Not only did Mrs Long achieve her goal of completing the arduous 100-kilometre Oxfam Trailwalker Challenge, she was presented with an Overcoming the Odds award last Tuesday for being the participant who overcame the most adversity to complete the endurance walk.

"For Kathleen to complete the Oxfam Trailwalker at 60 after a hysterectomy, breast cancer, loss of sight in one eye and a blood clot is a triumph," teammate Gaye Beath said.

"We joke that she is like one of those toys that's made to bounce upright again every time you try and knock it over... she is an absolute inspiration."

The challenge involved walking from Wheelers Hill to Wesburn Park in the Yarra Valley within 48 hours.

After talking Ms Beath and Journal colleagues Carmen Olson and Joyce Grainger into signing up as her teammates, Mrs Long lost her sight in one eye from a detached retina and had a blood clot in her leg.

Despite several operations, she resumed training and completed the walk, helping raise $5000 for charity.

Her sense of humour and positive attitude led to the foursome naming their team "It's Only a Flesh Wound".

"One of my teammates was complaining about blisters on her foot and I said it's only a flesh wound," Mrs Long said. The mother of three and grandmother of two will donate her $4500 prizemoney to Oxfam's Cambodia Livelihoods project.