Oxfam Trailwalker 2008

Well - that was something else!! Anyone considering something like this, please read on!

Met up with Trev, Julie and Gary at the B&B we had booked for Friday night (no camping malarky for us!!!) (lightweights or heads screwed on.... time will tell!).

We set off to register and to meet Sean and Claire. On arriving, we saw Pabs which was lovely. Shortly after Lou. Always smiley of course! Annie and Laura hadn't arrived at this point. We filled in all our forms and queued up for the kit check. I must say that from this moment and throughout the whole event, the Ghurkas were absolutely first class. Fantastic guys and incredibly dedicated. These are the chaps who can complete the Trailwalker in 10 hours. Yup - 10 HOURS!!

Once we'd kit checked we went down to the camp site and helped Sean and Claire put up their tent. It was at this point that it started raining (and it was bloody freezing). Still, tent looked quite cosy (!). Got our race numbers and timing chips and then went and had lovely steaming hot food (spag bol) made and served by the Ghurkas.

Once we'd eaten we decided to go back and try and get some shut eye for the task ahead!
After a fab cooked breakfast, we returned to the campsite ready to go with Trev's car loaded to the rafters and Claire and Sean's also pretty rammed (mostly with food!!). Nick Sirs appeared to wish us well. He took photos and then proceeded to record us for posterity. Well, as I'm sure he may already have mentioned he wanted to film me - well he only filmed my back. Sorry Nick - hate my voice on film and was full of jitters thinking about the following 24ish hours!!
They had a loan piper at the start (very moving) to get us going.

We started at 10am (it was raining!). Then we were off. Within 10 minutes the sun was shining and it was actually quite hot. We had agreed with our lovely support crew that we would see them at checkpoint 3. They could then have a bit of time in a pub (typical!) and we could cover a bit of ground while we still felt fresh. First few kilometers flew by and we didn't stop for too long.

We met Claire Julie and Andy at checkpoint 3. The kettle was on and we had a lovely cup of tea and biscuits etc. More Vaseline was put on feet, general maintenance and we were off again. We said we would meet them again at checkpoint 5.

We were having a real laugh and making really good time. Because the legs were pretty tired, when we saw a downhill stretch that wasn't full of stones we actually jogged down them. It's bliss for the legs when you've been trudging away for hours and we got some very strange looks too! We got to the checkpoint and had more refreshment. Decided not to hang around too much, change of socks etc....

From this point we decided we wanted to see our support crew at each checkpoint. I can't remember what time it was at this point, but we knew darkness would be with us by the next checkpoint. We left torches etc behind and made it our aim to get there before dark. We saw Annie, Laura, Pabs and Lou (team JBJ) en route. On the way I heard from Phil K. Bless him and Mrs K - they said they would come and meet us at checkpoint 6. They had seen the JBJs earlier on in the day. It was lovely to see them - treated them to a bit of blister popping etc. My heel was at this point really sore and so was my hip (walking strangely to stop the heel hurting). Kept popping pills and felt slightly sick but still in fairly good spirits. So we donned our head torches and hi-vis vests (yeah baby!).

Now things started to change. It was probably about half ten at this point and cold. Walking in the dark is NOT easy!! Sean also had blisters on his heels and I think Trev was suffering slighty (Gary's made of steel by all accounts!). Sean and I walked on tip toes when we left this checkpoint and I have to say I felt crap. Still felt sick.

By the time we got to checkpoint 7 (which was the hot meal checkpoint) I wanted to cry. I'd held it back for quite a while (walking with 3 manly guys does put you off slightly - not that they would have minded!). Anyway, we got our food and went to join our team. Claire offered me her blanket because I was shivering and that's it - the tears started!! I felt low and I think we were all feeling the same. Our support crew were bloody freezing too but lovely as ever.

Onwards and upwards, we carried on. Fairly uneventful (and very quiet) for a while. Between checkpoints 8 and 9 was the longest stretch. We knew it would take about 3 hours (mostly in the dark). It was bloody hard and we were very quiet. Sean was brilliant because he kept us up to date with what we should be seeing, which way we should be going and how far we had left. It all helps. We saw our lovely support at checkpoint 9 and it was at this point we knew the next time we saw them would be the end (no cars could stop at checkpoint 10). It was approximately 11 and a bit kilometers to the finish now. It was at this point that we had (yet another) very steep hill. Torture!! One thing about the South Downs it seems is that you are either going up hill (for what seems like eternity) or coming down one (which was more painful!). Bearing in mind the Trailwalker covers an ascent the same as climbing Ben Nevis (twice!).

The end was in sight and at checkpoint 10 we just grabbed a drink and left. The first aid guy told me I was looking very pale and did I want to sit down - HAVING A LAUGH OBVIOUSLY. If I sat down I wouldn't bloody get up again! We pressed on and after was seemed like 4 hours (probably just over 1) we saw Brighton race course. We'd cracked it. We crossed the line in 22 hours and 22 minutes on the clock. We got in at 8.30am. I think I can speak for the guys when I say we were so chuffed with that time. The second half had been bloody hard and we all struggled in some way or another. I sobbed quite a bit when we finished and I think even my lovely manly chaps were a tad emotional too....! We had our pics taken and then I went to get my feet bandaged. Ouch ouch ouch (and more tears)

I want to thank Trev, Sean and Gary for being fantastic team mates. They kept me going when quite frankly I felt like shit. I wouldn't have quit, but they gave me the boost to try and walk that little bit quicker when I could. Thanks you lot - couldn't have done it without you. Also a massive thank you to Julie, Andy and Claire. What brilliant support - you stuck with us for the entire race, despite being knackered (about 2 hours sleep between them) but still managed to smile and get us everything we needed.

