There are those who enjoy sport, and then there are those that love it – and Tanya Astika and Bonnie Love are the latter crowd.

The two race walkers are heading off to the land down under this week to represent the Yukon at the World Masters Games in Sydney, Australia.

The Masters Games has a wide variety of sports, from basketball to water polo to lawn bowling and rugby. This year is the largest one yet, with the most competitors coming from around the world.

You don't have to qualify to participate at the games, the only requirement is that you love your sport and you're within the age limit.

"It's totally about inclusion, not exclusion,” said Astika.

Love and Astika fit both requirements; they decided to attend the games as a celebration of their 50th birthdays this year.

Astika was the first to hear about the games, when she travelled to Edmonton for the last World Masters Games four years ago where her husband was playing hockey and her cousin participated in swimming. She decided with her cousin that she would attend the next ones in Australia.

"My cousin and I were like, ‘Four years, we'll be 50 that year,'” said Astika. "So it was a big 50th celebration.” She brought the news back to her Saturday night walking friends, including Love, who turned 50 last year.

As far as winning goes, the two aren't expecting to stand on the podium in Australia, but having a goal like this has been a great motivator.

"It's totally a fun thing for us,” said Love. "It is fun to have a goal.”

Love and Astika won't be alone in their travels, they will take the 16-hour plane ride to the outback with fellow Yukoners and athletes Lisa Vowk, Tom Ullyett, Brenda Dion and Bryan Craven this week to prepare for the games. Already touring Australia and competing in orienteering events ahead of the World Masters is 72-year-old Nesta Leduc.

It's been a long road to prepare for the games. Love met with an Olympic race walking coach to ensure she had the proper stride down to compete.

Race walking isn't as easy as it sounds – competitors have to maintain a perfect stride during the judged event. One foot must maintain contact with the ground at all times and when the foot is underneath the hip the leg must remain perfectly straight.

The judges are placed throughout the short course. Racers are given three warnings and then disqualified if they do not maintain the perfect stride.

When they are issued a warning, a paddle is shoved in front of their face.

"It's really quite distracting,” said Astika.

The sport caused a controversy at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing when a woman was disqualified as she came into the stadium to do her final lap; the offending stride had happened well before she began her final turn around the track.

"It takes a lot of concentration,” said Love. They have been practicing here in Whitehorse by sprinting and climbing hills, riding bikes and lifting weights. "We want to make a good showing and be the best we can be.”

"It is hard to maintain that stride for a very long time,” said Astika.

The race walking events start on Tuesday, Oct. 13 with the 20-kilometre walk, then continue on Sunday, Oct. 18 with the five-kilometre walk.

"We would have done three but the 10 (kilometre) and the 20 are on the same day,” said Astika.

Astika says the 20-kilometre race has fewer competitors, so they may have a better chance to place higher up.

"We know we won't be the fastest in the short,” she said.

After their events, Astika says she is looking forward to watching the other events and meeting all the race walkers and their fellow Canadians.

Also competing for the Yukon will be Vowk, Ullyett, Dion, Craven and Leduc, and most of them have faced challenges preparing for the games.

Ullyett will be competing in four running events.

"He's a great competitor, but it's a real challenge for him because there's hardly any rest time between events,” said Love.

Vowk has had trouble finding equipment to train for the pentathlon because what she needs is owned by local schools.

"She's been doing a lot of improvised training,” said Astika.

Leduc has been in Australia for a few weeks already competing in orienteering events.

"She's already in Australia doing a ton of things,” said Astika.

"She's just amazing,” said Love.

Another challenge the women will tackle is the opening ceremonies that are organized by sport, not by country. Astika says organizers will yell out the sport name and the competitors will have to organize themselves accordingly. Love and Astika hope to meet team Canada throughout the games. They have bought outfits from the Canada Summer Games to make themselves recognizable.

After the games are over, the fun doesn't stop for Astika and Love. The two women are taking the chance to travel up the coast of Australia for three weeks.

"It is a celebration after all,” said Love.

"It's going to be nice to miss the fall,” said Astika.