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15-year-old and her aunt walking a great tradition Taylor Johnson and Gerrie Knott Are Great Lake Walk’s Dynamic Duo.
By Doug Marner - Lake Cowichan Gazette
Published: September 14, 2009
For Taylor Johnson, 2004 seems like a long time ago.
There have certainly been a lot of kilometres pass under the 15-year-old Lake Cowichan teenager’s feet since then, many of them in the Great Lake Walk.
In 2004, the third year of the Great Lake Walk, Taylor was the youngest female, at 10 years old, to finished the epic 56-kilometre trek around Cowichan Lake, from Youbou to Lake Cowichan.
She walked with her aunt, Gerrie Knott, and Pam Palliser and has been in the Great Lake Walk every year since, walking along side Gerrie.
The key for Taylorß getting through the 56 kilometres has been the great company of Knott and good footwear.
“Me and my Aunt Gerrie are really close,” said Taylor. “I know I could do the walk by myself, but I don’t want to. I like doing it with my aunt.”
Together they provide moral support and play trivia, which helps pass the time. “Time just flies,” said Taylor.
As for her shoes, she said the blister she had during last year’s Great Lake Walk was the first she’s had in five trips around the lake. She said it’s all about having good shoes.
As she shows the shoes she’ll be using on Saturday, her mom Tracy brought out the shoes she wore in her first Great Lake Walk. She coulsn’t believe how small they are as she tried to put a foot in one of them.
“I can’t believe I wore these,” she said with a laugh.
Taylor Johnson shows the shoes she will be wearing in Saturday’s Great Lake Walk, at right, and the shoes she wore in her first one in 2004.
The Great Lake Walk has gotten easier for Taylor, who said she was, believe it or not, probably over prepared for her first effort, with too many clothes and too big a backpack.
Taylor said one of the highlights of the Great Lake Walk is the 12 great rest stops along the way.
“Oh, I love them. I don’t think I could do it without them.”
She said the best part of the Great Lake Walk for her is when she and Gerrie start off after each rest stop, like it’s a new beginning, a fresh start.
Another highlight of the walk is getting through The Hill, the climb to the Youbou Lookout.
“You just have to zone out when you get there and it sure feels great when you complete the climb.”
Taylor added that there really isn’t a bad side to the walk for her, although she admits there have been times when she wanted to quit. That’s when Gerrie’s support has come through big time.
Taylor and Gerrie also get plenty of support from Taylor’s mom Tracy, who takes a vehicle on the route to make sure everything is going well.
“I’m so proud of what she’s done,” said Tracy. “I also think she’s crazy to do it. I just don’t know how they do it. They must enjoy it, though, otherwise why would the keep doing it.”
Taylor credits her active lifestyle to helping her ability to finish the Great Lake Walk. The Grade 10 plays soccer, both for the Lake Cowichan Secondary School Lakers and a team in Duncan, and she likes to run.
She also goes for walks with Gerrie, especially in the month leading up to the Great Lake Walk, including going to Youbou and back.
“I hope I can keep going in the Great Lake Walk,” she said, noting that although they have gotten faster — from 11 hours and 22 minutes in 2004 to 9:57 last year — their time isn’t as important as finishing.
Who knows, maybe one day she’ll be the first to finish the event.
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