One small slide!

DAY 10. Walked 5.5 miles around Bradford. General feeling is that we were mad to walk that day as it was pretty wet. But I looked so sexy in my waterproof trousers that I couldn’t let the public down. There weren’t so many dramas this time apart from when I gave Andrea heart failure as I lost my footing and went sliding down a hill; her quick reactions stopped me from landing on my bum. That’s what friends are for J. Toasted tea cakes at Avoncliffe made it an even more enjoyable walk. Looking forward to a repeat next Sunday.

A very damp Avoncliffe!

... straight to the chippy!

Day 8. What a boy! Yes, Connor came with me again today for another 30 min walk around the block. Can’t remember what we talked about today but I religiously avoided the topic of college! I don’t deserve such a lovely boy!

We walked the same route only 5 mins faster. Then got fish and chips. Oh, have you tried The Scallop Shell in Beckington for F&C? They are flippin gorgeous.

 

Oh yes, and one small reminder

Please remember, all you people reading my blog out there... that the point of this drivel is to raise awareness of ME Research UK, so if you are looking at this and thinking good things, bad things, or anything at all, go to this link, and possibly make a small donation.Or you could add to Katharine's already amazing Just Giving total, which is £1,512 at the time of posting this. Thank you, my lovelies.

NOTE TO SELF

DON’T NAG YOUR CHILD

THEY’LL FORGET ALL YOU SAID

AND SO WILL YOU

...and one small electric shock

DAY 5.  Persuaded Andrea to join me for a walk around Steeple Ashton as part of our training programme (I love that we have a 'training programme'! We are taking this far too seriously).  After absailing along a wire fence to avoid wading through deep mud, we then hopped over a low fence into a field of sheep. The sheep became far too curious about our progress so we legged it to the next gate. Unfortunately the low fence we had earlier crossed was now a little higher, and also electrocuted, which surprised Andrea in quite a shocking way… Our only means of passing this fence was then to roll underneath it, combat style. Oh, we looked so cool to any passing farmers and fellow walkers. However, we completed our 4 mile walk in just under 2 hours, so the 26.5 miles will only take us 13 hours, without any breaks. Good.

 

 

Here we have a picture of my short legs. Don't remember what I was looking for here. My guess is chocolate. 

Concentrating on my walking style

DAY 3. Googled ‘how to train for a 26 mile walk’. I chose the page that said ‘start with 3 walks a week of 15 mins each’. Oooh, I’ve already done one of them, and it was 20 mins, so I’m quids in. Great. I rejected the website that said ‘on your shorter walks, concentrate on your walking style’. Well, I think I’ve already mastered that:

 *Place left foot in front of right foot, then place right foot in front of left foot. Continue from * until back home. Put kettle on.

So today practised my walking style for a 20 min walk around the block. Next time I’ll take a lead.

...One Great Leap to keep up with Connor

DAY 1. Walked for 20mins with Connor, my 16 year old, 6 foot tall son. He walked at a gentle pace, I walked ‘very briskly’ as my 5ft 1½in height means my legs are half the length of his. So a good first days training.

Then spent over an hour trying to find my blogger dashboard to add this post. If I spent an equal amount of time walking as playing on this laptop, I'd be so much fitter.

 

Into a Brave New World!

Blimey that was scary. As a technophobe I have no idea how this is going to work, but I'm writing a blog. Well, I hope I am. I could just be typing a document on my laptop, as this doesn't look too special right now. Having spent ages creating various accounts on google and stuff, I hope this is going to work.

So, the reason I have joined the blogging universe is simple. I have set a personal challenge and want people to know about it. In 5 months time I am going to do the Bath Beat, which is a 26.5 mile walk, and I'm not just doing it to lose that half a stone of fat that is now cuddling my otherwise shapely waist. I'm doing it because I want to do it for my friend's daughter, Katharine.

Katharine was diagnosed with ME when she was 14. This September Katharine celebrated her 21st birthday and chose to 'donate' her birthday to ME Research UK. Instead of gifts, she asked friends and family to donate money to the charity and held a proper old-fashioned tea party, raising a staggering £1,500. Look her up. Katharine Cheston’s blog. She’s really inspiring and I’m very proud of her.


Anyway. This is going to be a diary of my training for the Bath Beat, so tomorrow I will tell you how the walking is going.....As I said, one small step...