and can’t wait to see where her journey takes her next.

Kirsten was a 2023 recipient of the Mastering Mountains Expedition Grant. You can read more about Kirsten’s story here.