Also massive congratulations to the JBJs. Great to see your finishing photo. Next year? Good to see Lou and Pabs at the finish.

I will leave you with some pics (including some corking ones of my feet). I can't actually put weight on my heels and my legs are so stiff I can't bend them. But I loved it. Would I do it again. Of course I would!

2 days....

Only 2 days!! That's it - that's all I've got left before clocking up 62 miles (hopefully) in about 24 hours. Still bloody nervous and I'm annoyed because I've got a bit of sore skin on my heel (from a blister that was lurking underneath hard skin). I had to get rid of the skin because otherwise it would just give me grief, but now I'm worried it'll hurt for the whole time I'm walking. And that's a long time to hurt!

I'm off to Bluewater tomorrow to invest in a shiny new headtorch (very glamorous this life). I need one for next year anyway and it will no doubt help with the Trailwalk. I could come to serious harm if I can't see where I'm going in the middle of the night across the South Downs!

Trailwalker preparations

So only 4 days to go until the Trailwalker. I have to say I'm getting pretty nervous now. The distance scares the living crap out of me! Still, it'll be a good indication of whether I have a hope in hell of completing the MdS!

Been sorting my stuff out this morning. Between us we are taking quite a bit! I went out yesterday to buy supplies such as biscuits, sweets, peanuts, more biscuits, hot chocolate, cup a soups, cookies (biscuits!), flapjacks, Haribos.... and the list goes on. Not intending on eating all of this obviously but it'll help along the way. I'm taking a couscous dish, pasta and potatoes too (all good carbs!). We need to take food for our support crew too as they are obviously traipsing around after us for a good 24 hours.

It takes a fair bit of organisation (which is why I'm starting now). I love making lists (have to make them) and want to make sure I'm completely prepared by Friday. I have to get all the kids' stuff ready too as they're staying at mum and dads so it's something else to think about. No walking this week. I'm preserving every bit of energy I have!

I'm just hoping and praying that my trainers will be okay, my feet will remain intact and that we will all make it to the end, still talking and able to laugh...

Perhaps laughing might come after the memories have faded!

24 miles!!!

I did it! I'm very pleased because today wasn't exactly the best day for walking. It didn't stop raining once!! I wore the new trainers and, although my feet really ache (not surprisingly) and are very white and wrinkly from getting so wet, they don't actually feel too bad. I was definitely aware that I had a lot more room in the toe area!

My heels are pretty sore (really need to sort the hard skin out - yuck) and my little toe, as ever, is sore but I really think that's more to do with the fact they were soaked for approximately 5 hours.

Really glad I did it anyway. Although school holidays are going to bugger up training to an extent, after the summer break, I'm definitely going to try and do a marathon distance walk a week. Psychologically it helps!

Off to cover my feet in Vaseline.

New shoes (again)

As I took a trip to Bluewater today to meet a friend (who I haven't seen for 4 years - was great to catch up).... I thought it would be rude not to pop into SheRunsHeRuns to have a nose. And there was a sale on! I was going to buy the usuals (Mizuno Nirvana) and asked one of the guys who worked there what he thought. Explained about the ever decreasing toe nail situation and the fact that my feet are quite squashed when walking in them. He said that Mizunos are actually quite a narrow shoe (great!). He suggested trying either Nike or New Balance and gave me a couple to try. The NB shoes actually come in different width fittings. Tried a pair on and although they were comfy, the Nikes were much better. I actually feel like I can move my toes!

My Mizunos are for over pronators and solved all my shin splint problems, dodgy knees etc etc. However, the Nikes are neutral shoes. The guy in the shop said this shouldn't be a problem because obviously the impact while walking is a hell of a lot less than when running. He said a neutral shoe should do the job. I'm hoping he's right. As for the Invo8s that I got a while back, he said they are a really narrow shoe. Now I know why I lost both big toe nails and the small ones are non-existent. I think a sale on Ebay may be in order.

Anyway, the Nikes were £45 in the sale (bargain!). I've mapped a route for tomorrow of 24 miles. Tempted to wear them and just see how I go because I know if I wear my old trainers my feet will be buggered by the time I get home. Decisions, decisions.....

Plus it's supposed to be chucking it down with rain all day tomorrow (joy) so not sure what to do yet. Definitely taking a rain coat tho!!

I've been reading on the mds forums tonight about footwear issues, whether road shoes or trail shoes are best for the MdS. Basically the opinion is that you could ask 100 people what they would recommend and you would get 100 different answers. In other words, go with what's comfortable for you and don't change your mind once you're happy. That's good enough for me. Once I've found the right shoes, I will sort out how I'm going to get my gaiters glued/stitched on and I should be good to go. The rest will obviously be a breeze (of course).

I'm now considering the Bullock Smithy. It's the 6th/7th September (am supposed to be doing a 5k that weekend, but I guess this is more what I need and I promised myself to do an event a month). Just need to find a YH or somewhere very cheap nearby (it's near Stockport) and hope that I can walk with someone who's good at navigating!

Right, I should go and prepare my feet for the nightmare of tomorrow!

Short run

I went for a short (and slow as usual) run yesterday. Did 4 miles. It was bloody hot too (something I suppose I should try and get used to!). I've got another toenail lifting now (and it really hurts) so am just waiting for it to pop, fall off, or do whatever it needs to do. I was going to do a Group Cycling class today but my legs really ache so thought I'd give it a miss.

I'll do a long walk on Friday (provided my daughter is okay as she came home sick today). I'll run Sunday morning and then back to normal (whatever that is) next week. The following week I'll probably just walk a bit each day as I don't want to do any long ones the week before the Trailwalker. It's getting scarily close now.